skin disease thesis topics

10 Thesis Topics in Dermatology: How to Choose, How and Where to Research

Dermatology is a field of science that deals with the study of skin, nails, hair and its treatment in case of various complications. Selecting thesis topics in dermatology should be based on the sphere of interest and acquired knowledge obtained during the course. While choosing a particular topic, the researcher should pay attention to the innovative technological therapies that are elaborated to struggle with skin conditions. Thesis topics in dermatology should focus on the analysis of various surgeries, influence of a person’s lifestyle on the skin, and the relation of the skin condition to other diseases.

In this article, you are offered the list of 10 topics acceptable for dermatology theses – one of the research questions is answered for visual reference. Be sure that these dermatology topics are chosen according to the proper procedure that is also explained in this article. Besides, you’ll find 5 simple and effective ways to do research on dermatology topics. So read it attentively paying attention to all the details.

Table of Contents

10 Dermatology Topics: Be Open to New Thesis Ideas to Research

Don’t know what to research in Dermatology? Indeed, there are many possible dermatological issues that require a lot of attention on the part of researchers. But it is true that there may be difficulties in choosing a good dermatology topic, especially if you need to write a thesis that amounts to 50% of the overall grade. Among the key problems most students face while selecting a research topic, it is possible to highlight the following ones:

• There is no relevant information because the research topic has been only under close investigation;
• There is too much information because the topic is debatable and every researcher has his/her own point of view.

These 2 issues are taken into consideration while compiling the following list of 10 dermatology topics. It means that enough information is available to you to write a well-researched thesis on Dermatology. Below you’ll find the reliable sources of information.

• The Epidemiological Investigation of Uncommon Skin Disorders:
• Top 5 Risk Factors of Melanoma and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers;
• The Genetic Test for Uncommon Skin Conditions;
• The Interaction Between Genetic and Environmental Factors for Skin Disorders;
• Genetic Changes within the FLG Gene and Negative Environmental Challenges for a Proper Skin Barrier;
• The Neonatal Skin Care Preventing the Development of AD;
• The Identification of Potentially Novel Skin Disorders within Technological Environment;
• The Interaction of Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Agents for the Improvement of the Skin Barrier;
• Skin Manifestations of Autoimmune Disorders or Side Effects of Medication;
• The Effectiveness of Cosmetic Products in Treating Atopic Dermatitis.

10 Information Sources to Research a Dermatology Thesis Topic

It is vital to have reliable sources of information at hand before you start writing a thesis. Don’t skip this stage and start examining the following sources to write your own thesis:

• American Journal of Clinical Dermatology is a journal presenting the evidence-based articles and clinically focussed studies covering all aspects of dermatology.
• Annals of Dermatology is an official peer-reviewed publication of the latest research outcomes and recent trends in dermatology.
• Dermatology Case Reports Journal is a peer-reviewed journal that includes a wide range of topics in this field including Cosmetic Dermatology, Dermatology, Cosmetic Surgery, skin disorders, Dermatological Oncology, Dermatopathology, cutaneous lymphoma.
• Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology is a peer-reviewed journal covering the latest clinical and experimental research in all aspects of skin disease and its cosmetic interventions.
• Clinical Dermatology and Dermatitis is a peer-reviewed medical journal sharing the useful knowledge of clinicians, medical practitioners.
• Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology is a peer-reviewed journal containing official and scientific publications and aiming to satisfy the educational needs of the dermatology community.
• Journal of Investigative Dermatology is a peer-reviewed journal that is related to all aspects of cutaneous biology and skin diseases.
• JAMA Dermatology is is a monthly peer-reviewed journal by the American Medical Association that covers the diagnosis and treatment of all possible dermatological issues.
• The Skin Cancer Foundation is an international organization providing the public and the medical community with information about skin cancer. For example, you can examine some skin cancer facts and statistics to support your own research or essay.
• The Society for Melanoma Research is an organization formed by scientific and medical investigators to alleviate the suffering of people with melanoma.

3 Points to Choose the ‘Best’ Topic for a Thesis

Good research depends on many factors, and a well-chosen topic is that you should start with. You can know how to write and edit a thesis properly, but the final quality of the research process will depend on what topic is chosen. Make sure that the following points are applied to your thesis topic:

• Originality. A degree of originality is a key requirement for academic writing. Everyone hears about plagiarism issues at colleges or universities. In the case when you take into consideration the same topic that has been already explored, nobody will punish for that. However, you should keep in mind that it won’t be highly appreciated as well. Try to shed light on the issue from another perspective if you’ve already chosen an investigated matter. Otherwise, you risk not standing out in the academic field. Hopefully, you won’t pursue this path.
• Research interests. Always when you are short of ideas to cover, rely on the research interests – think of what could be interesting for people both in and outside the field of study, and get them excited about your research. In other words, your thesis should lead to answers for big important questions that are in mind of people.
• Manageability. Remember that developing any research idea means investing enough time and energy. However, there are some topics that are easy to consider, but much harder to write on. Think of the simplest way you will do your research, and how you would go about it. As a result, you should press ahead with the simple action plan first. Only then, you can make a final choice.

Although all these points play a great role in choosing a well-run topic for a thesis, you should stay within the proper context of the field of study to answer a research question to the fullest extent – an average idea that is well-executed is much better than a brilliant idea that is executed badly. Remember it and look at the example of writing on one of the dermatology topics.

The Impact of Hormones on the Skin

First and foremost, disbalance of hormones affects human skin that is caused by the number of problems such as consumption of non-organic food, inappropriate diet, and sugar balance, lack of sleep and exercise, and stress. Hormones are deeply integrated into chemical signals created in organs including adrenal glands, ovaries, and thyroid glands that influence other tissues. Estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid are the most important hormones that need to be regulated to have healthy skin and keep the body organism in balance.

Estrogen is primarily considered to be the female hormone that controls the reproductive system and fertility/libido levels. The decline of estrogens leads to the dehydration and poor skin as well as a small amount of blood flow to the skin. The skin becomes thin and sallow losing the accurate lines and healthy look. As a result, the wrinkles appear; the skin around the lips and eyes sags and loses its vibrancy.

To keep estrogens in balance, the person should consume natural foods adding flax seeds and soy to the diet that fasten estrogen metabolism. It helps to prevent the excess level of the hormone and protect the organism from such dangerous disease as breast cancer. Furthermore, herbs involving hops, maca, and black cohosh can also be used to increase estrogen levels in women. Bio-identical hormone therapy under the control of the well-trained professional can also be beneficial to regulate estrogen level.

Testosterone is a principally male hormone that is responsible for muscle and fat gain as well as stimulation of libido. This hormone helps to produce the sebum that is essential to keep the skin moist and nurturing. During the period of puberty and menopause, the levels of testosterone are on the rise that makes the skin too oily. That is why, in the teenage, individuals suffer from acne that may continue in the adult age if it is not treated. To manage hormone, people are recommended to avoid consuming dairy products and eat foods rich in zinc and omega.

The thyroid is another hormone which imbalance can cause dry skin or its thickening with reduction of sweat. On the contrary, the abundance of thyroid results in the smooth, flushed, and sweaty skin. The thyroid imbalance is exacerbated when the patient also faces difficulties with digestion and proper metabolism as well as fatigue. To improve the condition of the skin, one needs to consume fatty acids involving omega-3 that are present in walnuts, salmon, algae, and eggs. The poor diet lacking these fats leads to acne and makes the skin dry.

Now, we are sure our extensive experience and research enable us to reliably offer you the best, and the most current, options available – writing on any topic you wish.

Hopefully, we are useful for you so that you can say, “I manage to do my thesis as expected from me”.

Too busy to write your paper by yourself?

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A systematic literature survey on skin disease detection and classification using machine learning and deep learning

• Published: 26 February 2024

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• Rashmi Yadav 1 &
• Aruna Bhat   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5475-8664 1  

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The world population is growing very fast and the lifestyle of human beings is changing with time and place. So, there is a need for disease management which includes disease diagnosis, its detection and classification, cure and lastly for future disease prevention. The outermost protective layer of a human body is the skin. Skin not only impacts a person’s health but also psychologically impacts one’s life. Computer-aided systems are very helpful in skin disease detection and classification and their application is growing rapidly in healthcare. This literature review paper aims to help the researchers to get a synthesized and appropriate information for the same. We have included papers from 2021 to 2023 for the review from the Scopus database. 45 studies are selected for the review of which 32 studies use deep learning techniques, 11 use machine learning techniques and 2 studies use a hybrid approach. The studies are compared on various parameters like models, datasets, and performance metrics. The work also identified some of the challenges like dealing with noise and also explained disease symptoms.

