ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) is currently widely used to reduce localized fat. A novel Nd:YAG laser that uses a wavelength of 1,444 nm, which is better absorbed by fat, has recently been introduced. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of 1,444-nm Nd:YAG LAL for the treatment of gynecomastia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen Korean male patients (20-28 years, mean age 23 years) diagnosed with gynecomastia were enrolled in this study. All patients were treated by LAL with 1,444-nm Nd:YAG laser (100 µs pulse width, 40 Hz frequency, 300 mJ pulse energy and 12 W power with continuous emission) after tumescent anesthetic infiltration and were then evaluated. Outcome was assessed using the following 4 methods: (1) clinical assessment with photographs obtained before and 12 weeks after LAL treatment, (2) comparison of pre- and postoperative patient chest circumferences, (3) computed tomography (CT) scans to evaluate changes in breast thickness and (4) a patient satisfaction survey at the end of the study. RESULTS: After 12 weeks, most patients (84.5%) showed an improvement greater than 50%. Mean chest circumference was significantly reduced from 109.6 ± 8.2 to 101.2 ± 4.4 cm 12 weeks after LAL (p < 0.001). CT scans showed a significant reduction in mean breast thickness from 22.7 ± 3.2 to 15.6 ± 2.4 mm (p = 0.016). Side effects (pain, edema, numbness and ecchymosis) were minimal and disappeared shortly after the first manifestation. CONCLUSION: Gynecomastia can be safely treated with 1,444-nm Nd:YAG LAL to reduce fatty tissue and total breast volume.
Subject(s)
Gynecomastia/surgery , Laser Therapy/instrumentation , Lasers, Solid-State/therapeutic use , Lipectomy/methods , Adult , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Pilot Projects , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Photoepilation is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures. However, there has been no objective method to evaluate the efficacy of hair removal. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of photoepilation more objectively using a phototrichogram method. Thirteen young, healthy, female volunteers were enrolled in this study. At initial work-up, semi-permanent tattoos were marked in both axillae of all the volunteers and hair variables were evaluated by phototrichogram and digital camera. Intense pulsed light-assisted photoepilations were performed in both axillae of the volunteers twice at 4-week intervals. At each visit, dermatologists checked changes of hair parameters. Clinically, 8 weeks after two treatments, hair reduction of all patients was achieved. Total hair counts, changes of anagen ratio, non-vellus hair counts, hair density, anagen growth rate and hair diameter were decreased sequentially and the reduction was statistically significant. No correlations were found between power, pain, patient and doctor evaluations at 4 weeks. Doctor evaluations correlated with anagen hair counts, anagen/total hair ratio, anagen/telogen ratio and total growth rate. Using phototrichograms could be an objective evaluation technique for hair removal. Anagen parameters and total growth rate of hairs in phototrichograms may be able to be predictable values for evaluating epilation.
Subject(s)
Hair Removal/methods , Hair/growth & development , Photography/methods , Attitude of Health Personnel , Axilla , Female , Humans , Lasers/adverse effects , Pain Measurement , Patient Satisfaction , Reproducibility of Results , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Vitamin C has been used for the treatment of hyperpigmented diseases. However, there is no study available on hypopigmenting effect of multivitamin. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the inhibitory effects of multivitamin and vitamin C on melanogenesis. METHODS: We assessed the effect of multivitamin and vitamin C on cell viability, melanogenesis, and mushroom tyrosinase. The antioxidant activity of multivitamin and vitamin C was measured. We performed the Western blot analysis to study the effect of multivitamin and vitamin C on the expression of tyrosinase, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Akt/protein kinase B. In a clinical trial, 20 melasma patients were treated with split face iontophoresis using either multivitamin or vitamin C. We evaluated the hypopigmenting effects of multivitamin and vitamin C through colorimetric measurement. RESULTS: Both vitamin C and multivitamin inhibited melanogenesis with low cytotoxicity. Multivitamin reduced melanin contents greater than vitamin C. However, the effects of vitamin C are greater than those of multivitamin on mushroom tyrosinase inhibition and antioxidation. In the Western blot, the reduced tyrosinase expression and MITF level were observed only in multivitamin-treated group, and not in vitamin C-treated group. No changes of ERK and Akt activation were observed in both multivitamin and vitamin C-treated groups. After 12 weeks of treatment with iontophoresis, both multivitamin and vitamin C were effective for melasma. CONCLUSIONS: Multivitamin has shown more anti-melanogenic effect than vitamin C via the downregulation of MITF.
