Giant congenial melanocytic nevi are uncommon lesions that have a higher risk of developing into cutaneous melanomas. When located on the face, they can cause neurological problems, including leptomeningeal melanocytosis and epilepsy. They can also be unattractive. A case of a 17-year-old female patient with congenial melanocytic nevus affect- ing one-third of the right side of her face is reported. The patient underwent the lesion’s resection and reconstruction with a partial skin graft in a single surgery. The objective of this study was to demonstrate a therapeutic proposal for congenial melanocytic nevi located in the periorbicular region.

Keywords: NEVUS, PIGMENTED, NEVI AND MELANOMAS, SKIN, TRANSPLANTATION, AUTOLOGOUS

Talon noir was first described in 1961 by Peachey as atraumatic petechial eruption characteristic of basketball players' heels, and were originally called calcaneal petechiae. It is a dermatosis linked to trauma, with asymptomatic lesions, marked by the presence of blood within the stratum corneum. It presents varied clinical manifestations, with the location depending on the involved provocative fac-tor. The present study describes a case of talon noir in a patient with psoriasis vulgaris and demonstrates the importance of the correlation of clinical, dermoscopic, and histopathological characteristics.

Keywords: BLOOD STAINS, NEVI AND MELANOMAS, FOOT

Introduction The pigment mainly responsible for the color of the skin, melanin is directly influenced by exposure to sunlight. Objective: The present study assessed the effects of solar radiation on the levels of melanin in areas exposed and not exposed to the sun, taking into consideration the seasonality of exposure. Methods: Melanin levels were evaluated on the forehead, sacral region, and forearm, in the post-summer and post-winter periods, using spectrophotometry. Results: The levels of melanin after winter were lower than those after summer in the forehead (168.1 vs. 177.0), sacral region (132.0 vs. 140.4), and forearm (218.7 vs. 260. 4), with a statistically significant reduction only in the forearm (p<0.0001).Additionally, erythema was significantly less intense in the forearm and forehead (p<0.0001 and p=0.002) after winter than after summer. Conclusion: The significant reduction of melanin levels in the forearm after winter reinforces the influence of seasonality on skin pigmentation changes to body areas exposed to the sun without protection.The small variation in the levels of melanin found in the unexposed area (sacrum) confirms that the effect of exposure to the sun on the levels of melanin is predominantly local. Increased production of melanin is directly related to local exposure to UV rays.

Keywords: MELANINS; ERYTHEMA;SOLAR RADIATION; PIGMENTATION.

Introduction: Transcutaneous ultrasound procedures are viewed as the most effective non-surgical treatment for facial skin rejuvenation, although their mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the morphological changes induced by ultrasound treatments on skin tissue: epidermis, papillary and reticular dermis, and subcutaneous fat. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound treatment for facial skin tightening. Methods: Ex vivo human skin samples were sham-treated or treated with high-frequency ultrasound using MedVisage^TM (General Project Ltd.). Different parameters of power output (1.5 and 3.0 W) and frequency modulation (100, 500, 3,000, 3,500 Hz) were compared. Clinical efficacy was evaluated based on a single 5-minute ultrasound treatment (3.0 W, 3,000 Hz) on 4 volunteers. Results: Ultrasound treatment caused significant compaction of collagen and elastic fibers in the reticular dermis, whereas less prominent changes occurred in the papillary dermis. The overall effects varied depending on energy output and modulation frequency. No changes to subcutaneous adipocytes, blood capillaries, epidermal keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts and mast cells were observed. Clinically, ultrasound treatment consistently resulted in a well-tolerated, objective reduction of facial skin wrinkles. Conclusion: High-frequency ultrasound treatment is an effective and safe noninvasive technique for skin-tightening purposes.

Keywords: HIGH-INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND ABLATION; SKIN AGING; HISTOLOGY; DERMIS.

Desmoplastic melanoma is a rare variant of melanoma characterized by an invasive lesion of spindle cells and varying degrees of desmoplasia. It is more frequent in men of an advanced age having a history of chronic exposure to sunlight. The extremely variable and nonspecific clinical appearance makes it a challenging diagnosis. The authors present an exuberant case of desmoplastic melanoma in an unusual location, with an initial diagnosis of dermatofibrosarcoma.

