Morphological and ultrastructural changes in fungal agents after LASER application.

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection of difficult treatment due to the fungal survival capacity and reduced number of effective therapies. The present study aimed to isolate fungal agents that cause onychomycosis in immunocompetent patients and evaluate how LASER treatments affect the growth and ultrastructure of isolates. METHODS: In total, 21 patients with positive direct microscopic examination (DME) for onychomycosis had nail samples collected for cultivation and phenotypic identification of microorganisms. From these patients, 12 underwent LASER treatment, divided in Group 1 (n = 5) treated with Nd: YAG 1,064 nm, and Group 2 (n = 7) treated with Nd: YAG 1,064 nm + Er: YAG 2,940 nm + topical isoconazole. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was performed to evaluate ultrastructural changes after treatment. RESULTS: DME, cultivation, and phenotypic identification showed that the most identified fungus was Trichophyton rubrum spp. After LASER therapy, sample cultivation showed alterations in the fungal morphology with reduction of hyphae, conidia, and reproductive structures. Alterations in fungal cell wall structure, cytoplasm density, and organelles were observed by TEM. CONCLUSION: LASER irradiation causes changes in the fungal cells, especially in the number of hyphae and the presence of conidia. In addition, it affects fungal growth and reproduction capacity, which interferes with their infection ability and virulence.

Compulsory notification of injuries in aesthetic procedures. Impact on patient safety

Abstract The disparity between the number of aesthetic procedures performed worldwide, and the complications described in the literature is remarkable. Doubts regarding the underreporting are reasonable and should be considered. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the scarcity of scientific publications on complications in aesthetic procedures compared to the abundance of these procedures performed worldwide. Based on this knowledge, it will be demonstrated to the health authorities the importance of compulsory notification of complications in aesthetic procedures that require medical attention so that the available data will allow their prevention. The limitation of knowledge regarding complications was demonstrated in the data collection for the preparation of the thesis ‟Deaths Related to Liposuction in Brazil" presented in 2018 and published in Surgical and Cosmetical Dermatology in 2020. The definition of complication in aesthetic procedures needs to be objective to prevent different and subjective interpretations. With the compulsory notification of complications in aesthetic procedures, it is intended to learn about their causes to develop guidelines for their prevention.

Compulsory notification of injuries in aesthetic procedures. Impact on patient safety.

The disparity between the number of aesthetic procedures performed worldwide, and the complications described in the literature is remarkable. Doubts regarding the underreporting are reasonable and should be considered. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the scarcity of scientific publications on complications in aesthetic procedures compared to the abundance of these procedures performed worldwide. Based on this knowledge, it will be demonstrated to the health authorities the importance of compulsory notification of complications in aesthetic procedures that require medical attention so that the available data will allow their prevention. The limitation of knowledge regarding complications was demonstrated in the data collection for the preparation of the thesis "Deaths Related to Liposuction in Brazil" presented in 2018 and published in Surgical and Cosmetical Dermatology in 2020. The definition of complication in aesthetic procedures needs to be objective to prevent different and subjective interpretations. With the compulsory notification of complications in aesthetic procedures, it is intended to learn about their causes to develop guidelines for their prevention.

Transcriptomic and histological analysis of exposed facial skin areas wrinkled or not and unexposed skin.

BACKGROUND: Skin aging involves genetic, environmental and hormonal factors. Facial wrinkles also depend on muscular activity. Gene expression investigation may be useful for new anti-aging products. METHODS AND RESULTS: To evaluate structure and gene expression differences among exposed and unexposed skin in menopausal women. Cross-sectional study, including 15 menopausal women, 55-65 years, phototype III; photo-exposed, periorbital wrinkles (A1), preauricular, not wrinkled (A2), and unexposed gluteal (A3) areas were described and compared by non-invasive measures, histology, immunohistochemistry and gene expression (RNASeq); participants mean age was 61yo, presenting moderate periorbital wrinkles and light facial photodamage. Higher roughness, wrinkles number and echogenicity were observed in A1 and A2 versus A3. Decreased epidermal thickness and dermal collagen IV were demonstrated in A1 versus A2 and A3. Exposed areas impacted different pathways compared to unexposed. Exposed wrinkled skin (A1) showed impact on cell movement with decreased inflammatory activation state. Pathways related to lipid and aminoacids metabolism were modulated in non-wrinkled exposed (A2) compared to unexposed (A3) skin. CONCLUSIONS: Expected histological findings and gene expression differences among areas were observed. Photoaging in menopausal women may modulate lipid and aminoacids metabolism and decrease inflammatory and keratinization pathways, cellular homeostasis, immune response, fibrogenesis and filament formation. These findings may help development of new therapies for skin health and aging control.

