Send in the Clowns: A Special Tribute to Medical Clowning and Clown Eponyms in Dermatology.

Abstract

Clowns have long delighted circus crowds and are celebrated not only in popular culture but also in the dermatology literature as medical eponyms. This contribution discusses four such eponyms: 1) clown nose-like lesion, 2) clown eczema (perioral dermatitis) 3) clown alopecia pattern in frontal fibrosing alopecia and 4) clown's face of Brachman de Lange syndrome (Cornelia de Lange syndrome). This contribution also highlights the role of medical clowning in patient care by paying tribute to Cobo the Clown, also known as Barbara Joyce Cohen, who has served as a dedicated caring clown for over thirty years.