Dermoscopy of Fixed Cutaneous Sporotrichosis With a Follow-Up Till Cure: A Case Report.

Fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis (FCS) is a rare and chronic infection. Its diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion. The data on its dermoscopy and follow-up is limited in the literature. We herein report one such case with a follow-up till cure along with its dermoscopy to establish certain specific features that may be used to ascertain the response to treatment for this chronic infection and its prognosis. We found only three such cases following an extensive review of the literature, and this case emphasizes the importance of dermoscopy in recent times as the history, swab cultures, and smears may be misleading at times due to the chronic and long-standing nature of the condition.

Efficacy of Carbon Peel Laser in Acne Vulgaris in Skin of Color: A Single Center Prospective Study.

Background: Acne vulgaris is a chronic disease of pilosebaceous units that affects approximately 80% of adult population. Despite various treatment modalities being reported, treating acne with minimal side effects is difficult. Specifically, topical carbon suspension combined with QsNdYAG laser treatment (carbon peel laser technique) has gained popularity recently for effective treatment of acne vulgaris. Objectives: To study the efficacy of carbon peel laser technique in the management of acne vulgaris (Grade II-IV) in skin of color. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was done on 35 patients who presented with acne vulgaris Grade II-IV, who were poorly compliant to treatment with topical/systemic agents owing to side effects or failure of treatment, to meet patient's expectations. The patients were subjected to an initial topical application of carbon suspension (Cosderma Carbon gel) followed by treatment with quality switching neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Qs:NdYAG) laser in two modes (quasi long pulsed mode followed by Q switched mode 1064 nm). The treatment consisted of three sittings with intervals of 2 weeks. The patients were asked to avoid use of any topical/systemic medication for acne during this period. Results: Significant reduction of erythematous and nodular acne lesions was noted after three sittings of "carbon peel laser technique". Among 35 patients, 28 (80%) showed >80% improvement and 7 (20%) showed 50%-80% improvement in skin lesions in the form of decrease in the number and size of lesions and extent of inflammation, with no patients nonresponsive to treatment. The postprocedure complications were minimal; 6 (20%) developed erythema, and 1 (3.3%) patient developed mild tolerable pain with no post inflammatory hyper/hypopigmentation. The postprocedure mean ISGA (Investigator Status Global Assessment) was 1.342 as compared with preprocedure mean ISGA of 3.657 with value of P <0.0001. Conclusion: Carbon peel laser technique is an effective method for the management of acne vulgaris in skin of color with minimal side effects and significant results.