Dermatology and Cosmetic

Editorial Note

Mansour Nassiri Kashani

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Evaluation of the combined treatment of topical tofacitinib 2% ointment and glucantim in the treatment of leishmaniasis lesions

Akram Miraminmohammadi

Background and Aim: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most important health problems in Iran. There is still no effective vaccine available against human leishmaniasis and current treatment is based on chemotherapy. Conventional drugs are toxic and expensive, and drug resistance has caused the search for new treatments. Tofacitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor that disturbs the signaling pathway of several cytokines in the immune system. The aim of this study was to evalute the effect of topical tofacitinib 2% ointment in healing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Balb/C mice.

Methods: This experimental study was performed using tofacitinib and glucantim drugs in 40 female Balb/C mice. The metacyclic form of promastigote of Leishmania major standard strain (MRHO/IR/75/ER) was injected into the footpad of the mice, the mice were divided into 4 treatment groups: tofacitinib, glucantim, tofacitinib-glucantim and control without treatment. The treatment period was 28 days. The footpad thickness of all groups was measured at the end of each week.

Results: After the end of the treatment in the groups treated with tofacitinib, a significant decrease in the size of lesion and the footpad thickness was observed compared to the control group without treatment (P<0.01).

Conclusion: It seems that tofacitinib ointment accelerates lesion healing in Balb/C mice and has worked similarly to standard glucantim treatment. Ointment can be a better option for leishmaniasis treatment and due to its ease of use and no need for painful injections it can be considered as an option for the treatment of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Study of safety and efficacy of cream containing oats and chamomile extract in improving the skin lesions of mild and moderate atopic dermatitis

Aniseh Samadi

Background and Aim: In order to overcome the local side effects of the conventional treatments for atopic dermatitis, a new attitude regarding alternative treatments would be needed, which herbal medicines are promising approachs in this case.

Methods: It was a 4-week, before-after clinical study, conducted on 20 participants (16 women and 4 men) aged 39.95±11.04 years. The severity scoring of atopic dermatitis was determined based on total & local SCORAD. skin biophisical parameters including TEWL ,skin hydration, pH, temperature, sebum and skin erythema were also measured after 2 and 4 weeks application of the study product. Participants’ satisfaction as well as tolerability of the product were assessed by monitoring the adverse effects.

Results: A significant improvement was detected in LOCAL and TOTAL SCORAD at weeks 2 and 4 (P<0.01). The intensity of burning and pruritus also showed a significant decrease at weeks 2 and 4 (P<0.01). A significant increase in the skin hydration was shown at weeks 2 and 4 after treatment (P<0.01). 84.1% and 78.9% of participants described their skin lesions as "improved" or "much improved", 2 and 4 weeks after treatment respectively.

Conclusion: The test cream containing oats and chamomile extract is considered a safe and effective product for improving mild to moderate lesions of atopic dermatitis.

The effectiveness of improving the quality of life therapy on depression and self-esteem in women with vitiligo

Misagh Norouzi

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of psychotherapy based on improving quality of life on depression and self-esteem in women with vitiligo.

Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental study (Pre-test - post-test with follow-up and control group). The statistical population of this study included all women with vitiligo skin disease referred to Isfahan Dermatology and Leishmaniasis Research Center , among which, 20 people were selected by available sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (10 people for each group). Both groups completed Beck Depression Inventory (1996) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem (1965) Questionnaires as a pre-test and after completing eight sessions of psychotherapy based on improving quality of life (one 90-minute session per week for eight weeks), the post-test was performed again and one month later for the control and experimental groups. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance in SPSS 23 software.

Results: Based on the findings of repeated measures analysis of variance, it was found that psychotherapy based on improving quality of life reduced the average depression scores and increased the self-esteem of women with vitiligo.

Conclusion: Considering that psychotherapy based on improving the quality of life has an effect on depression and self-esteem in women with vitiligo, so teaching this therapeutic approach is recommended as an effective intervention method to reduce depression and improve the self-esteem of women with vitiligo.

