Background:The plexiform schwannoma, a peripheral nerve sheath tumor, is a very rare entity. But dermatologists should be familiar with since they may be the first who make diagnosis possible by taking a deep biopsy. Main observation:A 24-year-old male presented with multiple asymptomatic subcutaneous nodules of the palmar side of his right hand. Histologic investigations revealed a plexiform schwannoma with numerous Antoni-A areas. There was no evidence of neurofibromatosis type 1 or 2.Conclusions: Plexiform schwannoma of the hand is a rare nerve sheath tumor. In individual (symptomatic) cases hand surgery is an option that needs a critical indication. In every case histologic investigations are mandatory to confirm the diagnosis and not to overlook the malignant variant of this disease.

Background:Solitary and multiple glomus tumors are vascular tumors arising from glomus cells. These two forms have distinct clinical and histopathological features, suggesting that they might have a different pathogenesis. The multiple form is less frequent than the solitary form. Its diagnosis and treatment are more problematic and often delayed.Main observation:We present the case of a 40-year-old patient, with a 20-year history of numerous non-tender disseminated blue papules. At the age of 30 years one of the lesions was excised and than regrew and became painful. The histological exam of the lesions was consistent with glomangioma, also known as glomus tumor. We performed surgical resection of the nodular and painful lesions.Conclusion:The diagnosis of glomus tumor is easily suspected when the lesion is painful located in the subungual region. However, if the lesions are multiple and extradigitally located, the clinical diagnosis may be difficult and requires having in mind this differential diagnosis. Our case also shows that glomus tumors may regrow after excision in the same location.

Background: Pilomatrixoma is a benign tumor of the hair follicle that can transform into a malignant lesion, the pilomatrix carcinoma. We present an unusual case of an eyelid pilomatrixoma. Main observation: A 37-year-old white male presented with rapidly growing, pedunculated lesion located at the superior right eyelid of five months duration. The lesion was excised under local anaesthesia. The sample was fixed in 10% formalin and histopathological as well as immunohistochemical analyses were performed. Results of both examinations were consistent with a benign pilomatrixoma. Conclusions: Even though the lesion had malignant clinical appearance, histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of a benign pilomatrixoma, supporting the decision not to make a more extensive surgery.

Background: Diagnosis of hair shaft abnormalities is based on light microscopic examination of more than 50 plucked hairs. The aim of this study was to verify whether hair shaft abnormalities may be visualized by trichoscopy (hair and scalp videodermoscopy) and to analyze trichoscopic features of common genetic hair shaft dysplasias. Method: Patients with known genetic hair shaft disorders were included into the study. Trichoscopy was performed with the use of Fotofinder II videodermoscope. Images performed at 20-fold and 70-fold magnification were analysed. In selected cases 160-fold magnification was used for better visualization of hair shafts. Results: Our results show that characteristic light microscopy features of Netherton syndrome, monilethrix, woolly hair syndrome, pili torti, pili annulati and trichothiodystrophy may be visualized by trichoscopy. Conclusion: Genetic hair shaft abnormalities may be diagnosed by trichoscopy in a single diagnostic session without the need of plucking or cutting them for diagnostic purposes.