Keywords: MELANOMA; DIAGNOSIS; HISTOLOGY; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY

Introduction: The trends of malignant melanoma in Brazil are aligned with those worldwide: increasing incidence with reduced degree of severity at diagnosis. Objective: To use the prognostic criteria of the Grupo Multicêntrico e Multidisciplinar Brasileiro para Estudo do Melanoma (Brazilian Multicenter and Multidisciplinary Group for the Study of Melanoma) combined with clinical characteristics aimed at developing a clinical and histopathological profile of melanoma cases. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out, with the retrospective analysis of medical records of patients diagnosed with melanoma at a tertiary dermatology reference unit in the city of Bauru, in the Brazilian southeast State of São Paulo, between January 2007 and July 2014. Results: Female patients accounted for 56.2%, with ages ranging from 27 to 95 years (Mean = 61.4 years), with a lesion having been detected on physical examination in 36% of cases. The highest incidence of the disease was in the lower limbs (23.5%), with the superficial spreading subtype corresponding to 79.6% of biopsies. The average Breslow thickness was 2.9 mm, and in 28.1% of cases, the lesion was in situ. Conclusions: The following profile emerged: women, 61-years-old, with lesions in the lower limbs, superficial spreading subtype and with evidence of good prognostic. Studies like this are important due to the fact they provide subsidies for the design of strategies to treat the population.

Keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; MELANOMA; HISTOLOGY; PATHOLOGY, SURGICAL; SKIN NEOPLASMS

INTRODUCTION: Identification of the underlying causes of idiopathic cutaneous hyperchromia at the orbital region (ICHOR) is crucial in selecting the best therapeutic management.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the histopathological changes of different types of ICHOR.
METHODS: Forty-nine healthy volunteers were classified into (i) hyperpigmented (ii) hypervascularised or (iii) tear trough groups. Melanin deposit, hemosiderin deposit, blood vessels dilatation, perifollicular inflammation, structures of epidermis ridges were assessed histologically. Its association with the type of ICHOR was analysed using Pearson's chi-squared test.
RESULTS: A total of 53.1% ICHOR subjects was diagnosed as hyperpigmented, 16.3% as hypervascularised and 30.6% as tear trough and. Pearson's chi-squared test showed that hyperpigmented group associated with high level of melanin deposit (p<0.05), and invagination of melanin pigments into the dermal layer (p<0.05). Hypervascularity was associated with dilated blood vessel (p<0.05). Interestingly, tear trough was associated with dilated blood vessels (p<0.05) and perifollicular inflammation (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Each type of ICHOR showed distinct histopathological changes, selection of precise targeted therapy is important in treating ICHOR effectively.

Keywords: Hyperpigmentation; Histology; Melanosis

INTRODUCTION: The chest is a photoexposed area that shows effects of photodamage. Microneedling is a safe option for the rejuvenation of this area, also leading to improvement in dyschromias.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate histologic cutaneous response after three monthly sessions of microneedling for the treatment of dyschromias on the chest.
METHODS: Three monthly sessions of microneedling, with 1.5mm length needles were performed, as well as skin biopsies before and 90 days after commencement of the study. Histologic samples were evaluated with H&E and Fontana-Masson stains. Melanin content was measured based on dermal clusters.
RESULTS: Six patients between 38 and 67 years of age, phototypes II-III, Glogau scale II-IV were included. A positive correlation was observed between the time and dermal content of melanin (p=0.029): three sessions of microneedling reduced this content on D90 compared to the beginning (6.4 ± 1.7 MC on D0 versus 3.1 ± 0.4 on D90, p = 0.05). Three patients reported global skin improvement on D90.
CONCLUSIONS: The proposed mechanism of microneedling to promote lightening includes fibroblast proliferation and neocollagenesis in the upper dermis. This is the first study to evaluate the histology of the findings associated to lightening of the chest due to microneedling.