Eyelid dermatitis and patch test results

Alireza Firooz

Background and Aim: Allergic contact dermatitis is the most frequent cause of eyelid dermatitis; but it is often misdiagnosed. This study aims to evaluate the characteristics of patients with eyelid dermatitis who referred for patch test.

Methods: This was a retrospective study. Three major subgroups were made: patients with only eyelid involvement, involvement of eyelids and other areas, and without eyelid involvement. Collected data included past history, diagnoses, personal care product & make-up use, occupational dermatitis, and positive allergens. Chi-squared, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for analysis.

Results: 139 patients with eyelid dermatitis who referred for patch test were included in the study. Allergic contact dermatitis was the most common diagnosis in all three groups referred for patch test. Use of shaving cream and hair conditioner was significantly higher in patients with only eyelid involvement and nickel sulphate was the most common allergen among them.

Conclusion: Patch testing is an important tool in the evaluation of the common dermatologic disease of eyelid contact dermatitis, as the gold standard. It is a necessity in the treatment of eyelid dermatitis, because of accurate identification of responsible allergens.

Comparison of different methods of fabrication of microneedle arrays

Hajar Moghadas

Microneedles are micron structures that provide the possibility of drug delivery, vaccination and sampling of different organs. The use of microneedles does not require special skills and training, it significantly reduces the dosage and allows the timely release of the drug. The numerous advantages of microneedles compared to other methods of drug delivery have attracted the attention of many researchers. Microneedles are made from the order of microns to millimeters using microfabrication technology using various metals, silicon and polymers. So far, various methods have been proposed for making microneedles. In this article, the conventional and widely used methods of microneedle manufacturing are presented along with their advantages and limitations in terms of the effective parameters in the selection of microneedle. Effective factors such as the type of drug, the desired mechanism for drug delivery, the dimensions and material type lead to the selection of different methods for making microneedles. Among the existing micro fabrication methods, the casting method has the ability to produce different types of microneedles, and thus has been the most popular. The casting method is simple and cheap and can be produced in high volume. Deep reactive ion etching methods make high-precision microneedles, but due to the need for advanced and expensive equipment, a skilled person, and a complex and time-consuming process, they are not capable of mass production. Meanwhile, 3D printing with fully automatic processes is a good option to choose.

A review of the use of microalgae in the production of cosmetics

Bahareh Nowruzi

Microalgae are a diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms in different shapes and sizes that have evolved by being in stressful conditions and have devised mechanisms to maintain their survival. The production of unique biochemical compounds called bioactive compounds is one of these mechanisms. These compounds restore and heal the skin and protect the skin from damage caused by various factors, and in many cases these products are used in the treatment of diseases and cosmetic formulations. Today, cosmetic products derived from microalgae, which are environmentally friendly and safe, replaced the products in the market. In this review article, the potential of many species of microalgae and their derived bioactive molecules in the production of cosmetics is discussed. In addition to that, by presenting the current microalgae products in the global cosmetics market, it highlights the importance of these organisms in the use of microalgae in the production of quality cosmetics, and finally by providing suggestions such as encapsulating pigments to increase resistance and the stability of pigments envisages their greater use in the cosmetic industry in the future.

O to T flap, lifeboat in wide forehead defect reconstruction: a case report

Hojjat Molaei

Introduction: Skin lesions and masses of forehead are challenging topics in the field of reconstruction. Skin grafts and local flaps have significant role in reconstruction of skin defects of forehead. Proper design of flap can save hairline configuration and symmetry of eyebrows.

Case report: A young woman with congenital sebaceous nevus-Jadassohn-wanted to remove this lesion. After excision, there was skin defect of 4 cm diameter. A O to T flap designed and incisions were on bilateral hairline. The defect was covered without any disruption of hairline.

Conclusion: Rotational-advancement flaps are among reliable flaps in reconstruction of forehead skin defects. O to T flap belongs to this category which is effective in traumatic patients and reconstruction following tumor resections.