ABSTRACT
Poly-L-lactic acid is a filler recently approved by the US FDA for the correction of facial lipoatrophy in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Currently, poly-L-lactic acid, sold under the brand name Sculptratrade mark (Dermik), is the only product approved by the FDA specifically for this indication. The market for poly-L-lactic acid will likely be larger than the HIV-infected population, as physicians use poly-L-lactic acid off-label to correct lipoatrophy associated with the normal aging process in non-HIV-infected patients. The benefits of poly-L-lactic acid are limited by the fact that multiple treatments are necessary to achieve the desired correction; its results are temporary and its cost is high.
Subject(s)
Facial Hemiatrophy/drug therapy , HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome/drug therapy , Lactic Acid/therapeutic use , Polymers/therapeutic use , Biocompatible Materials , Facial Hemiatrophy/etiology , HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome/physiopathology , Humans , Lactic Acid/administration & dosage , Polyesters , Polymers/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Potassium iodide (KI) is a useful drug in the dermatologic armamentarium. It is successfully used for inflammatory dermatoses, most notably erythema nodosum, subacute nodular migratory panniculitis, nodular vasculitis, erythema multiforme, and Sweet's syndrome. KI is also successfully used for cutaneous and lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis. The precise mechanism by which KI acts is unknown. Although many minor side effects are common with this drug, major side effects can occur in pregnant patients and those with a history of kidney or thyroid disease. This article reviews the pharmacology, mechanism of action, indications, contraindications, and adverse effects of KI as a therapeutic agent.