Keywords: Histology; Melanins; Needles; Thorax

Skin biopsy is an important introductory tool and also essential for the dermatologist. The conventional biopsy method, with the use of local anesthetics, sterile fields, surgical instruments (punch, scalpel, forceps, scissors) and suture material demand staff, time and considerable financial investment. Criobiopsy is a simple method, where by using the cryocautery an extraction of good quality skin fragments is made for histopathologic analysis, making it an excellent alternative to the conventional biopsies.

Keywords: Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; Biopsy; Cryosurgery; Dermatology; Histology

INTRODUCTION: Identifying the causes of periorbital hyperpigmentation is crucial in selecting the best treatment. The identification of transcriptional profiles that may be related to hyperpigmentation around the eye area could contribute to a new approach in the treatment of periorbital hyperpigmentation – the gene therapy.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the transcriptional profile of melanogenesis, and genes related to enzymatic antioxidants in skins with periorbital hyperpigmentation.
METHODS: Based on clinical evaluation, 49 healthy volunteers were classified with or without periorbital hyperpigmentation. Genetic profiles of melanogenesis-related genes: microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase 1-related protein (TYRP1), and intracellular antioxidants - glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx-1), glutathione s-transferase (GST-1) - were determined by the polymerase chain reaction technique in real-time.
RESULTS: MITF, TYR, and TYRP1 gene expressions were significantly higher in the periorbital hyperpigmentation group (p<0.01). GR, GPx-1, and GST-1 gene expressions were comparable between the groups with and without periorbital hyperpigmentation.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that MITF is the primary regulator of melanin deposition in skins with periorbital hyperpigmentation. Up-regulated MITF is closely associated with increased TYR and TYRP1.These findings are essential in proposing a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of periorbital hyperpigmentation.

Keywords: Hyperpigmentation; Melanins; Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor

Desmoplastic melanoma (DM) represents less than 4% of cutaneous melanomas and is characterized by invasive proliferation of spindle cells in the dermis, often with neurotropism. The nonspecific clinical appearance and the absence of pigmentation usually lead to a clinical misdiagnosis. The authors report a case of DM located in a cutaneous field cancerization simulating actinic keratosis.

Keywords: Melanoma; Immunohistochemistry; Histology

To accurately interpret intraoperative findings in Mohs Micrographic Surgery, it is essential to know the normal tissue histology of different anatomical sites. The freezing sections evaluated by the technique are obtained horizontally, unlike the vertical sections of conventional anatomopathological analysis. According to the literature review, the frozen sections of interest in topographic histology were digitized and detailed from a training Dermatology service case collection.

Keywords: Histology; Mohs Surgery; Skin Neoplasms

The nevus spilus (NS), also known as speckled lentiginous nevus or nevus on nevus, is represented by a brownish macule on which small macules of darker shades appear. It is more common on the trunk and lower limbs. The general population's prevalence is 0.2% to 2.3%, and they have a benign character. The exact risk for malignant transformation is still unknown; thus, it demands a routine clinical-dermoscopic follow-up. We present a case of malignant melanoma on acquired nevus spilus, in which early an excision was performed, with no recurrence, highlighting the importance of follow-up of these patients.

Keywords: Melanoma; Nevi and melanomas; Nevus

The tissue processing in Mohs surgery aims at histological slides that allow the analysis of 100% of the surgical margins. The embedding tissue is a critical step and prone to errors. As there is no standardization when mounting the blocks, there may be unevenness in the different samples cutting surfaces, leading to the need for continuous adjustments on the X-Y axis inside the cryostat, slowing down the process. A device was developed to solve this problem, minimizing any blocks inclination, keeping the surgical margins parallel in all samples, accelerating the process, and maintaining the histological slides high quality.

Keywords: Mohs micrographic surgery; Laboratory equipment; Histology; Tissue embedding; Innovation

Patients with giant congenital melanocytic nevus are at higher risk of developing melanoma. After the first diagnosis of melanoma, there is also a higher incidence of subsequent melanomas in the same patient. However, the ideal therapy for this type of nevus is still controversial. We report the case of a patient with giant congenital nevus associated with multiple synchronous melanomas and the proposed treatment.

Keywords: Melanoma; Nevi and melanomas; Neoplasms