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Yadav, R., Bhat, A. A systematic literature survey on skin disease detection and classification using machine learning and deep learning. Multimed Tools Appl (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-024-18119-w

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Metagenomic approach in study and treatment of various skin diseases: a brief review

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Skin is a complex ecosystem hosting a diverse microbial population as well as distinct environmental niches leading to hundreds of skin conditions that affect humans. There is an evident shift towards the metagenomic analysis from less efficient and strenuous culture-based techniques in biomedical research, thus creating a new dimension for dermatological study. A systematic and comprehensive study of skin microbiome appraises the dynamics between species, their interaction with the immune system, and composition in diseases.

Metagenomics include research techniques like next-generation sequencing, sequencing of amplicon-based assays, shotgun metagenomics, gene prediction, metatranscriptomics, and statistical and comparative studies allowing us to access the functional and metabolic diversity of the skin microbiome and their role in host health. In disorders like acne, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and bovine digital dermatitis, metagenomics provides information about the organisms present conferring the condition, inter-microbial interactions, and expression profiles of communities.

We have enriched our understanding of the uncultured world resulting in a better understanding of microbe interaction with each other and their host. Metagenomic analysis provides glimpses into topographical and interpersonal complexity that defines the skin microbiome. It has led to an advanced study of dermatological disorders like acne, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, bovine digital dermatitis, and psoriasis, and this knowledge is a breakthrough in dermatology research for creating better therapeutic solutions and personalized treatments.

Skin is the first outermost layering representing a physical barrier to infections and potential assault by foreign organisms or toxic substances. This complex ecosystem is broadly composed of sebaceous areas (including the face and back); moist areas (including the toe/finger web space and arm pit); dry areas (including the forearm and buttock); sites containing varied densities of hair follicles, skin folds, and skin thicknesses; and characteristic host genetics (Wilantho et al. 2017 ). This confers to a suitable environment for harboring rich and diverse physiological populations of microorganisms. The microbiome includes bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, and microeukaryotes which play significant role in dermatological disorders (Mathieu et al. 2013 ).

Previously, studies were done using culture-cultivated methods but have proved to be less efficient as less than 1% of bacterial species can be cultivated with standard lab conditions leading to a vast majority of microorganisms gone unnoticed (Chen and Tsao 2013 ). Hence, for an unbiased identifying and characterizing of skin microbiota and their genetic content, metagenomics and next-generation sequencing techniques are used (Mende et al. 2012 ). The term metagenome allows for the contribution of all the genes and genetic elements of the microorganisms in and on the host. Metagenomics refers to the structural and functional study of complex microbial communities and their interaction with the host (Virgin and Todd 2011 ). The objective of this study in characterizing the skin microbiome is to define the microbial community and study their consequences for better understanding of the skin diseases. This approach includes amplification, sequencing, and analysis of the hypervariable region of the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene as a proxy of the full-length gene and other phylogenetic marker genes (Rasheed et al. 2013 ). Oligonucleotide usage patterns can be utilized for identification of differences across complex microbial communities (Wan et al. 2017 ).

Metagenomic study permits collection, curation, and extraction of useful information from enormous datasets which is a significant computational challenge. Metagenomics include genomic DNA extraction, library construction, shotgun sequencing, taxonomic composition analysis, statistical analysis, etc (Fig.  1 ). This development has reframed our knowledge about the skin microbiome and its interactions with the host epithelial and immune system in various dermatological disorders (Kergourlay et al. 2015 ; Bzhalava et al. 2014 ; Martín et al. 2014 ), hence making way for the prevention and treatment of these diseases through diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications.

Basic steps involved in a metagenomic study

For instance, earlier it was believed that diseases like acne and dandruff were caused mainly due to the presence of Propionibacterium acnes and Malassezia fungi respectively. But several comprehensive metagenomic study findings have showed that the diseases are rather constituted by involvement of complex microbial communities and are detected by further taxonomic analysis (Barnard et al. 2016 ; Chng et al. 2016 ). Dermatological disorders which have been studied and analyzed through metagenomic approaches are acne vulgaris, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, bovine digital dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo, melanoma, lupus erythematosus, basal cell carcinoma, erythema, and hidradenitis suppurativa (Table  1 ) (Actis & Rosina 2013 ; Horton et al. 2015 ; Fyhrquist et al. 2016 ; Guet-Revillet et al. 2017 ; Kocarnik et al. 2015 ). This review covers our current knowledge on some of these dermatological disorders and potential aspect of metagenomics in dermatological research.

Skin microbiome

Skin represents a physical barrier to infection as a result of epidermis cohesion, protecting our bodies from potential assault by foreign organisms or toxic substances. There is a delicate balance between host and the skin microbiota including symbiotic bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses (Mathieu et al. 2013 ). Disruptions in the balance on either side can result in skin disorders. These diseases can be studied by characterizing the skin microbiota and analyzing how it interacts with the host (Hannigan and Grice 2013 ). The surface of the skin is cooler than the core body temperature and is slightly acidic, and squames are continuously shed from the skin surface as a result of terminal differentiation (Fuchs and Raghavan 2002 ). It mainly consists of sebaceous areas, moist areas, dry areas, and sites containing varied densities of hair follicles, skin folds, and skin thicknesses. Sebaceous glands being relatively anoxic support the growth of facultative anaerobes such as acne causing Propionibacterium acnes , which contain lipase-encoding genes that degrade skin lipids of sebum as revealed by full genome sequencing (Liu et al. 2015 ). Other dominant bacterial genera present in the skin are Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium. The major fungus found on the surface is the Malassezia (formerly known as Pityrosporum) genus which plays role in causing the common skin disease, dandruff, studied and confirmed by 18S rRNA gene and ITS region sequencing (Tanaka et al. 2016 ). Whole-genome shotgun metagenomics has made it possible to study the skin viruses, most common being the human papillomavirus (HPV), human polyomaviruses (HPyVs), and circoviruses (Arroyo Mühr et al. 2015 ; Ma et al. 2014 ; Tse et al. 2012 ).

Culture-independent techniques and personalized treatment approaches

Earlier, the information and knowledge regarding the skin-associated microbes were primarily derived by culturing the microorganism and defining its phylogeny and taxonomy through phenotypic, microscopic, and biochemical relationships. But majority of microorganisms are retractile to cultivation or are unable to grow under the specified conditions, and thus, this approach significantly underestimates the complexity of the sample (Hugenholz et al. 1998 ). Hence, access to metagenomics has extensively fueled the growing segment of research in study and treatment of various dermatological disorders. Metagenomic analysis involves isolating DNA from an environmental sample or component under study, cloning the DNA into a suitable vector, transforming the clones into a host bacterium, and screening the resulting transformants for phylogenetic markers or “anchors,” such as 16S rRNA and recA, for expression of certain traits like enzyme activity or antibiotic production, or for finding other conserved genes (Ferretti et al. 2017 ; Lau et al. 2017 ; Hannigan et al. 2015 ; Lane et al. 1985 ).

Metagenomic study generally includes preparation and sequencing of amplicon-based assays, shotgun metagenomics, primary computational analysis, and statistical and comparative studies (Kim et al. 2017 ). The shotgun metagenomic method comprises of collection and analysis of total DNA from the community without relying upon marker genes and sequencing directly (Eisen, 2007 ). Another approach can be of consequent sequencing of amplified targeted microbial regions usually contained in the 16S Rrna called ribosomal community profiling (Zinicola et al. 2015 ; Pace et al. 1985 ). Marker genes used in these techniques enclose both conserved regions, which allow for PCR primer binding and phylogenetic analysis, along with variable regions, whose sequences allow to be used for inferring the taxonomic composition of the community (Grice 2015 ).

Metatranscriptomics is a useful way to study species present in abundance as instead of DNA, RNA is obtained from a skin sample and then sequenced using next-generation sequencing (Baldrian et al. 2012 ; Poinar et al. 2006 ; Schuster, 2007 ). The transcriptome data provides this information better with the previously amplified RNA. Metatranscriptomic study detects majorly the live microorganisms due to unstable RNA sample as compared to DNA (Urich et al. 2008 ).

