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Luo Hong
Dermatology Department
About me
Dermatology deputy director, associate chief physician, associate professor, chief attending physician for cosmetology. Graduated from Guangxi Medical University with a full-time master's degree. Engaged in clinical medical and teaching work for more than 10 years, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and skin laser cosmetology. Particularly skilled in disfiguring skin diseases such as acne, rosacea, and facial dermatitis; immune-related skin diseases such as psoriasis, vitiligo, chronic urticaria, and eczema; facial rejuvenation treatments such as laser cosmetology, fruit acid cosmetology, and hyaluronic acid injection. Published more than 10 papers in national core journals including the "Chinese Journal of Dermatology and Venereology," participated in 1 project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation, 1 provincial-level project, and presided over 1 project of the Provincial Health Department. Main research areas: skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, skin laser cosmetology, and facial rejuvenation.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in disfiguring skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, and facial dermatitis; immune-related skin diseases such as psoriasis, vitiligo, chronic urticaria, and eczema; facial rejuvenation treatments such as laser aesthetics, fruit acid treatments, and water light injection beauty.
Voices
Can syphilis be completely cured?
Syphilis can generally be completely cured nowadays, except neurosyphilis which is somewhat harder to treat, as ordinary syphilis is curable and neurosyphilis may relapse occasionally. However, most current cases of syphilis fall into categories of latent, primary, or secondary syphilis. Tertiary syphilis is less common, and forms such as neurosyphilis and osteal syphilis belong to this stage. Therefore, when treated at a regular hospital with a standard treatment regimen, primarily using penicillin, administered as a long-acting intramuscular injection once a week, the recommended course of treatment usually consists of three to four weeks. If there is an allergy to penicillin, doxycycline can be used as an oral substitute for half a month.
Syphilis IgM negative represents what?
Syphilis IgM negative, which is primarily screened using the ELISA method. Generally, a negative IgM can temporarily rule out syphilis. If still uncertain, further confirmatory syphilis tests can be conducted, such as TPPA (Treponema Pallidum Particle Agglutination) or TPHA (Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutination). Usually, syphilis can be temporarily dismissed if IgM is negative. However, if symptoms of a primary chancre are present, such as genital ulcers, an early Syphilis IgM might be negative. In such cases where symptoms are clear but IgM is negative, it is typically advised to retest after one month. If the result turns positive, a confirmatory test should be performed to diagnose and treat syphilis.
Can syphilis antibodies be detected during the hard chancre stage?
During the hard chancre phase of syphilis, a portion of cases can test positive for Treponema pallidum, although some tests may return negative results. In such cases, it is advisable to retest after one month. The earliest detectable antibodies for Treponema pallidum are usually of two types: a Treponema pallidum-specific antibody, which appears earlier than the non-specific antibodies. There are tests for non-specific antibodies, commonly referred to as RPR or TRUST, which are standard practices in major hospitals. Therefore, in early-stage syphilis or primary syphilis with hard chancre, it is possible to find Treponema pallidum-specific antibodies positive, RPR or TRUST negative, or both negative. If syphilis is strongly suspected in such cases, a retest is recommended after one month.
Can genital herpes in women heal by itself?
Genital herpes has an intermittent onset because herpes cannot be said to be cured and never recurs. The herpes virus congregates at the sacral nerve roots in the human body. Therefore, when immunity is low, the virus travels along the sacral nerve root to the surface of the skin, causing damage in spots, commonly known as a recurrence of herpes. Thus, genital herpes does not heal on its own; it is merely in a quiescent phase of an outbreak. Therefore, genital herpes is generally harder to treat in females than in males because the female body has a cavity, and herpes inside the cavity may not be visible.
Can gonorrhea relapse?
Gonorrhea (gonococcus) is caused by a bacterial infection. If it is an initial infection of gonococcus, it can be completely cured using sensitive antibiotics in the prescribed treatment course at a standard hospital. However, if the medication is used irregularly or intermittently by oneself, this can easily lead to drug resistance in gonococcus. Therefore, if drug resistance in gonococcus occurs, the effectiveness of the treatment is relatively poor. Hence, it is crucial to receive treatment at a standard hospital through formal medical procedures. Of course, if it is recurrent gonococcal infection, repeated infections may require a longer treatment course.
Gonorrhea and syphilis symptoms
Gonorrhea infection, if in males, generally presents with significant urethral irritation including symptoms such as urethral discharge, frequent urination, urgent urination, and pain during urination. However, in females with gonorrhea, it may cause increased vaginal discharge and an unusual odor, but many women with gonorrhea do not exhibit any symptoms. As for syphilis, if it is primary syphilis, ulcers may appear on the genitals, lips, or other body parts, known as chancres. In typical secondary syphilis, pinkish-red rashes may appear on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, usually without itching, although rashes may also occur on the trunk and might not be itchy. Additionally, many cases of syphilis remain latent and show no clear symptoms.
Can genital herpes be completely cured without recurrence?
Genital herpes is difficult to completely cure without recurrence because the virus from the previous herpes outbreak resides at the sacral nerve root. When resistance is low, typically during times such as drinking alcohol and staying up late, the herpes virus travels to the area served by the sacral nerve, such as the external genitals, buttocks, and perineal region, causing blisters. Therefore, it is very difficult to completely eliminate genital herpes so that it never recurs, but the likelihood of recurrence generally decreases significantly after five to six years. Therefore, what we need to do is mainly to enhance our immune function. We can use some medications to help boost immunity, and we should also try to drink less alcohol and get more sleep.
Is blood testing for genital herpes accurate?
Genital herpes testing, blood tests generally reflect antibodies, which have a certain window period. If genital herpes has just occurred, and blisters have just formed, it is very possible that the antibodies are still negative, but the disease has already manifested. Or, the genital herpes may have healed, but the antibodies are positive. Therefore, blood tests can generally only diagnose past infections and are not very accurate for current infections. Thus, the best method for testing genital herpes is to collect blister fluid for DNA testing using PCR methods when blisters are present. This approach is the most accurate, while blood tests can only serve as a reference.
How is genital herpes tested?
Herpes viruses are generally divided into two types, type 1 and type 2 genital herpes, mainly caused by type 2 herpes virus. The best approach for type 2 herpes virus is to use blister fluid for PCR testing of DNA. If testing is not possible, you can also consider blood tests for herpes virus antibodies. If the IGM for type 2 herpes virus is positive, then consider it a current symptomatic infection. If the IGM is negative, but HCG is positive, then consider this herpes as a past infection.
Gonorrhea testing methods
The methods for detecting gonorrhea generally fall into two main categories. One involves testing for the pathogen of gonorrhea. A simple method is the microscopic examination of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which can be seen under a microscope as Gram-negative diplococci. Another method is the cultivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, although culturing with medication can occasionally result in false negatives. A more advanced and accurate method is PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), which involves using a urethral swab to detect the DNA of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Currently, this is considered the most sensitive and accurate method available.