[The major SCAR syndromes]. / Les syndromes SCAR majeurs.

Some drug eruptions are frequent and follow an indolent course, while others prove to be life-threatening. By contrast, SCAR syndromes are serious skin drug reactions that are rare but their vital prognosis is affected. The three distinct entities of importance are the former Lyell's syndrome, now identified as SJS-TEN syndrome (Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis), the DRESS syndrome (drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms), and the AGEP syndrome (acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis).

Certaines toxidermies sont fréquentes et ont un décours indolent, alors que d'autres grèvent de manière sévère le pronostic vital. En revanche, les syndromes SCAR sont des toxidermies médicamenteuses graves qui sont rares, mais dont le pronostic vital est réservé. Ils concernent trois entités distinctes qui sont l'ancien syndrome de Lyell, actuellement identifié comme SJS-NET (syndrome de Stevens-Johnson/nécrolyse épidermique toxique), le syndrome DRESS (drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) et le syndrome AGEP (acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis).

[The dark face of cosmetics. A justified or excessive diatribe?]. / COSMÉTIQUES, SANTÉ ET ENVIRONNEMENT. Actualisation d'une diatribe justifiée ou exagérée?

In recent years, the population and producers of consumer products became aware of deleterious effects of some substances on human health and environment. Cosmetic products are part of such concern. What are the risks currently involved? The so-called "natural", "bio" or "green" products, do they represent an ideal panacea? This topic has a complex issue because documents available for the general public are of unequal quality, and objective scientifc publications remain rare and prone to controversies.

[Place your bets, the die is cast ... the skin at the retiring age today and tomorrow]. / Faites vos jeux, rien ne va plus ... la peau à l'age de la retraite, aujourd'hui et demain.

Senescence of people represents a global expression of obsolescence of their organs, tissues, cells and constitutive molecules. Skin, similarly to any other organ, is ageing in particular ways. Over the past century, the time effects on skin have been expressed differently. Skin of any individual presently engaged in the Third Age looks different from that of his/her line ancestral. What is the expected future? The Third Age population is expanding and skin problems call for a variety of management procedures. Prevention of the diverse types of skin ageing has made tremendous progresses particularly in the field of preventive and corrective dermocosmetology. The future should further speed up such trends.

[Dermatoporosis, a vintage for atrophoderma and transparent skin]. / La dermatoporose, un "vintage" de l'atrophodermie et de la "peau transparente".

Skin ageing occasionally manifests itself at long-term by severe atrophoderma. Systemic or topical corticotherapy exerts an atrophic impact mimicking the effects of old age. Such atrophoderma condition has been described as transparent skin about 40 years ago, and it received more recently the new denomination of dermatoporosis. Such condition stands out in the medical history to induce clinical consequences. They are sometimes prominent introducing diverse lesions such as Bateman purpura, stellate scars and wounds following minor trauma.

[Striae distensae, colors and mechanobiology]. / Les vergetures, leurs couleurs et leur mécanobiologie.

Striae distensae represent a common skin condition, corresponding to a physiological event particularly developed during adolescence, pregnancy and gain in body weight. In addition, these lesions are induced by the Cushing syndrome or an intense corticotherapy. The viscoelastic properties of the skin are altered and vary according to the severity of striae distensae. Otherwise, the colours of striae distensae vary with time in response to the mechanobiology of blood vessels and melanocytes.

[Dermocosmetology as a support for targeted oncologic treatment]. / La dermocosmétique en appui de traitements oncologiques ciblés.

Some recently introduced targeted treatments in cancerology are responsible for adverse effects on the skin. These events alter the patient well-being. Adequate dermocosmetic management allows to curb the unwanted skin conditions without interfering with the targeted therapeutic effects. However, evidence-based support for using dermocosmetic products as adjunctive cancer treatment remains scarce. It remains nonetheless that the clinical perception is unanimously favourable for such procedure.

[Two bacteria and common skin infections]. / Deux bactéries et une kyrielle d'infections cutanées communes.

