Background: Despite continued progress towards elucidation of the biochemical, genetic and immunopathological pathways in vitiligo, a definitive cure remains elusive. The initial therapy must be directed to arrest disease progression. Oral minipulse therapy (OMP) with betamethasone/dexamethasone has been tried and shown to be an effective modality to arrest the disease progression in vitiligo. Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is a time-tested effective treatment extensively used in various autoimmune disorders with good efficacy, safety and tolerability on a long-term basis. We intended to compare the efficacy of MTX with that of OMP in patients with unstable vitiligo vulgaris. Patients and Methods: In a prospective randomized open label study, 52 patients with vitiligo were divided into two groups. Patients in group 1 received 10 mg methotrexate weekly. Group 2 patients received corticosteroid OMP which comprised tablets of dexamethasone 2.5 mg (5 tablets), taken on 2 consecutive days in a week (total weekly dose of 5 mg dexamethasone). Results: In the MTX group, among 25 patients analyzed, during the course of treatment for 24 weeks, overall 6 patients developed new vitiliginous lesions. In the OMP group, 7/25 patients developed new lesions. Statistical correlation between the two groups showed no significance in the number of patients who developed new lesions (increasing disease activity) in either of the groups. At the end of the study, it was demonstrated that patients in both groups had a similar reduction in the vitiligo disease activity score. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that both drugs are equally effective in controlling the disease activity of vitiligo. MTX can be used in patients with active vitiligo, wherever corticosteroids are contraindicated.

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Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoan parasite of genus leishmania. Visceral leishmaniasis, diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis, and atypical forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis are common in HIV-infected patients. Our patient presented with an obstructive mass in nasal cavity and was diagnosed as a case of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Spontaneous healing of lesions in HIV-infected patients is rare rather they are unresponsive to treatment and have frequent relapses, especially in patients with low CD4 count. However, in our patient, the lesion improved significantly after 2 months of highly active antiretroviral therapy and co-trimoxazole prophylaxis.

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (pcALCL) forms 9% of the cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. It usually presents as solitary reddish brown ulcerating nodule or indurated plaque. Sometimes, it mimics other dermatological diseases such as eczema, pyoderma gangrenosum, pyogenic granuloma, morphea, and squamous cell carcinoma. Our case presented with large pyogenic granuloma like lesion with regional lymphadenopathy. Since pcALCL is rare, one can misdiagnose such cases and therefore high index of suspicion is necessary.

Although intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is the most commonly prescribed treatment for localized alopecia areata (AA), the literature regarding the optimal concentration for attaining better efficacy with the most acceptable side effects is scarce. To compare hair regrowth and local side effects of various concentrations of intralesional TA in scalp AA using clinical and dermoscopic parameters. A double‐blind randomized control trial with four treatment groups (10, 5, 2.5 mg/ml TA and normal saline [NS]) was conducted between March 2018 and August 2019. After recruitment, each AA patch was divided into quadrants and randomized before first injection. Injections were given and outcome parameters were analyzed every 4‐weekly till 12‐weeks. Statistical analysis was done by the R software employing generalized estimation equation. P‐value <.05 was considered significant. Out of 105‐patients (168‐AA patches), 75‐patients (121‐patches) completed the study. Hair regrowth scale of all TA concentrations was better than NS group (P < .001). Other parameters such as quadrants with poor clinical response and dermoscopic disease activity signs were also favorable in TA groups in comparison to NS. However the evidence of atrophy and telangiectasia was maximum in 10 mg/mL group. 10 mg/mL TA showed a comparatively better response at the cost of increased adverse effects. Based on the clinical benefit and adverse risk assessment from our study, it may be better to start with 2.5 mg/mL intralesional TA in limited scalp AA patients. It can be implied that the concentration of TA can be increased as a step‐up regimen based on the serial clinical and dermoscopic response.

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Ichthyosis follicularis, alopecia, and photophobia (IFAP) syndrome is characterized by the triad of follicular keratotic papules, total to subtotal alopecia, and photophobia. We hereby report a case of IFAP syndrome in a 1-year-old boy who presented with all these classical features along with hyperkeratotic plaques over knees, plantar keratoderma, and umbilical hernia. Also, literature review of cases reported from India is being presented.