Apparent drug penetration by skin was non-invasively using light monitored reflectance at 632.8 nm. The method uses a commercially available low-power He-Ne laser device and a multimode optical fibre. Specially designed Perspex light pipe was used to monitor light reflected from the skin. Five creams and ointments having different composition and clinical application purpose were investigated. It was found that apparent drug penetration by skin depends considerably on the type and application of the drug and the type and the location of the skin’s testing area. The time-dependent penetration of the drug into skin was characterized by two slopes. A positive slope attributed to drug penetration into skin and a negative slope attributed to absorption of the drug by the microcirculation. By using visible He-Ne laser light, the absorption of the drug into deeper skin layers can be followed. The time of maximum drug absorption (maximum reflectance) was found to be between 3 and 12 minutes. This method may be easily applied for drug penetration follow-up studies and drug modeling.

Five hundred and thirty-three cases of different types of leprosy with varying duration of disease and treatment were studied for the visual status before and after treatment. Final correct visual acuity was analysed with respect to the cause, the duration and the treatment undertaken. Leprosy is an important cause of ocular morbidity and blindness and the importance of early intervention and proper health serviced for rehabilitation is stressed.

Vitiligo characteristically affecting the lateral lower lip (LLL) is a common presentation in South Orissa. This type of lesion has rarely been described in literature. One hundred eighteen such cases were studied during the period from October 1999 to September, 2000. LLL vitiligo constituted 16.39% of all vitiligo patients. Both sexes were affected equally. The peak age of onset was in the 2nd decade, mean duration of illness 21.46 months. Fifty six patients had unilateral lesion (38 on the left and 18 on the right). Among the 62 patients having bilateral lesions, the onset was more frequent on the left (38) than either the right (8) or both sides together (16). All the patients were right handed. Association with local factors like infection, trauma, cheilitis, FDE etc were associated in 38.98% of cases, but systemic or autoimmune diseases were not associated. Positive family history was found in 22% of cases.

A retrospective study was undertaken from the year 1988 to 1998 to study the pattern of sexually transmitted diseases in and around Lucknow. Among 1890 patients examined, chancroid predominated followed by syphilis, gonorrhoea, genital warts, herpes genitalis, LGV and non-specific urethritis. The incidence of donovanosis was the lowest.

One hundred and sixty subjects in the general population were studied for the possible role of ABO blood groups in the infection and asymptomatic carriage rate of Pityrosporum ovale. Out of 160, 149 were positive for P. ovale in culture. Of them, 57 had dandruff and 6 had seborrhoic dermatitis. The remaining 86 were harbouring P. ovale asymptomatically. The rate of infection was almost in identical proportion with the rate of asymptomatic carrier state of P.ovale. Our study also revelated that blood group O subjects may be the most susceptible, followed by AB group. The incidence of dandruff was relatively high in males when compared to females.

Digital capillary flow in pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) was measured by a highly sensitive, non-invasive technique called photoplethysmography (PPG). In total 3 patients (2 females, 1 male) of PXE aged between 21 to 37 years suffering for 3 to 8 years were studied along with 3 control (normal) subject (2 females, 1 male) aged between 20 to 41 years. PPG recordings were done by applying the PPG probe serially to the distal phalanges of all digits of four limbs with Velcro-strap at an ambient temperature of 26-310C and humidity 60-65%. In all cases of PXE the capillary flow was normal in all the digits similar to control subjects.

Papillon-Lefevre syndrome is an inherited disorder of Keratinization characterized by palmoplantar keratoderma, associated with periodontosis and a tendency to frequent pyogenic skin infection. The clinical expression of this condition is highly variable. We report here, two cases of this rare syndrome occurring in 18 year old unmarried girl and a 54 year old married woman. Differentiating points from two recently described syndromes have been highlighted in the discussion.

Xanthoma Disseminatum is a rare, benign, normolipaemic form of histiocytoxanthomatosis affecting the skin and mucous membranes and known to be associated with diabetes insipidus, multiple myeloma or other paraproteinaemias. We report a case of Type II diabetes mellitus presenting with progressive xanthoma disseminatum and laryngeal obstruction, although diabetes mellitus is known to be associated with hyperlipidaemic eruption xanthoma and some of the non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses.

Two males aged 18 and 20 years old presented with asymptomatic brown macules with hypertrichosis on the left thigh. Becker’s naevus less commonly involves the lower limb, a site which is reported in only 3% of the patients.

Development of short-lived, self-limiting major epileptic seizures following an improper application of gammabenzene hexachloride (GBHC) lotion in a 15 month old boy suffering from scabies with secondary bacterial infection is reported here due to its rarity in clinical practice and, more particularly, to stress the need of correct instructions on the use of GBHC application for the prevention of iatrogenic neurotoxicity.

A case of typical xeroderma pigmentosum with pre-malignant and malignant tumours is being reported. The patient, a 13 year old male had presented with progressive freckling, dryness and hypo pigmented atrophic lesions on the body, especially the exposed parts since the age of one year. The patient subsequently developed ocular change, actinic keratoses, cutaneous horn, and squamous cell carcinoma. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically.

A patient of Graves’ disease with unusually large asymmetrical lobulated swelling over both the skin is reported. The pathogenesis of localised myxoedema and its predilection for lower extremities is discussed.

A single plexiform neurofibroma or two of any type are considered diagnostic of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF). Plexiform neurofibromas are congenital and pathognomonic for NF-1. It is uncommon for an individual with NF-1 to have more than one plexiform neurofibroma. We, herewith, report a 38 year old man with NF-1, having exceptionally large bilateral plexiform neurofibromas involving both lower limbs.

Granuloma faciale is an uncommon dermatosis of unknown aetiology, usually characterized by a solitary reddish-brown plaque or a nodule on the face. We report an unusual case of granuloma facial where the lesions were multiple and they responded to intralesional triamcinolone injections.

A case of risperidone induced eruptions is reported for its rarity.

A forty-five year old male presented with acneiform eruptions on his face, biopsy of which revealed the presence of caseating granuloma. The diagnosis was made as lupus miliaris desseminatus faciei, which replased following various therapies. The case is reported for its late onset, persistent and relapsing nature.

A typical patient with zosteriform distribution of rust-coloured to yellowish brown patches over the right leg is reported. The histopathology was consistent with lichen aureus.

We herewith report a case of extramedullary myeloid cell tumour presenting as leukaemia cutis for its rarity. It occurred in a 50 year old male patient who presented to us with a 40 days history of painless raised solid skin swellings over the trunk. Histopathological examination of the skin biopsy and bone marrow biopsy showed features suggestive of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Immunophenotyping on skin biopsy specimens and bone marrow biopsy found tumour cells expressing CD43 and Tdt but were negative for CD3 and CD20. These features were consistent with extramedullary myeloid cell tumour involving skin and subcutis (cutaneous manifestation of acute myeloid leukaemia.

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare hereditary and fatal disease of the skin. Ocular involvement is known to occur in 80% of cases. Two brothers of a family with cutaneous and ocular involvement are reported.

Acute military tuberculosis of skin is a rare manifestation of tuberculosis. A 7 month old female presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules all over the body. Fine needle aspiration cytology and biopsy from the nodule showed tuberculous lesion with demonstration of acid-fast bacilli (AFB). A typical presentation of cutaneous tuberculosis in HIV era and its diagnosis by AFB stain is stressed.