'Skin popping' ulceration in an HIV patient. Successful treatment with antiretroviral drugs and stanozolol.

Int J STD AIDS. 2002 Jul;13(7):508-9.

'Skin popping' ulceration in an HIV patient. Successful treatment with
antiretroviral drugs and stanozolol.

Redondo P, Molano E, Lloret P, Bauza A.

Departments of Dermatology and Internal Medicine, University Clinic of Navarra,
School of Medicine, Pamplona, Spain.

Skin popping refers to the practice of injecting drugs beneath the skin without
concern for vascular access. We describe a male HIV seropositive injecting-drug
user with chronic cutaneous ulcerations on the legs at sites of skin popping.
Treatment with antiretroviral drugs and stanozolol was associated with a striking
clinical improvement of the ulcer in two weeks. The mechanism of action,
improvement of immune function by the antiretroviral treatment or activity of
stanozolol on collagen and transforming growth factor-beta1 synthesis, remains
unknown.