Introduction: Vitiligo is cosmetically disfiguring and can cause significant psychological morbidity. Most therapies require protracted treatments and can lead to disappointing results. More recently, 308 nm Excimer laser has proven to be effective in treating vitiligo.
Objective: To analyze the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of 308 nm Excimer treat- ment for vitiligo patches in a variety of locations on the body.
Methods: Patients with generalized or localized vitiligo (n = 123, 321 lesions), were studied. The patients were treated at a private practice between 2007 and 2010. Two inde- pendent examiners analyzed the response to the therapy by comparing clinical and pho- tographic records before and after treatment.
Results: More than half (n = 77) of the patients presented repigmentation greater than 60%, 26 presented 40-59%, and 20% had levels less than 39%. Facial lesions responded better to treatment than those in other body parts. Elbows, hands and feet were the less sensitive areas. In general, the patients were satisfied with the treatment.
Conclusion: The use of Excimer laser for treating vitiligo was effective and safe, produc- ing satisfactory cosmetic results and improving patients'''''''' self esteem.

Keywords: VITILIGO, EXCIMER''S LASER, PHOTOTHERAPY

Giant congenital melanocytic nevi are extremely rare, however there is a 5-10% chance they will develop into melanomas. Laser-based treatment of this type of lesion is still very controversial. Some studies report great success without malignant development and others have achieved good aesthetic results but with malignancy. This article describes the clinical and histological development of a case of a female patient with a giant congenital melanocytic bathing trunk nevus, after 14 sessions of 1,064 nm Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser and three years of follow-up without histological signs of malignancy. The authors highlight the need for histological monitoring of this type of lesions.

Keywords: NEVUS, NEVUS, PIGMENTED, LASER THERAPY

Hormones are very important in the aging process because some of their levels decrease. Therefore it can be hypothesized that hormone replacement therapy might slow aging. In light of the increasing interest in rejuvenating treatments that can yield good results, hormone replacement therapy has dawned in scientific circles. This review examines the roles of growth hormones melatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone, as well as those of bioidentical hormones in rejuvenation. The authors have also sought to evaluate the results of studies on hormone replacement therapy, considering the risks and benefits of using those hormones, which are seen as the "fountain of youth."

Keywords: HORMONES; REJUVENATION; GROWTH HORMONE; MELATONIN; DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE.

Introduction: Acne is one of the most prevalent skin conditions, representing a constant challenge to dermatologists, especially in severe cases as nodulocystic acne, which can be resistant to medicament based treatment. Traditional therapy includes topical and oral drugs that are not always effective and often lead to bacterial resistance and side effects. The use of lasers in the treatment of inflammatory acne has increased lately due to the ease, clinical efficacy, and minimal side effects of this type of therapy. Objective: To evaluate the effects of fractional laser in patients with nodulocystic acne resistant to treatment with isotretinoin. Methods: Application of laser therapy sessions with Nd:YAP in 9 patients. Assessment of the degree of patient satisfaction and comparison of photographs taken before and after treatment by dermatologists not linked to the study. Results: Average reduction of 65% in inflammatory lesions, satisfaction of all patients who underwent treatment, and approval in the assessment carried out by dermatologists. Conclusions: The fractional Nd:YAP laser was proven effective in the treatment of inflammatory acne and may represent a new therapeutic option for this pathology, especially for patients who do not respond to conventional treatment.

Keywords: ACNE VULGARIS; LASERS; LASER THERAPY.

Introduction: The best option for treating distensible acne scars is cutaneous filling, however many such lesions cannot be seen properly under traditional lighting. Objective: To investigate whether an LED light spot helps in the technique of filling acne scars with hyaluronic acid. Methods: Twelve patients were treated with and without the diagonal and posterior focus of LED lighting. The patients themselves and two physicians deemed that the treatment has provided improvement. The median percentage of improvement attributed by the patients was 60% (without LED lighting) and 70% (with LED lighting). Results: The average median percentage of improvement attributed by the physicians was 55.0% / 65.0% (without LED lighting) and 70.0% / 72.5% (with LED lighting). Conclusion: The use of diagonal and posterior LED light spots enhances outcomes and patient satisfaction rates.

Keywords: ACNE VULGARIS; CICATRIX; HYALURONIC ACID.

Introduction: Pincer nails are characterized by an over-curvature of the nail in the transverse axis, causing the pinching of the nail bed at its distal portion. It most commonly affects the toes, occurring rarely in the fingers. Objective: To demonstrate the Fanti's technique for the treatment of pincer nails. Methods: Eleven patients from the Hair and Nails Ambulatory, bearing pincer nails, underwent surgery for the correction of the condition with the Fanti's technique. Results: All patients had complete clinical improvement during the 14-month follow-up period. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates the Fanti's surgical technique for the correction of pincer nails, where anatomical and functional improvement of the operated nails could be observed.

Keywords: NAIL DISEASES; NAILS; NAIL BITING.

In dermatology, botulinum toxin stands out in the treatment of wrinkles and expression lines, mainly being used for aesthetic purposes. However, in recent years the use of botulinum toxin in the treatment of dermatological diseases has grown and shown good results. The present review is aimed at reporting the use of botulinum toxin in clinical conditions that may be treated by dermatologists, exploring its mechanism of action and long-term results, thus gathering practical information for specialist physicians.

Keywords: BOTULINUM TOXINS; DISEASE; DERMATOLOGY; SKIN.

The Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy promoted a better quality of life for seropositive patients. However, metabolic changes in patients, such as HIV lipodystrophy syndrome, may occur with antiretroviral therapy. Thus, it is necessary to adopt strategies to prevent and treat lipodystrophy and other possible side effects of. We report the case of a female patient with prior antiretroviral therapy and decreased thickness of the lower limbs bilaterally, especially in knees and distal third of the legs. The sites with evidence of lipoatrophy were filled with polymethylmethacrylate, with satisfactory results and adherence by the patient.

Keywords: HIV-ASSOCIATED LIPODYSTROPHY SYNDROME; POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE; ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME.

In dermatology, facial fillers are of great importance in the treatment of wrinkles and expression lines, their use being for aesthetic purposes. Their application is usually carried out with needles, which can lead to complications during the procedure. Among them hematomas, ischemia, necrosis, and even blindness. In recent years however, the application of fillers with microcannulas has revolutionized the techniques of application, in this way avoiding the occurrence of complications during and after the procedure. The present paper is aimed at clarifying the nomenclature, characteristics, and dimensions of the cannulas.

Keywords: NEEDLES; HYALURONIC ACID; TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Introdução: A non-invasive alternative for the treatment of localized fat is cryolipolysis that, by freezing adipocytes, reduces fat volume in the region where the procedure was performed. Objective: To statistically describe the experience of a referral center for this procedure. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 251 patients undergoing cryolipolysis was carried out with the epidemiological analysis of patient data. Results: Thirty-eight males and 213 females underwent the procedure, with a total number of 740 treated areas. The anterior abdomen (lower third) was the most popular region, with 45.30% of cases. Eighty-eight percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the result. Nearly all cases required 2 or more sessions to achieve this degree of satisfaction. Conclusions: Cryolipolysis is a noninvasive method for the selective reduction of fat that has shown efficacy in reducing the subcutaneous tissue, with minimal and reversible side effects in this study.

Keywords: LASERS; ABDOMINAL FAT; LIPOLYSIS

Introduction: Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in men and women. Nowadays, medication based treatments are the most frequently used nevertheless they yield poor results. More recently, the use of lasers has been proposed to treat this condition. At the same time, the infiltration of medications in the scalp has also been growing as a therapeutic option, although there are few scientific studies on this treatment modality.
Objective: To evaluate the results of using 1,550nm Erbium-Glass laser associated with the injection of active principles (minoxidil, finasteride, growth factors and a vitamin complex) for the treatment of male and female androgenetic alopecia.
Methods: A retrospective study was carried out with patients with androgenetic alopecia diagnosis, who underwent monthly sessions of the proposed combination therapy. The results were evaluated by means of comparative photographs taken before and after the treatment period and the assessment of the patients' opinion.
Results: Sixty-two patients were treated with 3 to 14 sessions; 48.39% of patients had mild improvement, and 46.77% had significant improvement. The vast majority (96.77%) was satisfied with the treatment. The patients who were very satisfied with the outcomes underwent a greater number of sessions (more than six, on average).
Conclusions: The association of 1,550nm Erbium-Glass laser therapy with the injection of active principles in the scalp is an effective and safe option for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.

Keywords: ALOPECIA; LASERS; THERAPEUTICS

Introduction: Acne scars result from inflammation of acne vulgaris and are a frequent cause of complaints in dermatology practices. Atrophic scars are the most common, and may be classified into superficial, medium, and deep. There are several treatment options for deep atrophic scars, however they have limited efficacy in general, undesirable side effects and are expensive.
Objective: To evaluate the treatment of deep atrophic scars with high frequency electrosurgery.
Methods: Ten patients with deep atrophic acne scars received 3 high frequency electrosurgery treatment sessions with intervals of 1 month. The following were used to evaluate the outcome 1 month after the last session: histological aspects of selected scars as compared to the baseline; ratings attributed to the results by the patients (worsened, unchanged or improved); and standardized photographs at baseline and 1 month after the last session performed by a physician not related to the study, who also rated the results (worsened, unchanged or improved).
Results: Histological analysis evidenced a reduction in local fibrosis. All patients noticed improvement in the lesions. The evaluator dermatologist physician verified the presence of clinical improvement in all patients.
Conclusion: High frequency electrosurgery is a straightforward, inexpensive and effective method for the treatment of atrophic deep acne scars.

