Yoo-won Choi
Ewha Womans University · Medicine
About the Lab
Professor Yoo-won Choi's research lab specializes in dermatological phototherapy and inflammatory skin disorders, with a focus on the immunomodulatory mechanisms of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and intense pulsed light (IPL). The lab investigates cytokine regulation—particularly TGF-β₁ and IL-10—in skin cells and fibroblasts to understand PDT’s therapeutic potential beyond oncology, including applications in psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and lichen sclerosus. Additional research explores systemic contact dermatitis from traditional Korean foods like rhus, highlighting the immunological risks of urushiol exposure and detoxification limitations. The lab also examines the psychosocial impact of chronic skin diseases on patients and their families, integrating clinical dermatology with patient-reported outcomes and quality of life assessments.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15Background: Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was originally used for treating superficial skin tumors. The application of PDT to other inflammatory dermatoses like acne vulgaris, psoriasis,granuloma annulare, localized scleroderma and lichen sclerosus has recently been introduced. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We’ve previously reported the induction of tumor growth factor (TGF)-β_1 and interleukin (IL)-10 after PDT with ALA and int
Background: Depending on the light dose and concentration of photosensitizer for photodynamic treatment (PDT), a multitude of dose-related events are demonstrable in PDT-treated cells. Sublethal doses may result in the alteration of cytokine release and consequently modify immune actions, rather than cause cell death. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate cytokine expression in cultured HaCaT cells after intense pulse light (IPL) treatment or PDT utilizing 5-aminolevulinic acid
Background: Atopic dermatitis is one of the psychosomatic disorders that have been reported to have profound effect on the development of characteristics and interpersonal relationships. Objective: This study was performed to identify the relationship between childhood and adolescent atopic dermatitis,atta chment and the quality of parental life. Methods: Sixty-eight atopic derm atitis patients and thirty nine healthy control subjects were included in our study. Eczema area and severity index (E
Background: Systemic contact dermatitis commonly occurs with the intake of rhus (boiled chicken with rhus) as a health food and a folk medicine to cure gastrointestinal diseases in Korea. Rhus companies insist they have the technology for rhus detoxification. However, the numbers of systemic allergic contact dermatitis patients, caused by rhus, have not decreased. The principle of present techniques for rhus detoxification is the induction of the polymerization of urushiol, but polymerized urush
Lichen nitidus (LN) is an uncommon chronic inflammatory skin disease composed of numerous, tiny, shiny, flesh-colored papules that are predominantly observed on the chest, abdomen, glans penis and upper extremities. The distribution of LN is most often localized, but in some cases it can become generalized. Because LN tends to be asymptomatic and presents spontaneous resolution within several years, it usually does not require treatment except in symptomatic, persistent and generalized cases. We
Background: A variety of dermatological disorders develop in hospitalized patients and the need for dermatologicalconsultations is on the rise. Objective: We analyzed 2 years of dermatological consultation data from a tertiary medical center in Korea andcompared dermatological problems among individual departments. Methods: We reviewed 3,102 dermatological inpatient consultations by performing a retrospective chart review. Results: Contact dermatitis (11.4%), drug eruption (9.6%), tinea pedis (5
Sweet’s syndrome is a reactive dermatosis characterized clinically by fever, leukocytosis, and multiple, erythematous, painful plaques. Histopathologic examination reveals a band-like dense dermal inflammatory infiltrate composed mainly of neutrophils with papillary dermal edema, and no features of vasculitis. We report a case of a 56-year-old female diagnosed with cervical cancer, who underwent surgery and concurrent chemoradiation therapy. Approximately 3 years after completing treatment, she
Generalized granuloma annulare (GGA) is a rare benign granulomatous dermatosis characterized by disseminated necrobiotic dermal papules. Histologically, it presents as a lymphohistiocytic granuloma associated with varying degrees of connective tissue degeneration. It usually occurs in adults and rarely affects infants. Herein, we report an interesting case of GGA which occurred in a 3 month-old girl in association with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination. (Ann Dermatol 23(S3) S319∼S321, 2011)
Autoimmune subepidermal bullous diseases (AISBDs) exhibit various clinical presentations, histological appearances, prognoses, and responses to treatment. Many diagnostic techniques, such as direct immunofluorescence (IF), indirect salt-split skin IF, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, are used in the differential diagnoses of AISBDs. However, these techniques require fresh frozen tissue, expensive laboratory equipment, and sophisticated laboratory techniques. The purpose of this study was
Background: Atopic dermatitis is one of the psychosomatic disorders that have been reported to have profound effect on the development of characteristics and interpersonal relationships. Objective: This study was performed to identify the relationship between childhood and adolescent atopic dermatitis, attachment and the quality of parental life. Methods: Sixty-eight atopic dermatitis patients and thirty nine healthy control subjects were included in our study. Eczema area and severity index (EA
Eccrine angiomatous hamartomas are benign vascular and eccrine malformations often accompanied by hyperhidrosis or pain, increased eccrine glands, and aggregates of vessels. Verrucous hemangiomas are congenital vascular malformations presenting as unilateral grouped papules. Histologically, they show verrucous epidermal change and proliferation of capillaries in the dermis. We report a case of a 47-year-old woman with a red keratotic patch overlying a bluish plaque on the right sole, which had b
Fexofenadine (Allegra^ⓡ 180) is a second-generation antihistamine. It is widely used as anti-allergic drug, which suppresses various allergic reactions mediated by histamines. A few cases of H1-antihistamine-induced urticaria have been reported. Herein, we report a rare case of fexofenadine-induced urticaria which was confirmed by a prick test, oral provocation test, and flow cytometry assisted-basophil activation test. (Ann Dermatol 23(S3) S329∼S332, 2011)
Dermatitis neglecta (unwashed dermatosis) presents as pigmented hyperkeratotic plaques with adherent scales which clinically resembles psoriasis. This condition is the result of avoiding washing the affected areas, so the lesions are characteristically resolved with normal washing or with gentle wiping from an alcohol swab. We report a 29-year-old man who presented with an asymptomatic hyperkeratotic scaly plaque on umbilicus. A skin biopsy was done under the clinical impression of psoriasis. Du
Mucinous nevus is an uncommon entity classified as either a cutaneous mucinosis or a connective tissue nevus. The condition presents as grouped papules and coalescent plaques growing in a unilateral or zosteriform manner. The key histopathological feature is a band-like deposition of mucin in the superficial dermis. A 34-year-old male presented with grouped gray-brown papules and confluent plaques exhibiting a zosteriform distribution on the right side of the lower back. The lesions had commence
Background : Atopic dermatitis is the most common chronic skin disease in childhood. Severe atopic dermatitis may require use of topical or systemic corticosteroids. These treatments are prone to several adverse side effects. This paper highlights the impressive effect of diphenylcyclopropenone(DPCP) sensitization in some cases of childhood and adolescence atopic dermatitis. Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of DPCP in treating severe atopic dermatitis of children a
Research Areas
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