A 66-year-old female showed edematous erythema with itching on the lateral sides of her left arms and legs when she slept on a certain body cooling mattress. The rash was resistant to various topical treatments, and required systemic steroid administration. Patch tests were positive for both mattress cover material as well as the inner cooling gel sheet. The gel sheet patch test site showed a positive allergic reaction for over a week. We suspect an antifungal agent as the cause of contact dermatitis in this case. The Japanese Dermatological Association is calling for precautions to consumers on the JDA homepage for skin problems when using a body cooling mattress.Skin Research, 10: 399-403, 2011

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We report a case of graft-versus-host disease following autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. A 59-year-old woman treated for diffuse large B cell lymphoma at our hospital's hematology department visited our department for an asymptomatic eruption on June, 2008. She has had Hashimoto's disease, and was diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma of thyroid origin on July, 2007. She received autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) on April, 2008. Eight weeks after PBSCT, she presented with red papules and vesicles on the trunk and limbs. Histopathological examination of the lesion containing a vesicle confirmed the diagnosis of GVHD. She had no other organ involvement, and the skin lesion gradually disappeared with application of steroid ointment. There has been no recurrence for more than one year.Skin Research, 10: 404-406, 2011

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A 98-year-old woman developed a fist-sized tumor around the right ear, with bleeding, abundant exudate, and odious smell. The tumor developed from an eruption that had been present for 10 years. Radiation therapy and application of Mohs' paste were performed. By these therapies, the size of the tumor was markedly decreased. Moreover, the bleeding, exudate, and smell were successfully controlled. Mohs' paste can be thought to be useful for the control of exudate and bleeding from the tumor when they are suspected to be worsened by radiation therapy.Skin Research, 10: 407-410, 2011

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A 54-year-old male had noticed a red erosive nodule penetrating the left fifth finger nail and the tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as malignant melanoma (T4bN0M0 Stage IIC). Finger amputation and left axillar lymphadenectomy followed by adjuvant DAV feron and monthly IFN-beta therapy were performed. Since distant metastasis to the gallbladder occurred 1 and half years after the surgery in spite of no lymph node and/or lung metastasis, a pancreatico-duodenectomy was performed. An active mutation on exon 11 of the c-kit gene was detected by direct sequence using metastatic lesion tissue, and imatinib mesylate (Glivec^®) was administered.Skin Research, 10: 411-416, 2011

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A 32-year-old female developed generalized erythema associated with fever 8 days after normal vaginal delivery. Puerperal fever was suspected and she started cefcapene pivoxil hydrochloride. However, 2 days after administration of the antibiotic, she developed diarrhea and pustules associated with hypotension. Drug eruption was then suspected and cefcapene pivoxil hydrochloride was stopped and we changed antibiotics. At the same time we administered prednisolone. Toxic shock syndrome was suspected due to desquamation of the palms and soles, and isolation of MRSA producing toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 from vaginal discharge. As observed in this case, it is important to consider TSS when encountering patients with fever and systemic erythema after vaginal delivery.Skin Research, 10: 417-423, 2011

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A broad-spectrum sunscreen product, BSUS-milk-1, was applied to 39 patients with photosensitive dermatoses for 6-13 weeks at 6 university hospitals in Japan. This product revealed a strong protecting efficacy against UV-A based on its composition of 4 kinds of ultraviolet absorbers and an ultraviolet scattering agent. As a result, it is shown that BSUS Milk-1 was safe, effective and comfortable to use in 31 of 38 cases (81.6%). Moreover, further analysis determined that the symptoms of UV-A or UV-A＋B sensitive patients improved more significantly than that of UV-B sensitive patients. It is concluded that BSUS milk-1 is highly useful for patients with photosensitive dermatoses.Skin Research, 10: 424-441, 2011

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An optimal concentration of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) for the management of acne vulgaris was examined. Twenty individuals suffering from acne vulgaris were enrolled in this study. Four percent BPO cream was topically to the right side of patients' facial skin, and 2.5％ BPO cream to the left side. The patients then visited the outpatient clinic at 2, 4 and 12 weeks thereafter. At the time of visits, they were clinically checked for objective observation points (the numbers of microcomedo, non-inflammatory papules, inflammatory papules and pustules) and asked for subjective evaluations (irritation sensation, tingling, pain, itching, flare and dryness of skin). Consequently, it was found that 16 cases showed marked improvements of each objective observation point by the BPO application regardless of the concentration. In particular, the numbers of pustules were rather rapidly reduced. With regards to subjective evaluations, irritation sensation was commonly claimed at the 2nd week visit; however, this irritation improved over time. Eighty percent of the patients who evaluated the BPO products found both concentrations to be equally effective. Together, both concentrations of the BPO cream were thought to be similarly effective and well tolerated in the treatment of acne in Japanese patients.Skin Research, 10: 442-448, 2011

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