Classification by causes of dark circles and appropriate evaluation method of dark circles.

BACKGROUND: Dark circles refer to a symptom that present darkness under the eyes. Because of improvement in the quality of life, the dark circles have been recognized as one of major cosmetic concerns. However, it is not easy to classify the dark circles because they have various causes. METHODS: To select suitable instruments and detailed evaluation items, the dark circles were classified according to the causes through visual assessment, Wood's lamp test, and medical history survey for 100 subjects with dark circles. After the classification, were newly recruited for instrument conformity assessment. Through this, suitable instruments for dark circle evaluation were selected. We performed a randomized clinical trial for dark circles, a placebo-controlled double-blind study, using effective parameters of the instruments selected from the preliminary test. RESULTS: Dark circles of vascular type (35%) and mixed type (54%), a combination of pigmented and vascular types, were the most common. Twenty four subjects with the mixed type dark circles applied the test product (Vitamin C 3%, Vitamin A 0.1%, Vitamin E 0.5%) and placebo on randomized split-face for 8 weeks. The effective parameters (L*, a, M.I., E.I., quasi L*, quasi a* and dermal thickness) were measured during the study period. Result showed that the L* value of Chromameter(®) , Melanin index (M.I.) of Mexameter(®) and quasi L* value obtained by image analysis improved with statistical significance after applying the test product compared with the placebo product. CONCLUSION: We classified the dark circles according to the causes of the dark circles and verified the reliability of the parameter obtained by the instrument conformity assessment used in this study through the efficacy evaluation. Also based on this study, we were to suggest newly established methods which can be applied to the evaluation of efficacy of functional cosmetics for dark circles.

A study on seasonal variation of skin parameters in Korean males.

OBJECTIVE: The physiological characteristics of the skin are varied greatly, depending on gender, age, region and race, and many dermatologic researches have been performed through various research methods. This study aimed to examine how Korean men's skin conditions were influenced by temperature or humidity changes caused by seasonal rotations. METHODS: A total of 100 healthy Korean men, age range 20-59 years, participated in the study for both summer and winter. We compared on the characteristics of skin between summer and winter. The skin hydration, skin pH and TEWL were evaluated on the forehead, cheek and forearm. The skin sebum content of the glabella, nasal ala and cheek was measured using Sebumeter(®) (SM810, Courage+Khazaka, Germany). Cutometer(®) (MPA 580 Courage+Khazaka, Germany) the elasticity was measured by on the cheeks, and PRIMOS lite(®) (Phase shift Rapid in vivo Measurement of Skin, GFMesstechnik GmbH, Germany) was used to evaluate wrinkles on crow's feet. Lastly, in addition, the skin pore of the face was measured using the Janus(®) (PSI, Korea) which is a facial analysis system. RESULTS: The results were as follows: the comparison of hydration in summer and winter shows significant differences in their forehead, cheeks and forearm. The pH values of the skin surface were generally higher in winter, and significantly different on each site, and the sebum content was higher in summer than in winter. As a result of the pore measurement, the summer showed more pores compared to the winter, and there was a statistically significant difference in skin pores between summer and winter. The sensitivity measured by stinging test increases significantly more in winter than in summer. However, there were no seasonal differences in wrinkles and skin brightness. CONCLUSION: The skin surface pH, TEWL, sebum content, hydration, elasticity, wrinkles, skin pore and skin sensitivity vary with seasons and body regions in Korean men.

Comparison of skin elasticity test results from the Ballistometer(®) and Cutometer(®).

