Knowledge and practices of, and attitudes towards, the use of hair dyes among females visiting a teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Use of hair dye is extremely common worldwide. However, our literature search failed to find studies concerning the knowledge and attitudes of the public with regard to hair dyes. We sought to explore the knowledge and practices of, and attitudes towards, the use of hair dye among females. A cross-sectional survey conducted on females who attended various outpatient clinics at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a tertiary referral hospital open to the general public. A self-administered questionnaire about the use of hair dyes was distributed randomly among females attending the outpatient clinics at a university hospital in 2008. The response rate was 87.2%, with completion of 567 of the 650 distributed questionnaires. The mean [SD] age of respondents was 32.0 [10.2] years. Among respondents, 82.6% [464/562] had at some point dyed their hair. Furthermore, 69.3% [334/482] had dyed their hair in the past 12 months. The mean [SD] age of the participants when they first dyed their hair was 22.2 [7.1] years [range, 7-50]. Of the participants, 76.8% [354/461] used permanent dyes, and about the same percentage of participants believed such dyes were the safest hair dye type. However, 52.4% [278/531] of the participants believed that hair dyes are harmful, and 36% [191/531] believed that hair dyes could cause cancer. Younger females tend to dye their hair less frequently [P<001l], whereas those with less education tend to dye their hair more frequently [P=.013]. Use of hair dye is very common among females. Because the practice starts at a very young age, we conclude that hair dyes are overused and misused. The public should be informed about the risks associated with excessive hair dye use

retrospective study of some clinical and epidemiological features of impetigo patients seen in a dermatology clinic in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia

Impetigo is a common contagious superficial skin infection, most frequently seen in children. To determine the clinical and epidemiological features of impetigo patients seen in the dermatology clinic of King Fahd Hospital of the University [KFHU]. This is a retrospective study of impetigo patients seen in the dermatology clinic at KFHU, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, during the period January 1990 to December 2001. Data collected from patients' records included demographic features, clinical features, investigations and treatment. Only patients with positive skin culture were included in the study. The total number of patients included in this study was 65 and constituted 0.08% of all the cases presenting with dermatology problems in that period. Males were affected by impetigo more than the females, giving a ratio of 1.7:1. The majority of the cases occurred in children less than 10 years of age, and the bullous form of impetigo was the predominant type. The sites affected by impetigo were mainly the extremities and the face. The highest number of patients was seen during summer and Staphylococcus was the most common causative agent. The incidence and prevalence of impetigo in Saudi Arabia is unknown and can be best defined by prospective community-based study. The diagnosis and management of impetigo is best achieved by microbiological cultures and sensitivities laboratory investigations