Dear colleagues:
Welcome to the March 2018 issue of The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (JCAD). We start this issue with a study titled “Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Polypodium Leucotomos Extract in the Treatment of Melasma in Asian Skin: A Pilot Study” by Goh et al. Here, the investigators evaluated the efficacy and safety of an aqueous extract of the fern, Polypodium leucotomos (PLE), on melasma. The study included 40 healthy Asian adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of melasma. The authors report that after12 weeks of treatment, the PLE aqueous extract product significantly improved and accelerated the positive outcomes seen in the study group that used PLE with hydroquinone and sunscreen compared to the control group that used hydroquinone and sunscreen alone.
Next, in their article “Structural Changes of Subcutaneous Tissue Valued by Ultrasonography in Patients with Cellulitis Following Treatment with the PnKCelulitis® Program,” Roe et al assessed, via objective clinical evaluation and cutaneous ultrasound, the benefit of a 12-week multidisciplinary anticellulite treatment program that comprises a prescription of diet, exercise, and the application of an anti-cellulite cream, on the visual appearance of cellulite among 20 women. By the end of the study, the authors report that the degree of cellulite was reduced in all bodily locations studied, and that 90 percent of the sample saw their cellulite reduced by at least one degree. There was also a decrease in weight and abdominal perimeters, without muscle loss.
Following this, in the article titled “Characterization of the 2016–2017 Dermatology Standardized Letter of Recommendation,” Wang et al analyzed the reformatted standard letter of recommendation (SLOR) for dermatology residents received by three universities. The authors assessed trends in grading and content based on the positions of the letter writers, their backgrounds, and their relationship with the applicant, as well as the SLOR’s ability to discriminate applicants. The authors report that SLORs demonstrated grade inflation from letter writers of all backgrounds, while ratings for research potential and inquisitive nature were significantly lower than ratings for other categories. They also found that letter writers with limited clinical and research contact graded applicants significantly lower than did writers who had more extensive contact. They conclude that residency programs should be aware of these findings when evaluating letters of recommendation for applicants.
Next, in their article, “Tattoos: What Do People Really Know About the Medical Risks of Body Ink?” Rahimi et al examined whether people are properly informed about the medical risks and complications associated with tattoos and how that level of knowledge differs between those who have gotten tattooed and those who have not. The researchers collected data from 211 subjects with or without tattoos, including demographics, characteristics of their tattoos, intensity of the decision-making process for getting a tattoo, and level of knowledge of medical risks and complications of tattoos. The researchers found that more than 50 percent of the answers to the knowledge questions from both groups (tattooed vs. non-tattooed) were incorrect. The sex of the subjects and differences in tattoo characteristics did not impact the level of knowledge of medical risks among either group. There were correlations between sociodemographic variables and knowledge of medical risks of tattoos, as well as differences between education levels and the knowledge of medical risks and complications of tattoos among both groups. The authors conclude that more effort should be made to educate patients on the medical risks and potential complications of tattoos.
Following this, in the article “Psoriasis and the Digital Landscape: YouTube as an Information Source for Patients and Medical Professionals” Lenczowski and Dahiya analyzed type and quality of content, with respect to the treatment of psoriasis, of 182 videos on YouTube that used the search term “psoriasis treatment.” The authors found that only 7.1 percent of the videos had medical institutions or verified physicians as authors, whereas 69.2 percent were holistic in nature, describing “natural” supplements and diets necessary for adequate psoriasis treatment and cure. The authors conclude that there is a need for an increase in the online presence of medical institutions to augment the dissemination of correct healthcare information.
Next, Segars et al present a case report titled, “Basaloid Follicular Hamartoma: A Case Report and a Novel Cosmetic Treatment.” The authors describe the case of a 68-year-old man who presented with a two-year history of brown, homogeneous papules on his face. A diagnosis of basaloid follicular hamartoma (BFH) was given. The authors discuss the disease as well as describe differential diagnoses and treatment options, including the use of pulsed dye laser (PDL) therapy, which the authors found to be an effective treatment method in their patient.
Finally, in the article “Behaviors and Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Treatments Among Men,” Girdwichai et al examined differences in behaviors and attitudes toward cosmetic treatments between men and women. The authors describe and discuss the differences and similarities their data revealed between the sexes for factors such as where they go for information on cosmetic services and the types, qualities, and packaging they prefer in their skin care products.
We hope you enjoy this issue of JCAD. As always, we welcome your feedback and submissions.
With regards,
James Q. Del Rosso, DO, FAOCD
Editor-in-Chief, Clinical Dermatology
Wm. Philip Werschler, MD, FAAD, FAACS
Editor-in-Chief, Aesthetic Dermatology
Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD
Associate Editor