Phototypes III (phototype + iii)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Aggravating factors for melasma: a prospective study in 197 Tunisian patients

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2010
C Guinot
Abstract Background, Melasma is a frequent cause of consultations at dermatology departments by dark-skinned patients in Tunisia. Objective, To investigate factors that influence melasma severity in a large Tunisian population. Methods, A total of 197 patients (188 women and 9 men), who attended Tunis Military Hospital for a consultation were included prospectively from August 2005 to August 2006. Disease severity was estimated using the Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI). Aggravating factors were investigated using multiple logistic regressions. Results, Of the women included, 14% presented phototype III, 45% phototype IV and 41% phototype V; 76% presented a centrofacial melasma phenotype, 23% a malar and 1% a mandibular phenotype. About 60% developed melasma before thirty. Sun exposure was reported as a triggering factor by 51% of women and as an aggravating factor by 84%. Pregnancy was reported as an aggravating factor by 51% of women who had been pregnant, and oral contraceptive use reported by 38% of women exposed to oral contraceptives. The risk of severe melasma was about three times higher for women with age at onset under 30, phototype V and major lifetime sun exposure and about 8 times higher for women exposed to oral contraceptives. Conclusion, This study identifies a number of factors associated with the severity of melasma. Further epidemiological studies in this type of population, in particular, to investigate triggering factors, are justified by the aesthetic damage caused by melasma in dark-skinned patients, lack of efficacy of existing treatments, non-compliance with photoprotection recommendations and the challenge of treatment. [source]


Does the minimal phototoxic dose after 8-methoxypsoralen baths correlate with the individual's skin phototype?

PHOTODERMATOLOGY, PHOTOIMMUNOLOGY & PHOTOMEDICINE, Issue 4 2001
Ralf Schiener
Background/Aims: Up to now no data have been available concerning whether there is a significant correlation between skin phototypes and the minimum phototoxic dose (MPD) after bath water delivery of 8-MOP. Methods: The skin phototype of each of 46 patients was determined based on the individual past history of solar-induced burning and tanning. In addition, the MPD of each patient was assesed after photosensitization with a warm water bath (37 °C, 98.6 °F) containing 1.0 mg/l 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP). Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank order correlation. Results: The median MPD in patients with skin phototype II was 2.0 J/cm2 (range ,0.5 to ,3.5) versus 1.5 J/cm2 (range 1.0 to ,3.5) in patients with skin phototype III. There was a considerable overlap between both groups. No significant difference was detected comparing both groups (P=0.7326) and Spearman rank order correlation revealed no correlation between skin phototype and MPD. Conclusion: Erythemal sensitivity in PUVA bath therapy, measured as MPD, is not correlated with sun-reactive skin phototype in skin types II and III. Thus skin phototype is not a suitable indicator for the initial UVA dose in PUVA bath photochemotherapy. [source]


Resurfacing of Pitted Facial Acne Scars with a Long-Pulsed Er:YAG Laser

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 2 2001
Jeung-Tae Jeong MD
Background. Conventional short-pulsed Er:YAG lasers show less effective hemostasis and weak photothermal damage on papillary dermis. Recently, newer long-pulsed Er:YAG laser systems has been developed. Objective. To evaluate the clinical and histologic effects of long-pulsed Er:YAG laser resurfacing for pitted facial acne scars. Methods. Thirty-five patients with pitted facial acne scars were treated with a long-pulsed Er:YAG laser. All patients had Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III,V. A pulsed Er:YAG laser with a 5 mm handpiece at a setting of 7.0,7.5 J/cm2 with a 10-msec pulse duration was used. The laser was fired at 5 Hz, with four to five passes. In 28 patients, the results of laser treatment were evaluated for the degree of clinical improvement, duration of erythema, pigmentary change, and any adverse events at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months. In seven patients, skin biopsy specimens were obtained at the following intervals: immediately, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks postoperatively for histologic examination. Results. The results of long-pulsed Er:YAG laser resurfacing for pitted facial acne scars were excellent in 10 patients (36%), good in 16 patients (57%), and fair in 2 patients (7%). Erythema occurred in all patients after laser treatment and lasted longer than 3 months in 15 patients (54%). Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation occurred in 8 patients (29%). But the pigmentation faded or disappeared within 3 months. One patient (4%) experienced mild hypopigmentation. Pruritic symptoms that required medical intervention occurred in 16 patients (57%). Mild to moderate postoperative acne flare-up occurred in 8 patients (29%). No other adverse effects such as scarring, bacterial infection, or contact dermatitis were observed. Conclusion. In conclusion, resurfacing with a long-pulsed Er:YAG laser is a safe and very effective treatment modality for pitted facial acne scars. [source]


