Non-invasive in vivo techniques to differentiate photodamage and ageing in human skin.

It is important to differentiate skin changes due to the intrinsic ageing process from those due to chronic photodamage in the development of therapies to assist the latter condition, and in this study we have used instrumental techniques to differentiate between changes in a range of properties of skin due to ageing and those due to photodamage, especially with regard to elasticity. We measured three sites of differing sun exposure in a group of younger and in a group of older subjects. A pulsed A-scan ultrasound system was used to measure skin thickness, and a uniaxial extensometer was employed to assess elastic properties. Skin surface roughness measurements were made using silicone rubber impressions and a stylus profilometer. We demonstrated significant differences in skin roughness between young and old subjects at every site and differences between sun-exposed and sun-protected sites only in the older group. Parameters of the elastic properties of skin differed between the groups, and also between sites of most different sun exposure. The uniaxial extensometer can demonstrate a loss of the skin's elasticity predominantly by photodamage, and the roughness of the skin surface can be shown to increase mostly by chronological ageing but to decrease modestly by photodamage. This demonstrates that differences between the two processes can be quantified, and indeed they should be.

The role of human papillomavirus in carcinoma.

Human papillomaviruses have long been identified as the cause of common warts and condylomata acuminata. Evidence is now accumulating that human papillomaviruses may be involved in not only benign, but also in malignant neoplasms. They might also be significant in the malignant transformation of cutaneous neoplasms. This review examines the oncogenic potential of human papillomaviruses when they are found in carcinomas in various anatomic areas, including the skin.

The presence of human papillomavirus type 16 in squamous cell carcinoma of the proximal finger and reconstruction with a bilobed transposition flap.

In a 71 year old white female a clinically diagnosed keratoacanthoma on the dorsum of the right third finger was removed using Mohs micrographic surgery and histologically diagnosed as a squamous cell carcinoma. It was shown by dot blot hybridization to have HPV type 16 DNA in the tumor. The wound was reconstructed with a bilobed transposition flap.

An evaluation of wound closure tapes.

Wound closure tapes are often used to decrease tension on wounds, to close wounds, and to reinforce wounds after suture removal. Seven different brands of wound closure tape, both with and without the additional application of the liquid adhesive Mastisol, were tested for their adhesion to the forearms of 8 volunteers when a 225-gram weight was applied. Steri-Strips with Mastisol had the longest time of adhesiveness, and the application of Mastisol markedly increased the adhesiveness of all 7 tapes evaluated. Only 2 of the 7 tapes, Proxi-Strip and Coverstrip II, showed any significant adhesiveness without Mastisol.