Cutis
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Lentigo maligna (LM) is an in situ variant of melanoma. Although LM has the potential for invasion, it often has a greatly protracted radial growth phase and may remain indolent for years. The current standard of care is surgical excision, but this often results in substantial morbidity; thus, nonsurgical approaches continue to be investigated. ⋯ The average duration of treatment was 15.7 weeks but ranged from 7 to 44 weeks. Results of posttreatment biopsies of the most clinically suspicious areas in 6 patients showed histologic clearance; 2 patients demonstrated single atypical melanocytes and 4 patients demonstrated clinical clearance without histologic confirmation. These findings suggest that imiquimod cream 5% may be an effective alternative treatment for LM.
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Tinea capitis (TC) is a common fungal infection of the scalp, hair follicles, and hair shafts that can affect any age group but is particularly common in schoolchildren. The prevalence of TC has risen in the past 2 decades. Griseofulvin, the gold standard of therapy, does not cure about 20% of patients with TC, which has led to recent clinical trials on alternative agents for TC. This article reviews the pertinent new advances in the understanding of the disease and its therapy.
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Many medications are available for the management of acne. The armamentarium includes topical retinoids (ie, adapalene, tazarotene, tretinoin), antimicrobial and antibacterial agents (ie, benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, erythromycin, sulfacetamide with or without sulfur), oral antibiotics (ie, doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline), hormonal agents (ie, oral contraceptives, spironolactone), and systemic retinoids (ie, isotretinoin). ⋯ The product's excipients, glycerin and dimethicone, minimize treatment-related irritation, thereby increasing patient compliance. Clindamycin-benzoyl peroxide may be well-tolerated when applied with topical retinoids, creating a more targeted and complete treatment strategy.
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Review Case Reports
Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation: evolving combination treatment strategies.
Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a common acquired excess of pigment in the epidermal and/or dermal layers of the skin. Lesions persist for extended periods if untreated, thus therapy is warranted. ⋯ Recently, several fixed-dose combination products were introduced to the armamentarium: HQ 4%-retinol 0.15% in a microsponge formulation; HQ 4%-retinol 0.3%; mequinol 2%-tretinoin (RA) 0.01%; and fluocinolone acetonide (FA) 0.01%, HQ 4%, and RA 0.05%. Recent findings have suggested that mequinol 2%-RA 0.01% solution is a promising alternative for the treatment of PIH.
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This article reports on recent studies and case reports that evaluated the stability, tolerability, and efficacy of clindamycin 1%-benzoyl peroxide 5% tube gel in combination with topical retinoids and oral antibiotics. Overall, these combinations appeared to be well-tolerated, effective, and, as reported in the case studies, adaptable to common clinical practice.