Stretching a point | Dermatology | 06-2010
Stretch marks on the skin are a very common occurrence in both men and women. The most common causes for stretch marks include rapid growth during adolescence and during pregnancy. ...
Lip service | Dermatology | 06-2010
Severe solar cheilitis is a condition caused by constant exposure to sunlight. The thin skin of the lips can only withstand so much sunlight exposure before the top layers start ...
Avoiding the worst in shingles | Dermatology | 05-2010
Herpesvirus infections due to varicella zoster are the cause for shingles. The pain that develops with a shingles infection is due to the residence of the herpesvirus within the neuron. ...
No cutting, no keloids | Dermatology | 03-2010
The issue raised by your question is actually two parts what options are there for treating comedonal cysts and what can be done to minimize keloidal scarring in high-risk areas, ...
Be quick to avert bedsores | Dermatology | 12-2009
In the right individual, the critical tissue perfusion injury time can occur in 30 minutes. If the person is malnourished, emaciated, anemic, hypoxemic and hypotensive, any compression point can lead ...
Neurofibromas and families | Dermatology | 12-2009
The neurocutaneous syndromes are uncommon but not rare. Neurofibromatosis is one of the more common conditions seen, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 3,000 individuals. Diagnosis is usually made ...
The chink in lice’s armour | Dermatology | 12-2009
Head lice have been the bane of public health and school nurses since time immemorial. The high rate of transmission and the close proximity of children in school have made ...
Starve stubborn dandruff | Dermatology | 12-2009
The appearance of dandruff in adolescents is a very common problem, which creates a social stigma for the affected individual. Current convention suggests that the overcolonization of a yeast organism ...
Dentistry and oral lichen planus | Dermatology | 11-2009
Lichen planus, like its cousin psoriasis, can be triggered by trauma or irritation. Therefore, the wear and tear of getting the dental work performed may have been a trigger for ...
More than skin deep? | Dermatology | 10-2009
It s been said that Willie Sutton robbed banks because that was where the money was. Since the primary purpose of a biopsy is to obtain sufficient tissue to make ...
Pregnancy and fifth disease | Dermatology | 10-2009
Erythema infectiosum, or fifth disease, is caused by parvovirus B-19. There is an incubation period of between 4 and 14 days, when the patient is viremic and contagious. Once the ...
Pentoxifylline for ischemic ulcer? | Dermatology | 10-2009
Arterial insufficiency can lower the capillary perfusion pressure to a point where circulation is impeded due to prolonged pressure. The tissue becomes anoxic and necrosis occurs. The two main avenues ...
Treating psoriasis when hair gets in the way | Dermatology | 10-2009
When treating psoriasis in hair-bearing regions, such as the scalp or arms in some men, the choice of vehicle makes a significant impact on the acceptability and the success of ...
Acne Tx and cholesterol | Dermatology, Cardiology | 04-2009
Cardiology response A short-term use of this medication as you state will have a very limited role in the development of future atherosclerosis and is not a major concern. As ...
Antihistamines for kids | Dermatology | 04-2009
Antihistamines are effective medications in controlling mild acute urticaria in children. The easiest agents to use are the first-generation short-acting antihistamines such as hydroxyzine or diphenhydramine. However, the second-generation longer ...
Tinea versicolour care | Dermatology | 04-2009
Tinea versicolour is a very common condition usually found in adolescents and young adults where small confluent circles of discoloured finely scaly skin are located in a mantle distribution on ...
What lies beneath | Dermatology | 03-2009
Little evidence exists to support the concern that chronic urticaria is a cutaneous sign of occult internal malignancy. A Swedish group examined 1,155 patients with chronic urticaria, and found no ...
Two rashes for the price of one | Dermatology | 03-2009
An Id reaction is also known as a dermatid, or dermatitis-like reaction. Essentially, the patient develops a widespread form of dermatitis in sympathy with a localized, more aggressive dermatitis on ...
