title: Histopathological features associated with application of black salve to cutaneous lesions: a series of 16 cases and review of the literature.
abstract: To document the histopathological features of self-treatment of cutaneous lesions with the escharotic agent black salve.
  
  
  
  Retrospective review of cutaneous lesions treated with black salve retrieved from the files of four pathology practices in Western Australia and review of the published literature.
  
  
  
  16 lesions from 11 patients who self administered black salve for the treatment of skin lesions were reviewed. Clinical diagnoses at the time of biopsy included scar, keloid scar, pseudomelanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous necrosis. Histopathological features identified in our series included scarring, granulomatous inflammation, implanted foreign material, reactive stromal atypia and suppurative necrosis. Residual neoplasia was present in two of 16 cases, including a basal cell carcinoma and a melanocytic naevus. An additional 13 lesions in 10 patients were identified in the medical literature, including cases with poor cosmetic outcomes and cases of malignant tumours masked by uncontrolled escharotic treatment.
  
  
  
  Availability of black salve through easily accessible internet sites appears to be associated with persisting use of this agent for the self-management of cutaneous lesions. Awareness of the potential complications and range of histopathological features associated with self-administration of escharotic agents is of importance to dermatologists and histopathologists.
authors.affiliation: *PathWest Laboratory Medicine, and School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Crawley †Clinipath Pathology, West Perth ‡Western Dermatology and Department of Dermatology, Royal Perth Hospital §Dermatopathology WA, Cottesloe, and School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Tamazin N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Leecy
authors.forename: Trevor W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Nathan T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: S Prasad
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kumarasinghe
authors.forename: Dugald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCallum
authors.forename: Lawrence L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D031681:Sanguinaria; D012651:Self Medication; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts