BACKGROUND Morbihan disease (MD) is characterized by persistent erythema and solid edema of the upper two-thirds of the face. It is generally regarded as a late-stage complication of rosacea, although its etiology is poorly understood. The standard therapeutic management includes systemic anti-inflammatory medications; however, the clinical response, if any, is often unsatisfactory. We review the current challenges and a promising new option for the treatment of MD. OBSERVATIONS Five cases of MD were treated with long-term (>6 months; mean, 16 months) oral isotretinoin, with documented nonrecurrence. The mean sustained daily dose was 60 mg/d (range, 40-80 mg/d), and the mean cumulative dose was approximately 285 mg/kg (range, 170-491 mg/kg). The total treatment period ranged from 10 to 24 months, with a mean disease-free follow-up period of 9 months (range, 1-24 months). A substantial clinical improvement was not noted until 6 months of treatment in all 5 cases. CONCLUSIONS We report 5 cases of MD that were successfully treated with long-term oral isotretinoin, with lasting results. Further research is required to better understand the pathogenesis of MD and isotretinoin's mechanism of action in this condition.
OBJECTIVES To characterize dermoscopic criteria of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and keratoacanthoma and to compare them with other lesions. DESIGN Observer-masked study of consecutive lesions performed from March 1 through December 31, 2011. SETTING Primary care skin cancer practice in Brisbane, Australia. PARTICIPANTS A total of 186 patients with 206 lesions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and odds ratios. RESULTS In a retrospective analysis of 60 invasive SCC and 43 keratoacanthoma cases, keratin, surface scale, blood spots, white structureless zones, white circles, and coiled vessels were commonly found in both types of lesions. We reevaluated the significance of these criteria in 206 raised, nonpigmented lesions (32 SCCs, 29 keratoacanthomas, and 145 other lesions). Central keratin was more common in keratoacanthoma than in SCC (51.2% vs 30.0%, P = .03). Keratin had the highest sensitivity for keratoacanthoma and SCC (79%), and white circles had the highest specificity (87%). When keratoacanthoma and SCC were contrasted with basal cell carcinoma, the positive predictive values of keratin and white circles were 92% and 89%, respectively. When SCC and keratoacanthoma were contrasted with actinic keratosis and Bowen disease, the positive predictive value of keratin was 50% and that of white circles was 92%. In a multivariate model, white circles, keratin, and blood spots were independent predictors of SCC and keratoacanthoma. White circles had the highest odds ratio in favor of SCC and keratoacanthoma. The interobserver agreement for white circles was good (0.55; 95% CI, 0.44-0.65). CONCLUSIONS White circles, keratin, and blood spots are useful clues to differentiate SCC and keratoacanthoma from other raised nonpigmented skin lesions by dermoscopy. The significance of these criteria depends on the clinical context.