Vermen Verallo-Rowell

VMV Skin Research Centre + Clinics · Also: Head Dermatopathology Section, and Head of Culture Section, Makati Medical Center, Adjunct Research Professor University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health

Universal nosocomial infection guidelines require that healthcare personnel follow a standardized hand washing procedure before and after all patient contact. Several factors, however, contribute to poor compliance. These include: the hospital setup of excessive patient load yet few and distant wash stations; and skin dryness due to repeated hand w...

Background Novel agents with good safety profiles are needed in the management of chronic kidney disease–associated pruritus (CKD‐AP). This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of topical gabapentin in the treatment of CKD‐AP. Methods The authors conducted a randomized, double‐blind, vehicle‐controlled study. The key inclusion criteria wer...

Night shift workers may have a disrupted circadian rhythm, which may contribute to the development of skin disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the prevalence and severity of self-reported skin disease between “regular” day shift workers compared to “graveyard” night shift workers. We cond...

Purpose of Review Studies show frequent usage but low adherence rates and poor satisfaction from topical therapy for psoriasis. These were attributed to low efficacy, inconvenience of application, and poor cosmetic quality for different body parts. Recent Findings Multicenter surveys on patients suggest a two-way holistic approach, where patients...

Patients with melasma may have a subclinical photosensitivity from low-dose photosensitizers reacting to low-energy indoor lights. Relevant are the following: (1) indoor lights emit low-dose visible light (VL), near infrared radiation (NIR), and ultraviolet rays (UV); (2) the principle of “cumulative damage” that repeated exposure to sub-erythemal...

Natural oils include mineral oil with emollient, occlusive, and humectant properties and the plant-derived essential, coconut, and other vegetable oils, composed of triglycerides that microbiota lipases hydrolyze into glycerin, a potent humectant, and fatty acids (FAs) with varying physico-chemical properties. Unsaturated FAs have high linoleic aci...

The validated hypoallergenic (vh) rating system was initiated in 1988 to try to objectively validate the "hypoallergenic" claim in cosmetics. To show how the system rates cosmetic hypoallergenicity and to compare the prevalence of cosmetic contact dermatitis (CCD) among users of regular cosmetics versus cosmetics with high VH numbers. (1) Made a VH...

The efficacy of the combination of 20% azelaic acid cream and 0.05% tretinoin cream in the treatment of melasma was compared with that of 20% azelaic acid cream alone in an open-label randomized study (n = 50). Over the 6-month treatment period both treatments yielded approximately 73% therapeutically meaningful (rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’) res...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) skin is dry and readily colonized by Staphylococcus aureus (SA). Coconut and olive oils are traditionally used to moisturize and treat skin infections. To compare virgin coconut oil (VCO) and virgin olive oil (VOO) in moisturizing dryness and removing SA from colonized AD skin. This was a double-blind controlled trial in two...

Melasma is an acquired, chronic hypermelanosis for which therapy remains a challenge. To compare the efficacy and safety of a triple combination [TC: fluocinolone acetonide 0.01%, hydroquinone (HQ) 4%, tretinoin 0.05%] vs. HQ 4% after 8 weeks of treatment of moderate to severe facial melasma in Asian patients. This was a multicentre, randomized, co...

Coconut oil, a traditional moisturizer used for centuries by people in the tropics, does not have any clinical studies documenting its effectivity and safety. This study aims to determine effectivity and safety of coconut oil compared to mineral oil as moisturizer for mild to moderate xerosis. A review board-approved randomized double-blind control...

Although consistently associated with sun exposure, melasma is common among sun-shy Filipino women who generally prefer to have lighter skin, use skin lighteners, regularly practice sun avoidance, and are more exposed to indoor lights. To determine presence/absence of photocontact dermatitis in melasma/no-melasma patients using photopatch testing (...

A cross-sectional laboratory study to determine the in vitro sensitivity and resistance of organisms in culture isolates from skin infections and mechanisms of action of monolaurin, a coconut lauric acid derivative, compared with 6 common antibiotics: penicillin, oxacillin, fusidic acid, mupirocin, erythromycin, and vancomycin. Skin culture samples...

Xerosis is a common skin condition (1) characterized by dry, rough, scaly, and itchy skin, (2) associated with a defect in skin barrier function, and (3) treated with moisturizers. People in the tropics have effectively used coconut oil as a traditional moisturizer for centuries. Recently, the oil also has been shown to have skin antiseptic effects...

Patch testing with dust mite antigens might identify mite-sensitive individuals, particularly those with atopic dermatitis who can benefit from avoidance measures. Currently available dust mite allergens have not been well studied. To determine the proper dilution of 20% Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/farinae mix antigen (Chemotechnique, Malmo, Swe...

Background: Patch testing with dust mite antigens might identify mite-sensitive individuals, particularly those with atopic dermatitis who can benefit from avoidance measures. Currently available dust mite allergens have not been well studied. Objective: To determine the proper dilution of 20%Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/farinaemix antigen (Chemo...

The hands have been identified as a major factor in the transfer of bacteria and the spread of disease. Universal precautions require that health care personnel wash their hands before and after patient contact. Hand washing is considered as the most important single procedure for preventing nosocomial infections. In the Philippines, there is poor...

Melasma is a macular facial hyperpigmentation seen in all (but more commonly in brown) skin colour types exposed to the sun. At different wavelengths, ultraviolet (UV) radiation produces hyperpigmentation by various mechanisms. A broad spectrum sunscreen is used in the treatment of and as protection against the pigmentary disorder. Sunscreens with...

The efficacy of a 20% azelaic acid (AzA) cream in the treatment of epidermal and epidermo-dermal melasma was compared with that of a 2% hydroquinone (HQ) cream in a randomized, double-blind study involving 340 patients. Both treatments were used in conjunction with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Over the 24-week treatment, period the 20% AzA cream (68...

Melasma is a macular hypermelanosis of the sun-exposed areas of the face and neck. The clinical efficacy of azelaic acid (20%) and hydroquinone creams (2%) in the treatment of this benign pigmentary disorder was compared in a randomized, double-blind study with 155 patients of Indo-Malay-Hispanic origin. The creams were applied twice daily. A broad...