Development of a clinical scale to assess the severity of striae distensae.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is no validated instrument to assess the clinical severity of striae distensae. Here, we aimed to develop a striae distensae severity scale. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After a Delphi-based consensus, 15 items related to striae severity were assessed in 110 areas (breasts, abdomen, and buttocks) from 45 participants. The items were analyzed through a partial least squares model to select the most important variables. To assess the reliability of the scale, 43 areas were retested. RESULTS: Of the 110 areas evaluated, 34 were breasts, 24 abdomens, and 52 buttocks. Striae were considered mild in 30% of the evaluations, moderate in 33%, severe in 21%, and extremely severe in 16%. The final model was composed by: width of the widest striae, width of the striae with the most frequent pattern, atrophy, number of affected quadrants, distribution (multiple or isolated), hypo or hyperchromia and topography. The scores of the scale demonstrated a high correlation with the clinical classification (rho = 0.77). There was a high agreement in the scores from the reassessed areas (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.90). CONCLUSION: An objective and reliable scale to assess the clinical severity of striae distensae on the breasts, abdomen, and buttocks was developed.

Delayed skin necrosis following hyaluronic acid filler injection: A case report.

Vascular compromise is a rare but serious complication of dermal filler injection. Vessel occlusion tends to have a more immediate onset of symptoms. We report a case of skin necrosis that started with pain, erythema and edema two days after hyaluronic acid filler on the forehead of a 57-year-old woman. The patient was treated with less than 24 hours the onset of symptoms, leaving discreet scar. The current theories that explain skin necrosis caused by HA fillers include angiospasm and embolization. The frontal region has many anastomoses, the embolized proximal vessel initially did not lead to symptoms. However, the HA inside the artery may have traveled over time and reached a terminal distal branch, which generated localized skin damage and pain. The urgent treatment of arterial occlusion and thromboembolism caused by HA injection is intralesional high-dose hyaluronidase.

Herpes Zoster as a Differential Diagnosis for Ischemia after Facial Hyaluronic Acid Filler.

The use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers for facial rejuvenation has grown widely and is now one of the most performed noninvasive cosmetic procedures. Viral infections can occur, albeit rarely. This report describes a 65-year-old female patient with significant fat tissue loss in the malar region who developed herpes zoster after receiving HA filler for facial volumization. We performed volumization with a total of 2mL of HA in one session. Two days after the procedure, the patient began feeling mild pain in the malar region bilaterally and in the right side of the nasolabial fold. Upon physical examination, vesicles and erythema were observed. Due to the possibility of herpes zoster virus (HZV) infection, the patient was treated with valacyclovir. Ultrasonography with arterial and venous Doppler study revealed normal blood flow in the angular artery path and adequate positioning of the filler. After seven days of valacyclovir, the patient had complete resolution of the lesions. Herpes virus reactivation can be caused by direct axon damage by the needle, by tissue manipulation, and by inflammatory reaction. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the virus most commonly involved and its incidence does not exceed 1.45 percent of the complication cases, and HZV is even rarer. Reactivation of HZV might mimic tissue ischemia. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive, fast, and useful tool to evaluate vascular impairment and the positioning of the filler.

What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about interventions for treating psoriasis?

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by abnormal and increased growth of the cells that produce keratin and abnormal functioning of the immune system. We aimed to summarize the evidence available regarding interventions for patients with psoriasis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of systematic reviews, developed in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted to identify Cochrane systematic reviews that fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Two authors screened titles and abstracts that had been retrieved through the search strategy. The results from all the Cochrane systematic reviews that were included were summarized and presented in a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: We included six Cochrane systematic reviews assessing interventions for treating psoriasis. The findings from high-quality evidence were that (a) etanercept reduced the psoriasis severity index, compared with placebo and (b) steroids plus vitamin D, compared with vitamin D alone, improved the skin clearance rate, as assessed by investigators, but was associated with a higher proportion of participants who dropped out due to adverse events. For all other comparisons, the quality of the evidence ranged from moderate to very low. CONCLUSION: This review included six Cochrane systematic reviews that provided evidence ranging in quality from unknown to high, regarding management of psoriasis. Further randomized controlled trials are imperative to reduce the uncertainties relating to several treatments that are already used in clinical practice.

