Linear Lichen Planus: Continuum From Skin to Mucosa.

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that most commonly affects middle-aged individuals. LP involves the skin and/or mucous membranes, including oral, vulvovaginal, esophageal, laryngeal, and conjunctival mucosa. Linear LP, a rare distinct variant of LP, is characterised by pruritic eruption of lichenoid and violaceous papules in a linear distribution. We report an unusual presentation of linear LP in a 14-year-old child that extended from the left anterior nares to upper lip and into the oral mucosa up to the upper gum margin.

An unusual initial manifestation of acute myeloid leukemia.

Leukemia cutis is seen in around 20% of acute monocytic leukemia. They usually present as papules or nodules or infiltrated plaques but ulceration is uncommon. A 28-year-old female presented with multiple painless indurated genital ulcers of three weeks' duration with low-grade fever, gum hyperplasia, and generalized lymphadenopathy. Tissue smear from the edge of the ulcer showed atypical monocytes suggestive of leukemic infiltrate which was further confirmed by peripheral smear and bone marrow aspirate. Herein, we report a case of acute monocytic leukemia (AML) with leukemia cutis presenting initially with genital ulcers simulating chancre.

Zinc deficiency associated with hypothyroidism: an overlooked cause of severe alopecia.

Hypothyroidism is a common and well recognized cause of diffuse hair loss. Zinc and other trace elements such as copper and selenium are required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, and deficiency of these can result in hypothyroidism. Conversely, thyroid hormones are essential for the absorption of zinc, and hence hypothyroidism can result in acquired zinc deficiency. The hair loss attributed to hypothyroidism may not improve with thyroxine unless zinc supplements are added, as demonstrated in our case.