Elena I. Kasikhina

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic T-cell-mediated inflammatory disorder affecting the skin and mucous membranes, characterized by a complex pathogenesis. In the pediatric population, LP is a rare dermatosis; consequently, the scientific literature is predominantly comprised of reports describing single cases or small case series. The aim of the present review was to analyze and synthesize data on LP in children (aged 0–17 years) reported in both domestic and international literature. An electronic search was conducted across the Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) databases up to May 2026. The analysis included full-text original research articles, clinical case reports, and narrative reviews published in English and Russian. The search strategy employed the following keywords: “childhood/pediatric lichen planus, LP”, and “treatment of LP in children”. A total of 134 articles were identified using the specified keywords, of which 40 articles, published between 1993 and 2026, were selected for quantitative and qualitative analysis; of these, 37 were in English and 3 in Russian. It was determined that LP in children exhibits a distinct clinical profile and disease course compared to LP in adults, which complicates timely diagnosis and influences case registration rates. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the clinical features, course, and diagnostic approaches to the various clinical forms of the disease in children. Despite the high prevalence of this dermatosis in the general population and the wide array of available therapeutic options, no evidence-based international or national clinical guidelines exist specifically for the management of LP in children. The updating and systematization of contemporary data on the pathogenesis, risk factors, and clinical characteristics of LP in pediatric dermatovenereological practice are essential to reduce the incidence of diagnostic errors and to broaden the therapeutic possibilities for this condition.

According to epidemiological data, superficial mycoses may affect approximately 20–25% of the global population. They account for 37–40% of all dermatological diseases, which further underscores the need for discussion and development of preventive strategies both within the specialty and in an interdisciplinary context. The imperative to update approaches to timely prophylaxis and appropriately prescribed antifungal therapy is driven by the rising incidence of complications associated with long-standing dermatophytoses, as well as by recurrent mycotic infections in high-risk populations. The article analyzes 34 publications devoted to the treatment of mycoses of the feet and onychomycosis, posted on the websites of specialized foreign and Russian scientific publications. This article reviews contemporary risk factors for tinea pedis and onychomycosis, including a dynamic lifestyle, self-medication, hereditary predisposition, and comorbid conditions. Preventive measures are examined, the observance of which is critical not only for achieving optimal outcomes of antimycotic treatment but also for preventing disease recurrence. Topical agents are systematically categorized, with their potential utility as adjuncts in combination therapy for mycoses and as prophylactic tools for modifying risk factors for tinea pedis and onychomycosis. The successful management of mycosis depends not only on accurate diagnosis but also on patient adherence to prolonged treatment regimens and preventive measures, as well as on the recognition that relapses are common and are likely to necessitate further therapy. At present, robust evidence is lacking to support a long-term maintenance regimen of topical etiotropic therapy as a strategy for preventing or reducing the frequency of recurrences. Nevertheless, a number of straightforward preventive principles have been identified, which patients may adopt to improve their clinical status, achieve remission, and, over the long term, prevent the recurrence of mycosis.

Introduction . The significance and diagnostic value of examination under Wood’s lamp have been widely discussed in recent years within the dermatological community. The use of this device optimizes the clinical diagnosis of superficial fungal infections, in particular scalp mycosis, based on the appearance of characteristic fluorescence at specific wavelengths. Aim . To analyze the results of examining scalp mycosis lesions in children caused by Microsporum canis under Wood’s lamp and to evaluate the method’s effectiveness for early disease diagnosis. Materials and methods . A single-center prospective observational study was conducted. The study included data from 43 patients who received outpatient treatment and follow-up at the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology between March 2023 and October 2025. All patients were examined using a Wood’s lamp to assess for the presence of characteristic fluorescence indicative of M. canis infection. Mycological examination included microscopic analysis of hair and scale material from the lesions and bacteriological (culture-based) study on Sabouraud agar to identify the causative agent species. Results . Scalp mycosis was diagnosed across all age groups, with a slight prevalence among children aged 4 to 6 years. Patients reporting contact with domestic animals accounted for 48.8%, while family infection was implicated in 32.6%. The sensitivity of the method was 67.4%. The diagnostic method using Wood’s lamp demonstrated a statistically significant advantage in specificity (100.0%) in patients with an established epidemiological history related to animal infection and a diagnosis confirmed by culture. Conclusions . The use of Wood’s lamp can enhance the effectiveness of early diagnosis and treatment of scalp mycosis. It has been demonstrated that careful analysis of epidemiological history is important for determining further patient management tactics. Consequently, a detailed analysis of various factors influencing fluorescence has the potential to significantly improve the scalp mycosis diagnostic process and ensure the timely prescription of adequate therapy.