BACKGROUND: Long-term exposure to sunlight changes skin features like amount of facial wrinkling and skin elasticity, which is useful in estimating skin health and age-related changes. Skin elasticity is evaluated by quantitative methods such as the noninvasive suction device Cutometer(®) , which is widely used to evaluate regional body-elasticity differences and correlate these findings with the results of other instrumental data. Few field studies have been done with the Ballistometer(®) device, another noninvasive method for measuring skin elasticity. METHOD: In this study, we measured the skin elasticity of each subject's forehead, cheek, and volar forearm using two devices with different means of obtaining quantitative measurements - Ballistometer(®) (Diastron Ltd.) and Cutometer(®) (CK electronics). RESULTS: The results from testing with the Ballistometer(®) and Cutometer(®) devices showed that the degree of skin elasticity of the volar forearm is greater than those found on the cheek and forehead. The parameters measured by the Ballistometer(®) showed high correlation patterns. On the cheek skin, the correlation coefficient between Ballisto-parameters and R parameters (R0, R3, R8) was higher than other skin sites. CONCLUSION: Taken together, R parameters measured by the Cutometer(®) device have been widely distributed in the evaluation of skin elasticity in research and cosmetics. Although the methodologies are different, the Ballistometer(®) device is also a useful tool to evaluate skin elasticity.

Solitary sclerotic fibroma of the skin: degenerated sclerotic change of inflammatory conditions, especially folliculitis.

Two cases showing changes of sclerotic fibroma developed in association with an inflammatory process, especially folliculitis. The lesion in the first case showed a well-circumscribed, nonencapsulated nodule in the dermis, which consisted of a perifollicular fibrotic area and a peripheral sclerotic area. In addition to the usual findings of sclerotic fibroma, spindle cells were heavily infiltrated in a storiform and fascicular pattern around the degenerated hair follicle, suggestive of dermatofibroma. The lesion in the second case showed the typical findings of sclerotic fibroma in association with folliculitis and hair follicle remnants. Our observations suggest that solitary sclerotic fibroma of the skin may be a degenerated or sclerotic end stage of other fibrous conditions, such as dermatofibroma, and that it may be induced by inflammation, especially folliculitis.

Acantholytic dyskeratotic epidermal nevus induced by ultraviolet B radiation.

We report a case of acantholytic dyskeratotic epidermal nevus induced by repeated ultraviolet B radiation in a 16-year-old Korean girl. She had experienced pruritic skin rashes on the right side of the abdomen and flank area in a zosteriform distribution for the past 10 years. They were aggravated during the summer and spontaneously disappeared in the winter. Papules revealed acantholytic dyskeratotic cells that were diagnosed as acantholytic dyskeratotic epidermal nevus. Suberythemal and erythemal doses of UVB were irradiated to the lesional skin (right side of abdomen) and nonlesional skin (left side of abdomen) for 4 consecutive days. UVB-induced pruritic papules were observed on the lesional skin and a biopsy specimen of the papules also showed acantholytic dyskeratotic cells, which were compatible with acantholytic dyskeratotic epidermal nevus.

A case of loiasis.

The prevalence of Loa loa infections in non-endemic areas such as Korea is very low, even though it is quite common in the endemic regions of West and Central Africa. We describe a patient who presented with temporary localized edema (classical Calabar swellings) after travelling to Cameroon and in whom the diagnosis of loiasis was made by ELISA. This is the second reported case of loiasis in Korea. As international travel is becoming more frequent, Loa loa infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with eosinophilia and Calabar swellings in Korea.

An epistemic utility approach to coordination in the Prisoner's Dilemma.

A probabilistic model of single-agent decision making is reviewed which accounts for considerations of both correctness and value. The formalism is then extended to decisions involving multiple agents by the use of a joint coordination function. Individual agents are characterized by factoring the coordination function in terms of conditional valuation and belief functions. This formalism is used to explore the parameter space in which cooperative decisions are possible in the Prisoner's Dilemma.

Fatal vascular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus following epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita may be associated with various systemic diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus. We describe the clinical and immunological findings in a 38-year-old women with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and systemic lupus erythematosus. The epidermolysis bullosa acquisita preceded a dramatic flare of systemic lupus erythematosus and fatal cerebral vasculitis. If serologic evidence of lupus erythematosus develops during the course of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, a thorough investigation is warranted to rule out potentially life-threatening systemic lupus erythematosus.