RESUMO
AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate students' awareness and attitudes related to skin protection against UVR and to check the hypothesis whether medical students differ from other faculty students in terms of health-promoting behaviour in photoprotection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Internet-based survey containing 24 questions about students' knowledge and attitudes associated with sun exposure and photoprotection was carried out between March and May 2019. Two hundred and forty-three questionnaires were subject to statistical analysis. RESULTS: Out of 243, 149 (60.9%) respondents studied medicine and 95 (39.1%) were students of other faculties. 235 (96.7%) declared using sunscreen. 46 (18.9%) students applied it all year round and 116 (47.7%) only in the summer. Medical students chose more willingly products with SPF > 30 (p = 0.002). A hundred and fifty-nine (65.4%) students used sunscreen once when outdoors and 76 (31.3%) applied products more than once. Additional sun protective methods included wearing sunglasses (82.7%), hats or caps (62.1%) and avoiding sunlight around noon (46.5%). Students of the medical faculty avoided sun exposure statistically more frequently (p = 0.042) than students of other faculties. 28.4% had dermoscopy performed in the past. Medical students underwent dermoscopy examination statistically more frequently (p = 0.001) than students of other faculties. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students, probably due to their education, show increased pro-health attitudes associated with photoprotection. This indicates that they may be involved in creation and promotion of education activities to general public.
RESUMO
Trichotillomania is a chronic, mental disease of impulse control, characterized by repetitive, compulsive, and self-induced hair pulling. It can occur at any age but is observed more often in adolescents, with a strong predominance in females. Diagnosis of trichotillomania may be difficult, and its effective treatment challenging. The aim of this study is to critically review current literature regarding diagnostic procedures and treatment of trichotillomania, including psychotherapy, N-acetylcysteine, naltrexone, topiramate, atypical neuroleptics, and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. The importance of cooperation between dermatologists and psychiatrists is emphasized to shorten the time to diagnose the disease and begin appropriate treatment. Finally, trichotillomania is also often connected with trichophagia, which may lead to formation of trichobezoars and cause a direct danger to the patient's health and even life due to the risk of intestinal obstruction and the need for surgical intervention. Based on thorough literature review, we conclude that diagnosis of trichotillomania can be challenging. Trichoscopy could help to distinguish trichotillomania from other types of hair loss. Most clinical trials using various treatment options have been conducted on small groups of patients, and the potential benefits determined using various scales. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the effectiveness of different treatment methods. There is also a lack of studies assessing treatment efficacy over longer periods of time. Thus, there is a need to perform better-designed studies in the near future to optimize current treatment modalities for trichotillomania.