The effect of Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil on striae gravidarum in nulliparous women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Striae are linear depressions of the skin and causes psychological and sexual problems in person. Different methods are used to prevent and treat them but there is no definitive method. We compared the effect of Aloe vera gel and sweet almond oil on striae gravidarum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this double-blind clinical trial, 160 nulliparous women were enrolled and randomly divided into three case groups and one control group. The four groups were given 700 g Aloe vera, sweet almond oil, and base cream to use topically on the abdominal skin and forth group don't receive any medication as control group in five steps, they were examined study's variables (itching, erythema, and spread of striae) using statistical tests in SPSS. RESULT: The findings showed that Aloe vera and sweet almond oil creams are more effective than the base cream and the control group to decrease itching and erythema and to prevent the spread of striae on the surface of abdomen (p < .05); however, all three creams had a similar effect on the diameter and the number of striae (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Aloe vera and sweet almond oil creams reduce the itching of striae and prevent their progression.

Effective treatment of facial redness caused by atopic dermatitis using intense pulsed light systems.

BACKGROUND: Patients with facial atopic dermatitis (AD) experience psychological and social distress. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and the efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment in patients with facial AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients (9 men, 2 women; aged 14-39) with mild to moderate refractory facial AD were included in this study. In three separate sessions at 2-week intervals, the whole face was exposed to an IPL device using a 590-nm cut-off filter. Objective clinical response was examined using the Eczema Severity Score (ESS), a polarization color imaging system, and two dermatologists' evaluations. Data on quality of life were evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). RESULTS: The ESS in 11 patients with facial AD was significantly lower 4 weeks after the third treatment (p=.005). Scaling (p=.003); edema, induration, and papules (p=.011); erythema (p=.009), and lichenification (p=.008) improved significantly. The erythema scale, examined using the polarization color imaging system, also decreased significantly (p=.04). No patients showed any noticeable side effects. Mean DLQI score improved significantly after the completion of therapy (from baseline to 4 weeks after the last IPL treatment; p=.005). CONCLUSION: IPL treatment could be used as an adjunct modality for the treatment of refractory facial AD with minimal side effects.