A Teledermatologia na Prática Médica / Teledermatology in Medical Practice

RESUMO Fundamentos As doenças da pele são causas comuns da procura de atendimento na atenção primária em saúde, e a maioria desses atendimentos é realizada por médicos não dermatologistas. Em geral, o aprendizado insuficiente na graduação se reflete na atuação clínica e, consequentemente, em atendimentos referenciados, resultando em aumento de custo. Teledermatologia é a prática da dermatologia com uso de tecnologias de informação e sistemas de comunicação para a troca de informações médicas de um paciente entre médico não dermatologista e um dermatologista (teledermatologia secundária) - nos mesmos ou em diferentes momentos e em diferentes localizações geográficas. A teledermatologia secundária promete ser melhor, mais barata e mais rápida, embora as evidências não sejam suficientes em relação ao curso clínico da doença. Objetivo Revisar a literatura sobre as evidências científicas da teledermatologia secundária na prática médica. Método Revisão da literatura, entre 1999 e 2014, de ensaios clínicos, estudos observacionais, revisões e revisões sistemáticas identificados no PubMed sobre a teledermatologia secundária na prática médica. Além desses estudos, foram incluídos ensaios clínicos mais recentes realizados no Brasil sobre acurácia ou concordância de diagnóstico da teledermatologia secundária da base bibliográfica Lilacs durante o mesmo período e outros estudos relevantes de outras bases em relação à educação médica e dados demográficos. Resultados Foram incluídos 11 estudos mais recentes e/ou relevantes quanto à amostra e ao padrão clínico de diagnóstico. O resultado desta revisão foi dividido em quatro tópicos: eficiência da teledermatologia na atenção primária em saúde; acurácia concordância ou confiabilidade do diagnóstico da teledermatologia na atenção primária em saúde em relação à consulta presencial; satisfação e qualidade de vida do paciente; custo da teledermatologia na atenção primária em saúde. A maioria desses estudos relatou boa eficiência e acurácia de diagnóstico com diminuição dos custos e melhora da qualidade de vida dos pacientes, em especial os de área rural. Conclusão O acesso à dermatologia não pode ocorrer sem gestão. Devemos identificar situações em que a teledermatologia secundária funcione melhor, como em áreas remotas ou carentes, permitindo ao paciente acesso aos dermatologistas. A eficiência e acurácia de diagnóstico da teledermatologia secundária são inferiores às da consulta presencial, mas superior à da consulta dermatológica oferecida por médicos não dermatologistas.

ABSTRACT Background Skin diseases are a common cause of service demand on the primary health care system and the majority of these services are not performed by dermatologists. In general, insufficient undergraduate training is reflected in clinical performance and, consequently, in the referenced services, resulting in increased cost. Teledermatology is the practice of dermatology using information technology and communication systems. It consists of information exchanges between a dermatologist and general practitioners (secondary teledermatology) - either simultaneously or sequentially and in different geographical locations. Secondary Teledermatology promises a more efficient, reasonable and faster treatment in dermatological care, despite insufficient evidence regarding the clinical course of the disease. Objective To review the scientific literature which presents evidence of secondary teledermatology in medical practice. Method Review of the literature from 1999 to 2014 on clinical trials, observational studies, reviews and systematic reviews identified in PubMed on secondary. teledermatology in medical practice. In addition to these studies, we have included more recent clinical trials in Brazil on the accuracy or agreement of diagnoses made through secondary teledermatology found in the Lilacs bibliographic database, during the same period as well as other relevant studies from other databases regarding medical education and demographics. Results The 11 most recent and/or relevant studies in relation to the sample and clinical standard of diagnosis were included. The result of this review was divided into four topics: teledermatology efficiency in primary health care; accuracy, compliance or reliability of the teledermatology diagnosis in primary health care in relation to face-to-face dermatology consultation; patient satisfaction and quality of life; and cost of teledermatology in primary health care. Most of these studies reported good efficiency and diagnostic accuracy with lower costs and better quality of life for patients, in particular for those living in rural areas. Conclusion Dermatology is inaccessible without management. We must identify situations in which secondary teledermatology works best, as in remote or underserved areas, allowing patients to have access to dermatologists. The efficiency and accuracy of the diagnoses made through secondary teledermatology is inferior to face-to-face dermatological consultation, but more efficient than the dermatological visits provided by general practitioners.