High-throughput sequencing technique does not require cloning of the DNA before sequencing, making the process less strenuous and time-consuming. Accuracy of assemblies obtained can be improved by correcting misassemblies using the paired-end tags by various assembly programs like Phrap assembler or velvet assembler (Chen and Pachter 2005 ). BLAST is used for rapid search of phylogenetic markers in existing databases used in MEGAN (Wooley et al. 2010 ). Sequences are binned, a process of association of a particular sequence with an organism, in order to perform comparative analysis of diversity using tools like PhymmBL, AMPHORA, and SLIMM which use individual reference genome to get reliable relative abundance by minimizing the false-positive hits (Kunin et al. 2008 ). There is an advent of faster and efficient tools like CLARK which can perform taxonomic annotation at extremely high speed than BLAST-based approaches like MG-RAST or MEGAN (Nicola et al. 2012 ). Comparison of obtained sequences against reference databases like KEGG can give functional comparisons between metagenomes (Mitra et al. 2011 ). Metagenomic study permits collection, curation, and extraction of useful information from enormous datasets which is a considerable computational challenge, hence leading to the analysis of functional potential of the skin microbiome, improvement of metabolic pathways, about genes encoding virulence and pathogenicity factors, and hence can be used for creating new therapeutic solutions to treat such diseases.

One major application of metagenomics in diseases are personalized medicine, defined as a medical procedure involving molecular profiling, medical imaging, and lifestyle data that separates patients into different groups—with medical decisions, practices, interventions and/or products being tailored to the individual patient based on their predicted response or risk of disease (Afshinnekoo et al. 2017 ). Thus, we have now the ability to affordably and rapidly generate large datasets which are used to interpret data obtained from microbial community via analytical tools and databases (Wylie et al. 2014 ). Such advanced study lead to the use of effective and safe probiotics (live microorganisms or their components that confer health benefits) for the use in skin diseases that may be influenced by the gut microbiota along with prebiotics consisting of substrates that promote the growth and/or metabolic activity of beneficial indigenous microbiota for treating skin diseases due to microbial cause (Grice 2015 ).

Metagenomics in skin disorders

Acne vulgaris (commonly called acne) is the most common skin disorder characterized by abnormalities of sebum production by the pilosebaceous unit (commonly known as the hair follicle), bacterial proliferation, and inflammation and affects 80–85% of the population (Barnard et al. 2016 ). This disease is most prevalent in adolescents (85%) and rarely occurs in adults (11%) (White 1998 ). Propionibacterium acnes is said to be an important pathogenic factor accounting for nearly 90% of the microbiota demonstrated by 16SrRNA metagenomic study along with other microbes Staphylococcus epidermidis , Propionibacterium humerusii , and Propionibacterium granulosum (Fitz-Gibbon et al. 2013 ).

After examining various healthy and acne patients, it was found that such human diseases are often caused by certain strains of a species, rather than the entire species being pathogenic. P. acnes contribute to skin health also by preventing the colonization of opportunistic pathogens as it maintains an acidic pH by converting sebum to free fatty acids (Liu et al. 2015 ). Thus, only some strains are related to acne and not all. The metagenomic approach in determining disease associations provides significant result as it is more commanding and less biased than traditional methods.

There was no statistically significant difference in the relative abundance of P. acnes found when comparison of acne patients and normal individuals was performed (Wilantho et al. 2017 ). The examination of differences at the strain level of P. acnes by defining each unique 16S rDNA sequence as a 16S rDNA allele type, called a ribotype (RT), was done and hence allowed us to compare the P. acnes strain populations in individuals (Barnard et al. 2016 ). The balance between acne and metagenomic elements determines the virulence and health properties of the skin microbiota in disease and health (Kwon and Suh 2016 ).

This study provides novel insights into the microbial environment and mechanism of acne pathogenesis and hence can lead to designing of probiotic and phage therapies as potential acne treatments for maintaining a healthy skin.

Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis (SD)

Dandruff is a prevalent mild chronic inflammatory condition of the scalp characterized by itching and scaling of the skin on the scalp (Soares et al. 2016 ). Seborrheic dermatitis being considered the more severe form of dandruff affects areas other than the scalp with sebaceous glands like the face and chest. Generally, this includes events like dysbiosis and disruption of skin barrier and epidermal cellular proliferation and differentiation (Soares et al. 2016 ). This common disease affects approximately half the population of adults worldwide, mainly caused by the Malassezia fungi. But recent research has suggested that the microbial communities present are more complex (Byrd et al. 2017 ).

Several comprehensive analyses like next-generation sequencing (NGS), performed on healthy and dandruff-suffering scalps, have revealed that Propionibacterium, Staphylococcus, and Corynebacterium are the three most abundant genera in both healthy and dandruff subjects but with the Malassezia sp. being the vast majority of fungi. The most abundant, M. restricta along with M. globosa , M. sympodialis , M. dermatis , M. japonica , M. obtusa , M. pachydermatis , M. sloofiae , and M. furfur , were detected by further taxonomic analysis (Byrd et al. 2017 ). Metagenomic and molecular studies have shown that Propionibacterium acnes is found to be greater in healthy scalps while Staphylococcus epidermidis in dandruff scalp along with bacterial genera Pseudomonas, Leptotrichia, Micrococcus, Selenomonas, Erwinia, Enhydrobacter, and Bartonellaceae and fungal genera Candida, Aspergillus, and Filobasidium, and more Malassezia by 26S r RNA molecular analysis (Wan et al. 2017 ) (Fig.  2 ). Further studies on scalp and forehead by high-throughput 16S rDNA and ITS1 sequencing, pyrosequencing, and qPCR (Fig.  3 ) have shown that both lesional and non-lesional skin sites contain Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Propionibacterium with Propionibacterium being more abundant in non-lesional sites (Wan et al. 2017 ).

Common bacteria present on the skin

Microbial genera present on healthy and dandruff subjects using next-generation sequencing (NGS), taxonomic analysis, high-throughput 16S rDNA and ITS 1 sequencing, pyrosequencing, and qPCR

These technological advancements have increased our knowledge of the disease etiology and the role of the microbiome in the symptom development significantly in recent years which could be helpful for redefining the therapeutic approaches.

Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is another frequently studied disease using metagenomics. AD is a chronic, noninfectious, recurring inflammatory disease characterized by itching and xerosis that affects majorly children (approximately 15% children were affected in the USA). Effective treatments of this disease include antibiotics, corticosteroids, and dilute bleach baths (Huang et al. 2009 ). AD patients have an altered microbial community, and the pathogenesis is mainly associated with skin colonization by Staphylococcus aureus and immune hypersensitivity (Song et al. 2016 ; Weidinger et al. 2006 ). Filaggrin deficiency also plays role in AD as seen in mouse model with mutation in St14 that regulates filaggrin processing leading to increased Corynebacterium and Streptococcus and decreased Pseudomonas species (Scharschmidt et al. 2009 ). A 16S-rRNA-based metagenomic study of this disease has shown that both S. aureus and S. epidermidis increased in AD flares along with changes in abundance of some non-staphylococcal species leading to decreased bacterial diversity (Kong et al. 2012 ). There is domination of Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Streptococcus in AD with Alcaligenaceae, Sediminibacterium, and Lactococcus being the characteristic of healthy skin, studied by high-throughput pyrosequencing on a Roche 454 GS-FLX platform (Kim et al. 2017 ). Hence, metagenomic analysis is important to study the action of these species and their association with the microbiome fluctuations and with one another. This will lead to designing of novel treatments like rebalancing of the skin microbiome.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting about 2–3% of the world’s population. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis affecting 85–90% of patients (Boehncke and Schon 2015 ). Although psoriasis is a skin disease, it can lead to development of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), metabolic syndromes, and cardiovascular diseases along with skin lesions (Grozdev et al. 2014 ). It has been known from the previously performed experiments that the immune system plays a key role in the disease pathogenesis. For PsA prevention in patients, the first step towards future development in therapeutics and early identification involves having the knowledge of the skin microbiome (Andersen et al. 2017 ; Castelino et al. 2014 ). Early culture-based studies identified Malassezia, group A and B beta-hemolytic streptococci, S. aureus , and Enterococcus faecalis being associated with the disease (Tett et al. 2017 ). 16S rRNA gene compositional analysis reveals that neonatal antibiotic treatment dysregulates skin microbiota and the imbalance is associated with development of experimental psoriasis. High-resolution shotgun metagenomics and finer strain-level analysis revealed decreased diversity and association of psoriasis with increase in Staphylococcus and its heterogeneity colonization and strain-level variability (Zanvit et al. 2015 ). Metagenomic study has been perceptive in understanding the taxonomic differences associated with psoriasis and hence offers the potential to overcome the limitations of culture-based studies.

