This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Dermatologic Disorders, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic

Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:235-240.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Diagnosis: Focal acral hyperkeratosis (FAH).

MICROSCOPIC FINDINGS

The punch biopsy specimen revealed acral skin with a zone of massive expansion of the cornified layer by orthoparakeratotic material overlying a cuplike depression of the epidermis, notable for hypergranulosis. The dermis was unremarkable, and the results of Verhoeff–van Gieson staining were normal.

DISCUSSION

Marginal papular acrokeratodermas are characterized by keratotic papules that develop along the borders of the hands and feet. Focal acral hyperkeratosis is a rare type of marginal papular acrokeratoderma that shares many clinical and histologic features with acrokeratoelastoidosis (AKE).^1-2 Both disorders tend to present in childhood or adolescence with firm, translucent, round to polygonal papules with a smooth or umbilicated surface. The papules frequently involve the thenar and hypothenar eminences, the volar aspects of the wrists, or the dorsal and lateral phalangeal surfaces and are generally symmetrical. Histologically, both FAH and AKE are characterized by orthohyperkeratosis overlying focal cuplike depressions of the epidermis, and both may be . . . [Full Text of this Article]

RELATED ARTICLE

Papules Overlying the Finger Joints—Quiz Case
Alvin R. Cabrera, Amy E. Gilliam, and Ilona J. Frieden
Arch Dermatol. 2006;142(2):235-240.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT