Infective parasitic diseases are a major health problem, particularly among younger children and in subjects of low socioeconomic status.

Introduction: Recently, laser treatment for hair loss has become very popular. Laser-assisted drug delivery (LAD) is an evolving technology with potentially broad clinical applications. This work aims at inspecting the effect of the fractional carbon dioxide laser (CO2 ) on improving the delivery of minoxidil in patients with androgenetic alopecia and detecting the role of the fractional CO2 laser in its treatment. Methods: We enrolled 45 Egyptians with male androgenetic alopecia (MAGA); clinical grading was assessed based on Norwood-Hamilton classification. The patients were divided into 3 groups: the first group (combined group) received the fractional CO2 laser session followed by topical application of minoxidil and also in between sessions; the second group received fractional CO2 laser sessions only and 6 sessions with 2-week intervals were performed; the third group applied topical minoxidil only for 3 months. Global photographs and dermoscopic assessments were performed before treatment and 3 months after the treatment. Results: Several dermoscopic findings were detected, including peripilar sign, hair diversity, yellow spot, white dots, and arborizing red lines. The number of double hair units significantly increased after the treatment in the combined group. The mean number of hair after the treatment in the 3 groups significantly increased, mostly in the combined group. The hair thickness (thin & thick) significantly increased after the treatment in the combined group and the fractional group; however, in the minoxidil group, only thin hair thickness increased. In all the 3 groups, there was a significant improvement in hair count and thickness. Conclusion: The ablative fractional CO2 laser alone or combined with minoxidil may serve as an additional treatment for MAGA.

BackgroundHypertrophic scars (HS) are a challenging disorder that mostly develops during wound‐healing process following skin injuries.MethodsA split‐scar, double‐blind randomized controlled trial was held to assess the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injection in hypertrophic scars (HS). Thirty patients with old scars (range: 1‐15 years) were treated, with sides randomized to receive treatment with either BTA or 0.9% normal saline once monthly for three consecutive months. Scars were assessed using the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) along with digital photograph standardization.ResultsTwenty‐one subjects completed the study. The mean VSS score for the BTA‐treated half of the scars decreased from 7.29 ± 2.327 before injection to 5.33 ± 2.41 following injection which was highly significant (P = .01). For the control half, the mean VSS decreased insignificantly from 7.29 ± 2.327 before injection to 7.10 ± 2.234 following injection (P = .104).ConclusionClinical and cosmetic improvement was demonstrated significantly among the BTA‐treated group. BTA can be an additional and useful tool for improving scar outcomes.

Background: Telemedicine involves distant exchange of medical information between health providers and patients via a telecommunication device with/without the aid of an audiovisual interactive assistance. The current COVID 19 pandemic impact on health services mandated an utmost readiness to implement telemedicine which in part is dependent on health care providers willingness to adopt such platforms. Aim: The aim of this cross sectional study was to assess knowledge and attitude toward telemedicine Egyptian dermatologists amidst the COVID 19 pandemic. Patients and methods: A cross sectional study was designed and data were collected using structured self-administered online questionnaires. Results: Dermatologists had a good knowledge about telemedicine (mean 4.17 ± 1.63; p < .05). Of those completing the questionnaire, 193 (68.9%) were familiar with the term 'telemedicine' and 164 (58.6%) were familiar with tools like teleconferencing. The majority of responding dermatologists 227 (81.1%) were confident that the COVID 19 pandemic is a good opportunity to start applying telemedicine protocols however the majority 234 (83.6%) preferred using it on trial basis at first before full implementation. Conclusion: In conclusion an overall good attitude toward telemedicine was reported with a mean of 3.39 (p < .05). Further large scale studies are required to verify such findings.

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