Pediatric Dermatology

Laser technology, according to Dr. Zachary, is better left in the hands of physicians and not in unregulated, under-supervised cosmetic spa environments.

S

Botulinum toxin is a complex protein produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum toxin type A injections can be used to treat various focal muscle spastic disorders and excessive muscle contractions such as dystonias and spasms.

New Orleans — Rather than simply plumping up the back of the hand, fat injections given there perform a host of rejuvenation functions that researchers are just beginning to understand.

A new study suggests that childhood melanoma presents with peculiar features, which might make it trickier to diagnose than adult cutaneous melanoma.

National report — When traditional approaches fail, many skin conditions may benefit from the addition of a few needles — acupuncture needles, that is. Some physicians are having good success integrating acupuncture into their dermatological practices.

Chicago — Genetically manipulated growth factors could hold the key to producing engineered tissue with vascular systems ready-made for transplantation.

National report — Results of a study assessing sunlight exposure during winter months in various geographic locations across the United States refute the idea that "safe sun" photoprotection practices are associated with a risk of vitamin D deficiency, says J. Frank Nash, Ph.D., principle scientist, Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati.

Should the cuts take place as planned, 18 percent of physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association say they would stop accepting new Medicare patients; 57 percent would decrease time spent with patients; and 46 percent would reduce staffing levels.

National report — The first-ever study attempting to assess the total burden of skin disease indicates that the toll exacted from Americans has been underestimated.

june supplement

Sallowness was assessed using a digital image analysis technique able to quantify yellow color.

What is the cause of seborrheic dermatitis?

There is little intraoperative bleeding because of TLA's vasoconstriction effect.

National report — Recreational swimming in swimming pools results in short-term but significant changes to biophysical properties related to skin hydration, researchers report.

New Orleans — Concomitant topical treatment with tacrolimus 0.1 percent ointment (Protopic, Fujisawa) does not improve the response of generalized vitiligo to narrowband UVB phototherapy, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study undertaken by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Nice, France — Results of a comparative, prospective, randomized study undertaken by French dermatologists indicate that topical tacrolimus ointment 0.1 percent (Protopic, Fujisawa) plus phototherapy with a 308-nm excimer laser can be a highly effective combination for the treatment of recalcitrant, localized vitiligo.

Making the appropriate choice ... requires having a clear understanding of the benefits and disadvantages of each drug.

Dr. Coulie and his group are now working to understand how the vaccine triggers the immune intervention of the previously powerless lymphocytes.

New Orleans — Scientific literature rarely portrays cutaneous manifestations of West Nile virus (WNV) because these manifestations are, by nature, transient. However, a recent case report contains what is only the second publication of these symptoms.

New York — Mary Stine has been named executive director of the Skin Cancer Foundation.

New Orleans — When it comes to studying genetic diseases of the skin, the popular mantra that "It's all in the DNA" doesn't tell the whole story.

As the Vioxx/Celebrex scandal lays waste to the American healthcare landscape as we know it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finds itself under relentless pressure to get things right. Congress is demanding more stringent safety standards and even threatening to create a new federal agency to take safety approvals and monitoring out of the FDA's hands.

The act of taxing a single group of patients who are seeking cosmetic surgery simply because they are easy targets is unfair, injudicious, potentially sexist and wrong.

An investigational topical antifungal product containing miconazole nitrate 0.25 percent in a petrolatum/zinc oxide barrier ointment base (Zimycan, Barrier Therapeutics) has demonstrated positive efficacy and safety results in a phase 3 study of the treatment of Candida diaper dermatitis.

Miami — Bacitracin has been labeled a top cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in children. Notably, it is an ingredient in Neosporin (Pfizer) and a staple in first aid kits in schools, summer camps and just about every other child-centered environment. Yet private practitioners do not routinely test for this allergen.

Loma Linda, Calif. — Dermatologists don't discuss mastocytosis much because it is rare and confusing, but, in large metropolitan areas, the incidence rate can add up to many patients, says Linda Golkar, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, Calif. Learning when to consider the disease, what diagnostic tests to perform and how to exclude involvement of other organs are required skills for front-line treatment.

New Orleans - In today's global, transient and sometimes overcrowded society, the spread of superficial cutaneous infections and infestations in children appears to be even more common than previously thought. International travel, immigration and foreign adoption have altered the typical distribution of some pediatric infections and infestations.

Miami — The bad news about pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) is that it rarely reverses course completely. The good news is, doctors can largely control it through a variety of interventions.

There have been a number of important advances in pediatric dermatology, ranging from finding the optimal use for tissue adhesives to gaining a better understanding of general and local anesthetic use in the pediatric population and a greater appreciation for dermatologic surgeons' roles in treating vascular lesions and birthmarks.