Introduction . According to current concepts, lichenoid pityriasis (LP) is classified as a parapsoriasis with a benign course. The disease is diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, most often in males. Studying the structure and prevalence of LP, as well as risk factors influencing the onset and progression of the acute and chronic forms of the disease in children, is highly relevant. Objective . To analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics and risk factors influencing the onset of LP in children. Materials and methods . A single-center prospective observational study was conducted. The study included data from 130 children undergoing outpatient treatment and observation at the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology from January 2022 to March 2025. Statistical analysis methods were used: the χ ² test and calculation of odds ratios (OR) with a 95 % confidence interval (CI). Results . A consistent upward trend in the incidence of LP has been observed in the Moscow pediatric population in recent years. No statistically significant differences in the incidence of acute LP depending on gender and age were found. Males in the 7–14-year age group were more susceptible to developing LP (63.8%). A high diagnostic error rate (33.1%) was observed. Statistically significant risk factors were identified: climate change for acute LP (OR = 66.25), and seasonality for chronic LP (OR = 81.14). Herpes infections were diagnosed 1.6 times more often in patients with acute LP than in those with chronic LP (χ ² 7.980; p = 0.092). Herpesvirus infection is a significant risk factor for the development of acute LP. Conclusion . Pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) and chronic pityriasis lichenoides are rare and understudied diseases. The conducted analysis of statistical data forms demonstrated a trend of increasing incidence, indicating the need to identify risk factors for the onset and progression of PL, providing timely medical care, and preventing complications. The duration of the disease depends on the speed of establishing a final diagnosis a definitive diagnosis, necessitating the development of a diagnostic algorithm.

Introduction . The relevance of this study is determined by the rarity of pityriasis lichenoides and the limited number of scientific publications describing the dermatoscopic presentation of the disease. On the one hand, identification of characteristic dermatoscopic patterns would enable clinicians to establish a presumptive diagnosis; on the other hand, it would optimize clinical diagnosis across all age groups, including cases where histopathological examination is not feasible. Aim . To analyze dermatoscopic patterns in patients with different clinical subtypes of pityriasis lichenoides . Materials and methods . The study included 60 patients (median age 13 [7; 19] years) diagnosed with pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) and pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC), who were under observation at the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology of Moscow Health Department from 2022 to 2024. All patients had Fitzpatrick skin phototype I or II. Dermatoscopic examination of the lesions was performed using 20-fold magnification. In patients with widespread skin involvement, at least two lesions were evaluated to account for all possible dermatoscopic patterns. Pattern descriptions followed the standardized terminology based on the consensus document of the International Dermoscopy Society. Results . In PLEVA, dotted vessels were visualized in 100.0% of all examined cases. Linear and/or glomerular vessels were detected in 60.0% of patients. The frequency of focal dotted vessels and glomerular vessels was statistically significant (p < 0.01) in PLEVA, whereas in PLC, the frequency of linear vessels was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The presence of light brown and yellowish structureless areas reliably (p < 0.001) indicates PLC, while targetoid lesions are more characteristic of PLEVA. Conclusion . Dermoscopy is a simple, non-invasive, and informative diagnostic method that, upon detection of characteristic dermatoscopic features, can be useful for diagnosis and determining management strategies in patients with pityriasis lichenoides prior to obtaining histopathological confirmation.

