Skin microneedling is a promising minimally invasive treatment option with the advantage of increased collagen production. However, multiple sessions are usually needed to maintain the improvement achieved.

Background Mesotherapy, commonly known as “biorejuvenation” or “biorevitalization”, is a technique used to rejuvenate the skin by means of a transdermal injection of a multivitamin solution and natural plant extracts that are thought to improve the signs of skin aging. Objectives This prospective study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of mesotherapy applied to periorbital wrinkles and to quantitatively evaluate histological changes in the skin occurring in response to the same treatment. Methods Six volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types III or IV and Glogau class I–III wrinkles were subjected to a three-month course of mesotherapy injections in the periocular area (six sessions administered at two-week intervals). Standard photographs and skin biopsies were obtained from the treatment area at baseline, at the end of treatment, and at three months post-treatment. Quantitative evaluation of collagen types I, III, and VII, newly synthesized collagen, total elastin, and tropoelastin was performed using a computerized morphometric analysis. Results The clinical evaluation of volunteers at baseline, end of treatment, and three months post-treatment revealed no significant differences. Histological and immunostaining analysis of collagen types I, III, and VII, newly synthesized collagen, total elastin, and tropoelastin showed no statistically significant changes (P > 0.05) after mesotherapy injection. Conclusions The present study indicates that mesotherapy for skin rejuvenation does not result in statistically significant histological changes or clinical improvement.

No abstract

No abstract

The frontal bald area of patients with androgenetic alopecia has lower proliferation rate that result in follicular miniaturization. There is increased DNA damage that would be beyond the capacity of cells to repair in advanced cases. An alternative pathway would take place in order to eliminate the damaged cells through apoptosis.

No abstract

Sildenafil citrate is a selective phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor and partial phosphodiesterase 6 inhibitor prescribed for erectile dysfunction. Post-marketing case reports of nonarteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) over the past few years suggest a potential link with PDE-5 inhibitors. We report a case of a 48-year-old male patient who had acute vision loss 36 h after the intake of 50 mg sildenafil citrate. NAION occurred at a period of minimal blood level of sildenafil citrate. So, erectile dysfunction drugs must be strongly considered with NAION even though their users may have neither predisposing nor precipitating factors for NAION and even if occurring at a time of minimal blood level of these drugs.

Skin or hair loss (alopecia) may occur due to a wide variety of causes ranging from trauma to pathological processes including acquired or congenital causes. It would be ideal to replace them with immunologically compatible cells to avoid potentially exacerbating the condition. Deriving the replacement cells from human‐induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) allows for sufficient scale up and using hiPSCs as the choice of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) will ensure immunocompatibility. Here we offer a protocol for differentiating hiPSCs into keratinocyte progenitor cells (KPC) and keratinocytes employing all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and L‐ascorbic acid, (L‐AA), bone morphogenic protein‐4 (BMP4), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). We observed that the hiPSC‐derived KPCs express the same panel of markers as primary hair follicle bulge stem cells (HFBSCs), including CD200, integrin α‐6 (ITGA6), integrin β‐1 (ITGB1), the transcription factor P63, keratin 15 (KRT15), and keratin 19 (KRT19). If permitted to differentiate further, the hiPSC‐derived KPC lose CD200 expression and rather come to express keratin 14 (KRT14) indicating emergence of more mature terminally‐differentiated keratinocytes. The HFBSCs are transplantable for hair follicle (HF) restoration, and the keratinocytes may be transplantable for therapy for large burns or ulcers. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Reprogramming of normal human skin fibroblasts into normal hiPSCs using episomal DNA cocktail Basic Protocol 2: Differentiation of hiPSCs into KPCs and keratinocytes Alternate Protocol 2: EBS formation protocol using AggreWell™ plates (Antonchuk, 2013) Support Protocol 1: Passage hiPSC‐KPC Support Protocol 2: Immunocytochemistry (ICC) Support Protocol 3: Immunofluorescence staining of cells for flow cytometry (FC)