Subject(s)
Ascorbic Acid/pharmacology , Melanins/metabolism , Melanocytes/drug effects , Melanosis/drug therapy , Vitamins/pharmacology , Animals , Ascorbic Acid/therapeutic use , Blotting, Western , Cells, Cultured , Colorimetry , Double-Blind Method , Free Radicals/metabolism , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Iontophoresis/methods , Melanosis/physiopathology , Mice , Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor/metabolism , Monophenol Monooxygenase/metabolism , Reference Values , Statistics, Nonparametric , Treatment Outcome , Vitamins/therapeutic useABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lipolysis using laser is currently widely used for reducing localized fat. A 1064 nm neodynium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser lipolysis was investigated in this study to evaluate its efficacy and safety in the treatment of gynecomastia. METHODS: Five male patients diagnosed with gynecomastia were enrolled in this study, which was designed as a controlled split-breast trial. One breast of each patient was subjected to laser lipolysis and was then compared with a contralateral breast. Photographs and clinical assessments were obtained before the lipolysis, and at the fourth and eighth weeks thereafter. Computed tomography (CT) scan and ultrasound (US) imaging were used to evaluate the changes in the breasts' thicknesses. RESULTS: The mean chest circumference was found to have been significantly reduced 8 weeks after the laser lipolysis. The clinical outcomes of the laser lipolysis were considered favorable by both the patients and clinicians. The CT and US scans showed that the thicknesses of the treated right breasts reduced more than those of the left breasts were 8 weeks after the laser lipolysis. The side effects (pain, edema, and ecchymosis) were minimal and disappeared shortly after they first manifested. Limitations The limitations of this study are that it employed small treatment groups and short-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that gynecomastia can be treated effectively and safely through 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis.
Subject(s)
Gynecomastia/surgery , Laser Therapy , Lasers, Solid-State/therapeutic use , Lipectomy/methods , Adult , Humans , Male , Mammography , Neodymium , Patient Satisfaction , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Ultrasonography, MammaryABSTRACT
A localized form of lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) has been described very rarely. A 38-year-old Korean man presented with a single bean-sized, non-tender, erythematous nodule confined to periorbital areas with three recurrences over a 2-year duration. With findings of biopsy, immunohistochemical staining and T-cell receptor gene rearrangement, LyP was diagnosed. We report a case of CD30 (Ki-1)-positive LyP which developed recurrently and was confined to the periorbital areas.
Subject(s)
Lymphomatoid Papulosis/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Adult , Base Sequence , DNA Primers/genetics , Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte , Humans , Ki-1 Antigen/metabolism , Lymphomatoid Papulosis/genetics , Lymphomatoid Papulosis/immunology , Male , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/genetics , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/immunology , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Orbit , Skin Neoplasms/genetics , Skin Neoplasms/immunologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Vitamin D has been reported to regulate innate immunity by controlling the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of calcipotriol on the expression of AMPs in human cultured keratinocytes. METHODS: Keratinocytes were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TNF-alpha, Calcipotriol and irradiated with UVB, cultured, and harvested. To assess the expression of human beta defensin-2 and LL-37 in the control group, not exposed to any stimulants, the experimental group was treated with LPS, TNF-alpha, or UVB, and another group was treated again with calcipotriol; reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining were performed. RESULTS: In the experimental group treated with LPS, UVB irradiation, and TNF-alpha, the expression of beta-defensin and LL-37 was increased more than in the control group and then decreased in the experimental group treated with calcipotriol. CONCLUSIONS: Calcipotriol suppressed HBD-2 and LL-37, which were stimulated by UVB, LPS, and TNF-alpha.
Subject(s)
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/metabolism , Calcitriol/analogs & derivatives , Keratinocytes/drug effects , Keratinocytes/pathology , beta-Defensins/metabolism , Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/genetics , Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/immunology , Calcitriol/pharmacology , Cells, Cultured , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Keratinocytes/immunology , Keratinocytes/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology , Ultraviolet Rays , beta-Defensins/genetics , beta-Defensins/immunology , CathelicidinsABSTRACT
A faun tail is abnormal lumbar hypertrichosis that is characterized by a wide, often triangular or lozenge-shaped patch of coarse hair, and this hair is usually several inches long. Faun tail is a rare entity. A 36-year-old male presented with a triangular shaped hair tuft with terminal hair on the lumbosacral area, and he'd had this unusual hair since birth. There were no neurologic signs or abnormality on his spine X-ray. The MRI scan showed disc degeneration and loss of lodordosis. We report here on a rare case of faun tail, which was a form of localized hypertrichosis on the lumbosacral area, and this was successfully treated with intense pulsed (IPL) light.
ABSTRACT
A neurofibroma is a benign tumor of the peripheral nerve sheath characterized by proliferation of Schwann cells, perineural cells, and endoneurial fibroblasts. Different types of neurofibromas can be identified, including localized, plexiform, and diffuse types. Neurofibromas can involve any site on the body skin. The diffuse variant is rare and occurs primarily in children and young adults. It involves the skin and subcutaneous tissue in a plaque-like fashion on the head and neck regions. We present a case of a 10-year-old boy who had a diffuse neurofibroma on the scalp.
