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Venous lakes (VL) are acquired venous ectasies of the superficial dermal venules, usually observed in older people. Thirty-two adult patients with VL in several localizations were treated by carbon dioxide laser vaporization. Two passes were performed to each lesion within the same session. A continuous and defocused mode, with a power density of 5 W/cm2, was used in the first pass, and a continuous focused mode with the same power density was in the second pass. Photographic controls were performed before and after treatment. VLs were removed, and the smooth surface of the treated area was re-established by a single laser session. Only one case recurred after the treatment. No significant secondary effects were observed. Carbon dioxide laser is a good and safe method for treatment of skin VL. With adequate cautions, excellent cosmetic results can be obtained with a single session of treatment.

Allergic contact dermatitis from naftifine has been scarcely described in the English literature, all of them in adults. We report a case of a 12-year-old girl who developed an acute eczema on her neck after application of a naftifine cream. This fact was confirmed by a patch-test study. We did not find a cross-reaction to terbinafine, a structurally linked allylamine.

Sclerosing sweat duct carcinoma is an infrequent adnexal tumor, locally aggressive and with a high incidence of local recurrences. Its location is preferably cephalic and its clinical presentation often unspecific. We present a new case with an atypical location and the clinical appearance of a benign cutaneous lesion. Diagnosis was established after a histological and immunohistochemical study. A terminological review was done.

We report a 65-year-old man who presented with a Merkel cell carcinoma on his right ear, a small satellite nodule and regional lymph node metastases. No treatment was given because of his generally poor state of health. Spontaneous regression of all the lesions was observed within a month. Merkel cell carcinoma is a potentially aggressive tumour. Only four cases of spontaneous regression have been reported previously.

Pachydermodactyly is a rare and benign form of digital fibromatosis with only a few cases described in the literature. We report two cases of pachydermodactyly affecting young men. In one of them a knuckle pad was found, and the fibromatous thickening of the skin affected not only the finger joints but also the dorsum of the hands. This case can be included in the particular clinical form named pachydermodactyly transgrediens.

Multiple clustered dermatofibromas constitute an uncommon entity, of which we have collected seven cases in the literature. We observed the case of a 4-year-old girl, who had dermatofibromas confluent in a central plaque of fibrous aspect, located in the lumbar region. The immunohistochemical study showed positive staining for Factor XIIIa antibody, confirming its origin in the dermal dendrocyte.

Benign cephalic histiocytosis is a rare, benign, self-healing form of non-X histiocytosis. A case in a 3-month-old girl is reported. The papular eruption involved her face, neck, shoulders and upper trunk. Light and electron microscopic findings and clinical evolution confirmed the diagnosis. The differential diagnosis with the micronodular form of juvenile xanthogranuloma is discussed.