BACKGROUND The direct relationship between alcoholism and dermatoses has been evaluated in recent researches. However, there are few objective surveys that demonstrate and prove a direct relationship between alcohol and a specific dermatosis. OBJECTIVES to verify the prevalence of dermatoses in alcoholics, analize the dermatological changes found in these patients and their evolution during alcoholic abstinence. Also, to compare the results obtained with a non-alcoholic control group and with the data found in medical literature. METHODS: the dermatologic conditions of 278 alcoholic patients (250 men, 28 women) were studied over a period of 4 years, and compared to those of a control group of 271 non-alcoholic individuals (249 men, 22 women), members of the Military Police Force. The individuals in both groups were between 20 and 60 years old. RESULTS Pellagra, nummular eczema, purpura pigmentosa chronica (also known as pigmented purpuric dermatosis) and psoriasis were more frequent in the group of alcoholics and, apparently, occurred in parallel with alcoholism that seems to play a role in the evolution of these dermatoses. The dermatopathies were more frequent before the age of forty, regardless of factors such as profession, race or gender. CONCLUSION the association of dermatoses and alcoholism was extremely significant according to the statistical data. Alcoholism can be considered a risk factor for pellagra, psoriasis, nummular eczema and purpura pigmentosa chronica dermatoses, which can, as well, be considered alcoholism indicators.

Tufted angioma is a rare, benign, cutaneous angiomatous proliferation. It is more common in children and is clinically characterized by red-purple painfull plaques, more common in trunk. When spontaneous regression does not occur, proposed treatments (conventional surgery, steroid therapy, interferon and laser) achieve little success. We describe a case of a 11-year-old girl with a tufted angioma located in the trunk treated with pulsed-dye laser, showing important relief of local pain, and small reduction in lesion size. We have been motivated to describe this case due to the small number of such reports in Brazil and by the attempt to treat it with pulsed-dye laser. Keywords: Hemangioma; Lasers; Therapeutics Resumo: O angioma em tufos é quadro raro, benigno, de proliferação cutânea angiomatosa. Acomete mais crianças e clinicamente caracteriza-se por lesões em placas, vermelho-violáceas, dolorosas e mais freqüentes no tronco. Quando não regride espon

Necrolytic migratory erythema is a rare skin condition that consists of migrating areas of erythema with blisters that heal with hyperpigmentation. It usually occurs in patients with an alpha islet cell tumor of the pancreas-or glucagonoma-and when associated with glucose intolerance, anemia, hyperglucagonemia, and weight loss defines the glucagonoma syndrome. We describe a 52-year-old female patient with necrolytic migratory erythema associated with glucagonoma syndrome who had metastatic disease at presentation and passed away one week after her admission. The autopsy showed a tumor in the body of the pancreas, which was diagnosed as a neuroendocrine tumor and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The diagnosis of necrolytic migratory erythema is a matter of great importance, since it might be an auxiliary tool for the early detection of glucagonoma.