Papular elastorrhexis: report of four cases and review of literature

Papular elastorrhexis is a rare cutaneous disorder; only 27 cases have been reported before the present review. We added four new cases, and reviewed the published literature in both English and Chinese language. To data, 31 cases have been reported, in the range of 4–40 years (n = 31, median 20 years, mean age 19.5 years). Among them, only a familial cluster was reported, the ratio of male/female was 11:20. The age for the first detection of the lesions was from 3 to 35.5 years (n = 26, median age 14 years, mean age 15.3 years). The duration between the initial detection of the lesion to consultation was from 3 weeks to 20 years (n = 27, median time 1 year, mean time 3.1 years). Of the 26 patients with details, 9 detected their initial lesions in the first decade, 11 in the second decade, 5 in the third decade and only 1 older than 30 years. Twenty out of 31 patients showed nonfollicular papules while the rest had been not mentioned the condition. The lesions may distribute over trunk, limbs, and rarely on shoulders, scalp, face, mandibula, retroauricular region, occipitocervical, neck, armpits, thighs. Histopathological examination shows focal loss or decrease of elastic fibers, that may also appear thin and fragmented. There may be mild perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate in the dermis. The collagen bundles can be thickened and homogenized, or normal. No suggestive therapies were proposed at present.