4-year-old male child with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

A 4-year-old male child presented with history of dry skin, scanty scalp hair, and decreased sweating since birth. On examination scalp hair were scanty, thin, dry and brownish in color. Facial features were frontal bossing, saddle shaped nose, thick everted lips and low set large ears. There was partial adontia with only one conical incisor tooth. There was generalized dryness of the skin. Mucosae and nails were normal. Histopathology of the skin showed rudimentary and decreased number of eccrine sweat glands, which confirmed the diagnosis of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

Solar radiation: cutaneous hazards and their prevention

The solar radiation consists of three types of radiation, visible, infrared and ultraviolet radiation [UVR]. There is daily and seasonal variation in the prevalence of ultraviolet radiation. The depth of penetration of solar radiation is directly proportional to its wavelength. Its effects on the skin are UV-induced erythema, UV-induced pigmentation and cellular responses, which include damage to DNA, epidermal hyperplasia and thickening of stratum corneum and cutaneous immunosuppression responsible for various cutaneous cancers in humans. It can also lead to various photo-induced and photo-aggravated dermatoses. Avoiding mid day exposure [between 11-3] to sunlight, use of appropriate clothing including hats, and regular use of sunscreen having SPF of 30 or more, covering both UVA and UVB, may be helpful in preventing hazards of solar radiation

One week oral therapy with terbinafine in tinea corporis/cruris

Terbinafine has been used in different regimens. To evaluate short therapy for a week, 28 patients [24 male and 4 female] were randomly selected from Dermatology Out Patients, with myocologically proven cases of tinea corporis/cruris and given 250 mg terbinafine daily for seven days. They were followed up for clinical and myocological examination; every 2 weeks for over a period of 4 weeks and some seen for 8 weeks .Clinical assessment was done by the parameters of vesiculation, erythema, scaling and pruritis on 0-3 scale. Mean sum of scores of 8.4 on week 0 decreased to 1.80 on weeks 2 and 0.53 on week 4 showing highly signigicant improvement [p< 0.005]. Total clearance was seen in 70% of patients whereas 25% patients needed a second course of therapy and 5% were treated for a relapse. Thus one week's oral terbinafine is sufficient in vast majority of patients but a close follow up, over a period of 4 weeks is necessary for total clearance of the disease and for elimination of relapse