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To make authoritative information about the skin available to anyone in the world with an internet connection.
DermNet NZ was founded 23 years ago by a group of Dermatologists from New Zealand. It has become a world-renowned resource of skin disease information.
Recently added pages
Erythema gyratum repens
Erythema gyratum repens is a rare paraneoplastic type of annular erythema with a distinctive figurate ‘wood-grain’ appearance.
6 January 2019
Chronic spontaneous urticaria
Urticaria is a condition characterised by the presence of hives/weals (also spelt wheals) and/or angioedema [1,2].
20 January 2019
Chronic inducible urticaria
Chronic inducible urticaria is chronic urticaria that has an attributable cause or trigger and is classified according to the stimulus...
20 January 2019
Periorificial dermatitis in children
Periorificial dermatitis in children typically presents as multiple small papules around the mouth, nose and eyes.While the name is suggestive...
14 January 2019
Naevus simplex
Naevus simplex is a common, benign capillary vascular malformation.
6 January 2019
Hypogonadism in males
Hypogonadism describes the inadequate function of the gonads with impaired production of germ cells and sex hormones. What is hypogonadism in males?Hypogonadism...
22 January 2019
Keratolytic winter erythema
Keratolytic winter erythema is a rare inherited skin disorder characterised by recurrent palmoplantar erythema and peeling that is often worse...
6 January 2019
Giant cell arteritis
Giant cell arteritis is a form of vasculitis that most commonly affects the arteries of the scalp and head when...
6 January 2019
Key clinical-trial evidence for cemiplimab
Clinical trials have demonstrated that cemiplimab is effective in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
6 January 2019
Cemiplimab
Cemiplimab is a monoclonal antibody used for patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
6 January 2019
Nodular basal cell carcinoma images
> Go to the image library
6 January 2019
Primary dermal melanoma
Primary dermal melanoma, also known as solitary dermal melanoma, represents melanoma confined to the dermis without an epidermal (junctional)...
6 January 2019
Blue toe syndrome
Blue toe syndrome, also known as occlusive vasculopathy, is a form of acute digital ischaemia in which one or more...
6 January 2019
Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome
Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare congenital vascular bone syndrome that is characterised by a triad of symptoms and...
6 January 2019
Bird mite infestation
Bird mites are minute (< 1 mm long), oval-shaped arachnids with eight legs.
6 January 2019
Porokeratosis ptychotropica
Porokeratosis refers to a group of disorders characterised by abnormal keratinisation.
6 January 2019
Picosecond laser
A picosecond laser is a laser device that uses very short pulse durations to target endogenous pigmentation and exogenous ink...
6 January 2019
Tranexamic acid
Tranexamic acid is an anti-fibrinolytic agent, and is commonly used for heavy menstrual bleeding.
6 January 2019
Intralymphatic histiocytosis
Intralymphatic histiocytosis is a rare benign chronic skin condition most commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis, orthopaedic metal implants, or cancer...
2 February 2019
Hidradenitis suppurativa guidelines
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a debilitating and distressing chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting about one in every 150 Australians.
6 January 2019
Cellulitis mimics
Cellulitis is an acute bacterial infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissues of the skin.
6 January 2019
Intravascular lymphoma
Intravascular lymphoma is a rare subtype of large B-cell lymphoma in which lymphoma cells proliferate within the lumen of small...
6 January 2019
Nipple eczema
Nipple eczema is a localised dermatitis involving the nipple and areola, and is characterised by erythema and scaling.
6 January 2019
Carcinoma cuniculatum
Carcinoma cuniculatum is a rare, slow-growing variant of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
6 January 2019
Linea nigra
Linea nigra is a physiological form of hyperpigmentation commonly seen in the first trimester of pregnancy [1–3].
6 January 2019
Convolutional neural networks in dermatology
A convolutional neural network (CNN) is a type of deep artificial neural network used in image processing.
10 January 2019
Lichen simplex of the vulva
Lichen simplex of the vulva is a pruritic form of dermatitis in which excessive scratching or rubbing leads to lichenification.
6 January 2019
Tildrakizumab
In March 2018, tildrakizumab (Ilumya™; Sun Pharma India) received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of...
6 January 2019
Contact allergy to bufexamac
Bufexamac is a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
6 January 2019
Lichen simplex of the scrotum
Lichen simplex of the scrotum is a pruritic form of dermatitis in which excessive scratching or rubbing leads to lichenification.
