Lipidomics is advantageous in the study of sebum perturbations occurring in acne. An extended evaluation of the sebum lipid profiles in acne-prone sebaceous areas is lacking in dark skin. Yet, there is a void space in understanding how the building blocks of sebum lipids, i.e. individual fatty acids (FAs), are intertwined with acne-prone skin. We aimed to determine the sebum lipidome in facial areas of adolescents with and without acne in Nigeria. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in 60 adolescents/young adults divided in 30 acne patients (15F, 15M) and 30 age and sex-matched controls. Sebum samples obtained from foreheads and cheeks were analysed separately by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS) and thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Distributions of sebum components were investigated with multivariate ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA). Sebum incretion in acne was paralleled by significantly higher abundance of triglycerides, wax esters, and squalene together with monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), and straight chain saturated FAs (SFAs), especially those with odd-carbon chain, i.e. C13:0, C15:0, and C17:0. Profiling weight/weight percentage of individual components revealed that, in acne, the free FAs (FFAs) array was shifted towards higher relative abundance of the SFAs C15:0, C16:0, and C17:0 and lower percentage of the anteiso-branched FFAs with 12, 14, 16, and 18 carbons. In acne patients, MUFAs and PUFAs were quantitatively increased and decreased on foreheads and cheeks, respectively. Relative abundance of fatty alcohols was decreased in acne independent on the site. The results indicated that acne associates with site-specific derangement of the pathways regulating the balance among odd straight-chain and branched-chain SFAs, MUFAs, which included sapienate (C16:1n-10), PUFAs, and squalene.

Introduction Non-neoplastic skin lesions constitute the majority of skin diseases. There is a paucity of histopathology studies of non-neoplastic skin diseases in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region in general. This is because the dermato-pathology sub-specialty is poorly developed. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to determine the spectrum of histologically diagnosed non-neoplastic skin lesions in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods This is a retrospective study. All non-neoplastic skin lesions diagnosed in the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan over a five year period. (January 2006 to December 2010) was reviewed. The lesions were classified into eight groups according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 of skin and subcutaneous disorders. The main classes include Dermatitis/Eczema, Papulosquamous disorders, Infectious disorders, Connective tissue diseases, Bullous disorders, Naevi/Developmental lesions, Granulomatous lesions, keratinizing disorders and other categories/Miscellaneous group. Results A total of 209 non-neoplastic skin lesions comprised 1.3% of all surgical pathology specimen received within the study period. The modal age group was 20-29. The Dermatitis/Eczema group has the highest frequency of 87 cases representing 41.6% of cases, papulosquamous disorders 39 (18.7%), infectious disorders 37 (17.7%), bullous disorders 11 (5.3%) and connective tissue disorder 9 (4.3%). Chronic non-specific dermatitis was the commonest specific diagnosis comprising 60 cases (28.7%) of all the skin diseases. The other common specific skin lesions were lichen planus/lichenoid dermatitis 27(12.9% of 209 cases), verruca vulgaris 25 (12% of 209 cases). Conclusion The number of histologically diagnosed non-neoplastic skin lesions is relatively small. There is a very wide spectrum of non-neoplastic skin lesions diagnosed within this period. There is a need for a specific diagnosis considering the high frequency of chronic non-specific dermatitis.

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Background Traction alopecia (TA) is common among women of African descent. There is limited information on the etiology and predisposing factors for TA among adolescents in Nigeria. This information is fundamental in changing hair grooming habits, which result in the development of TA in adult women. Objective To determine the prevalence, pattern, trichoscopic features, and risk factors for TA among adolescents in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Patients and methods This was a cross-sectional study among 333 adolescents selected from secondary schools in Keffi. The students were interviewed to determine their hair care practices and symptoms of TA. The participants were examined for the presence of TA, and trichoscopy was done for those with TA. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25 Statistical software. Results The prevalence of TA was 15.1%. The temporal pattern (54.9%) was the commonest pattern. The trichoscopic features were the presence of peripilar casts (45.1%) and perifollicular halos (43.3%). TA was associated with many variables, but the identified risk factors after logistic regression were frequency of relaxing the hair (P=0.022), duration of covering hair (P=0.022), family economic status (P=0.023), and self-reported presence of dandruff (P=0.001). Conclusion TA occurs among adolescents in northern Nigeria. Increased frequency of relaxing the hair increases the risk of having TA, whereas the use of head scarfs reduced the chance of acquiring it. Further studies are required to evaluate the effect of hair covers on TA.