Bovine digital dermatitis

It is a highly contagious infectious dermatitis with lesions near the interdigital spaces usually in cattle (Ganju et al. 2016 ). It causes discomfort and often severe lameness (LAMENESS, ANIMAL). Lesions can be either erosive or proliferative and wart-like with papillary growths and hypertrophied hairs. Dichelobacter nodosus and Treponema are the most commonly associated causative agents for this mixed bacterial infection disease (Drago et al. 2016 ; Krull et al. 2014 ) (year introduced, 2011).

Conclusions

Skin being the largest body organ leads to hundreds of skin conditions that have a significant impact on several aspects of human health and can lead to various skin disorders. It is vital to understand beneficial and harmful microorganisms and their mechanism. Advances in metagenomics and next-generation sequencing techniques have enhanced our ability to identify and characterize microbial communities colonizing the skin. It includes sensitive and rapid methods of sequencing to diagnose infection by comparing genetic material found in sample to a database of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. This field is promising in redefining therapeutic approaches for precision and personalized medicine and might transform management and treatment of dermatological disorders like acne vulgaris, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo by creating a broader view of disease etiology. However, for better diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications, further research is necessary to expand our understanding of healthy skin microbiota.

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This work was supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India [No. BT/PR5402/BID/7/508/2012].

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Nagar, P., Hasija, Y. Metagenomic approach in study and treatment of various skin diseases: a brief review. biomed dermatol 2 , 19 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41702-018-0029-4

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Recent advancements and perspectives in the diagnosis of skin diseases using machine learning and deep learning: a review.

1. Introduction

2. materials, 2.1. study selection, 2.2. datasets, 2.3. selection criteria of ai algorithms for different types of skin images, 3.1. segmentation methods, 3.1.1. traditional machine learning, 3.1.2. deep learning, 3.2. classification methods, 3.2.1. traditional machine learning, 3.2.2. deep learning, 4.1. indicators of evaluation, 4.2. analysis of results, 5. discussions, 5.1. current state of research, 5.2. challenges, 5.2.1. limitations of datasets, 5.2.2. explainability of deep learning methods, 5.2.3. homogenized research directions, 5.2.4. more innovative algorithms are needed, 5.3. future directions, 5.3.1. establish a standardized dermatological image dataset, 5.3.2. provide reasonable explanations for predicted results, 5.3.3. increase the diversity of the types of research, 5.3.4. actively explore innovative models and methods, 6. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, conflicts of interest.

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Zhang, J.; Zhong, F.; He, K.; Ji, M.; Li, S.; Li, C. Recent Advancements and Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Skin Diseases Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning: A Review. Diagnostics 2023 , 13 , 3506. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13233506

Zhang J, Zhong F, He K, Ji M, Li S, Li C. Recent Advancements and Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Skin Diseases Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning: A Review. Diagnostics . 2023; 13(23):3506. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13233506

Zhang, Junpeng, Fan Zhong, Kaiqiao He, Mengqi Ji, Shuli Li, and Chunying Li. 2023. "Recent Advancements and Perspectives in the Diagnosis of Skin Diseases Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning: A Review" Diagnostics 13, no. 23: 3506. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13233506

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Have patients with chronic skin diseases needs been met? A thesis on psoriasis and eczema patient care in dermatology service

Background: Common chronic skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis usually require long term medical care. They are often associated with psychological and metabolic comorbidities, which can impact on patient quality of life (QOL) and on the self-management of these diseases. Regular assessment of patient needs, comorbidities and feedback is a critical step in the development of decision-analytic models. Currently, no intervention is available to regularly assess such patients’ needs and comorbidities and support their involvement in the decision-making and self-management of their morbidity and comorbidities. The aim of this research is to involve the patients in decision making of their care and to support their self-management by the use of a paper questionnaire (study tool) at each consultation.

Objective: To explore the acceptability and potential of a self-developed paper questionnaire that constituted a study tool for addressing the needs, comorbidities, and feedback of patients with psoriasis and eczema and supporting their involvement in decision making and self-management of their chronic conditions.

Methods: A mixed method study was conducted and included a postal survey on adult male and female patients with psoriasis and eczema, using the study tool, which is a paper questionnaire and contains the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and seven supplementary open-ended questions to capture patients’ views, feedback, comorbidities, coping status and needs. The survey was followed by semi-structured face-to-face interviews with a sample of the patients who had participated in the survey. The aims of the interviews were two-fold: 1. to gain a deeper understanding of their experience of living with and managing their skin disease; and 2. to gather patient feedback on the service they received as well as their views on using the new study tool or any alternative intervention to address and support their self-management. The final study was a pilot which involved presenting a proposal of an online version of the study tool to a group of healthcare experts asking them to critically review the extent to which the online model responded to patients expressed needs.

Results: Of the 114 patients who participated in the postal survey 108 (94.7%) of them expressed physical, metabolic and psychological comorbidities. Stress was identified as the dominant disease-triggering factor in 72 (63%) participants. Thirty-three (28.9%) of participants reported that they could not cope with their chronic illness. Eighteen (15.7%) participants suffered from anxiety, and 12 (10.5%) had depression and suicidal thoughts. Twenty-nine (25%) participants addressed their needs for support at home, and 16 (14%) of them asked for support at work. In the patient feedback section, 21 (18.4%) and 9 (7.8%) participants rated the service they received from their general practitioner (GP) and dermatologist as poor, respectively. In the interviews, all the participants 22 (100%) welcomed the use of the study tool on a regular basis to address their needs, comorbidities and feedback. Nineteen (86.3%) of them suggested that they would prefer using an online version of the tool or patient portal system as a convenient way of remote and interactive communication with the healthcare provider, particularly during the worsening of their skin condition. In the final pilot study, the healthcare experts agreed that the proposed online version of the study tool could be a convenient platform for such patients to support their self-management. They discussed the potential importance of such a tool if it provided them with access to supportive services such as patient information on skin diseases and self-management, access to local mental health service and other relevant psoriasis and eczema patients’ support groups and charities.

Conclusion: This novel mixed method research identified knowledge gaps in managing patients with psoriasis and eczema. It provided a new tool that has the potential to regularly engage and assess patients’ unmet needs, comorbidities and feedback. The tool can involve patients in decision-making and offers them the autonomy to disclose heterogeneous needs that may support their self-management. All the interviewees welcomed regular use of the study tool and the majority of them suggested that they would prefer using an online version of the tool if it was available. Future research is needed to assess the impact of the study tool in filling important gaps in patient self-management and in health service improvement.

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Recent and Current Projects

With the exciting advances that are continuously being made in dermatology, there is increasing need to understand the multiple components of dermatologic disease to maximize benefit to patients.  The Vashi Lab’s continued mission is to apply the highest standards of care and rigorous evaluation to questions in dermatology.  We combine clinical expertise with analytical approaches to understand the skin and dermatologic disease in order to improve patient outcomes while advancing healthcare delivery.

Dr. Vashi’s research interests include a wide variety of topics related to both medical and cosmetic dermatology.  A few of her recent projects are described below.

Societal obsession with beauty is deeply engrained in our past, with the appreciation of human aesthetics dating back to early Greek civilization.  Both personal preferences and cultural standards influence our ideas on beauty, and there is substantial agreement as to what constitutes human beauty within a society at any given point in time. In the study below, Dr. Vashi examined how our societal perceptions of beauty have changed over the past 27 years using People Magazine’s World’s Most Beautiful lists from 1990 and 2017.

Maymone MBC, Neamah HH, Secemsky EA, Kundu RV, Saade D, Vashi NA. The Most Beautiful People: Evolving Standards of Beauty. JAMA Dermatol. Published online October 11, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.3693

Dr. Vashi had over 100 media exposures including but not limited to NBC News, NewsWeek, MSN News, USNews, Yahoo News, GoodHousekeeping, ABC News, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Chicago Tribune in reference to this study.  With an international presence, it had translation and media exposures in over 20 different countries and languages.  In addition, it was rated the #2 “Most Talked About Article of 2017” by JAMA Dermatology .

See  NBC News’ discussion of the findings of Dr. Vashi’s study in the article “ What Makes Someone ‘Most Beautiful’ Is Changing, Study Says .”

