Reconstruction of dermal layers evaluated by high-frequency ultrasound following treatment for skin fibrosis.

Background: Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive clinical condition that evolves with intense fibrosis, the most advanced stage of which is stage III (lymphostatic fibrosclerosis). Aim: The aim of the present study was to show the possibility to reconstruct the dermal layers with the intensive treatment of fibrosis using the Godoy method. Case description: A 55-year-old patient with an eight-year history of edema of the lower limb of the leg had constant episodes of erysipelas, despite regular treatments. The edema progressed continually, associated with a change in the color of the skin and the formation of a crust. Intensive treatment (eight hours per day for three weeks) was proposed with the Godoy method. The ultrasound was performed and results revealed substantial improvement in the skin, with the onset of the reconstruction of the dermal layers. Conclusion: It is possible to reconstruct the layers of the skin in fibrotic conditions caused by lymphedema.

Reconstruction of dermal layers evaluated by high-frequency ultrasound following treatment for skin fibrosis

Background: Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive clinical condition that evolves with intense fibrosis, the most advanced stage of which is stage III (lymphostatic fibrosclerosis). Aim: The aim of the present study was to show the possibility to reconstruct the dermal layers with the intensive treatment of fibrosis using the Godoy method. Case description: A 55-year-old patient with an eight-year history of edema of the lower limb of the leg had constant episodes of erysipelas, despite regular treatments. The edema progressed continually, associated with a change in the color of the skin and the formation of a crust. Intensive treatment (eight hours per day for three weeks) was proposed with the Godoy method. The ultrasound was performed and results revealed substantial improvement in the skin, with the onset of the reconstruction of the dermal layers. Conclusion: It is possible to reconstruct the layers of the skin in fibrotic conditions caused by lymphedema.

Three-dimensional fine structure of fibroblasts and other mesodermally derived tissues in the dermis of adults of the Bahamas lancelet (Chordata, Cephalohordata), as seen by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy.

Tissues of adult cephalochordates include sparsely distributed fibroblasts. Previous work on these cells has left unsettled such questions as their developmental origin, range of functions, and even their overall shape. Here, we describe fibroblasts of a cephalochordate, the Bahamas lancelet, Asymmetron lucayanum, by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy to demonstrate their three-dimensional (3D) distribution and fine structure in a 0.56-mm length of the tail. The technique reveals in detail their position, abundance, and morphology. In the region studied, we found only 20 fibroblasts, well separated from one another. Each was strikingly stellate with long cytoplasmic processes rather similar to those of a vertebrate telocyte, a possibly fortuitous resemblance that is considered in the discussion section. In the cephalochordate dermis, the fibroblasts were never linked with one another, although they occasionally formed close associations of unknown significance with other cell types. The fibroblasts, in spite of their name, showed no signs of directly synthesizing fibrillar collagen. Instead, they appeared to be involved in the production of nonfibrous components of the extracellular matrix-both by the release of coarsely granular dense material and by secretion of more finely granular material by the local breakdown of their cytoplasmic processes. For context, the 3D structures of two other mesoderm-derived tissues (the midline mesoderm and the posteriormost somite) are also described for the region studied.

Combined high-frequency and Doppler ultrasound in early diagnosis of atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini.

Atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini is a skin disorder affecting dermal collagen and is clinically characterized by well-defined plaques of depressed skin. Histopathological changes are subtle, and in most cases, the diagnosis requires a comparative study with healthy skin from the same anatomical site. High frequency ultrasound is a useful imaging method for diagnosis of atrophic skin changes. A case is presented in which ultrasound can support the clinical and the histopathological diagnosis of atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini.

Combined high-frequency and Doppler ultrasound in early diagnosis of atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini

Abstract: Atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini is a skin disorder affecting dermal collagen and is clinically characterized by well-defined plaques of depressed skin. Histopathological changes are subtle, and in most cases, the diagnosis requires a comparative study with healthy skin from the same anatomical site. High frequency ultrasound is a useful imaging method for diagnosis of atrophic skin changes. A case is presented in which ultrasound can support the clinical and the histopathological diagnosis of atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini.

