Case Report: Successful Use of Minoxidil to Promote Facial Hair Growth in an Adolescent Transgender Male

Increasing numbers of trans and gender diverse young people are presenting to health services seeking gender-affirming medical care. While testosterone therapy in transgender males is generally effective in inducing masculinization, some adolescents encounter barriers to accessing such treatment or may not wish to experience all the changes that usually accompany testosterone. Here, we describe the case of a 17 year old trans male who presented with gender dysphoria but was initially unable to start testosterone therapy. Due to a desire for facial hair, he was therefore treated with topical minoxidil, an easily accessible, over-the-counter medication that has been used to treat androgenic alopecia for several decades. In this case, minoxidil was applied regularly to the lower face and, after three months of treatment, he developed obvious pigmented facial hair that was sufficient to help him avoid being misgendered. The only reported side effect was excessive skin dryness. Unexpectedly, despite no direct application to other areas, there was also an increase in pigmented body hair, suggestive of systemic absorption and effect. Given its long-standing use and safety record in the management of alopecia, minoxidil might thus represent a useful treatment option for trans males who desire an increase in facial hair.

Understanding Uncontrolled Eating After Bariatric Surgery: The Role of Excessive Skin and Body Image Shame

Excess skin and disordered eating behaviors are referred to as some of the major negative consequences of bariatric surgery as well as body image shame. This study sought to explore how discomfort with excessive skin, body image shame, psychological distress, eating-related psychopathology, and negative urgency interact to understand uncontrolled eating among woman submitted to bariatric surgery. A cross-sectional sample of 137 women was evaluated postoperatively through self-report questionnaires assessing discomfort with excess skin, body image shame, eating-related psychopathology, negative urgency, and uncontrolled eating in a hospital center in the north of Portugal. Pearson correlations and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were performed. Body image shame mediated the relationship between discomfort with excess skin and eating-related psychopathology. In turn, the relationship between eating-related psychopathology and uncontrolled eating was mediated by negative urgency. This study highlights the impact of excess skin and body image shame on eating behavior post-bariatric-surgery. Considering the proven impact of uncontrolled eating on weight-loss results post-surgery, understanding the mechanisms underlying this problem is highly important. Our findings provide helpful insight for multidisciplinary teams committed to providing care to bariatric patients struggling with body image and eating difficulties.

Do static and dynamic activities induce potentially damaging breast skin strain?

Background/AimThis study aimed to quantify breast skin strain and strain rate and the effect of support garments at reducing strain and to determine characteristics that correlate with strain during static and dynamic activity.Methods39 women (UK size 32C to 36G) had electromagnetic sensors applied to their breast skin. Sensor coordinates were recorded while standing, walking, running, in no, low and high breast support conditions, plus bare-breasted in the estimated neutral position to calculate strain. Relative breast coordinates and 35 inter-sensor distances identified peak breast skin strain (%) and strain rate (%·s-1), which were then correlated with nipple kinematics, breast pain and participant characteristics.ResultsMean peak breast skin strain was generally <60% during standing, walking and running; however, some individuals exhibited 93% strain in bare-breasted running. Compared with low support, high support did not further reduce strain during standing and walking. Peak breast skin strain/strain rate location was longitudinal, in lateral and medial breast regions and displayed strong correlations with breast volume, body mass index and bust circumference.ConclusionStatic and dynamic activity did not result in excessive breast skin strain, suggesting low risk of skin damage. However, during running, some individuals experienced excessive skin strains (up to 93%) and strain rates (up to 1258%·s-1). Breast skin strain/strain rate location suggests lift is required in the lateral and medial bra cup to reduce strain, particularly in larger breast volumes due to increased skin strain risk.

