Subcorneal pustular dermatosis.

Subcorneal dermatosis is a chronic relapsing pustular eruption which has been recognised for 20 years. The diagnosis can be made only by combining the clinical features of a recurrent eruption mainly on the trunk which spares the mucosae and has the histological appearance of a subcorneal bullae filled with polymorphonuclear leucocytes situated on the surface of normal epidermis. No immunofluorescence either direct or indirect similar to that seen in pemphigus, pemphigoid or dermatitis herpetiformis has been reported. No jejunal abnormality has been found in any case but some, though not all, patients respond to treatment with Dapsone (DDS; diaminodiphenylsulfone). The condition can be distinguished from other cases of subcorneal pustular eruptions only by combining the clinical and histological features. The etiology remains unknown.