4% hydroquinone versus 4% hydroquinone, 0.05% dexamethasone and 0.05% tretinoin in the treatment of melasma: a comparative study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2005
Reyhaneh Astaneh PharmD
A randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical study was conducted on 64 patients (phototypes III to V) with melasma, in order to compare 4% hydroquinone cream with a combination product, containing 4% hydroquinone, 0.05% tretinoin and 0.05% dexamethasone, that can be applied as a single cream. The aim of this study was to determine whether hydroquinone provides additional improvement when combined with tretinoin and dexamethasone. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of 32 individuals. One group received 4% hydroquinone (group A) in a cream base. The other received a cream that contains 4% hydroquinone, 0.05% tretinoin and 0.05% dexamethasone (group B). The creams were applied once daily at night and a broad spectrum sunscreen (sun protection factor 15) was used every morning. Patients were evaluated by a clinical investigator subjectively at baseline and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of therapy. At the baseline visit, the history of melasma, such as duration of disease, patient's age, type of melasma, distribution of melasma, family history, association with pregnancy, sun exposure, genetic factors and oral contraceptive consumption, was taken. Improvement was determined subjectively compared with baseline, on a three-point scale as follows: worse, same and improved (excellent, good, moderate and slight). Descriptive statistics (the ,2 test) were used to report the characteristics of the patients in the two groups. [source]


A clinical trial and molecular study of photoadaptation in vitiligo

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009
C.L. Hexsel
Summary Background, Photoadaptation to ultraviolet (UV) B phototherapy is due to both pigmentary and nonpigmentary influences. Objectives, To measure photoadaptation in vitiliginous skin and to compare it with normal pigmented skin. Methods, Seventeen patients with Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III,VI with vitiligo received six to nine UVB treatments, two to three times weekly. Minimal erythema dose (MED) testing was done at baseline and after all treatments; the percentage change in MED was analysed as a measure of photoadaptation. The percentage decrease in cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) over 24 h after a single exposure of 1 MED was analysed on vitiliginous and normal skin. Results, The mean ± SD percentage change in MED from before to after treatments was: treated vitiliginous skin 28·5 ± 39·9% (P = 0·015), treated normal skin 35·9 ± 49·9% (P = 0·015), untreated vitiliginous skin 11·9 ± 22·6% (P =0·070), untreated normal skin 25·1 ± 41·3% (P = 0·041). Of these patients, two-thirds had a positive percentage change in MED (photoadaptation). The mean amount of CPDs induced per megabase of DNA immediately after exposure was significantly higher in vitiliginous skin. The mean ± SD percentage decrease in CPDs (rate of repair) in 24 h was 35·7 ± 26·8% in vitiliginous skin (P = 0·027) and 46·2 ± 19·5% in normally pigmented skin (P = 0·001); no difference was noted in the repair in vitiliginous skin compared with normal skin (P = 0·4). Conclusions, Photoadaptation in vitiliginous and normal skin was observed in two-thirds of patients. Vitiliginous skin had significantly more CPDs following UVB exposure; the rate of repair of UVB-induced DNA damage was equivalent to that in normal skin. [source]