Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging noninvasive imaging method that uses infrared light and interferometric techniques. The method has become increasingly popular in skin research as well as daily dermatology practice. In the present brief review, we focused on recent (2009-2014) OCT studies on the human skin, which included a reasonable sample size and statistics. Twenty-five pap...

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a malignant tumor of epithelial cells that is composed of cells similar to those in the basal area of the epidermis and its appendages. Ninety- five percent of individuals with BCC are between 40 and 79 years old. It rarely occurs in younger individuals. Herein, a 20- year- old woman with type III skin, who had a BCC on her chin is presented. Since the clinic...

Background and aim: Skin diseases among pilgrims are considered to be one of the possible health problems. Data supporting this observation are scanty. The aim of this study was to report the most common skin diseases seen in Hajj season. Materials and Methods: Data regarding skin diseases were collected from piligrims whom were examined and diagnosed clinically at the skin clinics of Iran in S...

Ultrasonography is a method of imaging that classically is used in dermatology to study changes in the hypoderma, as nodules and infectious and inflammatory processes. The introduction of high frequency and resolution equipments enabled the observation of superficial structures, allowing differentiation between skin layers and providing details for the analysis of the skin and its appendages. T...

Hair follicles are complex skin appendages, the perturbations of which have an impact on human health and emotional welfare disproportionate to their small dimensions. Changes to the parameters of hair follicle size, numbers per unit area of skin, and growth cycle time duration determine hair coverage and fundamentally underlie the diagnosis of an individual with alopecia or hypertrichosis. Her...

The permeation pathway of macromolecules and nanospheres through skin was evaluated using fluorescent isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (average MW, 4 kDa) (FD-4) and nanospheres (500 nm in diameter) in hairless rat abdominal skin and porcine ear skin as well as a three-dimensional cultured human skin model (cultured skin model). A low molecular hydrophilic compound, sodium fluorescein (FL) (MW, 37...

Avian integumentary organs include feathers, scales, claws, and beaks. They cover the body surface and play various functions to help adapt birds to diverse environments. These keratinized structures are mainly composed of corneous materials made of α-keratins, which exist in all vertebrates, and β-keratins, which only exist in birds and reptiles. Here, members of the keratin gene families were...