Tretinoin (0.05% cream vs. 5% peel) for photoaging and field cancerization of the forearms: randomized, evaluator-blinded, clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Topical tretinoin cream is the gold standard treatment for skin ageing, particularly photoaging. The purpose of tretinoin peel was to obtain similar results, but in a shorter time, however, there have been few controlled trials on its effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy and safety of tretinoin 0.05% cream and 5% as a peeling agent on photoaging and field cancerization of the forearms. METHODS: Clinical trial with therapeutic intervention, prospective, randomized (computer-generated randomization list), parallel, comparative (intrasubject) and evaluator-blinded (except for histology and immunohistochemistry), including 24 women (48 forearms) aged over 60 years who have not undergone hormone replacement and categorized as Fitzpatrick skin phototype II or III. The forearms of the participants were randomized for treatment with 0.05% tretinoin cream three nights a week, or 5% tretinoin peel every 2 weeks. The opinion of the participant, severity of photoaging, corneometry, profilometry, high-frequency ultrasound, histology (haematoxylin-eosin and Verhoeff stainings) and immunohistochemistry (p53, bcl-2, Ki67 and collagen I) were assessed. RESULTS: One participant dropped out. The mean photoaging score reduced 20% and the mean actinic keratosis (AK) count reduced 60% with no difference between treatments. Three efficacy parameters showed opposite effects between the tretinoin treatments (P < 0.05%): (i) thickness of the corneal layer decreased with 0.05% tretinoin and increased by 5%; (ii) dermis echogenicity increased by 0.05% and decreased by 5% and (iii) Ki67 expression increased by 0.05% and decreased by 5%. There was good tolerability for both regimens. CONCLUSION: Tretinoin as a cream 0.05% or peeling (5%) is safe and effective for the treatment of moderate photoaging and forearm field cancerization. The cream was superior in improving ultrasonographic parameters of ageing. Peeling was shown a superior performance in the stabilization of field cancerization.

Characterization of oily mature skin by biophysical and skin imaging techniques.

BACKGROUND: The skin is a complex biological system and may suffer change according to the environmental factors, as higher temperatures can increase sebum excretion, presenting oiliness and acne. These alterations can persist during the aging and provoke more changes in aged skin. In this study we evaluated the mature oily skin characteristics using biophysical and skin imaging techniques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty healthy female subjects, aged between 39 and 55 years old were recruited and separated into 2 groups according to their skin type: normal/dry and oily skin. The skin was evaluated in terms of stratum corneum water content, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) sebum content, dermis thickness and echogenicity, skin microrelief, and pores content. RESULTS: The mature oily skin presented no significant differences when compared to the normal/dry skin on the stratum corneum water content and TEWL parameters. The sebum content was significantly higher on the oily skin group. The microrelief analysis showed an increase of skin roughness values in the oily skin and increase of scaliness in the normal/dry skin. The oily skin showed lower dermis echogenicity mainly in the frontal region and higher dermis thickness when compared to normal/dry skin. CONCLUSION: The mature oily skin showed different characteristics from normal/dry skin in terms of sebum content, microrelief parameters, and dermis thickness. This way, the characterization of mature oily skin in an objective way is very important to development of dermocosmetic products for more effective treatments focused specially on this type of skin.

DFT:B3LYP/3-21G theoretical insights on the confocal Raman experimental observations in skin dermis of healthy young, healthy elderly, and diabetic elderly women.

In the confocal Raman spectra of skin dermis, the band area in the spectral region of proline and hydroxyproline varies according to the age and health condition of the volunteers, classified as healthy young women, healthy elderly women, and diabetic elderly women. Another observation refers to the intensity variation and negative Raman shift of the amide I band. To understand these effects, we adopted a model system using the DFT/B3LYP:3-21G procedure, considering the amino acid chain formed by glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, and alanine, which interacts with two and six water molecules. Through these systems, polarizability variations were analyzed to correlate its values with the observed Raman intensities of the three groups of volunteers and to assign the vibrational spectra of the skin dermis. As a way to correlate other experimental trends, we propose a model of chemical reaction of water interchange between the bonding amino acids, in which water molecules are attached with glucose by hydrogen bonds. The theoretical results are in accordance with the observed experimental trends.