Treatment of periorbital and perioral wrinkles with fractional Er:YAG laser: What are the effects of age, smoking, and Glogau stage?

Background Dynamic and static wrinkling are observed on the facial skin as a result of aging. Previously, it was showed that fractional Er:YAG laser was effective in the treatment of facial wrinkles

Presence of Trichodynia Symptoms in Hair Diseases and Related Factors

Background: Trichodynia can be described as a feeling of discomfort in the scalp. Studies on trichodynia also have different data. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and associated factors of trichodynia. Methods: A questionnaire was applied to 249 patients who were admitted to the Hair Diseases Unit of Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Hospital. We recorded the age, sex, hair loss duration, diagnosis, and whether or not patients had trichodynia symptoms. Results: Out of a total of 249 patients, 89 patients (35.7%) had trichodynia. We found that the mean age of patients with trichodynia was higher than the mean age of those without trichodynia. Trichodynia was more common in women than in men. In addition, it was more common in the cicatricial alopecia group than the other disease groups. Discussion: The frequency of trichodynia was significantly higher in women in comparison to that in men. Symptoms of trichodynia were significantly more common in patients with cicatricial alopecia in comparison to that in the other 4 diagnostic categories. There was no significant difference between the 4 diagnostic categories in terms of trichodynia severity

The evaluation of dupilumab treatment response in atopic dermatitis patients

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to demonstrate real-life effectiveness of dupilumab treatment in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients

Evaluation of the alopecia areata patients on tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tofacitinib is a Janus Kinase 3 inhibitor that is used in the treatment of alopecia areata. We recommended our alopecia areata patients to discontinue their tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic for an average of 80 days. We aimed to evaluate the drug use and the SARS-CoV-2 infection status of alopecia areata patients; and the relationships of recurrence to age, gender, treatment duration, and tofacitinib discontinuation. One-hundred and ninety-one (61.4%) patients were off the drug and 120 (38.6%) were on therapy during the pandemic. The relationship between drug discontinuation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recurrence was statistically significant (P < .001). Statistically significant relationships of age (P = .013) and treatment duration (P < .001) to recurrence were also found. The change in the SALT score differed between the patients on therapy and off therapy during the pandemic (P < .001). A significant negative correlation was found between the change in the SALT score and treatment duration: the spearman correlation test P = .018. We concluded that the patients may continue to the tofacitinib therapy during the rest of the COVID-19 pandemic if the benefit outweighed the risk

Vitamin deficiencies/hypervitaminosis and the skin

Vitamins are an indispensable food source and important owing to the enzyme cofactor and catalytic roles they play in the body. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, are stored in the body and can cause problems with their excessive accumulation. Other vitamins rarely accumulate in the body because they dissolve in water and are excreted through the kidneys. Alcoholism, strict diets, insufficient parental nutrition, and gastrointestinal absorption problems may be included in the causes of vitamin deficiencies. Although clinical findings of vitamin deficiencies display different characteristics depend-ing on the vitamins, the signs that generally occur are cutaneous pigmentation, pigmentation on mucous membranes, palmoplantar keratoderma characterized by fissures, palmar streaking, yellow streaking on the nails, nail layering, and intranail hemorrhage. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Evaluation of the alopecia areata patients on tofacitinib treatment during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Tofacitinib is a Janus Kinase 3 inhibitor that is used in the treatment of alopecia areata. We recommended our alopecia areata patients to discontinue their tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic for an average of 80 days. We aimed to evaluate the drug use and the SARS-CoV-2 infection status of alopecia areata patients; and the relationships of recurrence to age, gender, treatment duration, and tofacitinib discontinuation. One-hundred and ninety-one (61.4%) patients were off the drug and 120 (38.6%) were on therapy during the pandemic. The relationship between drug discontinuation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recurrence was statistically significant (P < .001). Statistically significant relationships of age (P = .013) and treatment duration (P < .001) to recurrence were also found. The change in the SALT score differed between the patients on therapy and off therapy during the pandemic (P < .001). A significant negative correlation was found between the change in the SALT score and treatment duration: the spearman correlation test P = .018. We concluded that the patients may continue to the tofacitinib therapy during the rest of the COVID-19 pandemic if the benefit outweighed the risk

Correlation between serum granulysin level and clinical activity in patients with alopecia areata before and after tofacitinib therapy

Background Alopecia areata (AA) is a common immune-mediated disorder. Destruction of anagen hair follicles by cytotoxic T cells (CTL) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of AA. Serum granulysin has been shown to reflect overall activity of CTLs. Aims In this study, we aimed to compare serum granulysin levels in patients with AA before and after therapy and to analyze correlation between serum granulysin levels and disease severity. Methods We evaluated the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score and serum granuysin levels of 38 AA patients at baseline and at 6th month of therapy. Thirty-three patients were treated with tofacitinib 5 mg b.i.d, and five patients were treated with topical immunotherapy. Serum granulysin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results A moderate correlation was found between SALT scores and serum granulysin level at baseline (r = .378,P = .019). Baseline serum granulysin levels were significantly higher in patients with alopecia totalis/universalis compared with patients with patchy AA (P = .004, Z = 2.778). Serum granulysin levels significantly decreased in patients treated with tofacitinib compared to baseline (P = .001). The reduction in serum granulysin levels after tofacitinib therapy correlated with the reduction in SALT scores (P = .001). Conclusions Our results suggest serum granulysin levels to be a good correlate of immunological activity of AA. We also assume granulysin to be a potential mediator of follicle attack, the effects of which is blocked by tofacitinib therapy. Therefore, changes in serum granulysin levels under therapy can reflect the downregulation of immunological activity of AA

Evaluation of the level of serum Interleukins (IL-2, IL-4, IL-15 andIL-17) and its relationship with disease severity in patients with alopecia areata

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a hair disease that causes hair loss without scarring. The etiopathogenesis of AA has not been fully understood yet

Treatment of alopecia areata with 2940-nm fractional erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser

Various laser therapies have been used for the treatment of alopecia areata (AA). Enhanced hair regrowth was reported with the use of ablative fractional 2940-nm erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser in a murine model. However, clinical effectiveness of fractional Er:YAG laser for hair disorders has not been investigated in human studies. The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of 2940-nm fractional Er:YAG laser in the treatment of chronic AA that is unresponsive to conventional therapies. Twenty-five AA patients underwent three sessions, each 4 to 6 weeks apart, of fractional Er:YAG laser. Clinical evaluation was done at baseline and 1 month post-treatment (follow-up) by photographic assessment. Subjective evaluation by patient satisfaction score was also performed. Photographic evaluation of the patients revealed a mean percent change in SALT score of 17.4 +/- 3.5% at follow-up. A total of 16 patients who were treated for patchy AA of the scalp showed 27.8 +/- 31.3% regrowth. Five patients who were treated for AA of the beard had 39 +/- 34.2% regrowth. Fractional Er:YAG laser might be a therapeutic alternative for patients with patchy AA of the scalp and beard that is unresponsive to conventional therapies