Sun Protection

Hyperpigmentation, a common issue seen by dermatologists, can worsen when exposed to the sun. The study below explores the different ways that patients with hyperpigmentation protect themselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Maymone M, Neamah HH, Wirya SA, Patzelt NM, Zancanaro PQ, Vashi NA. Sun protective behaviors in patients with cutaneous hyperpigmentation: A cross-sectional study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017;76(5):841–846.e2.

In April 2017, Yahoo! News published the article “ How Hyperpigmentation Patients Shield Themselves from the Sun ” describing Dr. Neelam Vashi’s findings.

Melasma is a common disorder of hyperpigmentation that can worsen when exposed to the sun and is often difficult to treat. Thus, it is important to know the extent of disease to provide proper patient counseling and treatment guidance. Dr. Neelam Vashi researched different techniques as aids for diagnosing disease extent.

Wirya SA, Maymone MBC, Widjajahakim R, Vashi NA. Subclinical melasma: Determining disease extent. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017;77(2):e41-e42.

Dr. Neelam Vashi was interviewed on this subject by WCVB-TV, Channel 5.

Aging of the skin is clinically described by wrinkles, sunspots, uneven skin color, and sagging skin; however, these signs vary across ethnicity. This article looks at how variations in cutaneous aging are related to differences in skin structure and function.

Vashi NA, Maymone M, Kundu RV. Aging differences in ethnic skin. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(1):31-38.

Dr. Neelam Vashi appeared in the article “ Outsmart Aging. Your ethnicity plays a major role in how your skin matures. Face down our challenge with a personalized plan. ” featured in Dr. Oz’s The Good Life magazine.

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Dermatology Thesis Topics for MD/DNB

Remember Subscribing to the premium thesis topics not only will enable you to browse through premium thesis topics but also you will get access to online guidance about synopsis writing, sample size calculation, inclusion and exclusion criteria and guidance throughout thesis writing. In case you dont subscribe still do not hesitate to contact me for guidance.

Below is the list of 100 free thesis topics for MD/DNB Dermatology. You can select any good Dermatology thesis topics for MD/DNB from here. For more thesis topics you can avail the service of premium thesis topics. The premium thesis topics include list of 2000+ Dermatology thesis topics as well as recent topics which has been published in various national and international Dermatology journals. 

• Autologous serum skin test and autologous serum therapy in chronic idiopathic urticaria.
• A randomised controlled trial to compare effectiveness of skin microneedling and platelet rich plasma combination versus skin microneedling alone in the management of acne scars.
• To study efficacy of short contact therapy with topical tretinoin in acne vulgaris. A clinico – epidemiological study and therapeutic efficacy of chemical peels in management of melasma : A pilot study.
• A case control study of metabolic syndrome in psoriasis vulgaris patients at tertiary care institute. Clinical profile and patch test results among hand eczema patients at a tertiary care institute.
• Clinicopathological study of cutaneous tumours.
• Comparison of monotherapy with topical 5% minoxidil and combination therapy of topical 5% minoxidil with intradermal platelet-rich plasma via mesotherapy in androgenetic alopecia in males.
• Clinico-epidemiological profile of deformities among leprosy patients in a rural tertiary care Hospital in central india.
• To study the safety and efficacy of fractional CO2 laser with surface ablation followed by fibroblast growth factor therapy (melgain) in the treatment of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.
• Clinical profile of patients with acne with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
• Study of safety and efficacy of intralesional immunotherapy using tubrculin PPD in treatment of viral warts.
• To study the prevalence of oral lesions in patients attending dermatology department.
• An observational study on cutaneous adverse effects of chemotherapeutic agents.
• Clinical status and histopatology of new hansen’s cases.
• To study the cutaneous manifestations in patients of diabetes mellitus.
• A comparative study of imiquimod 5% cream versus 10% potassium hydroxide solution versus tretinoin 0.05% cream for molluscum contagiosum in children.
• A split face comparative study to evaluate efficacy of combined subcision & autologous platelet rich plasma and subcision alone for treatment of post-acne scars.
• Study of various investigative modalities in establishing the cause of chronic urticaria.
• ABO blood groups and its correlation with inherited thrombophilia in patients with venous thromboembolism.
• Evaluation of a new fourth generation rapid immuno-chromatographic screening test for detection of HIV P24 antigen and andibodies to HIV1 and 2 during screening of voluntary blood
• Study of role of skin surface biopsy in superficial cutaneous fungal infections.
• To study the efficacy of narrow band ultraviolet B therapy in different dermatological conditions.
• Clinical spectrum of dermatophytosis.
• To study demographic and phenomenal characteristics of patients of acne vulgaris and.
• To study hair cycle dynamics in men with androgenetic alopecia.
• Correlation of dermoscopic features with clinical and histopathological diagnosis of hypopigmented skin lesions.
• A clinical study of acne scars and the efficacy and safety of 100% Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) chemical reconstriuction of skin scars (cross) in ice-pick scars.
• A clinico-epidemiological and investigative study of premature greying of hair.
• Clinico-histopathological correlation of various photodermatoses
• Role of skin prick test for food allergies in urticaria
• To study the effect of chemical peeling in various dermatological conditions
• Clinico-histopathological study of Lichen planus
• Clinicomycological correlation of dermatophytosis
• Skin changes and disorders asso. with pregnancy
• Clinical study of geriatric dermatoses
• Pattern of facial dermatoses through the ages
• Cutaneous manifestations in patients of CRF on hemodialysis
• Skin changes in endocrinological disorders other than diabetes mellitus
• Clinico-histopathological correlation of papulosquamous disorders
• Dermatoses in pediatric population in a semi- urban area
• Mucocutaneous manifestations of HIV and its correlation with CD4 count Oral lesions
• Clinocopathological differentiation between hand eczemas and hand psoriasis
• Clinicohistopathological correlation of pemphigus
• Cutaneous manifestations in diabetes mellitus
• Clinicaohistopathological study of pityriasis rosea
• Skin changes in neonates
• Clinico-etiological correlation in patients with hand eczema
• Clinico-histopath and IF correlation of vesiculobullous disorders
• Clinico-histopath study on verruca vulgaris
• Clinico-epidemiological study on pityriasis versicolor
• Quality of life in acne vulgaris and its relationship to clinical severity
• Evaluation of skin disorders in teenagers
• Clinical and histopath study of photosensitive disorders
• Clinical and histopath correlation of skin lesions in leprosy
• Clinico aetiological study of folliculits
• Clinical and histopathological study of psoriasis
• Clinical and Bacteriological study of Impetigo
• Clinical and mycological study of onychomycosis
• Clinicoepidemiological study of nail disorders.
• Clinical and epidemiological study of foot eczema
• Association of metabolic syndrome with psoriasis and its relationship to clinical severity
• Dermatoses in obesity
• Clinicoepidemiological study of alopecia in females
• Study of dermatoses in psychiatric patients
• Whole body genome exome sequencing of blood and skin derived DNA to understand germline and somatic variation in genome in vitiligo subjects
• Quality of life in melasma and its relationship to clinical severity.
• Association of metabolic syndrome with vitiligo and its relationship to clinical severity
• Comparative study of PUVA vs NBUVB vs P-NBUVB for treatment in patients with non-segmental vitiligo
• Clinico-histopathological study of Lichen Planus
• Dermoscopic study of papulosquamous skin diseases
• Investigation of predisposing factors in familial cases of vitiligo
• Quality of life in males with androgenetic alopecia.
• Quality of life in lichen planus.
• Study of the effects of chemical peeling in various dermatological condition.
• Dermoscopic study of scalp dermatoses.
• Comparative study of intralesional platelet rich plasma vs intralesional triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of alopecia areata.
• Clinico-epidemiological study of genodermatoses.
• Comparative analysis of quality of life in patients having hand eczema via-a-vis foot eczema.
• Comparative Study Of Topical Minoxidil (5%) And Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide (5mg/Ml) In Treatment Of Alopecia Areata In Treatment Of Alopecia Areata Of Scalp
• Clinico-Mycological Profile Of Dermatophytosis
• A Clinico–Epidemiological Study Of Skin Conditions In Postmenopausal Women <65 Years Of Age Hailing From Pimpri Chinchwad Area Of Pune District Of Maharashtra
• Clinico–Epidemiological Study Of Facial Hyperpigmentation And Quality Of Life In These Patients
• Comparative Study Of Clinical Efficacy And Side Effects Of Oral Isotrenoin As Daily, Alternate, Pulse And Low Does Therapy In Moderate To Severe Acne
• Quality Of Life In Chronic Urticaria And Its Relationship To Clinical Severity
• Clinico–Epidemiological Study Of Topical Corticosteroids Abuse On Skin And Its Effects
• A clinico-histopathological study of nevi
• Quality of life in keloid and hypertrothic scars and its relationship to clinical severity
• Quality of life in patient with alopecia areata
• Quality of life in patients with premature canities
• Role of contact allergens in discoid eczema
• Cross sectional study of serum vitamin D levels in patients of psoriasis
• Cutaneous manifestations in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis
• Clinico-Epidemiological Study Of Phakomatoses
• Study Of Patterns Of Dermatoses In Paediatric Attendees Of A Tertiary Care Hospital At Pune
• A Study On Dermatological Manifestations Of Chronic Venous Insufficiency
• Quality Of Life In Patients With Dermatophytosis
• Clinico-Epidemiological Study Of Pmle& Biochemical Correlation Of Thyroid Dysfunction
• Assessment Of Subclinical Atherosclerosis In Patients Of Psoriasis With And Without Metabolic Syndrome
• Identification Of Isolates By Mycological Culture And Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Of Terbinafine And Itraconazole In Recalcitrantt Dermatophyte Infections
• Dermoscopic Study Of Nail Lesions In Various Dermatoses
• Evaluation Of Skin Prick Test In Urticaria
• Clinicodermoscopic Study Of Non Scarring Hair Loss In Females.

