White fibrous papulosis of the neck.

We present a 76-year old woman with a five-year history of asymptomatic, white papules that were grouped on the lateral and posterior aspects of the neck, inferior axillae, and central mid-back. The histopathologic findings showed thickened collagen bundles. A diagnosis of white fibrous papulosis of the neck was made, which is believed to be a manifestation of intrinsic aging. There are no treatments for white fibrous papulosis of the neck. One hypothesized approach is the application of a topical anti-oxidant to reduce free-radical induced aging.

Adiposis dolorosa.

We report a 46-year-old woman with a nine-year history of obesity; chronic diffuse pain in the adipose tissue of her medial upper arms, lower trunk, and thighs; multiple biopsy-proven lipomas and angiolipomas; and a lipomatous pseudomass of the breast. Her systemic symptoms included generalized weakness, fatigue, memory impairment, and arthralgias. Although some of the lesions were tender, most were only appreciated with palpation. Her clinical history and histopathologic data suggested adiposis dolorosa (Dercum's disease). Owing to the chronic pain, an interdisciplinary approach with the use of analgesics and doxycycline has been initiated.

The impact of inoperable advanced basal cell carcinoma: the economic, physical, and psychological burden of the disease.

The development of vismodegib and its recent approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use in patients with locally advanced or metastatic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) carries with it a renewed sense of optimism. Once BCC has progressed to an advanced, or so-called inoperable stage, there has been a paucity of effective therapies, making the new small molecule inhibitors targeting the hedgehog pathway particularly hopeful prospects. In order to better understand the utility of these new treatments, it is important to assess the existing economic, physical, and psychological burden of advanced BCC. This review aims to recognize the impact of inoperable and metastatic BCC, as well as to better characterize the various types of advanced BCC. The use of vismodegib as a prophylactic treatment in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome is also addressed, including possible adverse events, tumor resistance, and new onset malignancies.

The histologic and molecular correlates of COVID-19 vaccine-induced changes in the skin.

A total of 22 patients who had developed an adverse cutaneous reaction to the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine underwent biopsies. Each patient was assessed light microscopically, and, in select biopsies, spike glycoprotein and cytokine assessment were also conducted. The patients developed self-limited cutaneous reactions often described clinically as urticarial or eczematous within 1 day to 4 weeks after receiving the first or second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Classic clinical and morphologic depictions of type IV cutaneous hypersensitivity with features of eczematous dermatitis, interface dermatitis, granulomatous inflammation, and/or lymphocytic vasculitic component were observed. Clinical and/or histologic features of perniosis, pityriasis rosea, pityriasis rubra pilaris, and guttate psoriasis were seen in select cases. In 2 cases the dominant picture was urticarial vasculitis, possibly reflective of an Arthus type III immune complex action. The biopsy specimens of normal skin post vaccine and of skin affected by the post-vaccine eruption showed rare deep microvessels positive for spike glycoprotein with no complement deposition contrasting with greater vascular deposition of spike protein and complement in skin biopsies from patients experiencing severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is concluded that self-limited hypersensitivity reactions to the vaccine occur possibly owing to a substance found in the vaccine vehicle (eg, polyethylene glycol). An immune response that is directed against human-manufactured spike has to be considered because some of the reactions clinically and or histologically closely resemble mild COVID-19. Finally, vaccine-associated immune enhancement largely attributable to the adjuvant properties of the vaccine may unmask certain inflammatory milieus operational in psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and subclinical hypersensitivity.