Transient acantholytic dermatosis.

A series of twenty-four cases of transient acantholytic dermatosis (TAD) is presented. All patients were male and their eruptions tended to be more persistent than those of previously reported cases. The epidermal changes included four patterns of acantholysis, of which the pemphigus-like pattern was associated with the more persistent eruptions. Although twenty-three of the twenty-four patients had other actinic-associated skin lesions, no direct relationship between the onset of TAD and episodes of excessive sun exposure was found. Oral vitamin A treatment has been effective in some cases.