Keywords: CICATRIX; ACNE VULGARIS; ELECTROSURGERY

Introduction: Tuberous sclerosis is a dominant autosomal genodermatosis, classically characterized by facial angiofibromas, fibrotic plaques, periungual fibromas, leaf-shaped hypochromic maculae and fibrous frontal plaques.
Case report: A patient bore this disease, with Koenen tumors in all nail beds of hands and feet, which were resistant to the conventional treatment — simple excision and electrosurgery. Amputation of the nail beds was performed followed by reconstruction with full thickness skin grafts.
Conclusion: The amputation of the nail apparatus and reconstruction with full thickness skin grafts in aggressive, recurrent or high morbidity cases can be an effective therapeutic option.

Keywords: DERMATOLOGY; DERMATOLOGIC SURGICAL PROCEDURES; TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS; SKIN TRANSPLANTS

Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentation disorder characterized by the development of well-defined achromic macules in the skin. It is deemed stable when no new lesion emerges or when pre-existing lesions do not undergo changes for at least one year. In these cases, surgical treatment is an important therapeutic option. Punch micrografting is the most commonly performed melanocyte transplantation technique, resulting in excellent repigmentation. The authors describe a variation of this technique using even smaller and finer grafts (consisting of epidermis and thin dermis), in order to achieve aesthetical outcomes that are better than those obtained with the traditional technique, especially when treating areas with significant aesthetic impairment.

Keywords: Melanocytes; Transplantation; Vitiligo

INTRODUCTION: Acne scars treatment is challenging since, in the most of the cases, there are different types of scars in the same patient.
OBJECTIVE: Associate three distinct acne scar treatment techniques in the same session in order to optimize results.
METHODS: Retrospective observational study evaluating 25 patients with acne scars treated with the following sequence of associated techniques: high frequency electrosurgery, CO₂ laser and Nd:YAP laser.
RESULTS: High patient satisfaction index and evident improvement in photographs in most of cases.
CONCLUSIONS: The combination of techniques in one session was safe and effective in the treatment of acne scars, a condition of great psychological impact to affected individuals.

Keywords: Acne vulgaris; Cicatrix; Laser therapy

Rosacea is a common chronic skin disease that has several clinical manifestations, with erythema and inflammation being predominant characteristics. Its presence is associated with psychosocial impact on patients' lives. Although there are several options for topical and systemic treatments, it is known that only the inflammation is treated and that the erythema persists in most cases. More recently, there have been some publications describing the treatment of rosacea with botulinum toxin associated with good results. In this manner, the authors sought to evaluate the action of botulinum toxin in the treatment of rosacea that is persistent and refractory to various clinical treatments.

Keywords: Rosacea; Botulinum Toxins; Therapeutics

The evolution of medicine has allowed an increasingly in-depth knowledge of diseases and medications, involving cellular structures and associated molecules. In dermatology, we begin to unveil cell modulation associated to the use of substances such as botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, among others. This new era allows us to comprehend information that goes beyond a macroscopic view and explore cell interaction, leading to a broader knowledge to optimize dermatologic treatment.

Keywords: Biology; Cells; Dermatology

INTRODUCTION: Facial aging occurs due to loss of facial volume and altered skin texture. Hyaluronic acid fillers are the main non-surgical tools used to recover the volume loss, since, besides filling, they act as skin remodeling.
OBJECTIVE: To describe a new facial rejuvenation technique with hyaluronic acid: delta V lifting. Through this technique, we seek not only to fill in areas with volume deficits but mainly to stimulate tissue regeneration through the interaction between hyaluronic acid and superficial subcutaneous tissue, the main application plan.
METHODS: A retrospective observational study assessing 200 patients treated with 2 ml of hyaluronic acid at a concentration of 23 mg/ml in a single therapy session with the delta V lifting technique.
RESULTS: 87% of patients rated the result as “great improvement” and 13% as “good improvement” according to the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale. Also, they all reported progressive improvement of the result until the moment of return within one month after the procedure.
CONCLUSIONS: The delta V lifting technique was effective in bringing satisfactory aesthetic results with a minimal amount of hyaluronic acid. The interaction between hyaluronic acid and adipose tissue is believed to be involved in optimizing results.

Keywords: Hyaluronic acid; Rejuvenation; Techniques

Q-switched lasers are widely used in dermatology to treat one of the most common complaints of dermatological routine: the pigmented lesions. The several pigments, targets of laser treatment on the skin, have different characteristics as color, size, tissue location, and origin. Q-switched lasers can interact with the pigments in various ways. Since the emergence of Q-switched technology, different and new ways of use have emerged. Understanding the mechanisms of action involved and their main clinical applicabilities is essential to optimize the therapeutic outcomes.

Keywords: Lasers; Tattooing; Melanosis; Skin pigmentation

Hyaluronic acid is one of the most used substances in dermatology. It presents structural roles in the extracellular matrix, binding to cells and biological components through specific and nonspecific interactions. The native ligand for hyaluronic acid is the transmembrane CD44 receptor, which interacts not only with hyaluronic acid but also with different growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix proteins. We seek to review the interaction of the CD44 receptor with the various forms of hyaluronic acid in the skin to better understand its action and fully explore its use in dermatology.

Keywords: Rejuvenation; Hyaluronic acid; Skin