Melasma is a chronic skin condition that involves the overproduction of melanin in areas exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Melasma treatment is long-term and complicated with recurrence and resistance to treatment. The pathogenesis of melasma is highly complex with multiple pathologies occurring outside of the skin pigment cells. It includes photoaging, excessive melanogenesis, an increased number of mast cells, increased vascularization, and basement membrane damage. In addition, skin lesions related to melasma and their surrounding skin have nearly 300 genes differentially expressed from healthy skin. Traditionally, melasma was treated with topical agents, including hydroquinone, tretinoin, glucocorticosteroids and various formulations; however, the current approach includes the topical application of a variety of substances, chemical peels, laser and light treatments, mesotherapy, microneedling and/or the use of systemic therapy. The treatment plan for patients with melasma begins with the elimination of risk factors, strict protection against ultraviolet radiation, and the topical use of lightening agents. Hyperpigmentation treatment alone can be ineffective unless combined with regenerative methods and photoprotection. In this review, we show that in-depth knowledge associated with proper communication and the establishment of a relationship with the patient help to achieve good adherence and compliance in this long-term, time-consuming and difficult procedure.

Androgenetic alopecia is a condition that results in hair loss in both men and women. This can have a significant impact on a person’s psychological well-being, which can lead to a decreased quality of life. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of using stem cells in androgenic alopecia. The search was conducted in MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The review was performed on data pertaining to the efficacy of using different types of stem cells in androgenic alopecia: quantitative results of stem cell usage were compared to the control treatment or, different types of treatment for female and male androgenetic alopecia. Of the outcomes, the density of hair was analyzed. Fourteen articles were selected for this review. During and after treatment with stem cells, no major side effects were reported by patients with alopecia. The use of stem cells in androgenic alopecia seems to be a promising alternative to the standard treatment or it could play the role of complementary therapy to improve the effect of primary treatment. However, these results should be interpreted with caution until they can be reproduced in larger and more representative samples.

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of alopecia, but treatment options are limited. This study evaluated clinical improvement in hair condition in women with AGA six months after a single injection of autologous cell micrografts (ACMs) containing hair follicle stem cells and dermal papilla cells. Methods: Twenty-three women with clinically and dermoscopy-confirmed AGA were included. Five 2.5 mm punch biopsies were taken from the skin of each patient with the Regenera device. The cell suspension was prepared with the Rigeneracons device and then injected into the hormone-dependent hairy zone of the scalp. Results: A significant improvement was observed on the visual analog scale (VAS) when comparing pre- and post-procedure photos (p < 0.001). The change in VAS scores was moderately negatively correlated with baseline ferritin concentration and positively with iron concentration. Improved outcomes were associated with higher baseline levels of sex hormone-binding globulin and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. Neither testosterone nor DHT showed a significant correlation with VAS scores. Conclusions: The ACM procedure was shown to be both safe and effective, yielding satisfying results six months after a single treatment session. Future investigations should aim to gather evidence that enables the development of a cost-effective approach while minimizing treatment burden and costs.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a rare, debilitating, chronic inflammatory skin disease. This study aimed to investigate differences in body composition between patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and healthy controls, with a particular focus on sex-specific disparities, while also exploring secondary associations with muscle health and quality of life. Methods: Body composition was measured using a bioanalyzer and compared between HS individuals (n = 53) and controls (n = 50). Results: The mean BMI was significantly higher in the HS group than in the controls (median 29.6 vs. median 22.1; p < 0.001, effect size −0.581). The patients with HS had a significantly higher fat mass (mean 26.2 ± 22.7 vs. 16.3 ± 6.0; p < 0.001, effect size −0.400), level of visceral fat (median 9 vs. 2; p < 0.001, effect size −0.473), percentage of total body water (mean 45.9 ± 12.3 vs. 31.9 ± 14.3; p < 0.001, effect size −0.508), skeletal muscle index (median 8.9 vs. 7.3; p < 0.001, effect size −0.445), and bone mass (median 3.2 vs. 2.5; p < 0.001, effect size −0.421); at the same time, they had a significantly lower predicted muscle mass (median 19.8 vs. 47.3; p < 0.001, effect size −0.740) and percentage of skeletal muscle mass (mean 38.2 ± 7.8 vs. 42.3 ± 5.5; p = 0.008, effect size −0.263) in comparison to the controls. The HS group was also characterized by a higher metabolic age (median 65 vs. 21 years; p < 0.001, effect size −0.760) and basal metabolic rate (median 1927 vs. 1489 kcal; p < 0.001, effect size −0.444). Conclusions: Patients with HS exhibit a distinctive pattern in body composition parameters when compared to healthy controls, which may hold significant potential for enhancing diagnostic accuracy and monitoring disease progression. This study highlighted sex-specific differences in body composition, emphasizing the need to consider biological sex in the pathophysiology and clinical evaluation of HS. Further research is needed to explore the clinical utility of body composition analysis in disease progression, therapeutic response, and personalized management.

Sarcopenia and psoriasis are different inflammatory diseases that share common comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, obesity, autoimmune diseases, depression). Psoriasis is a dermatosis involving the skin, joints, and nails. Its estimated prevalence is 2–4%, and the possibility of progression to psoriatic arthritis reaches 6–42%. Sarcopenia is defined as reduced muscle strength, muscle quantity, and physical performance due to non-ageing related causes. It affects up to 10% of the general population. We conducted a review of the literature to provide up-to-date information about the risk of sarcopenia in psoriasis and to identify risk factors that increase this risk. The search of the literature allowed us to include 51 publications, but only five cross-sectional studies provided quantitative results on the rates of sarcopenia in psoriasis. The prevalence of sarcopenia in psoriasis varied from 9.1% to 61.7%. This wide range was caused by different definitions of sarcopenia and different cut-off values across studies. Prognostic factors include lean mass and fat mass. Further research based on the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People guidelines is required. Such studies should include not only muscle mass and strength but also other factors that may influence the occurrence of sarcopenia and inflammatory markers.