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Electrical Engineering and Systems Science > Image and Video Processing

Title: skin disease diagnosis with deep learning: a review.

Abstract: Skin cancer is one of the most threatening diseases worldwide. However, diagnosing skin cancer correctly is challenging. Recently, deep learning algorithms have emerged to achieve excellent performance on various tasks. Particularly, they have been applied to the skin disease diagnosis tasks. In this paper, we present a review on deep learning methods and their applications in skin disease diagnosis. We first present a brief introduction to skin diseases and image acquisition methods in dermatology, and list several publicly available skin datasets for training and testing algorithms. Then, we introduce the conception of deep learning and review popular deep learning architectures. Thereafter, popular deep learning frameworks facilitating the implementation of deep learning algorithms and performance evaluation metrics are presented. As an important part of this article, we then review the literature involving deep learning methods for skin disease diagnosis from several aspects according to the specific tasks. Additionally, we discuss the challenges faced in the area and suggest possible future research directions. The major purpose of this article is to provide a conceptual and systematically review of the recent works on skin disease diagnosis with deep learning. Given the popularity of deep learning, there remains great challenges in the area, as well as opportunities that we can explore in the future.

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52 Dermatology Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best dermatology topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on dermatology, ⭐ simple & easy dermatology essay titles.

• Inflamed Skin, Atopic Dermatitis and Melasma Besides the lip sensitivity patient’s condition of atopic dermatitis is also referred to a dermatologist to further assess the condition and may recommend topical solutions and medication which aestheticians are not specialized to prescribe any […]
• Medical Diagnostics in Gynecology and Dermatology The presence of similar skin defects at the patient’s recent sexual partners and the previous existence of similar skin defects on the patient’s skin and mucosae can define the duration of the disease and the […]
• Dermatology and Telemedicine in Dubai The analysis revealed that the strengths of dermatological telemedicine in Dubai are the availability to every citizen and a high degree of technological development.
• Characteristics of Allergic Contact Dermatitis It is known that “allergic contact dermatitis is caused by a delayed-type hypersensitivity response to contact allergens. Patients must then be provided with practical behavioral modifications to help decrease the inflammatory response of this disease.
• Pressure Ulcers and Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis Prevention In regards to the condition of pressure ulcers, proceedings and the policy state that every resident requires to have an assessment of the skin together with a treatment plan in line with maintaining the skin […]
• Infantile Atopic Dermatitis The important consideration here is the age at which breast milk is introduced rather than the duration of the breastfeeding.”Atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, can be reduced through exclusive breastfeeding beyond 12 […]
• Health and Medicine: Atopic Dermatitis Babies who suffer from atopic dermatitis and other allergies should start to intake solid food only after they are 6 months old since a delay in the starting of solid food in these babies may […]
• Changes Introduced by Digital Camera in Dermatology The introduction of solid digital sensors meant led to the development of point-and-shoot cameras that fits in a pocket. Therefore, the introduction of black and white photography in the mid-nineteenth century helped the doctors to […]
• American Society for Dermatologic Surgery In this, the manager and the staff at the stores get to be aware of the store goals and their roles in achieving the same.
• Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis Differential Diagnosis The description of the patient’s rash roughly matches the symptoms of the condition, particularly with regards to the specifics of the area.
• Gastrointestinal Diseases: Dermatological Manifestations A gastrointestinal disease is a form of infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract, which is composed of the stomach, the liver, gallbladder, rectum, intestines, and the esophagus, among others.
• The Role of Patient and Public Involvement in Evidence-Based Dermatology
• Equipment for Cosmetic Dermatology Clinic
• Esthetic Dermatology and Emotional Well-Being According to Gender
• Dermatologic Conditions in Down Syndrome
• Ice Anesthesia in Procedural Dermatology
• Applications of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma in Dermatology
• Frequency of Oral Conditions in a Dermatology Clinic
• Perspectives in Cosmetic Dermatology
• The Borderline Syndrome in Psychosomatic Dermatology
• The Family Dermatology Life Quality Index
• Equipment for Plastic Dermatology Clinic
• The Impact of COVID-19 on North American Dermatology Practices
• Genetic Testing in Veterinary Dermatology
• Long-Term Safety of Biologics in Dermatology
• Skin Tropical Infections and Dermatology in Travellers
• Use of Lasers in Dermatology
• Cell Therapy in Dermatology
• Sexual Dysfunction in Dermatological Diseases
• Systemic Therapy in Paediatric Dermatology
• Use of Vegetable Oils in Dermatology
• Social Media Use in Pediatric Dermatology
• Emerging Topical and Systemic Jak Inhibitors in Dermatology
• Current Situation of Dermatologic Surgery in Germany
• Therapeutic Potential of Adipose Tissue Derivatives in Modern Dermatology
• Diagnostic Microbiology in Veterinary Dermatology: Present and Future
• Topical Antibacterial Agents in Dermatology
• Emerging Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Dermatology
• The Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index
• Cosmetic Dermatology in Ethnic Skin
• Dermatologic Complications of Orthopedic Dressing in Pediatric Patients
• Recent Advances in Medical Dermatology
• Emerging Applications of Nanomedicine in Dermatology
• New Diagnostic and Imaging Technologies in Dermatology
• The Potential of Microfluidic Devices in Dermatology
• Consumer Empowerment in Dermatology
• Stem Cell Therapy in Veterinary Dermatology
• Preventive Dermatology: A Point of View and a Challenge
• The Role of the Consumer and the Public in Evidence-Based Dermatology
• Women Leaders in American Dermatology
• Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs in Dermatology
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• v.5(1); Jan-Mar 2014

Skin diseases and conditions among students of a medical college in southern India

Nitin joseph.

Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, India

Ganesh S Kumar

1 Department of Community Medicine, JIPMER, Puducherry, India

Maria Nelliyanil

2 Department of Community Medicine, A. J. Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore, India

Introduction:

Skin diseases are a common problem among young adults. There is paucity of data about it among medical students. This study aimed to find out the pattern of skin disorders and to describe their association with various socio-demographic factors among medical students.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2011 in a medical college in Mangalore, Karnataka. Two-hundred and seventy eight medical students were chosen from the 4 th , 6 th and 8 th semester through convenient sampling method. Data on hair and skin morbidities suffered over past 1 year and its associated factors were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.

Most of the participants 171 (61.5%) were of the age group 20-21 years and majority were females 148 (53.2%). The most common hair/skin morbidities suffered in the past one year were acne 185 (66.6%), hair loss 165 (59.3%), and sun tan 147 (52.9%). Fungal infection ( P = 0.051) and severe type of acne ( P = 0.041) were seen significantly more among males while hair morbidities like hair loss ( P = 0.003), split ends of hairs ( P < 0.0001) and dandruff ( P =0.006) were seen significantly more among female students. Patterned baldness ( P = 0.018) and sun tan ( P < 0.0001) were significantly more among non-Mangalorean students than native Mangaloreans. Presence of dandruff was significantly associated with hair loss ( P = 0.039) and usage of sunscreen was found to protect from developing sun tans ( P = 0.049).

Conclusion:

Skin disorders, particularly the cosmetic problems are very common among medical students. Gender and place of origin were found to significantly influence the development of certain morbidities.

