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Understanding and Working with Traditional Beliefs, Cultures, and Practices (Cupping, Coining, and Other Ethno-Dermatoses)

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Skin Disorders in Migrants

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Abstract

Cultural practices in members of ethnic groups can be associated with skin lesions or skin disease. Some of the skin lesions derive from peculiar cosmetic practices, such as acquired ochronosis, alopecia, and follicular-occlusive disturbances. Others are linked to traditional medical practices, or to anthropological and ritual reasons, such as female genital mutilation and keloids resulting from perforation.

The particular mobility of these populations renders difficult to perform correct diagnosis and follow-up. Overall, the cultural behaviors include cosmetic habits, traditional medical practices, anthropological and ritual motives, and psychocultural motives.

Coin rubbing, cupping, and moxibustion are all common alternative medicine practices performed in Asian populations that can lead to dermatologic lesions.

Capsaicin dermatitis caused by chili peppers is seen in the Hispanic population, which commonly used chili peppers as a condiment. When they are handled barehanded, chili peppers often cause burning pain, erythema, and irritation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS IFO, Rome, Italy

    Aldo Morrone

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  1. Aldo Morrone
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Correspondence to Aldo Morrone .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS IFO, Rome, Italy

    Aldo Morrone

  2. International Foundation for Dermatology, London, UK

    Roderick Hay

  3. Foundation Global Dermatology, Munnekeburen, Friesland, The Netherlands

    Bernard Naafs

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Morrone, A. (2020). Understanding and Working with Traditional Beliefs, Cultures, and Practices (Cupping, Coining, and Other Ethno-Dermatoses). In: Morrone, A., Hay, R., Naafs, B. (eds) Skin Disorders in Migrants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37476-1_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37476-1_24

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-37475-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-37476-1

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