Tratamento não invasivo com ultrassom não focado transcutâneo na redução do tecido subcutâneo abdominal / Non-invasive treatment with transcutaneous non-focused ultrasound for the reduction of abdominal subcutaneous tissue

Introdução: O ultrassom não focado é alternativa não invasiva para melhora do contorno corporal. Métodos: São relatados cinco casos tratados com oito sessões semanais de ultrassom não focado no abdômen. Resultados: O tratamento não interferiu na rotina dos pacientes, tendo sido considerado confortável e seguro. Houve redução na espessura do subcutâneo avaliado por ultrassom e nas medidas circunferenciais em todos os pacientes, com melhora clínica evidenciada na documentação fotográfica principalmente nos pacientes com subcutâneo de baixa espessura. Conclusão: O tratamento se mostrou seguro, com evidências de redução do tecido subcutâneo abdominal.

Introduction: Introduction: Not focused ultrasound is a noninvasive alternative to improve body contour. Methods: It's reported five cases treated with eight weekly sessions of not focused ultrasound on the abdomen. Results: The treatment did not affect the routine of patients; it was comfortable and safe for most. There was a reduction in the thickness of the fat layer evaluated by ultrasound and in the circumferential measures in all patients, with clinical improvement evidenced in the photographic documentation especially in patients with lesser thickness of subcutaneous. Conclusion: The device was safe, and was shown clear reduction in abdominal subcutaneous tissue.

Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a multiple verrucous epidermal nevus

Abstract Verrucous epidermal nevi are hamartomatous lesions of the epidermis that, unlike other epidermal nevi (such as sebaceous nevus or nevus comedonicus), are rarely associated with malignant neoplasms. The majority of squamous cell carcinoma develop in linear or multiple epidermal nevus and rarely in solitary epidermal nevus. In general, the prognosis is favorable. We report a case of well-differentiated invasive squamous cell carcinoma arising from a multiple verrucous epidermal nevus. Although there is no consensus on prophylactic removal of epidermal nevus, its removal and biopsy should be considered if changes occur.

Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a multiple verrucous epidermal nevus.

Verrucous epidermal nevi are hamartomatous lesions of the epidermis that, unlike other epidermal nevi (such as sebaceous nevus or nevus comedonicus), are rarely associated with malignant neoplasms. The majority of squamous cell carcinoma develop in linear or multiple epidermal nevus and rarely in solitary epidermal nevus. In general, the prognosis is favorable. We report a case of well-differentiated invasive squamous cell carcinoma arising from a multiple verrucous epidermal nevus. Although there is no consensus on prophylactic removal of epidermal nevus, its removal and biopsy should be considered if changes occur.

Early chemabrasion for acne scars after treatment with oral isotretinoin.

BACKGROUND: Acne is an inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous follicles. Oral isotretinoin is the treatment of choice for severe acne. Exaggerated cicatrization related to oral isotretinoin was reported in the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, dermabrasion for acne scar revision is only recommended 6 to 12 months after the completion of oral isotretinoin treatment. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evolution of healing from manual chemabrasion of depressed scars resulting from acne conducted within 1 to 3 months after oral isotretinoin treatment. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This was an interventional, prospective study involving 10 patients with depressed facial scars. A medium-depth chemical peel was applied to the entire face. Manual sandpaper dermabrasion was performed to areas of scarring until the appearance of bloody dew. A 6-month reepithelization follow-up was conducted. RESULTS: All of the patients presented with normal cicatrization, and neither hypertrophic scars nor keloids were observed. Depressed acne scar revision was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: Our observations may contribute to the discussion of the negative influence of oral isotretinoin on wound healing. Other studies are necessary to reevaluate the current recommendation of a 6- to 12-month waiting period after oral isotretinoin treatment before performing dermabrasion or fractional ablative laser for acne scar revision.

Human adipose-derived stem cells: current challenges and clinical perspectives.

Adult or somatic stem cells hold great promise for tissue regeneration. Currently, one major scientific interest is focused on the basic biology and clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells share similar characteristics with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, but have some advantages including harvesting through a less invasive surgical procedure. Moreover, adipose tissue-derived stem cells have the potential to differentiate into cells of mesodermal origin, such as adipocytes, cartilage, bone, and skeletal muscle, as well as cells of non-mesodermal lineage, such as hepatocytes, pancreatic endocrine cells, neurons, cardiomyocytes, and vascular endothelial cells. There are, however, inconsistencies in the scientific literature regarding methods for harvesting adipose tissue and for isolating, characterizing and handling adipose tissue-derived stem cells. Future clinical applications of adipose tissue-derived stem cells rely on more defined and widespread methods for obtaining cells of clinical grade quality. In this review, current methods in adipose tissue-derived stem cell research are discussed with emphasis on strategies designed for future applications in regenerative medicine and possible challenges along the way.