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Coordinated by Dr Stephen Shumack
News Articles
The 'werewolf' syndrome
A middle-aged man is concerned about his hairy transformation.
The melanoma-masqueraders
PRESENTATION A 20-YEAR-OLD female presents with a rapidly enlarging pigmented lesion on her left thigh. She first noticed the mole three months ago and reports that it has doubled in size since ( Figure 1 ). She has had her fair share of sun exposure growing up in Australia. There is no family history of melanomas. Figure 1. A 4 x 3 mm darkly pigmented lesion on the left thigh. Clinically, the darkly pigmented lesion measures ...
The acne-polycystic ovary link
ACNE is a common manifestation of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and may be a clue to the diagnosis of this condition. PCOS affects one in 13 women. Other related health disorders include cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, fertility and hirsutism, and often psychological issues of stress or depression. PCOS is caused by ovarian cysts, which are unruptured follicles. The surrounding cells release relatively high doses of androgens, which cause acne and hair growth. The insulin resistance (or pre-diabetes) stage is more common than the final end pathway (i.e. type 2 diabetes). Raised insulin pathways may also lead ...
12 myths of skincare
Dispelling some of the most common myths patients hold about their skin. Acne is caused by eating chocolate There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that diet has any major impact on acne. There have been a number of small studies demonstrating that high-GI foods may contribute to worsening of acne in a small group of younger patients. However, in general, dietary intake has no major impact on the severity of acne. Systemic isotretinoin is a major cause of adolescent depression Most studies do not demonstrate a link between depression and ...
A scaly and pink rash
A teenager is embarrassed by an itchy rash. CASE PRESENTATION A 15-YEAR-OLD male presented with a moderately itchy rash on the trunk of three weeks’ duration. He experienced transient malaise, fever and headache several days before the rash appeared. On further questioning, an initial solitary scaly patch on the shoulder had appeared several days before the current rash. What is the likely diagnosis? Figure 1. An itchy rash on the trunk and proximal limbs (secondary eruption of PR). Figure 2. Individual patches and plaques with ...