6 January 2019
Melanocortin 1 receptor gene
Melanocytes make two forms of melanin in the skin, hair, and eyes.
6 January 2019
Medical hypnosis
Hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, induces someone to enter into a 'trance state' using deep breathing and relaxation, meditation and guided imagery. It mandates...
6 January 2019
Blood-based melanoma detection
Cutaneous melanoma is generally first suspected during a skin check and the diagnosis is confirmed by a positive skin...
6 January 2019
Acne in children
Prepubertal acne has been classified into the following age groups by a panel convened by the American Acne and Rosacea...
6 January 2019
Keratoelastoidosis marginalis
Keratoelastoidosis marginalis is an acquired form of marginal keratoderma.
6 January 2019
Atypical solar lentigo
An atypical solar lentigo is a solar lentigo with unusual characteristics.
6 January 2019
Atopy patch test
The classical tests for immediate type I hypersensitivity (allergy) are specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody levels, such as the radioallergosorbent test...
6 January 2019
Listeriosis
Listeriosis is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
6 January 2019
Prader-Willi syndrome
Prader–Willi syndrome is the most common genetic cause of obesity. It was first described in 1887 by John Langdon Down,...
6 January 2019
Guselkumab
Guselkumab is a biological treatment indicated for moderate-to-severe psoriasis.The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved guselkumab (Tremfya™, Janssen...
6 January 2019
Rickettsia typhi
Rickettsiae are small, obligate intracellular, Gram-negative bacteria that spend part of their life cycle in an arthropod host (eg, a tick,...
6 January 2019
Climate change and skin
Climate change is a lasting alteration in patterns of weather caused by factors such as oceanic circulation, variations in solar...
6 January 2019
Pemphigoid nodularis
Pemphigoid nodularis is a rare nodular variant of bullous pemphigoid.
6 January 2019
Dermatopathology topics
Eruptive xanthoma
Eruptive xanthoma presents as crops of pink papules which are often pruritic.
6 January 2019
Juvenile xanthogranuloma
Juvenile xanthogranuloma usually presents in younger individuals as smooth pink or yellow nodules.
6 January 2019
Verrucous haemangioma
Verrucous haemangioma presents as blue-red, vascular papules, plaques or nodules, which later become warty in appearance.
6 January 2019
Myiasis
Myiasis is infestation by the larvae of fly species within the arthropod order Diptera (the adult flies are two-winged).
6 January 2019
Systemic amyloidosis
Systemic amyloidosis caused by the buildup of amyloid in various organs.
6 January 2019
Lichenoid drug eruption
Lichenoid drug reactions are induced by a medication or another exogenous source which can mimic other lichenoid dermatoses clinically and...
6 January 2019
Sclerosing lipogranuloma
Sclerosing lipogranuloma usually presents as a painless or slightly tender, indurated mass on the penis, scrotum, spermatic cord and...
6 January 2019
Glomeruloid haemangioma
Glomeruloid haemangioma is a rare benign cutaneous vascular proliferation that typically arises in patients with a history of POEMS...
6 January 2019
Splenosis
Splenosis may present in the skin following splenic trauma and subsequent spread of benign splenic tissue into surrounding structures.
6 January 2019
Treated melanoma
New therapies targeting BRAF and MEK have emerged as the key component for the treatment of BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma.
6 January 2019
Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma
Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma is an uncommon variant of fibrohistiocytic tumor with intermediate malignant potential (metastases are rare but do occur).
6 January 2019
Angiokeratoma
Angiokeratoma presents as a blood-filled papule which may bleed following trauma.
6 January 2019
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis is also known as Churg–Strauss syndrome and allergic granulomatosis.
19 January 2019
Pseudoepitheliomatous balanitis
Pseudoepitheliomatous keratotic and micaceous balanitis is a coronal balanitis that gradually takes on a silvery white appearance due to mica-like...
6 January 2019
Neurofollicular hamartoma
Neurofollicular hamartoma presents as a smooth flesh-coloured papule on the face.Histology of neurofollicular hamartomaIn neurofollicular hamartoma, the histopathology shows a...
6 January 2019
Neurocristic hamartoma
Neurocristic hamartoma presents as a slowly enlarging multinodular variably pigmented plaque. It most commonly presents in the head and neck region but...
6 January 2019
Maculopapular mastocytosis
Maculopapular cutaneous mastocytosis was previously called urticaria pigmentosa.
