Comparing the Use of 80% Trichloroacetic Acid and 50% Trichloroacetic Acid for the Treatment of Ice Pick Acne Scars.

BACKGROUND: Chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) using high concentration trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is a safe, effective, and low-cost treatment for ice pick acne scars. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and effectiveness of the CROSS technique using 50% TCA and 80% TCA for treating ice pick scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nonrandomized, single-blinded, and self-controlled clinical trial was undertaken. Four CROSS sessions were conducted using 50% TCA on the left hemiface and 80% TCA on the right hemiface. The E' chelle d'Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acne (ECCA) acne grading scale was used to assess the scars pretreatment and posttreatment. Complications were evaluated after each session. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients participated in our study. Significant differences were found between pretreatment and posttreatment ECCA scores (p < .0001) on both hemifaces. Scores were significantly lower on the side treated with 80% TCA; however, there was no statistical significance in mean ECCA score differences (pretreatment minus posttreatment) between the 2 treatment sides. The adverse events were more serious on the sides treated with 80% TCA. CONCLUSION: The CROSS method using TCA was well-tolerated and effective for treating ice pick acne scars. Less severe complications were associated with 50% TCA, whereas efficacy was the same as 80% TCA.

The anxiety and depression disorder in adults with atopic dermatitis: experience of a dermatology hospital.

The objectives of this study are to identify the proportion of atopic dermatitis adult patients having anxiety and depression disorder and to measure the relationship between anxiety and depression disorder and characteristics of atopic dermatitis. A cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted. Diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis were based on modified Hanifin and Raijka criteria and the severity of anxiety-depression disorder was evaluated using the hospital anxiety and depression scale. In this study, 208 patients were enrolled. The percentage of patients with anxiety and subthreshold anxiety were 11.1% and 34.1%, respectively. 5.3% of patients had depression and 39.4% of patients suffered from subthreshold depression. The proportion of patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder was 1.44%. Patients with severe atopic dermatitis were more likely to endure anxiety but not depression. Allergies or autoimmune diseases and scoring atopic dermatitis C were two independent risk factors of depression whereas edema and excoriation were two independent risk factors related to anxiety in atopic dermatitis patients. These findings suggest that atopic dermatitis is associated with anxiety and depression. Allergies, autoimmune diseases, pruritus, and insomnia had a correlation with anxiety and depression disorder.