[Wounds and dermatoses]

Wounds are a hallmark of various skin diseases. Most patients with wounds suffer from chronic venous insufficiency or other vascular diseases. Autoimmune, infective, metabolic, malignant, some psychiatric and diseases caused by environmental factors like radiation, present with skin and mucosal erosions and ulcerations. Lichen planus, lichen sclerosus, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Kaposi sarcoma, genodermatoses like Hailey-Hailey and Darier's disease belong to different dermatological entities, they have different etiology, pathogenesis and clinical presentation, but at some stage ulcerations and erosions dominate through the disease course as a result of complications of untreated disease or as part of a complex clinical presentation. Wounds demand a different multidisciplinary therapeutic approach, sometimes even in intensive care unit, where special care is available. Most patients are followed-up to avoid fatal complications like sepsis, as well as a potential malignant transformation of cells in the environment of chronic inflammation. Wounds are found in female genital lichen planus and lichen sclerosus. Oral lichen planus has a potential for malignant transformation and is considered a precancerous disease. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is a life threatening disease similar to burns. Wounds cover most of the body surface as well as mucosa. The high mortality rate is due to complications like sepsis, loss of thermoregulation, electrolyte and fluid disbalance and shock. Chronic wounds are also a hallmark of skin tumors and other skin malignancies like Kaposi sarcoma and lymphoma. The primary treatment goal in genodermatoses like epidermolysis bullosa is wound care, and to a less extent in other inherited skin diseases like Hailey-Hailey and Darier's disease wound healing is important for sustaining a good quality of life in affected individuals.