Vesiculobullous Hailey-Hailey disease: successful treatment with oral retinoids.

Author(s): Hunt MJ, Salisbury EL, Painter DM, Lee S

Affiliation(s): Department of Dermatology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.

Publication date & source: 1996-11, Australas J Dermatol., 37(4):196-8.

Publication type: Case Reports

A 56-year-old male presented with a pruritic, generalized vesiculobullous eruption. His past history revealed classical symptoms of limited Hailey-Hailey disease for 34 years. Clinically, vesicles, bullae and occasional pustules were present and multiple biopsies confirmed this to be an unusual presentation of Hailey-Hailey disease. Various therapeutic modalities including topical and oral antibiotics, oral prednisone and dapsone failed to achieve sustained remission. Treatment with low-dose oral etretinate (25 mg daily) produced marked clinical improvement with complete suppression of new vesicle formation after 6 weeks.