HZV shot for shingles and neuralgia? | Infectious Disease | 02-2009
The new zoster vaccine Zostavax is designed to boost immunity to the varicella-zoster virus and therefore reduce the risk and severity of reactivation of latent virus in those individuals who ...
Getting tough with dandruff | Dermatology | 01-2009
Dandruff is a form of seborrheic dermatitis that involves the scalp. The high density of sebaceous glands on the scalp provides the perfect environment for Pityrosporum organisms. In addition, the ...
Infrared lamps: keep a safe distance | Dermatology | 11-2008
Infrared lamps are commonly used in bathrooms as a heating device. The potential harmful effects of these lamps are related to thermal damage of the skin. For instance, direct contact ...
Best Tx for cellulitis of the lower leg | Allergy | 11-2008
Chronic venous insufficiency due to valvular incompetence leads to a chain reaction of physiologic changes in the skin and upper dermis. Congestion of the superficial lymphatic system and fibrin cuffing ...
Krazy Glue for fissured fingers | Dermatology | 10-2008
Skin fissuring on the fingertips requires a two-pronged approach. The first is to replace the moisture lost, and the second is to repair the split. For the second, the use ...
How to keep athlete's foot away | Dermatology | 09-2008
If tinea pedis, or athlete's foot, is suspected clinically, a scraping for culture is usually indicated. In the busy office, it's often tempting to forgo this step, but just a ...
Best Tx for cold sores | Dermatology | 09-2008
While many clinicians would take an expectant management approach, there are certain circumstances that may warrant treatment, e.g. altered immune status and frequent recurrences. Though antivirals come in both topical ...
Halting hair loss in young men | Dermatology | 08-2008
Male pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia, affects up to 50 of Caucasian men, much less for those with darker complexions. Often, it starts during the teenage years, although the ...
Oral lichen planus: best treatment | Dermatology | 08-2008
About one-third of all patients with lichen planus will have oral lesions. Commonly, white lacy patches are located on the inside of the cheeks and lips. The gums and tongue ...
Identifying a travel-related rash | Dermatology, Infectious Disease | 07-2008
The differential diagnosis is very broad, and includes illnesses that may or may not be specifically travel-related. While your patient could have an infection, it's necessary to find out all ...
Identifying a travel-related rash | Dermatology | 07-2008
Differential diagnoses for infantile eruptions typically fall within either infectious or reactive dermatitis conditions. Most nonpruritic eruptions in infants are various forms of viral exanthems. The baby appears otherwise well, ...
How to deal with swimmer's itch | Dermatology | 07-2008
Swimmer's itch is also known as duck itch or cercarial dermatitis. It's commonly found each summer in people who swim in freshwater lakes that warm up with the season or ...
The link between dandruff, acne and oily skin | Dermatology | 06-2008
Each of these conditions is due to the interaction between a lipophilic yeast organism and a host immune response. As sebum is unique to each individual in its blend of ...
Does molluscum contagiosum need treatment? | Dermatology | 05-2008
Molluscum contagiosum is a common condition usually found in children of school age. It's caused by a poxvirus, one of the largest viruses to infect humans. The usual presentation is ...
Best Tx for cellulitis in the elderly | Geriatrics, Dermatology | 04-2008
Cellulitis in the elderly can be a bit of a minefield, partly because of the potential for drug interaction and the need to accommodate for declining liver and renal function. ...
Brownish sweat: a cause for worry? | Dermatology | 03-2008
Your patient has chromhidrosis. This is a rare condition where the secretions of the eccrine or apocrine glands have higher levels of lipofuscin pigment that has oxidized to a yellow-brown ...
Are antibiotics needed for 2nd degree burns? | Dermatology | 01-2008
Thermal injuries that damage the full epidermis create an area where the skin has lost its ability to keep bacteria out. Nonetheless, these wounds can be managed without the use ...
Pruritus during pregnancy -- test the liver? | Dermatology | 12-2007
Pruritus of pregnancy is a very distressing condition for the mother, and there are circumstances where elevated bile acids can portend fetal distress. The most frequent cause of this condition ...
