Key Points: Acne 1. In acne, the pilosebaceous unit is the target of disease. The microcomedone is the earliest lesion. 2. Combination therapy including a retinoid plus benzoyl peroxide or an antimicrobial agent is the preferred approach for almost all…
1 How is alopecia classified? Alopecia (hair loss) can be divided into (1) disorders of the hair shaft and (2) all other forms of hair loss. Abnormalities of the hair shaft can produce alopecia because the shafts are fragile and…
Acknowledgments The author wishes to acknowledge the contribution of prior authors, Melissa D. Darling, MD, and James W. Patterson, MD Key Points: Panniculitis 1. Given the similar clinical appearance among panniculitides, histopathologic characterization is often critical for a correct diagnosis.…
1 Are some disorders of pigmentation markers for systemic disease? Yes. Examples include the following: Generalized depigmentation: Albinism. Generalized hyperpigmentation: Addison's disease. Ash-leaf hypopigmented macules: Tuberous sclerosis. Axillary and inguinal freckles: Neurofibromatosis. Lentigines: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. 2 How do you diagnose…
1 What is “photosensitivity”? Photosensitivity is defined as development or exacerbation of a skin eruption and/or skin symptoms (such as pruritus or pain) after exposure to light (particularly to sunlight, but possibly due to an artificial light source of similar…
Acknowledgments The author wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the previous authors, Lisa E. Maier, MD, and Lori Lowe, MD. Key Points: Cutaneous Deposition Disorders 1. Amyloid deposition can result in both localized and systemic disease. 2. Pretibial myxedema is…
1 How are vasculitic disorders defined and classified? Vasculitis is defined as inflammation of blood vessels. Vasculitis may be confined to the skin; however, the majority of cases of cutaneous vasculitis are part of multisystemic disorders that in addition to…
1 A patient presents to your office with a 10-page typed-out medical history. She states that she is “allergic” to 20 different medicines. Is she likely to have drug allergies or drug intolerances to most of these drugs? Drug intolerances…
1 What is meant by “granulomatous diseases of the skin”? Granulomatous disorders of the skin comprise a broad category of diseases that are characterized by the accumulation of activated macrophages with an epithelioid appearance in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue.…
1 How do lichenoid eruptions differ from other papulosquamous conditions? Lichenoid skin eruptions are a subcategory of papulosquamous skin disease. While most papulosquamous eruptions present with scaling papules, lichenoid eruptions differ in that the scale is often subtle, and the…