Premature facial wrinkling in men and women by smoking status

This study aimed to investigate the association between smoking status and facial wrinkling as well as other confounding variables [age, sex, sun exposure and body mass index [BMI]]. A cross sectional study was conducted including 329 cases who never smoke [165 men and 164 women], 181 former smokers [127 men and 54 women] and 134 current smokers [92 men and 42 women] aged 40 years and above. Facial wrinkling and facial wrinkle scores were assessed using scoring system. By controlling the potential confounding variables, the results showed that smoking increased the risk for facial wrinkling nearly two folds among men and women above 40 years old. Women also appeared to be more susceptible to the wrinkling effect of smoking. It was concluded that when smoking and excessive sun exposure coexisted, the effects on wrinkling was multiplicative

Trichotillomania, clinical, histological, and electron microscopic study

Trichotillomania is a psychogenic dermatosis in which the person turns his aggression against himself which leads to self injury. In addition hair pulling soon becomes a habitual practice that may occur spontaneously. In this study 15 patients were studied [9 children and 6 adults], their ages ranged from 6 to 25 years, female to male ratio was 2:1. The frontoparietal region was the most commonly affected site. Clinically the lesions were characterized by poorly demarcated patches of hair loss which may be confused with many different types of alopecia particularly alopecia areata. Histopathological findings were diagnostic, these include: the presence of catagen hair, melanin casts, haemorrhage and trichomalacia. Scanning electron microscopic study showed blunt distal end of the hair shafts and some hair shafts showed pseudomonilethrix

Histopathological and immunohistochemical study of human papilloma virus infected skin

Skin specimens from twenty cases of different types of non-venereal warts [common, planter, and filiform warts] and 5 cases of venereal warts were included in this study. In addition eleven specimens of normal individuals were included as control [6 specimens from exposed sites and 5 from unexposed sites. All the patients and controls were clinically examined. The specimens. were prepared for conventional histopathological and immunohistochemical procedures for detection of HLA-DR expression by using Histostain Kit [Zymed Laboratories Inc.]. Our results revealed a highly significant decrease of HLA-DR positive Langerhans' cells [LCs] in cases of non venereal warts when compared to the control specimens obtained from exposed sites [P < 0.001]. Biopsies of venereal warts showed significant increase of HLA-DR positive LCs in comparison to non venereal warts [P < 0.001] but, showed significant decrease in comparison to the control biopsies from non-exposed sites [P < 0.001]. Keratinocytes showed negative reaction to HLA-DR in the control groups, while in non-venereal warts they showed positivity in 10 out of 20 cases [50%] and in the venereal warts they showed positivity in 4 out of 5 cases [80%]. Dermal dendrocytes showed increased reactivity to HLA-DR in both wart groups in comparison to the controls. The endothelial cells of the blood vessels were negative for HLA-DR. Study of the inflammatory components in the lesions revealed infrequent HLA-DR positive lymphocytes intermixed with strongly positive macrophages in both wart groups. In conclusion, human papilioma virus infection of the skin is associated with decrease in the number of HLA-DR positive LCs while keratinocytes and macrophages abnormally showed positive expression. Decline in HLA-DR positive LCs probably reflects LCs migration out of the epidermis and entry into regional lymph nodes leading to antigen presentation and activation of T cells. Interestingly cytoplasmic pigmentation [melanosomes] was undetectable or absent in the basal cell layer at the sites of endophytic wart growth. Human papilloma virus probably blocks the transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to infected keratinocytes