Common bacterial skin infections represent frequent disorders encountered in general practice and in dermatology as well. They encompass a series of infections affecting the epidermis, dermis, hypodermis and subcutaneous tissues. The two main bacteria involved in these processes are Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The resulting infections show various clinical presentations. Their management must be adapted to their gravity and to the putative or proven nature of the causal microorganism. Searching for any skin ingress possibility and any favouring factor is always of importance in order to stimulate healing and avoid recurrences. Of note, skin possibly allows the ingress way for a secondary septicemic dissemination. Conversely, skin is possibly involved in tissue localisation of septicemia.

[Climatic impact on venous ulcers of the leg]. / Impact climatique sur les ulcères veineux de jambe.

Venous leg ulcers have a multifactorial origin. The environmental temperature appears to distinctly modulate the initiation and the subsequent evolution of the leg ulcer. The chronobiology of both episodes is quite distinct. A cold climate favors the initiation while a warmer climate tends to aggravate the ulcer. The seasonal fluctuations of the ulcer process are likely correlated with vasomotor phenomena taking place in the skin following variation in ambient temperature.

[Overview of acquired palmoplantar keratodermas]. / Survol des kératodermies palmo-plantaires acquises.

Palmoplantar keratodermas affect a vast group of the population. Their origin is genetic or acquired. They represent manifestations of several distinct diseases. The precise semiologic examination is important for elucidating the differential diagnosis.

[How I explore....a pressure ulcer]. / Comment j'explore...une escarre de décubitus.

Pressure ulcers represent a major health problem causing both considerable morbidity and a high financial burden for the healthcare system. The geriatric segment of the population at risk of pressure ulcer is progressively increasing. This condition occurs at home, in old people's homes and in hospitals as well. The severity, duration and orientation of forces applied to the skin represent the most important factors responsible for pressure ulcers. Prevention measures are essential to reduce the prevalence of the disease.

[Relativity of the management of skin cancers. A plea for synergy between general practitioners and the dermatologist-oncologist]. / Relativité de la prise en charge des cancers cutanés. Plaidoyer pour la synergie entre le médecin généraliste et le dermatologue-oncologue.

The clinical diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous cancers represent a frequent situation in cancerology. About one third of all human cancers take their origin from the skin. The general practitioner and the dermatologist-oncologist play the key role in that field of health care.

[Cutaneous melanomas, a spectrum of emerging cancers in women of Wallonia. Outlook by the Mosan Study Group of Pigmented Neoplasms]. / Les mélanomes cutanés, un spectre de cancers émergents chez la femme en région Wallonne. Un regard porté par le Groupe Mosan d'Etude des Tumeurs Pigmentaires.

The Mosan Study Group of Pigmented Neoplasms was founded about 15 years ago. It has collected more than 20,000 cutaneous malignancies including melanomas and basal and squamous cell carcinomas. The incidence of these cancers is on the rise in Wallonia. In particular, malignant melanomas represent a spectrum of emerging cancers characterized by a proteiform biological outcome. They mostly affect young women. The major risk factor appears to be iterative and unwise ultraviolet exposures. The prevention of melanomas is basically founded on such a dogma and accordingly relies on sunscreens. However, controversies about their beneficial effects are rife and fueled by axiomas and contradictory sophisms. At the exception of surgery, the therapeutic options for the diverse types of melanomas do not yet fulfill the scope of evidence-based medicine.

[Ultrastructural study of azidothymidine-induced melanoderma in an AIDS patient]. / Etude ultrastructurale de la mélanodermie induite par l'azidothymidine chez un patient sidéen.

We report an ultrastructural study of azidothymidine-induced melanoderma. The hyperpigmentation is linked to the presence of numerous single melanosomes and polymelanosomes in keratinocytes at all levels of the epidermis, and in dermal Factor XIIIa-positive dendrocytes. Such observation suggests an increased melanogenesis in melanocytes associated to a defect in the degradation of melanosomes normally occurring during epidermal maturation.