Outcomes of male circumcision performed by medical doctors and non–doctor health workers in central Uganda

Objective: Task shifting for male circumcision is still a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of circumcision conducted by doctors compared to non-doctors in Kampala, UgandaResults: In this prospective cohort study, we observed and followed 274 males at 3 health facilities in Kampala, Uganda. Each participant was observed during the circumcision procedure, monitored for 2 hours post-surgery and assessed at 24hours, 3 days and after one week for adverse events. The mean age of the circumcised men was 24.82 (6.36) years. Of the circumcisions, 19.3% (53/274) were carried out by doctors while 80.7% (221/274) by non-doctor health workers. About 5.47% (15/274) experienced adverse events and the proportions by cadre were similar; medical doctors (5.66% [3/53]) and non-doctor health workers (5.43% [12/221]), p=0.99. Seven patients had evidence of pus discharge (all had been operated by non-doctors), only 2 patients had bleeding at 2 hours (one by medical doctor and one by non-doctor), 4 patients had evidence of excessive skin removal (2 by medical doctor vs 2 by non-doctors). There was no reported urethral injury or glans amputation. These results indicate that non-doctor health workers can offer circumcision services safely with low adverse event rates.

Surgical Management of the Thick-Skinned Nose

When executed properly, open structure rhinoplasty can dramatically improve the consistency, durability, and quality of the cosmetic surgical outcome. Moreover, in expert hands, dramatic transformations in skeletal architecture can be accomplished with minimal risk and unparalleled control, all while preserving nasal airway function. While skeletal enhancements have become increasingly more controlled and precise, the outer skin-soft tissue envelope (SSTE) often presents a formidable obstacle to a satisfactory cosmetic result. In noses with unusually thick skin, excessive skin volume and characteristically hostile healing responses frequently combine to obscure or sometimes even negate cosmetic skeletal modifications and taint the surgical outcome. For this challenging patient subgroup, care must be taken to optimize the SSTE using a graduated treatment strategy directed at minimizing skin thickness and controlling unfavorable healing responses. When appropriate efforts are implemented to manage thick nasal skin, cosmetic outcomes are often substantially improved, sometimes even negating the ill-effects of thick skin altogether.

Surgical excision of skin folds from the head of a goldfish Carassius auratus (Linnaeus 1758)

Goldfish Oranda very often exhibit skin overgrown folds in the dorsal head area. In many cases, these folds extend laterally towards the periocular area resulting in tunnel vision and thus stress of the fish. A goldfish, about four years old, with overgrown skin folds around its eyes underwent a surgical excision of these folds. Prior to surgery and the last three consecutive days the fish was treated with the wide spectrum antibiotic nifurpirinol (Aquafuran) by bath. After the fish was anaesthetized with phenoxyethanol, the excessive skin folds were excised with a scalpel. Histological examination of the excised skin revealed hyperplasia of the epidermis and excessive subcutaneous fat tissue. During the first 24 hours after surgery the fish started to eat. In the next few days, its appetite and overall behaviour showed significant improvement compared to those prior to the operation, while almost 12 months post operation, no new skin folds appeared around the eyes, a fact that indicates that the operation improved the life of the fish.

The Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System Facelift: A Prudent Balance of Risks and Benefits

Over the decades, facelifting has not escaped the natural history of trends and fads. And, as a profession, facial plastic surgery has not avoided falling into the trap of following corporate initiated technology, rather than leading common-sense methodologies to rejuvenating the aging face. The author is often reminded of a truism to which he was introduced in the 1980s. “When there are many ways of doing things, all of them work; or none of them work.” Undeniably, any procedure that lifts and removes excessive skin of the face and neck “works.” However, the questions that must be answered by leading teachers of facelifting surgery are: How well does a given technique work? How long-lasting are the results? Where does the risk–benefit curve cross over from optimal benefits to unacceptable risks? At what stage in a given patient's aging process are more aggressive techniques called for? At what stage in a surgeon's career should more invasive techniques be attempted, if ever? This article addresses the preceding questions as they relate to the contribution made by the superficial musculoaponeurotic fascia in repositioning sagging tissues of the face and neck.