Although the impairment of quality of life (QoL) in individuals with keloids is profound, it has neither been well quantified nor correlated with severity in people with skin of colour. This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study comprised 110 patients with keloid(s). A physician measured the severity of keloids using the Vancouver Scar scale and impairment of QoL using the patient-filled Hindi version of Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire. The relationship among QoL and severity score as well as with components of demographic data was analysed using SPSS. Our study found the severity of keloid(s) to be moderately but significantly correlated with the QoL of its sufferers.Individuals with multiple keloids were found to be significantly younger than those with solitary ones. Itching, pain, along with restricted mobility significantly impacted the QoL as well as severity of keloids. Individuals who had undergone prior treatment were found to have a worse QoL than the treatment naive. Recurrence was found to be associated with lower scar severity, multiple keloids, and younger age. Increasing age, though associated with greater scar severity, lacked any relationship with the QoL. Our study also found that individuals with bigger keloids sought treatment earlier and more often. Hyperpigmented keloid(s), more common in individuals with skin of colour, were associated with a significantly worse QoL and a higher scar severity.keloid, quality of life, severity, skin of colour | INTRODUCTIONKeloidsclaw-like irregular deposition of dense fibrous tissue beyond the edges of the original injuryrepresent an exaggerated healing response in predisposed individuals. 1 Located most often on the chest, shoulders, upper back, posterior neck, and earlobes, keloids occur more commonly in people with darker skin -African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. 2,3,4 However, treatment options of this relatively common condition continue to focus on improving cosmesis and alleviating symptoms, such as pruritus, pain, and loss of function, rather than on a complete cure. 5 Individuals with visible keloids often experience stigmatisation, reduced body esteem, and some degree of social isolation. 6 In the current era of heightened aesthetic awareness, keloidal scarring can greatly affect the self-perception of patients and impair their quality of life (QoL); thus, measuring the latter, is becoming increasingly important in contemporary clinical dermatology. However, little is known about the impact of these scars on the QoL of its patients; some Western studies that have Abbreviations: ANOVA, analysis of variance test

The loss of melanocytes in vitiligo is associated with architectural, transcriptional, and cellular perturbations of keratinocytes and manifests as a reduced proliferation potential in vitro and delayed re‐epithelialization in vivo. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this delay, microRNA (miRNA) profiling was performed on split skin biopsies collected on Day 1 (basal level) and Day 14 (wound re‐epithelialization) from nonlesional (NL) and lesional (L) skin of five subjects with stable nonsegmental vitiligo and 129 miRNAs were found to be differentially regulated between the NL and L healed epidermis. miR‐21‐5p, expressed at comparable levels on NL and L Day 1 samples, demonstrated significant upregulation during re‐epithelialization. However, the extent of its upregulation was relatively lower in L (10 times compared to Day 1) as compared to NL skin (17 times compared to Day 1). The overexpression of miR‐21 in keratinocytes led to a significant increase in the expression of proliferation markers (Ki67 and MCM6 messenger RNA, Ki67 positivity), along with an increase in keratinocyte migration. Using a small interfering RNA mediated knockdown approach, we further demonstrated that miR‐21‐5p mediates its effects by suppressing the expression of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) and mammary serine protease inhibitor (Maspin), both tumor‐suppressor genes. Investigation of clinical samples corroborated the lower miR‐21 levels and a higher expression of PDCD4 and Maspin in L Day 14 compared to the NL Day 14 epidermis. In conclusion, this study revealed that a relatively lower upregulation of miR‐21‐5p in L skin leads to significantly higher levels of PDCD4 and Maspin, delaying wound re‐epithelialization by reducing the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes.

Herein, we report a rare presentation of erythema multiforme following Covishield/ ChAdOx1 vaccination. A 25-year-old female presented to the department of dermatology with multiple, erythematous, targetoid plaques, distributed symmetrically over both arms, face and upper back without any systemic complaints (Figure 1A-D). Mucosae as well as palms and soles were uninvolved. Dermoscopy of a welldefined lesion on the arm revealed a dusky centre, an outer pale ring and peripheral erythema. The patient denied history of any recent illness, reactions to previous vaccines or intake of any medication. She