Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE OF REVIEW/OBJECTIVE:Occupational hand dermatitis is a common work-related disorder of the skin. Prevention and management of this disease is critical to improving workers' quality of life and for occupation-specific retention. RECENT FINDINGS/RESULTS:This is a critical review of the current literature on occupational hand dermatitis. Occupational dermatitis continues to have a high prevalence among workers although the overall incidence may be slowly decreasing. Irritant contact dermatitis due to wet work exposure is the most common cause of occupational hand dermatitis. Healthcare workers, hairdressers, and metal workers are at particularly high risk for this disease. While some prevention programs have been ineffective in mitigating occupational hand dermatitis, other more resource-intensive initiatives may have benefit. Continued research is needed on ways to manage wet work exposures and on scalable, effective prevention programs for occupational hand dermatitis. The spectrum of culprit contact allergens continues to evolve, and vigilance for potential occupation-specific allergens remains important.

Viral venereal diseases remain difficult to treat. Human papilloma virus (HPV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) are two common viral venereal diseases. HPV infections are characterized by anogenital warts and less commonly by premalignant or malignant lesions. HSV infections classically present as grouped vesicles on an erythematous base with associated burning or pain; however, immunosuppressed patients may have atypical presentations with nodular or ulcerative lesions. This review discusses the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of anogenital HPV and HSV infections with an emphasis on treatment modalities for the practicing dermatologist. Diagnosis of these diseases typically relies on clinical assessment, although multiple diagnostic techniques can be utilized and are recommended when diagnosis is uncertain or evaluating an individual with increased risk of malignancy. Management of HPV and HSV infections involves appropriate counseling, screening, and multiple treatment techniques. Particularly for HPV infections, a practitioner may need to use a combination of techniques to achieve the desired outcome.

Despite the availability of effective medications for the management of atopic dermatitis and xerosis, patients may use nonconventional therapies such as topical oils. Patients choose these treatments because of the perceived lower risk of natural products and the fear of potential adverse effects of topical steroids. We review the use of topical olive, coconut, and sunflower seed oil in the treatment of atopic dermatitis and xerosis with a focus on children Currently available evidence suggests that olive oil may exacerbate xerosis and atopic dermatitis. Further studies are needed to make definitive recommendations regarding the use of coconut and sunflower seed oil.