6 January 2019
Epithelioid haemangioma
Epithelioid hemangioma is a benign vascular lesion of the skin or deeper structures (bone).
6 January 2019
Cutaneous larva migrans
Cutaneous larva migrans is a parasitic skin infection caused by helminth larvae that usually infest cats, dogs and other...
6 January 2019
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumour arises from mesothelial lining of pleura, peritoneum, pericardium and tunica vaginalis — pleural mesothelioma is the...
6 January 2019
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is caused by primary infection with the varicella-zoster virus, of the Herpesviridae family.
6 January 2019
Synovial sarcoma
Synovial sarcoma is usually an aggressive deep seated mass presenting around large joints (80% in knee and ankle) in young...
6 January 2019
Clear cell fibrous papule
Clear cell fibrous papule is a rare variant of fibrous papule that has a clinical presentation identical to conventional fibrous...
6 January 2019
Gnathostomiasis
Human gnathostomiasis presents as larva migrans profundus, and is caused by ingesting gnathostoma larvae.
6 January 2019
Subungual melanoma
Subungual melanoma is cancer that arises from a malignant proliferation of melanocytes in the nail matrix.
6 January 2019
Lichen aureus
Lichen aureus is a distinct subtype of pigmented purpuric dermatosis.
6 January 2019
Elastofibroma
Elastofibroma usually presents on the back (usually in the subscapular region) as a poorly defined mass or pseudotumour.
15 January 2019
Intralymphatic histiocytosis
Intralymphatic histiocytosis manifests as quite non-descript erythematous patches or plaques. Autoimmune disease, malignancy, joint replacements, and rosacea appear to be aetiologic...
6 January 2019
Panfolliculoma
Panfolliculoma is a benign neoplasm of follicular differentiation that was initially described by Ackerman et al.
6 January 2019
Glomangioma
Glomangiomas (also called glomuvenous malformation) differ clinically from glomus tumors in that they occur in childhood and adolescence, are usually asymptomatic,...
6 January 2019
Combined cellular blue naevus and trichoepitheliom
Combined trichoepithelioma and cellular blue naevus is a rare lesion that may mimic melanoma clinically.Histology of combined trichoepithelioma and cellular blue...
17 January 2019
Cutaneous plasmacytosis
Cutaneous plasmacytosis presents with multiple reddish-brown nodules.
6 January 2019
Pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia in anaplastic larg
Pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia can occasionally be observed in biopsies of CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders.
6 January 2019
Lymphangioma circumscriptum
Lymphangioma circumscriptum presents on the skin surface as grapelike groups of thin-walled, translucent, lymph-filled vesicles, often compared with frog...
6 January 2019
Mycosis fungoides
IntroductionMycosis fungoides is the most common form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. It is characterised by infiltrates of lymphocytes. It has an...
6 January 2019
Melanoma series
Amelanotic melanoma
Amelanotic melanoma is a form of melanoma in which the malignant cells have little to no pigment.
12 June 2017
Genetics of melanoma
A large number of genes are being investigated for their role in melanoma, including inherited genes and genetic defects that...
3 May 2016
Melanoma in situ
Melanoma in situ is an early form of primary melanoma in which the malignant cells are confined to the tissue...
16 April 2018
Melanoma of nail unit
Melanoma of the nail unit is usually a variant of acral lentiginous melanoma (melanoma arising on the palms of the...
3 May 2016
Metastatic melanoma
Metastatic melanoma is melanoma that has spread to other sites of the body.
3 May 2016
Ocular melanoma
Ocular melanoma refers to melanoma of the eye, and accounts for about 5% of all melanomas.
3 May 2016
Spitzoid melanoma
Spitzoid melanoma is a malignant melanoma that is histologically similar to a benign skin lesion, Spitz naevus.
3 May 2016
Melanoma pathology
Most melanomas have an initial radial growth phase within the epidermis and sometimes within the papillary dermis, which may be...
3 May 2016
Melanoma research and clinical trials
Research and clinical trials increase and improve our understanding of how and why melanoma start, and who is more likely...
3 May 2016
Surviving melanoma
You’ve been diagnosed with melanoma, you’ve had it surgically cut out, and you might have received some other treatment along...
3 May 2016
Guidelines for authors
Are you interested in writing for us? DermNet New Zealand is always looking for potential authors to write on new topics. Potential authors interested in writing a new page are generally asked to write a topic page on either a disease or condition, or a treatment, product or procedure.
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