The effectiveness of LA lotion is equal to that of HC lotion. It was suggested that moisturizer containing LA could be used both for treatment of acute and maintenance phase in mild-to-moderate childhood AD.

Various nutraceuticals (dietary supplements) are claimed to have cutaneous antiageing properties, however, there are a limited number of research studies supporting these claims. The objective of this research was to study the effectiveness of an oral nutraceutical containing antioxidants, minerals and glycosaminoglycans on cutaneous ageing. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 60 women aged 35-60 years were randomized to receive oral dietary supplement (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30), once daily for 12 weeks. The depth of skin roughness and fine wrinkles were measured using surface evaluation of skin parameters for living skin (Visioscan) at baseline, and at the 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment. Surface evaluation using a replica film (Visiometer) at baseline and at the 12th week of treatment was also carried out. Statistical differences in objective skin improvement were assessed by the independent t-test. The volunteers' satisfaction was tested using the chi-squared test. The baseline depth of skin roughness and fine wrinkles in the treatment group and the placebo group were 100.5 and 100 mum, respectively. At the end of the study, the depth of skin roughness and fine wrinkles in the treatment group showed a 21.2% improvement, whereas improvement in the control group was 1.7%. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). With regard to the volunteers' satisfaction, there was no statistically significant decrease in the homogenization of skin colour, however, a statistically significant reduction in pore size and depth of skin roughness and fine wrinkles were observed (P < 0.05). No side effects were noted throughout the study. The oral dietary supplement containing antioxidants, minerals and glycosaminoglycans improved skin roughness and fine wrinkles but did not affect skin colour change in female volunteers.

Topical corticosteroids and phototherapy are the conventional treatments of vitiligo. However, the acrofacial and segmental types are often unresponsive to these treatments. Nowadays, a few studies have been conducted on efficacy of topical tacrolimus in treatment of vitiligo including vulgaris and segmental types. Nevertheless, the acrofacial type has never been investigated with this topical therapy. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment in patients including all types of vitiligo. Forty-two patients with vitiligo (22 adults, 20 children) were enrolled in this study. They were treated with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice daily for 6 months. Of these 42 patients, 38 of them completed the treatment process. The mean age of the patients was 27.8 years. The response rate was 76.09%. The vulgaris and focalis had a maximum response rate of 94.12%. The response rates for segmentalis and acrofacialis were 76.92% and 56.25% respectively. Concerning the response, age groups, types and location of vitiligo, there was significant difference in all variables (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.025, respectively). Children had approximately nine times higher odds (95% CI = 1.09, 81.88) of having better response to the treatment than adults. The disease duration of 5 years or less also showed a better response. In conclusion, topical tacrolimus can be used for the treatment of patients with vitiligo. We recommend that, other than in the vulgaris type, topical tacrolimus may be considered as a treatment for two difficult to treat types of vitiligo, acrofacialis and segmentalis, before considering other modalities.

Background:The popularity of laser therapy in acne treatment has been increasing recently due to its safety, effectiveness, and convenience. Both 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) and 1064-nm long-pulsed neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (Nd:YAG) have been successful in treating inflammatory acne lesions. However, clinical data from controlled comparative studies are still lacking.Aims: To compare the clinical efficacy of 1064-nm Nd:YAG with 595-nm PDL for the treatment of acne vulgaris.Methods: Thirty-four participants with mild to moderate facial acne were enrolled and then randomized to receive three, 2-week interval treatments with 1064-nm Nd:YAG on one side of the face and 595-nm PDL on the other side. Clinical assessments including acne lesion counts, acne erythema grading, and erythema index were performed at baseline, 2nd, 4th, and 8th week. Participants' satisfaction, preference, and adverse effects were recorded.Results: As compared with baseline, the significant reduction of mean inflammatory acne lesion counts, acne erythema grading, and erythema index was demonstrated on 595-nm PDL-treated sides and 1064-nm Nd:YAG-treated sides. However, there were no significant differences between both sides. The participants were satisfied with both laser treatments, but the participants preferred 1064-nm Nd:YAG over 595-nm PDL treatment. The adverse effects were less on 1064 nm Nd: YAG-treated sides.Conclusions: 1064-nm Nd:YAG and 595-nm PDL treatments are equally effective in reducing inflammatory acne lesions and acne erythema in mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris.

Background Although there is a standard guideline for the treatment of acne, it is still a common skin disease, and suboptimal medication adherence is a major reason for treatment failure. Herbal extracts are an interesting alternative medicine because they consist of a variety of active ingredients. Moreover, herbal extracts may have improved therapeutic efficacy because of the combination of various herbs. Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of herbal extracts for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Methods A total of 77 patients were randomized to receive either an herbal extract or 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, which were applied for a period of 12 weeks. Acne lesion counts, adherence, porphyrin counts, the Dermatology Life Quality Index, satisfaction and side effects were assessed. Result At the 12‐week point, the acne lesion counts decreased, with statistically significant differences from the baseline values in both groups and for all types of acne (P‐value < 0.001). The adherence rate was significantly higher in the patients using the herbal extract than in the patients using 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (P‐value = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of porphyrin counts, spot scores, the Dermatology Life Quality Index or satisfaction with efficacy between the groups; however, satisfaction with drug administration was significantly higher in the patients using the herbal extract (P‐value = 0.001). Conclusion Herbal extracts could be beneficial for anti‐acne pharmaceutical preparations and may be used as an alternative medicine for patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris who do not adhere to benzoyl peroxide treatment.