Introduction. The article is devoted to such rare skin disease as pityriasis lichenoides. The relevance of the problem is associated with the lack of clear terminology and classification in domestic pediatric practice, and as a consequence, with difficult diagnostic search. In foreign terminology, pityriasis lichenoides is a unique group of inflammatory skin diseases, including pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA), febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease (subtype of PLEVA or FUMHD) and pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC). Features of the disease are considered taking into account this classification. Objective. To present a review of current data and results of scientific studies devoted to the investigation of clinical types of pityriasis lichenoides. Results. A comprehensive review of all cases of pityriasis lichenoides in pediatric patients described in the English-language literature and published in PubMed database from 1998 to 2024 was carried out, features of epidemiology, clinical manifestations and prognosis of the disease in children were summarized. The pathogenesis of pityriasis lichenoides, including the relationship with infectious agents, drugs and immunization, was discussed, the results of scientific studies, devoted to the investigation of pityriasis lichenoides as a lymphoproliferative disease and discussing options for treatment and prognosis, were presented. Phototherapy, systemic antibacterial drugs and topical corticosteroids are the main methods of treatment for PLEVA and chronic pityriasis lichenoides, immunosuppressive agents — for FUMHD. Conclusion. Pityriasis lichenoides is a diagnostic and therapeutic problem for a dermatovenereologist. Diagnosis of the disease is based on systematization of anamnestic, clinical and laboratory data confirmed by pathomorphological examination. No specific treatment of pityriasis lichenoides has been developed. The disease is successfully treated with corticosteroids, antibiotics, immunosuppressive agents and narrow-band UVB phototherapy. The latter showed the best results. Due to the increased number of reports on the transformation of pityriasis lichenoides into T-cell lymphoma, it is important to monitor patients for the risk of developing lymphoproliferative disorders.

Relevance. Monomorphic maculopapular cutaneous mastocytosis (mMPCM) is a rare and diagnostically challenging form of cutaneous mastocytosis, often mimicking other pigmentary and papular dermatoses. The increasing incidence of mMPCM and the complexity of its differential diagnosis underscore the need for effective, non-invasive diagnostic methods. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dermoscopic features of mMPCM and compare them with findings from optical coherence tomography (OCT) and histopathological criteria, aiming to establish a non-invasive diagnostic algorithm. Materials and Methods. The study included 30 patients aged 14-30 years with mMPCM, observed at the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology, Russia from 2022 to 2024. All patients underwent clinical examination, dermoscopy, and, in selected cases, OCT imaging. Dermoscopic and OCT findings were systematically compared with histopathological results from skin biopsies. Results and Discussion. Dermoscopic examination of mMPCM lesions revealed increased yellow-brown pigmentation, preservation of skin appendages, unchanged vellus hairs, pigment pseudonetwork, and a weakly expressed asymmetric vascular pattern. Darier’s sign was more frequently detected under dermoscopy than on clinical examination. OCT imaging visualized clusters of mast cells as round or oval low-intensity signal zones, most often located in the reticular dermis, corresponding to histological mast cell infiltrates. The combination of dermoscopy and OCT allowed differentiation of mMPCM from other subtypes of cutaneous mastocytosis based on the depth and distribution of infiltrates. Notably, non-invasive methods provided valuable information for diagnosis and monitoring, reducing the need for routine biopsies. Conclusion. Integrating dermoscopy and OCT into the diagnostic workflow for mMPCM offers informative, non-invasive alternative to traditional histopathology, facilitating early and accurate diagnosis as well as monitoring of disease dynamics and therapeutic efficacy. This study is among the first to systematically compare dermoscopic and OCT findings with histopathological features in mMPCM, highlighting the unique diagnostic potential of these non-invasive techniques for rare forms of cutaneous mastocytosis.

