Background Microneedling has shown to have positive therapeutic effects in treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA); however, the best microneedling protocol is still controversial. Aims Investigating effect of microneedling with 2 different depths of penetration on promoting hair growth in patients with AGA. Methods Sixty patients, in the age of 18‐45 years old with moderate and severe AGA, were allocated into 3 groups of control: treatment with minoxidil 5% lotion; group A: treatment with minoxidil 5% lotion and biweekly microneedling with a depth of 1.2 mm and group B: treatment with minoxidil 5% lotion and biweekly microneedling with a depth of 0.6 mm during 12 weeks. Efficacy parameters including change of hair count and hair thickness from baseline and assessment of hair growth by patient and investigator were evaluated. Results Compared with the baseline, a significant increase in hair count and hair thickness was observed in all three groups after completion of the treatment course (P < .05). The mean rise in hair count (P = .017) and hair thickness (P = .007) was significantly greater in group B compared with control group. Investigator's evaluation of hair regrowth was significantly greater in group A (P = .04) and group B (P = .007) compared with control group. Conclusion Microneedling with a depth of 0.6 mm in combination with minoxidil is more effective than minoxidil monotherapy in patients with AGA in terms of hair count and hair thickness. This depth of penetration tended to be more beneficial than depth of 1.2 mm.

Heat therapy with thermogenerator RF can be used as an efficacious treatment in the lesions of CL. It is more effective than the conventional treatment with intralesional meglumine antimoniate injection.

Topical 5% tea tree oil is an effective treatment for mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

Azelaic acid gel can be used as an effective treatment in mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

The combination of subcision and FMR is a safe and effective modality for mixed type acne scars. Additional randomized clinical study with long-term follow-up is necessary for further evaluation of FMR in combination with other procedures. The full trial protocol can be accessed in: http://www.irct.ir/searchresult.php?keyword=%20%20IRCT2016103130597N1&id=30597&number=1&field=a&prt=1&total=1&m=1. The clinical trial registration number is IRCT2016103130597N1.

Although pentavalent antimonials are often used in the first-line treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), they have several adverse effects. Intralesional administration of antimonials and other antileishmanial drugs can be painful. In the present, double-blind, randomized study, to determine if topical treatment with paromomycin is effective in the treatment of CL, 35 cases of CL were treated, twice daily for 30 days, with a commercial skin-care lotion containing 10% urea (the placebo) and another 30 were similarly treated with the same lotion to which paromomycin sulphate had been added (to give a concentration of 15%). Each case was assessed clinically 7, 14, 21 and 30 days after treatment began, and parasitologically 30 and 60 days after the initiation of treatment. Five (17%) and five (17%) of the cases treated with paromomycin showed complete healing, with the apparent clearance of amastigotes from their lesions, 30 and 60 days after treatment began, respectively. At the same time-points, however, the lesions on six (17%) and seven (20%) of the cases in the placebo group, respectively, also appeared to have healed completely. Ointment containing 15% paromomycin therefore appears ineffective in the treatment of CL, at least when applied twice daily for 30 days to the lesions of cases from an endemic area of Isfahan, Iran.

Background:Melasma, a common disorder of hyperpigmentation, is often difficult to treat. Although 10% zinc sulfate solution has been reported to be useful for patients with melasma, controlled trials are lacking.Materials and Methods:72 women with moderate to severe melasma were divided randomly into 2 groups. Group A were treated with 10% zinc sulfate solution and group B with 4% hydroquinone cream twice-daily. The results were evaluated by photoevaluation by patients based on subjective satisfaction and a blinded dermatologist using MASI score. Assessments were obtained at baseline and at 2 and 6 months after starting treatment.Results:According to MASI score changes during treatment, there was a reduction in both groups at 2 months, however, the reduction in group B was more significant (the reduction in mean ± SD MASI was 0.7 ± 0.7 in group A vs. 2.7 ± 1.6 in group B). In addition, the patients in group B continued to decrease MASI score for the remainder of the study period at 6 months follow-up (0.3 ± 0.5) in comparison with patients in group A who did not show more reduction in MASI score.Conclusions:The study indicates that topical zinc sulfate is not as effective in treating disease as was observed in the previous open study. A comparative study with sunscreen and placebo is necessary to determine if topical zinc sulfate is truly superior to sunscreen and placebo in this respect.

With regard to the encouraging results of the combination treatment with Clobetasol + zinc sulphate, we suggest that in a more extensive clinical trial, the efficacy of this treatment against chronic hand dermatitis be evaluated. In addition, evaluation of this combination therapy against other inflammatory dermatosis seems to be logical.