Understanding the logic of common suturing techniques in dermatologic surgery

Although most trainees in dermatology learn that different suturing techniques are designated for a specific purpose (i.e., certain functional and cosmetic outcomes), students often have a difficult time visualizing how a given suture functions in its designated capacity. In this article, we address the logic behind the most common suturing techniques in dermatologic surgery, including the direction and magnitude of their pulling force with respect to the wound edges and the ensuing displacement of dermal and epidermal structures. To aid better understanding, we diagram the vectors of suture force with each of the techniques discussed

Cryosurgery for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the skin with various treatment options. Cryosurgery has been studied in only a limited number of case series for the treatment of small plaque psoriasis with variable results. Findings from these studies suggest cryosurgery can improve the induration, erythema, and scaling of small psoriatic plaques with one or just a few treatments. Furthermore, these studies suggest that cryosurgery is a safe treatment modality with hypopigmentation as the only major adverse effect. However, further studies are necessary to clarify the role of cryosurgery in the armamentarium of psoriasis therapy