Introdução: The Brazilian skin type is a result of the mingling of three ethnicities – European,African and native population. It is difficult to quantify the intensity of brown or vascular colorations with only a visual inspection. Photography assisted by a digital circular polarizing filter and special lighting allows a more accurate dermatologic examination.
Objective: To identify vascular patterns, texture and melanic pigmentations of the face, in groups of dermatologic patients, using polarized pictures.
Methods: Open prospective study, with traditional and polarized photographs of adult women. Digital pictures taken with a Canon T1i camera with different lens configurations (100 mm fixed macro lens without a polarizing filter and 60 mm fixed macro lens with a Hoya pro 1D circular polarizing filter) and the same lighting (two 140 flash heads against an indigo background) were compared.
Results: Polarized and traditional photographs of 34 women (n = 34) were analyzed. Patients were classified as Phototypes II (13), III (16), IV (4) and V (1), according to the Fitzpatrick scale. In 8 patients who reported facial erythema and edema after exposure to heat sources,vascularization was observed only in the polarized pictures.Additionally, melanic pigmentation (ephelides, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) was observed in all patients, rosacea acne lesions in 1 patient, and inflammatory actinic keratosis in 1 patient. The examination was helpful in recommending treatments at home, intense pulsed light, photodynamic therapy,CO2 fractional laser, and in the follow-up of rosacea acne.
Conclusions: Medical photography using a circular polarizing filter is a tool for diagnosing and following up therapeutic treatments, being also useful for documenting skin phototypes II to V.
Keywords: photography; lighting; dermatology.

Introduction: Onychomycosis is responsible for over 50% of the conditions affecting fingernails. Several factors contribute to poor topical or systemic therapeutic response. Objective: A retrospective, monocentric study was carried out with the aim of observing the effects of Nd:YAG laser in patients who had not responded to other previous treatments. Methods: Thirty patients were photographed and subsequently underwent collection of material for fungi culture, and then treated with sub-millisecond 1,064nm Nd:YAG laser sessions with real time temperature control. Results: Clinical improvement of the treated nails was observed, with minimal discomfort. Conclusions: 1,064nm Nd:YAG laser promotes the acceleration of growth and improves the clinical appearance of the treated nails.

Keywords: LASERS; LASERS, SOLID-STATE; ONYCHOMYCOSIS; PHOTOTHERAPY;SPECTRUM ANALYSIS; TRICHOPHYTON.