Granuloma annulare in childhood

Granuloma annulare is a benign, common, inflammatory skin lesion of unknown etiology that is seen in both adults and children. The typical lesions are single or multiple small cutaneous papules with an annular distribution. T he histology is consistent with an area of fibrinoid degeneration of collag en, surrounded by palisading histiocytes and inflammatory cells. There are four clinically distinct subtypes: localized, generalized, subcutaneous and perforating. Usually a spontaneous resolution is expected. Many medical tr eatments have been proposed but without evidence of efficacy. The associati on with insulin dependant diabetes is still being discussed. (C) 1999 Elsev ier, Paris.