Dermatophytes are amongst the most common causative agents of fungal infections worldwide and widespread in the developing countries. Various studies have found the significantly rising trend of this infection in India especially in last 4-5 years. The growing epidemic of recurrent/chronic dermatophytosis has led to the need for newer antifungal agents and/or preparations. Furthermore, resistance to commonly used topical and oral antifungals has increased alarmingly. Significantly increasing resistance has led to state of anxiety in physicians and significant distress to the patients socially, emotionally, and financially. Newer formulations or newer derivatives of existing drug classes and few newer drug classes are being developed to tackle this menace. Other forms of local therapies including lasers and photodynamic therapy are still in developmental phase and still need to be optimized in terms of dosing schedule, frequency of use and duration of therapy. Moreover, cost of these therapies remained most important obstacle in developing countries like India. We are hereby reviewing the newer formulations of topical therapies and drugs/interventions in experimental phase.

Background: Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a comparatively new system of practice in treating acne-induced post inflammatory erythema (PIE) which is a difficult condition to treat, and variations exist in the results from published studies with insufficient or limited scientific evidence of IPL on Indian skin. Aim: To study the efficacy of IPL in the treatment of acne-induced PIE and to document adverse effects of the procedure. Settings and Design: A hospital-based retrospective observational study on 33 patients with acne-induced PIE who completed treatment with IPL during the time period of July 2015 to June 2017. Patients and Methods: All 33 patients were treated with vascular mode of IPL using 560-nm filter every 3 weeks for three to six sessions. Grading of PIE was done by Clinician Erythema Severity Score, and the objective parameters were assessed statistically for improvement using photographs. Adverse effects were noted and followed up. Statistical Analysis: Wilcoxon sign rank test and Pearson's correlation. Results: There was statistically significant reduction in mean erythema score from 2.57 ± 0.66 to 1.21 ± 0.48 following IPL (Z = −5.295, P < 0.001—Wilcoxon sign rank test). Excellent improvement was noted in 11 (33.33%), good in 15 (45.45%), fair in 4 (12.12%), and poor in 3 (9.09%), and the results were consistent on follow-up. Adverse effects included erythema, hyperpigmentation, and hypopigmentation which were all transient and resolved completely in all patients on follow-up. Conclusion: IPL is an effective and safe alternative to otherwise difficult-to-treat acne-induced PIE.

Background: Psoriasis is a common, chronic inflammatory disorder of skin characterized by a long clinical course with exacerbations, remissions, and relapses. The cost of therapy and psychological burden of the disease depends on disease severity. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life and financial status and to correlate the financial burden of the disease with the severity of psoriasis and quality of life. Materials and Methods: A total of 102 psoriasis patients attending the dermatology outpatient department in our hospital were enrolled in this study. A detailed history and complete physical examination, including, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), was done. Their family income was calculated. Quality of life was measured using the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) proposed by Finlay et al. Multiple linear regression was done to identify the predictor variables of quality of life (DLQI). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among the 102 psoriasis patients 78 were men(76.5%) and 24 were women(23.5%). The mean PASI score was 8.20 ± 6.18 the mean DLQI was 13.01 ± 6.95, and mean family income was INR 15570.10 ± INR 10081.82 per month. There was a significant positive correlation between disease severity and DLQI, and a significant negative correlation between family income and PASI as well as DLQI. Conclusion: The quality of life in psoriasis is affected by both the disease severity and financial status of the patient. The chronic course of psoriasis along with disease severity, in a background of low financial status, impairs the quality of life.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between vitamin D levels and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and compare with healthy age and sex matched controls. Material and Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 1 year, in which 110 patients with CSU were recruited along with an equal number of sex and age-matched healthy controls. For each patient, urticaria activity score (UAS) was calculated and autologous serum skin test (ASST) was performed. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D] was analyzed by chemiluminescence method. A deficiency in vitamin D was defined as serum 25-(OH)D concentrations <30 ng/mL. The statistical analysis was carried out by using appropriate statistical tests. Results: The mean serum 25-(OH)D levels of CSU patients was 19.6 ± 6.9 ng/mL, whereas in control group, the mean level was 38.5 ± 6.7, the difference being statistically significant (P < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between vitamin D levels and UAS. (P < 0.001). The number of patients with ASST positivity was 44 (40%). Conclusion: The patients with CSU had reduced levels of vitamin D when compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between the levels of serum vitamin D and severity of CSU.

Angiosarcoma (AS) is an uncommon malignant neoplasm characterized by rapidly proliferating, extensively infiltrating anaplastic cells derived from blood vessels. These are aggressive tumors and tend to recur locally, spread widely with high rate of lymph node and systemic metastases. They are more frequent in skin and soft tissue, head and neck being the most common sites. Here we report a case of metastatic AS affecting lower extremity in an elderly patient on a background of chronic lymphedema due to filariasis (Stewart–Treves syndrome).

Pachydermoperiostosis is a rare, hereditary disease commonly presenting with digital clubbing, pachyderma, and periosteal hypertrophy. Coarsening of facial features and spade-like enlargement of hands and feet may give rise to a diagnostic dilemma between pachydermoperiostosis and acromegaly. This report highlights a case of a 36-year-old man who presented with broadening of hands and feet, facial skin thickening, and edematous and drooping eyelids for the last 10 years.There was no history of similar presentation in his family. Such clinical presentation in corroboration with normal growth hormone level and prominent radiological abnormalities prompted us to make a diagnosis of pachydermoperiostosis.

Silicosis is an inflammatory disease of the lung characterized by irreversible lung fibrosis which develops from prolonged pulmonary inhalation and retention of crystalline silica and immune reaction. It mainly appears as an occupational hazard in persons involved in stone-quarrying, mining, and sand blasting. Crystalline silica is not only known to be responsible for silicosis but also for other autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-Caplan syndrome, systemic sclerosis (SSc), and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-related vasculitis. Erasmus syndrome is the association of silica exposure and subsequent development of SSc. The limited numbers of cases reported in the literature were miners and only sporadically involved in other professionals. Here, we report a case of a 52 -year-old stone cutter who developed silicosis and SSc after 25 years of exposure.

Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma (EAH) is a rare benign malformation characterized by eccrine and vascular components. It usually presents at birth or during early infancy or childhood on lower extremities as a nodule or plaque. We report a case of asymptomatic tumoral swelling over the left leg in a 5-month-old Indian infant since birth. This was diagnosed as EAH on histopathology and confirmed on immunohistochemistry.

Rhinoscleroma is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis. It commonly affects the nasal cavity and nasopharynx, but it can also involve the larynx, trachea, bronchi, middle ear, and orbit. We are reporting a rare presentation of rhinoscleroma in a middle-aged female patient involving the lips and gums.

Bimatoprost is a prostamide analogue used for treatment of glaucoma in ophthalmology. Surprisingly, the side effects such as increased pigmentation of eyelids and hypertrichosis in patients being treated with prostaglandin analogues for glaucoma have opened new areas of application in various dermatological disorders such as alopecia mainly affecting eyelashes, eyebrows, and vitiligo.