INTRODUCTION

Skin diseases are a major health problem affecting a high proportion of the population in India.[ 1 ] Skin diseases can place a heavy emotional and psychological burden on patients that may be far worse than the physical impact.[ 2 ] Increased consciousness especially among the youth of their body and beauty further aggravates their anxiety.[ 3 ]

Many factors determine the pattern and prevalence of cutaneous diseases among the youth such as gender, race, personal hygiene, quality of skin care, environmental milieu and diet.[ 4 ] In some instances, patients appear to produce their skin lesions as an outlet for nervous tensions arising from interpersonal conflicts and/or unresolved emotional problems.[ 5 ]

Even though dermatology is characterized by an enormous range of disease/reaction patterns, prevalence surveys suggest that the bulk of skin diseases belong to fewer than ten categories.[ 6 ] Such observations are useful in developing educational and preventive health programs for the benefit of university students. Their proper management at earlier stages with education of students is important to prevent disfiguring complications and psychological sequelae later in life.[ 3 ]

However, very few studies have been carried out in India to find out the problem of skin diseases and that especially among the medical students. The reason for this negligence could be the low mortality rate of the majority of skin diseases in comparison with other diseases. This has also resulted in international health policy makers and local decision makers to make dermatological morbidities a low priority.[ 7 ] Another concern is that the benefits of public health interventions in reducing the prevalence, morbidity and mortality of skin diseases may be underestimated.[ 8 ] Thus there is a need for more studies with respect to dermatological morbidities in a developing country like India. With this background, this study was carried out to find out the pattern and severity of skin disorders and to describe their association with various socio-demographic factors among medical students of a private medical college in Mangalore city of south India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was done in June 2011. The ethical approval for conducting this study was obtained from institutional ethics clearance committee. A sample size of 278 was determined using a confidence level of 95%, with 15% degree of precision of the expected proportion and an estimated minimum prevalence of 40%. These students were chosen from the 4 th , 6 th and 8 th semester through convenient sampling method so that the sample will have a balanced representation of 2 nd , 3 rd and final phase medical students of the institution.

The students were briefed about the objective of the study and written informed consent was taken for participation. A pre-tested self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The face validity of this questionnaire was done by an expert in dermatology who reviewed the contents of the questionnaire. The questionnaire was subjected to a pilot trial on 10 students before it was distributed in its final form. Reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's Alpha the value of which was 0.82 indicating good internal consistency. Questions on the presence of any skin morbidities suffered by the student participants in the past 1 year were asked.

Additionally questions like frequency of face wash in a day, usage of facial cleansing products, frequency of head and body bath in a week, frequency of usage of hair shampoo in a week, usage of sunscreen lotions, moisturizers or cosmetics, frequency of changing into new clothes, habit of sharing linen with friends and promptness in seeking dermatologist consultation for skin ailments were asked to assess the quality of skin care.

Life style habits were assessed based on amount of water consumed in a day, frequency of eating fatty or oily food stuffs in a week, frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables in a week, smoking habits and recreation habits like swimming.

Each response for the question meant to assess quality of skin care and life style habits were given scores from 0 to 2. Scores from 0 to 11 for questions deciding quality of skin care meant poor, 12-22 meant good level of skin care. Similarly scores from 0 to 5 for questions deciding life style meant poor and 6-10 meant good level of lifestyle habits.

The data entry and analysis were done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) version 16. Chi-square test was used to find out the association of socio-demographic variables with the presence of skin morbidities, quality of skin care and life style habits P < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant association.

Mean age of participants was 20.35 ± 1.23 years [ Table 1 ].

Age, gender and place distribution of students

Of the 278 students, 69 (24.8%) had fair skin, 120 (43.2%) had wheatish skin, 74 (26.6%) had brown skin and 15 (5.4%) had dark skin. The one- year-period prevalence of various skin morbidities showed acne to be the commonest skin morbidity in 185 (66.5%) cases followed by sun tan in 147 (52.9%) cases. Among the hair morbidities commonest was hair loss seen in 165 (59.3%) cases followed by dandruff seen in 129 (46.4%) cases [ Table 2 ].

Association between various hair/skin morbidities among students with gender

Fungal infection was seen significantly among a greater proportion of males while among females the significant morbidities were hair loss, split end of hairs and dandruff [ Table 2 ].

Patterned baldness and sun tan were seen significantly more among greater proportion of non-Mangaloreans than native Mangaloreans [ Table 3 ].

Association between various hair/skin morbidities among students with place of origin ( n =278)

White/black heads were seen significantly more among females while papular and pustular types of acne were seen significantly more among a greater proportion of males. The proportion of cases with pustular type of acne was 30 (10.8%) [ Table 4 ].

Association between gender with type and duration of acne

Of the 278 students with morbidities, 236 (84.9%) had good quality skin care and the rest had poor quality skin care. 108 (83.1%) males and 128 (86.5%) females reported good quality skin care ( P = 0.428). Among the participants with good quality skin care, 161 (68.2%) reported presence of morbidities whereas among participants with poor quality skin care, 24 (57.1%) reported presence of morbidities ( P = 0.161).

Of the 278 students with morbidities, 236 (84.9%) had good life style habits and the rest had poor life style habits. One hundred and seven (82.3%) males and 129 (87.2%) females reported good life style habits ( P = 0.259). Among the participants with good life-style habits, 162 (68.6%) reported presence of morbidities, whereas among participants with poor life-style habits, 23 (54.8%) reported presence of morbidities ( P = 0.079). Out of 129 cases with history of dandruff, hair loss was present in 85 (65.9%) cases ( P = 0.039).

Usage of sunscreen in hot sun was associated with significant reduction in proportion of cases with sun tan among the participants [ Table 5 ].

Association between presence of sun tan with usage of sun screen among students

It has been found that one- fourth of us (or more) suffer from at least one skin disease, a situation that constitutes a significant global burden of disease.[ 9 ] Economic burden of skin diseases is enormous and added to this easy visibility of dermatological illness has led to deterioration in the quality of life resulting in social handicap.[ 10 , 11 ]

In certain parts of the world, it was observed that the mortality rate and disability-adjusted life years due to skin diseases were at par with certain communicable and non-communicable diseases.[ 7 ] In a regression model, skin diseases as well as rheumatism was more strongly associated with feeling depressed than asthma, diabetes and angina pectoris.[ 12 ] Considering their significant impact on the individual, the family, the social life of patients and their heavy economical burden, the public health importance of these diseases is underappreciated.[ 8 ] This study too has shown that various types of skin morbidities are common among medical students. It has been reported that younger adults suffer more social problems as a result of skin problems than older adults.[ 12 ] Thus control of skin morbidities will definitely lead to improvement in the quality of life of young adults. In this study the most common morbidity reported was acne followed by hair loss which was also supported by other studies.[ 3 , 13 ]

Acne has been incriminated with sweating and hot weather, which is very compatible with the hot and humid climatic conditions prevailing in Mangalore.[ 14 ] The proportion of severe acne cases in this study was 10.8% which was more than the observation of 5.4% made in the Sindh based study.[ 3 ] Studies carried out in other countries have found that acne is a disfiguring disease and it should not be looked at as trivial,[ 15 ] as it may seriously affect the patient's life.[ 16 ] Screening adolescents for conditions like acne may be of great importance because it affects their image in the society and because of the wide armamentarium of therapy which is available.[ 17 ]

Hair loss was the next most common problem, which is very much global in nature. The true magnitude of problem is difficult to establish from this study as the data on the hair density and thickness in our subjects was lacking. There was significant association of dandruff as a risk factor for hair loss in this study which was similar to the findings of other studies.[ 3 , 18 ] However, in the absence of any apparent systemic or local cause for generalized hair loss, it can be assumed that constitutional factors or micro-deficiency of iron, vitamins and proteins may be the cause of hair loss in these subjects.[ 19 , 20 ]

Hair loss culminating in baldness is another sensitive issue among adolescents as they are invariably sensitive regarding their external features and thus may be easily withdrawn psychologically and avoid social activities due to androgenetic alopecia and this tends to affect girls more than boys.[ 21 ] In this study almost a quarter of students had baldness with greater proportion observed among males.

