Proceedings: Granuloma faciale

Immunofluorescence findings in granuloma faciale: report of two cases

“…This is important because the significance of vascular injury in the pathogenesis of granuloma faciale is unclear. The frequent finding of vascular injury or true vasculitis and the previous reports of immunoglobulin deposits in blood vessel walls both support the concept that vasculitis/immune complex deposition is important in the pathogenesis of granuloma faciale 3,10,11 . Conversely, there have been previously reported cases of granuloma faciale in which vascular injury and immunoreactant deposition in vessel walls were absent 6,8 .…”

“…Although granuloma faciale is classically considering one of the two chronic fibrosing vasculitides, along with erythema elevatum diutinum, reported vascular involvement in granuloma faciale has ranged from true vasculitis, to concentric hyalinization, to capillary dilation, to wall infiltration by inflammatory cells, to capillary proliferation, to no involvement 1,2,4–9 . Immunofluorescence findings have rarely been reported, but have included granular IgG, IgA, IgM, and C3 in the dermoepidermal junction, in blood vessel walls, and along connective tissue fibers; linear IgG only along the basement membrane zone; and IgG around blood vessels only 9–11 …”

Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment of Granuloma Faciale

“…Granuloma faciale is an uncommon cutaneous disorder that is characterized by its usual facial distribution, reddish brown color, histologic appearance, and general unresponsiveness to therapy. This localized form of chronic hypersensitivity vasculitis 1,2 has been reported to respond inconsistently to treatment with excision, 2 dermabrasion, 3 injections of gold and bismuth, 2 topical psoralen and ultraviolet light (UVA), 4 superficial x‐ray irradiation, 2 cryosurgery with solid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen, 2,5,6 electrodesiccation, 2 oral colchicine, 7 isoniazid (INH), 2 steroids 2 (topical, 1 intralesional, 8 or systemic), potassium arsenite, 2 testosterone, 2 antimalarials, 2 dapsone, 9,10 and most recently, argon laser 7 …”