Cutaneous sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis, a multisystem disease of unknown etiology, remains enigmatic in modern medicine. Skin involvement happens in < 20% of patients with this disease. Yet, when it occurs, it can be virtually diagnostic or it can be so baffling and obtuse as to test the diagnostic skills of virtually any clinical dermatologist. Clinically, sarcoidosis can mimic many conditions, in a manner similar to syphilis. Therefore, the astute clinician must always consider cutaneous sarcoidosis in diagnosing both obscure and ;;obvious'' diseases, such as folliculitis.
Epstein
William L
WL
Department of Dermatology, University of California-San Francisco, USA. wle@itsa.ucsf.edu