Transient acantholytic dermatosis

Synonym:

Grover's disease

Transient acantholytic dermatosis is an acquired disease showing acantholytic dyskeratosis very similar to that seen in keratosis follicularis (Darier's disease) and benign familial chronic pemphigus (Hailey-Hailey disease).
Usually on the trunk of middle-aged men, there is a sudden eruption of pruritic erythematous scaling papules, coalescing into plaques. Many lesions have an eroded surface from the breakage of subclinical or clinical vesicles.
Sweating is a known precipitating factor.
Usually clearing within months, some eruptions run a more chronic relapsing course.

Treatment:

• The disease is eventually self-limited and often no treatment is needed, other than moderate strength topical glucocorticoids if there is significant pruritus.
• Systemic retinoids or PUVA have been reported to be helpful in more severe cases.
• Case reports show benefit from calciprotriol

Back to Dermatology Glossary - T Index   |   Back to Dermatology Glossary Index