On the treatment of psoriasis

Essential oils are widely incorporated in cosmetic products, perfumes and related household products due to the variety of their properties but mainly due to their pleasant odour. The composition of these volatile natural complex mixtures may vary depending on the quality of plant material from which they were obtained and the extraction method by which they were derived. These factors are also important in ensuring the safe use of essential oils in personal care products. As they contain compounds with varied chemical structure and effects, skin sensitivity and irritations as well as other symptoms may arise after their application. Although essential oils are considered as safe and nontoxic when used at low concentrations, available scientific literature indicates that essential oils and their compounds may possess a strong allergy potential. This review focuses on side effects and allergy contact dermatitis caused by selected essential oils and their single compounds in cosmetic products, summarizing data from the most recent scientific literature.

Essential Oils and Their Single Compounds in Cosmetics—A Critical Review

Zinc is a key element for growth and development. In this narrative review, we focus on the role of dietary zinc in early life (including embryo, fetus and preterm neonate), analyzing consequences of zinc deficiency and adequacy of current recommendations on dietary zinc. We performed a systematic search of articles on the role of zinc in early life. We selected and analyzed 81 studies. Results of this analysis showed that preservation of zinc balance is of critical importance for the avoidance of possible consequences of low zinc levels on pre- and post-natal life. Insufficient quantities of zinc during embryogenesis may influence the final phenotype of all organs. Maternal zinc restriction during pregnancy influences fetal growth, while adequate zinc supplementation during pregnancy may result in a reduction of the risk of preterm birth. Preterm neonates are at particular risk to develop zinc deficiency due to a combination of different factors: (i) low body stores due to reduced time for placental transfer of zinc; (ii) increased endogenous losses; and (iii) marginal intake. Early diagnosis of zinc deficiency, through the measurement of serum zinc concentrations, may be essential to avoid severe prenatal and postnatal consequences in these patients. Typical clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency are growth impairment and dermatitis. Increasing data suggest that moderate zinc deficiency may have significant subclinical effects, increasing the risk of several complications typical of preterm neonates (i.e., necrotizing enterocolitis, chronic lung disease, and retinopathy), and that current recommended intakes should be revised to meet zinc requirements of extremely preterm neonates. Future studies evaluating the adequacy of current recommendations are advocated.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/12/5542/pdf

Zinc in Early Life: A Key Element in the Fetus and Preterm Neonate

The cosmetic ingredient Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT) (CAS No 13463-41-7, EC No 236-671-3) with the chemical name Bis[(2-pyridyl-1-oxo)-thio]zinc is currently regulated as a preservative in rinse-off products (excluding oral hygiene products) in a concentration up to 0.5% in general and up to 1.0% in hair products (Annex V/8). Furthermore, ZPT is also allowed in a concentration up to 0.1% in leave-on hair products (Annex Ш/101).

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Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety SCCS

Granuloma annulare (GA) is a poorly understood condition characterized by a set of clinical morphologic variants with 2 predominant histopathologic patterns of inflammation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the available information about the clinical variants and histopathologic features, current epidemiologic data, and potential genetic underpinnings of GA. Much of the current understanding of GA is based on retrospective studies, case series, and case reports; this review aims to synthesize the available information and present it clearly for practicing dermatologists.

Granuloma annulare: Clinical and histologic variants, epidemiology, and genetics

Snail consumption is frequent in the Mediterranean area as a delicacy, mostly in Portugal, Spain, Italy and France

Introduction: Infantile hemangioma is the benign tumor more frequent in pediatric age. The majority was a good outcome however, depending on location they can distort important anatomic structures or take to local or systemic complications. In this context, since Leaute-Labreze published in 2008 their experience with propranolol, multiple case reports and small series have been reported in international literature where this drug is used “off-label” as first line therapeutic agent. The present work aims to report the experience of a department with propranol as first line drug in infantile hemangioma treatment in 2 patients. Clinical cases: The patient 1 was a female with infantile hemangioma since 5 weeks old localized at the nose. The patient 2 was a male with two ulcerated infantile hemangiomas: one at the face, and another at the scrotum. Both underwent therapeutic induction with propranol on an inpatient basis, with a target dose of 2-3 mg/Kg/day. After a 6 months follow-up period, a good response was achieved with no complications noted. Discussion: Propranol is a safe and effective alternative in hemangioma treatment. Although no complications were noted, they are described and occur mainly during the therapeutic induction, making important the clinical vigilance during this period.KEYWORDS – Infant, Hemangioma; Propranolol; Skin Neoplasms; Therapy.

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Propranolol no tratamento do hemangioma infantil – a propósito de 2 casos

we report a case of a healthy 30-year-old man who presented to our Dermatology Department with two asymptomatic lesions that had developed over a linear verrucous epidermal nevus during the previous year. The epidermal nevus had been present since birth and extended from the abdominal and thoracic midline to the left shoulder, arm and forearm. There was no extra-cutaneous involvement. Clinical examination revealed an oval, firm and infiltrated erythematous plaque with 6 × 5 cm and sharply demarcated borders, with multiple exuberant hyperkeratotic protrusions, located on the anterior left shoulder (Figure 1). A firm, smooth blue-grey papule of 5 × 5 mm on the abdomen with multiple blue-greyish globules and arborizing vessels on dermatoscopy was also noted (Figure 2). Both lesions overlaid the epidermal nevus. The lesions were surgically excised and histopathological examination of the first revealed a proliferation of Clinical Letter

Simultaneous basal cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma in a linear epidermal verrucous nevus

A infeccao genital por Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) e frequentemente assintomatica e quando nao tratada precocemente constitui um problema major de saude publica. Os autores realizaram um estudo cujo objectivo foi determinar a prevalencia de infeccao genital por Ct numa consulta de Infeccoes Sexualmente Transmissiveis (ISTs) e realizar uma analise de diferentes variaveis. Para tal foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo dos doentes com diagnostico de infeccao por Ct confirmado por tecnica de amplificacao de acidos nucleicos, observados na consulta de ISTs do Servico de Dermatologia e Venereologia do Hospital Curry Cabral entre Janeiro de 2006 e Dezembro de 2009. Encontrou-se uma prevalencia de infeccao de 10,5% (81 doentes com infeccao genital por Ct em 771 individuos testados). Na populacao com infeccao por Ct foram encontradas diferencas com significado estatistico entre o sexo masculino e feminino na idade media dos doentes (homens=28,9 vs mulheres=24,3) p= 0,018; no numero de companheiros sexuais nos ultimos 6 meses (homens=3,32 vs mulheres=1,50) p=0,009; e no tempo em semanas decorrido entre o inicio dos sintomas e o diagnostico (homens=2,65 vs mulheres=6,64) p= 0,032. Os doentes com co-infeccao pelo Virus da Imunodeficiencia Humana (VIH) tinham um maior numero de companheiros sexuais nos ultimos 6 meses do que os nao VIH p=0,003. Assim, existem diferencas demograficas, comportamentais e clinicas entre o sexo masculino e feminino e entre a populacao VIH e nao VIH. Alem disso, a elevada prevalencia de infeccao por Ct justifica os programas de diagnostico precoce instituidos.

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Rodrigo Carvalho

Papers

Snail consumption is frequent in the Mediterranean area as a delicacy, mostly in Portugal, Spain, Italy and France

Propranolol no tratamento do hemangioma infantil – a propósito de 2 casos

Simultaneous basal cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma in a linear epidermal verrucous nevus

Chlamydia trachomatis numa consulta de infecções sexualmente transmissíveis – estudo retrospectivo de quatro anos (2006-2009)