Does skin colour affect vitamin D requirements? | Endocrinology | 11-2007
Individuals with dark skin are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency than white people because they may need 20-30 times more sun exposure to generate the same amount of ...
The case of a bald 3-year-old | Pediatrics | 10-2007
When kids lose their hair in large amounts without any symptoms of systemic disease, it's generally due to telogen effluvium -- the hair loss caused by resumption of the normal ...
Molluscum contagiosum just leave it be? | Infection | 04-2007
I'm not aware of any increased risk to the fetus associated with maternal molluscum contagiosum. Given that the virus is transmitted through contact, efforts to decrease direct contact with lesions ...
Black and blue with bruising | Hematology | 03-2007
The normal platelet count places the cause of this patient's purpura among those of non-thrombocytopenic conditions that include senile purpura, purpura associated with vasculitis, amyloidosis, cryoglobulinemia and allergic purpura. There ...
Pruritus in the elderly | Geriatrics | 12-2006
Pruritus isn't unusual in the elderly. It may be due to physiologic, emotional, environmental, cognitive and social factors, as well as a myriad of disease processes and medications. Xerosis, or ...
Can pets transmit skin disease? | Dermatology | 04-2006
Your question could have two parts conditions that may be found on both humans and animals and infections that people can contract from their pets. For the first part, veterinary ...
An itch to contend with | Infection | 04-2006
It's not readily apparent what the diagnosis is for your couple. Causes of pruritis ani include infection i.e. pinworms, scabies and herpes , inflammation, neoplasms, hygiene that's poor or too ...
Can pets transmit skin disease? | Infection | 04-2006
Humans can acquire a large number of diseases from their household pets. There are reports of potential transmission of MRSA between humans and pet dogs, and one Japanese study on ...
Antifungal use in pregnancy or liver disease | Clinical Pharmacology | 02-2006
Safety in pregnancy isn't something that can be easily evaluated using commonly accessible drug information sources, such as the amp lt i amp gt Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties amp ...
Is there a cure for recurrent canker sores? | Infection | 01-2006
Aphthous ulcers may be a manifestation of systemic diseases, such as nutritional deficiencies, inflammatory bowel syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, neutropenia, HIV infection, celiac disease and Behcet's syndrome. Similar ulcerative lesions ...
Is latex allergy on the rise? | Allergy | 10-2005
A past hand rash from rubber gloves would raise the suspicion of a latex allergy, but the most likely cause of such reactions is irritant dermatitis. If, however, the individual ...
Can OCPs be re-tried after erythema nodosum? | Obstetrics Gynecology | 11-2004
The literature isn't conclusive on this point. There are some case reports that have shown recurrent erythema nodosum on OCPs and others not. I suggest that if the OCP is ...
The best OCP Tx for acne | Obstetrics Gynecology | 09-2004
Most OCPs will help with acne. Remember that cyproterone ethinyl estradiol is actually not marketed as an oral contraceptive, but only for acne treatment although it's a contraceptive as well ...
What's up with PUPPP? | Obstetrics Gynecology | 05-2004
PUPPP is the most common pruritic skin disease of pregnancy. The papules usually develop on the abdomen, sparing the face. It's seen more often in women who've never had children ...
Workup for leg edema or unilateral varicose veins | Cardiology | 04-2004
Unilateral leg edema isn't normal -- it often means there's an obstruction on one side of the body, so it's important to look for the cause. I'd first rule out ...
Tattoos: easy to get, hard to get rid of | Dermatology | 02-2004
Tattoos are a fascinating part of social communication. Many are used to identify one's place within a community, or religious commitment. Adornment of the body can be works of art, ...
Controversial cyproterone acetate/ethinyl estradiol | Hematology | 01-2004
The controversy started on January 14, 2003, when the Disclosure documentary program on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC raised concern over the safety of cyproterone acetate ethinyl estradiol and the ...
