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Multiple congenital symmetric skin dimples
Annarosa Virgili1, Giulio Tosti, Vincenzo Bettoli
1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Dermatology, University of Ferrara, Italy. vri@unife.it
Insights
This case study details a premature infant with rare, symmetrical skin dimples on the shoulders, elbows, and sacral region. The cause remains unknown, but the child shows normal development, highlighting a unique presentation of congenital cutaneous depressions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Clinical Case Reports
- Genetics
Background:
- Skin dimples are typically found on the face and often considered a benign genetic trait.
- However, cutaneous dimples have been associated with various congenital syndromes, infections, metabolic disorders, and trauma.
- The etiology of congenital skin dimples can be diverse and sometimes remains undetermined.
Observation:
- A premature male infant presented at 2 months with symmetrical skin dimples on the shoulders, elbows, and sacral area.
- This presentation is unusual, as dimples are rarely observed in these locations.
- Maternal drug exposure, infections, and traumatic events were excluded as potential causes.
Findings:
- The patient exhibited congenital, symmetrical cutaneous depressions in three distinct body regions.
- Despite the unusual presentation, the underlying etiology could not be identified.
- At a 3-year follow-up, the child demonstrated normal psychophysical development.
Implications:
- This case represents the first reported instance of congenital symmetrical dimples in these specific multiple locations.
- It underscores the importance of considering a broad differential diagnosis for congenital skin dimples, even in the absence of other syndromic features.
- Further research may be needed to understand the genetic or developmental pathways involved in such rare presentations.
Abstract:
Skin dimples are seldom observed in sites other than the face. We report on a male premature child who was seen at the age of 2 months for the evaluation of cutaneous depressions symmetrically located on the shoulders, elbows and in the sacral region. Skin dimples have sometimes been considered a benign autosomal dominant trait. However, several authors have reported these cutaneous defects in a variety of conditions like congenital syndromes, infections, inborn errors of metabolism and mechanical trauma. In our case, the aetiology is unknown, even though maternal drug or infective exposure can reasonably be excluded as well as traumatic events. At a 3-year follow-up, the patient shows a normal psychophysical development. This appears to be the first case of a child presenting congenital, symmetric dimples in three different areas.