Dermatology

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While playing on a brick walkway in her backyard, a 4-year-old girl stepped on a puss caterpillar and was stung. The ecchymosis exactly outlined the caterpillar's spines and remained visible for at least 3 months. The initial sting caused intense pain that lasted for more than an hour.

Henna and Hair DyeA 16-year-old Somali girl presented with a 30-day history of bilateral arm swelling and painful vesicular eruptions.Five days before presentation, she and her friends had used henna and black hair dye to “tattoo” their skin. Theothers did not experience similar signs or symptoms. This patient had used henna since childhood for decorativepurposes. However, outlining an intricate design with hair dye was new for her.This patient was hospitalized and treated for severe cosmetic dermatitis with systemic corticosteroids,diphenhydramine, and daily dry dressing changes. Ibuprofen was given to help relieve discomfort. Antibioticswere not ordered.The patient remained afebrile and was discharged on hospital day 2 with close follow-up and daily dressingchanges. She was advised to avoid contact with all hair-dye products.Case and photo courtesy of Jennifer A. Jewell, MD, and Lorraine L. McElwain, MD.

A 6-year-old boy has a rash on his hands and feet that erupted shortly after he startedfirst grade. His parents are concerned that he may be allergic to something at school, such as chalk. He is otherwise healthy.

Oral contraceptive (OC) pills are frequently prescribed for a variety of clinical purposes. These medications--which contain varying amounts of estrogen- and progestin-based compounds--essentially "override" a woman's innate hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and frequently help ameliorate the effects of a maturing reproductive system while preventing pregnancy.

In the February 2007 issue (Photo Quiz, page 88), there is a case of a child with a rash diagnosed as erythema multiforme (EM) rather than urticaria. I assume that these were fixed lesions, which distinguished them from urticaria lesions? Also, if this rash had been caused by the antibiotic the patient had been taking for an acute otitis media infection, why did it first manifest after 4 days of treatment?

I read with interest the Dermclinic case on molluscum contagiosum in your February issue. I was a bit surprised by the last sentence, in which Dr Barber comments, "I often instruct affected young adults to pierce the top of the lesions and try to extrude the central core using lateral pressure with the rounded end of a popsicle stick or similar device . . ."

A 12-year-old girl was brought by her parents for evaluation of a spot in her eye, which they feared might be an embedded foreign body. She had nominal eye discomfort, which was probably secondary to attempted removal of the object. The child could not recall having dust particles in the eye, and she had no previous eye lesion.

The pearly papules on the cheeks (A), ear, and scalp (B) of 2 newborns are classic presentations of milia. The white or yellow papules range from 1 to 2 mm in diameter. They result from retained keratin and sebaceous material in pilosebaceous skin. The lesions commonly affect the face and may be present at birth or develop within the first few days of life.

This 17-year-old presented with multiple boils in the perineum and under breast and skin folds. The lesions produced a malodorous discharge (which caused problems with peer acceptance at school) and were increasing in size. Oral antibiotics had not helped. The patient was admitted for intravenous antibiotic therapy.

It is early evening when a previously healthy 2-year-old Hispanic girl is brought to the hospital by her mother. The girl has a history of fever to 100.2 F axillary, and skin lesions that began four days earlier. The skin lesions are described as following a progressive course. The lesions would begin as non-itchy red patches with a central vesicle that would burst, leaving an ulcer with a black base.

ABSTRACT: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy among females of reproductive age. In adolescents, PCOS often manifests with irregular menses, hirsutism, and acne. Despite general agreement that the metabolic derangements of PCOS arise during puberty, the condition is diagnosed more often in adults than in adolescents. Treatment is focused on weight loss, menstrual cycle regulation, and amelioration of physical symptoms. Acute symptoms can be managed with combination oral contraceptives and antiandrogens and potentially with insulin-sensitizing drugs. Lifestyle modification, especially in overweight patients, can reduce symptoms and help prevent long-term health consequences.

A scaly, erysipeloid rash had erupted in the axillae of an 8-year-old boy and spread to the buttocks and thighs within 2 days. The child complained only of pruritus. The rash had worsened despite treatment with clindamycin for 4 days.

A 13-year-old girl noticed that the skin around a "mole" on her abdomen had gradually changed color. This patient was told that she had a halo nevus--a pigmented (nevocellular) nevus surrounded by a tight ring of depigmentation--which is benign and usually regresses spontaneously over time. This relatively common lesion is believed to affect males and females equally. The development of the halo may coincide with puberty or pregnancy. Often, several pigmented nevi develop a halo simultaneously.