Dermatology Blog

Amidst joyous chatter, choreographed dances, and the aromas of South Asian food, a bride is joined by close friends in her childhood home as she delights in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. As part of the festivities, a red-brown paste is expertly applied to her arms, hands, legs, and feet in intricate designs of leaves, flowers, and geometric shapes. This paste, otherwise known as henna, is an integral part of this timeless Mehndi ceremony.

Erythroplasia of Queyrat (EOQ) is a squamous cell carcinoma in situ most commonly located on the glans penis or prepuce. EOQ accounts for roughly 10 % of all penile malignancies and may lead to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Standard therapy includes local excision, partial or total penectomy, cryotherapy, and topical cytotoxic agents. Treatment of EOQ has proven to be challenging due to low response rates and recurrence. In addition, radical procedures can significantly affect sexual function and quality of life.

Standing with his right hand tucked inside his waistcoat, Napoleon I of France looks off in deep thought, in Jacques-Louis David’s 1812 painting Napoleon in His Study. Though this stance appears regal, there are speculations that this iconic pose was merely a facade for his scratching convenience.

Dermatologists are tasked with a challenging, yet vital goal: take care of patients’ largest organ in the body — the skin. Part of this challenge involves educating the public about the risk of skin cancer and encouraging everyone to get their skin checked. In many communities around the United States and especially in areas like Montana, where many residents work outdoors in the agriculture industry and enjoy nature activities such as hiking and fishing, people are at higher risk of developing skin cancer due to years of sun exposure.

Keloidal atypical fibroxanthoma (KAF) has recently been categorized as a variant of atypical fibroxanthoma. This paper will emphasize the importance of including KAF in both clinical and histological differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions which exhibit keloidal collagen and will also review the current literature on epidemiology, pathogenesis, histology, immunochemistry and treatments.

Blood gushing out from skin that was ruthlessly sliced open; all of us have experienced a wound that needed healing. Wound healing is now its own field, and the United States alone has over 1000 wound healing centers.

Psoriatic involvement of the nail is notoriously refractory to conventional therapy. Nail psoriasis has a high incidence amongst patients with psoriasis. It remains a significant cosmetic problem and thus, has a significant impact on quality of life. More recently, light and laser therapies have emerged as modalities for treatment of nail psoriasis.

Acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN) is a chronic inflammatory condition that leads to fibrotic plaques, papules and alopecia on the occiput and/or nape of the neck. Traditional medical management focuses on prevention, utilization of oral and topical antibiotics, and intralesional steroids in order to decrease inflammation and secondary infections.

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic dermatoses characterized by intensely pruritic, excoriated, or lichenified nodules. Standard therapy includes corticosteroids, antihistamines, and phototherapy; however, treatment results are often inadequate or transient. Thalidomide and its analogue lenalidomide are immunomodulatory drugs that have successfully been used to treat refractory cases of PN. A systematic review was performed evaluating the use of thalidomide and lenalidomide for PN.

We're excited to have you.  Check back here often to get the latest information and publications from Dr. Eric Maranda MD, FAAD.