Increased tanning of skin was the third most common morbidity. This was understandable as 68% of the participants had fair or wheatish skin. This skin type is prone to tanning on sun exposure. Being less aware of the tanning effect of sun light and not using personal protective measures while outdoors must have promoted tanning and darkening in these subjects.[ 22 ]

Fungal infections were reported by more than a third of our participants in the past 1 year. Previous studies have reported that periods of high humidity (50-80%) and elevated temperatures reaching up to 35°C are ideal for fungal infections.[ 17 ] This probably could explain the reason behind a number of cases with fungal infections among students in Mangalore.

In a study carried out among university students in Sindh, Pakistan acne was seen in 59.5%, hair loss in 59%, pigmentary disorders in 36.3%, dandruff in 26.1% and fungal infection in 4.9% of the cases. All these observations made were lower than our findings. The study also found pruritis among 2.3% of the cases and eczema among 2.1% of the cases.[ 3 ] In another study carried out among 1279 university medical students by Roodsari et al ., 91.7% students had skin morbidities. Here acne was seen in 56%, hair loss (evaluated only in females) in 14%, dandruff in 11%, hand eczema in 10%, seborrheic dermatitis in 9% and pityriasis versicolor in 8% cases.[ 13 ] But for acne which is easily identifiable, the other skin morbidities were higher in this study than ours probably because disease identification in the former study was done by dermatologists unlike our study where it was self-reported by students. An Icelandic study found that the prevalence of urticaria was significantly higher among the medical students and was seen in 41% of students.[ 23 ] These variations in morbidities among students of same age group in different parts of the world could be due to racial, genetic and environmental variations.

In this study acne was found to be slightly more and hair problems was seen significantly more among females, which was similar to the findings of a study done among university students in Lebanon where both acne and hair problems were significantly more among females.[ 17 ]

Although there was no significant difference between the proportion of males and females with acne in the present study, the type of acne differed significantly between the two groups. White/black heads were seen significantly more among females while papule and pustule were seen significantly more males. This was similar to the observation made in another study carried out in New Zealand where severe type of acne was seen more among males.[ 24 ] Severity of this condition among males could be because of hormonal factors.[ 25 ]

Fungal infection seen significantly more among males in this study could be due to their lesser quality of skin care and life style habits in comparison to females. Other cutaneous disorders like pyoderma, folliculitis, scabies and pediculosis were not seen in this study. The reason for absence of these bacterial and parasitic infections could probably be that very few participants in this study had poor quality of skin care or hygiene. No cases of eczema, hyper pigmentary lesions like melasma, hypopigmentary lesions like vitiligo, nail disorders or skin cancers were reported by any of the participants.

Sun tans were seen significantly more among a greater proportion of non-Mangaloreans than native Mangaloreans. This could probably be explained by the non-adjustment to the hot and humid conditions of Mangalore among the outstation students. It was also observed that the users of sunscreen had significantly less cases of sun tans compared to non-users, signifying the importance of spreading awareness about the usage of such protective methods.

Limitations

The present study may not be generalized to other population groups because of different factors associated with different skin morbidities. It may not reveal the true burden of skin disorders among young adults as much as a population-based study. Also as these morbidities were self-reported there may be a possibility of recall bias. In this study, quality of skin care was assessed based on frequency of activities like face wash or body bath or based on the frequency of usage of hair shampoo or sunscreen lotions or moisturizers or cosmetics. Since the quality of these activities or products as well as its proper application on the body was not enquired, it could be a limitation in estimating the true quality of skin care.

Moreover it was difficult to differentiate between the physiological and pathological conditions in hair loss. The most important drawback of this study was that few skin morbidities might have been diagnosed by medical students themselves without actually consulting a dermatologist leading to inaccurate self-reported diagnosis. Hence more of such studies from a broader socioeconomic spectrum are required, which need to be suitably supported with dermatological examination of study subjects.

From the findings of one- year- period prevalence of various skin disorders we conclude that skin morbidities are very common among medical students, particularly cosmetic problems like acne, hair loss and skin tan. Severe types of acne and fungal infections were significantly more among males whereas hair morbidities were significantly more among females. Patterned baldness and sun tans were seen significantly more among non-Mangalorean students than native Mangaloreans. This emphasizes the need to popularize the importance of personal protective measures like usage of sun screens among students. Establishment of registries for specific skin diseases, particularly for those with a high disease burden will also help in good case accountability stressing importance to dermatological public health.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors of this study would like to thank M.B.B.S students, Ms. Monica N, Mr. Ishan Parashar, Ms. Hemashri, Ms. Supraja Subramanian, Ms. Liya Susan Peter, Ms. Anupriya Dalmiya and Ms. Akanksha Bansal of K.M.C Mangalore for their help in data collection. We also thank Dr. Mohan Kudur, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Srinivas Institute of Medical sciences and Research Centre, Mangalore for his help and support.

Source of Support: Nil

Conflict of Interest: None declared

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Dermatopathology and associated laboratory investigations in the study of skin disease.

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The diagnosis of skin disease requires both clinical and pathological expertise, which subsequently define the laboratory tests required. Central to these investigations is the biopsy, allowing key architectural features of the skin disease to be analysed, emphasizing the importance of dermatopathology to the ...

The diagnosis of skin disease requires both clinical and pathological expertise, which subsequently define the laboratory tests required. Central to these investigations is the biopsy, allowing key architectural features of the skin disease to be analysed, emphasizing the importance of dermatopathology to the treatment of skin disorders. In addition, and frequently of vital importance, is a range of laboratory procedures and tests that sit outside the realms of routine dermatopathology and which assist in the diagnosis and aid in the patient management of skin disease. This special issue of the journal will include a number of review papers, original articles and short innovation communications. These articles will explore why dermatopathology is often key in the diagnosis of skin disease and also explain its relationship and important links to other specialised laboratory services that help define and classify cutaneous disorders. Topics will include: - Immunodermatology - Mycosis - Molecular diagnostic methods - Innovations in dermatopathology - Unusual applications of Mohs micrographic surgery - Predictive and prognostic markers of melanoma - Immune checkpoint inhibition in melanomas - Dermatopathology in alopecia. We look forward to receiving manuscript submissions on these areas, and other related topics. All manuscripts are published once fully reviewed, ensuring your work is accessible as soon as possible.

Keywords : dermatopathology, immunodermatology, mycosis, histology, skin disease, Mohs surgery, melanoma, alopecia

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Struggling with acne? These skincare tips are dermatologist-approved.

You're not a teenager anymore. So why are you still getting pimples ?

Not to worry: Acne is completely normal at any age, dermatologists stress. And it's extremely common — acne is the most common skin condition in the United States and affects upwards of 50 million Americans every year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).

"Please know that acne is very normal and it's not your fault, and you are in excellent company — about 90% of people struggle with acne at some point in their life, and this includes celebrities," says board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. "Acne, unfortunately, is normal and largely out of our control and it does not define who we are."

Here's what dermatologists want you to know about dealing with acne flare-ups.

What triggers acne the most?

Stress, diet, not getting enough sleep or using oily makeup, skincare or haircare products may worsen existing acne, per the AAD.

But the primary causes of acne are genetics and hormones, experts say. That can be both reassuring and frustrating — it may not be your fault that pimples are popping up, but there's also only so much you can do about it before getting help from a professional.

"Even if you are doing everything right from a diet and lifestyle perspective, you may still have to deal with acne," King says.

More: TikTokers are using blue light to cure acne. Dermatologists say it's actually a good idea.

How to prevent acne

Stress management and cutting out foods that may trigger acne may help, experts say. As can a regular skincare routine and certain medications or prescriptions, if needed.

Gently cleansing your skin twice a day, protecting your skin from the sun, regularly washing your hair and avoiding touching your face are some of the best practices to manage acne, according to the AAD .

More: TikTokers are eating raw garlic to cure acne in viral videos. Does it actually work?

If you're already doing all that, King recommends looking into a handful of over-the-counter products to aid in your skincare routine:

• A topical retinoid , which helps to prevent and unclog blocked pores. "They also decrease the discoloration that can be left after a pimple, and because they increase the turnover of skin cells, this reduces the healing time for acne," King says.
• Salicylic acid , which exfoliates the skin's surface and helps to remove oil from pores. "This is a great ingredient for people with oily and acne-prone skin, and particularly for treating and preventing ... blackheads and whiteheads," King says.
• Benzoyl peroxide , which is a topical antiseptic that reduces the amount of bacteria on the skin. "It not only kills bacteria that contribute to acne, but also helps to prevent and clear out clogged pores," King says. Those with sensitive skin should opt for treatments labeled "micronized" to avoid irritation, she adds.

If acne issues persist, King recommends seeing a licensed dermatologist who may be able to prescribe other options.