Kerion Celsi is an acute inflammatory reaction that develops in response to the penetration of dermatophytes into hair follicles and is accompanied by a secondary bacterial infection and a reaction of the lymph nodes. The incidence of kerion in mycosis of this localization can vary from 15% to 57%. Despite the widespread distribution of dermatophytes in the pediatric population, studies in the field of etiology and diagnostics of kerion Celsi are limited and contradictory. The aim of this study is to analyze to analyze the clinical and laboratory features of kerion Celsi caused by Trichophyton tonsurans. The article describes a case of kerion Celsi caused by the anthropophilic fungus T. tonsurans . The patient received complex treatment in the conditions of the daily dermatovenereology hospital of the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology of Moscow Health Department. The development of kerion Celsi was caused by incorrect long-term use of topical glucocorticosteroids, and was also delayed due to incorrect diagnostic tactics in the outpatient setting. During the laboratory examination of the pathological material obtained from the patient, the growth of the T. tonsurans culture was not obtained. The etiological diagnosis was made based on the results of direct microscopy and PCR. Direct microscopy of the hair revealed the location of the spores as endothrix . After hospitalization in the pediatric dermatovenereology department, the patient quickly responded to treatment with oral antimycotics and antibiotics. Kerion Celsi is a difficult-to-treat form of scalp mycosis that negatively affects the quality of life of the child and family. The international and domestic experience in diagnosing kerion Celsi demonstrated in the article indicates the need to refer children with rashes on the scalp to a dermatovenereologist for timely diagnosis of mycosis and prevention of serious complications.

Introduction. Microsporum canis (M. canis) is a zoophilic dermatophyte, causative agent of human and animal dermatophytosis. Scalp mycosis caused by M. canis, accompanied by involvement of a large area of the skin, rarely develops in adults due to physiological peculiarities caused by low pH and high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids in sebum. Epidemiological data on the incidence of mycosis in adults vary from 1.5 to 44% in different countries. Late treatment, diagnostic errors and the use of topical corticosteroids contribute to the dissemination of the process. Due to the widespread increase in the number of adult cases of microsporidia infection, the situation necessitates the need to increase awareness of the medical community.Aim. To analyse the clinical and laboratory features of M. canis infection in an adult patient.Results. This article describes a case of scalp mycosis with diffuse skin lesions caused by M. canis in an adult patient. Effective treatment was delayed for a year due to incorrect clinical and laboratory diagnosis. In Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology» during the laboratory examination ial the growth of M. canis culture was obtained. Direct microscopy revealed the location of spores as an ectothrix. Treatment with systemic itraconazole according to a continuous scheme gave a positive result within six weeks.Conclusion. Scalp mycosis with extensive involvement of the trunk and extremities caused by M. canis is clinically uncommon in adults in most regions, emphasising the difficulty in diagnosing widespread dermatophyte infection in this clinical example. In cases presenting with extensive erythema with scaling on the scalp and trunk, fungal infection should be excluded. Careful collection of epidemiological history including migration, animal contact and physical examination for broken hairs, luminescent diagnosis and mycological investigations are required.

Mastocytosis is a heterogeneous group of diseases with accumulation of clonal mast cells in tissues. Mastocytosis is characterized by complex pathogenesis, diverse clinical picture and ambiguous prognosis. Complex molecular mechanisms, multiorgan damage and variable clinical course require interdisciplinary approaches to diagnostics and development of treatment strategy for mastocytosis. In patients with symptoms associated with mast cell mediators, strict avoidance of any triggers leading to activation and degranulation of mast cells is of great importance. Treatment of cutaneous mastocytosis in children does not have standard recommendations and should consider the clinical form and type of cutaneous mastocytosis, severity of mediator symptoms, age, concomitant and comorbid diseases. Etiotropic drug therapy for cutaneous mastocytosis has not yet been developed, therefore, in pediatric practice, agents for symptomatic treatment of the disease are used. The article systematizes the data of international experience in the management of children with cutaneous and systemic mediator symptoms of varying severity. The characteristics (mechanism of action, indications) of groups of antimediator drugs most often used in outpatient pediatric practice are given. Emphasis is placed on the need to correct the level of vitamin D in children with mastocytosis. Data on the perioperative management of children with cutaneous mastocytosis are analyzed. Skin care and external therapy are relevant for clinical forms of the disease, accompanied by the formation of weals, bullae and itching. Observation of children should be carried out by specialists-dermatovenerologists and allergists-immunologists, with experience in working with this pathology. Children with cutaneous mastocytosis may require psychological or psychiatric help. Families of patients should be informed about the clinical features, the need for dynamic observation, the relevance of preventive and symptomatic therapy, and the prognosis of the disease. Timely prescribed anti-mediator therapy will prevent the development of severe mediator symptoms, improve the quality of life, and improve the prognosis in children with cutaneous mastocytosis.