Leucoderma after use of a skin-lightening cream containing kojic dipalmitate, liquorice root extract and Mitracarpus scaber extract.

A lighter or whiter complexion is socially desirable in many cultures. This has led to an unregulated and highly profitable market in skin-lightening creams that are readily available over the counter or on the internet. Plant extracts and newer tyrosinase inhibitors such as kojic acid or its derivative kojic dipalmitate are popular ingredients in these creams. We report a patient who developed depigmented patches after using such a cream.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in sexual contacts of gonorrhoea.

The British national and local clinic guidelines recommend epidemiological treatment for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in patients with gonococcal infection but not their contacts. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CT amongst all gonorrhoea contacts attending over a 30 months period through a retrospective notes review. Of 223 contacts, gonorrhoea was diagnosed in 110 (49.3%) while CT was diagnosed in 54 (24.2%). CT was significantly more prevalent in younger people [(37.8% of contacts <25 years versus 9.6% of contacts >/=25 years (P = 0.000)]. All patients with CT identified as heterosexual except one. Amongst heterosexuals, there was no significant difference in the prevalence between males and females, being 31.6% and 27.8% respectively (P = 0.5995). CT was prevalent in 29.1% of N. gonorrhoeae positive contacts and 19.5% of N. gonorrhoeae negative contacts (p = 0.0935). The high prevalence suggests that epidemiological treatment for CT in gonorrhoea contacts is indicated.