Pediatric Dermatology

Maui, Hawaii -- Joseph B. Bikowski, M.D., speaking at the annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar, offered anecdotal information for 15 common facial issues, based on what has worked in his Pittsburgh-area dermatology practice.

San Francisco - Little scientific literature has been published about the use of alternative medicines for dermatologic purposes during pregnancy, but dermatologists need to be aware of at least two therapies that their patients may be using: a cream made from licorice root for the treatment of melasma, and a cream made from gotu cola that may prevent stretch marks, Scott M. Dinehart, M.D.. said.

San Francisco - Monotherapy with tacrolimus 0.1 percent ointment (Protopic) is an effective and generally well-tolerated treatment for moderate to severe chronic red face, Wayne H. Fujita, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

As the son of a university president, D. Edgar Allen always knew education was important and that he would get a doctorate of some sort. He didn't know that his choice of medicine would lead him to become involved in the political process -the Utah state senate -to defend assaults on his chosen field.

Miami Beach, Fla. -Fewer than one in five parents of children attending a dermatology or pediatrics clinic knew that tanning devices provide only limited sunburn protection, recent survey results show.

San Francisco - Rapid relief of pruritus of atopic dermatitis can be obtained by combining a mid-potency topical corticosteroid and calcineurin inhibitor, and tolerability of the combination is very good, according to James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., clinical assistant professor of dermatology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas.

Bal Harbour, Fla. - Atopic dermatitis treatments are evolving to focus not only on treating flares but also maintaining the disease and offering patients with different severities long-term treatment options that focus on safely keeping the skin condition at bay.

San Francisco - While pulmonologists can rely on objective tests, such as the pulmonary function test, to assess lung diseases, dermatologists have only subjective assessments of common skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (AD). A commonly used clinical measure for AD today, SCORAD, relies on subjective criteria in assessing the severity of lesions and the extent of involvement.

Winston-Salem, N.C. -- Clinical practice experience indicates that tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) is safe and effective for treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in children less than two years of age, Alan B. Fleischer Jr., M.D., said.

Bal Harbour, Fla. - While not a treatment of choice for atopic dermatitis, massage therapy can be used as an adjunct, or complementary therapy, to reduce symptoms of the common skin condition and side effects from treatment medications.

San Francisco - In those children who have alopecia areata, the presence of associated diseases, such as thyroiditis or atopic dermatitis, is not a factor in how they respond to treatment, Wilma F. Bergfeld, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Bal Harbour, Fla. - The excessive sweating of hyperhidrosis causes significant stress and has been shown to affect quality of life, especially in those who develop it at a young age. Of all the treatments available today, one of the safest and most effective for hyperhidrosis patients is botulinum toxin, according to Leslie Baumann, M.D.

Bal Harbour, Fla. - Andrea Trowers, M.D., fellow in pediatric dermatology and assistant professor, department of dermatology, University of Miami School of Medicine, touched on issues that pediatric dermatologists deal with daily. She spoke of sun exposure, use of cleansers for babies, and treating ethnic skin.

Birmingham, England - Uncomplicated hemangiomas that clear well with a pulsed dye laser (PDL) are probably limited to superficial lesions that would have resolved without treatment, according to Kapila Batta, M.D.

Bal Harbour, Fla. - Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is not always an easy diagnosis in children, and even nonsick children with seemingly inconsequential skin LCH should undergo full workups and be closely followed by pediatric oncologists, Ronald C. Hansen, M.D., said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics meeting, hosted by the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Bal Harbour, Fla. - Genetic updates on neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis and Langerhans cell histiocytosis presentation in the neonatal period were among the topics discussed by Lawrence F. Eichenfield, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine (dermatology), University of California, San Diego, at the annual meeting of the Masters of Pediatrics, hosted by the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Maui, Hawaii - A 12-week dose-finding study evaluating oral pimecrolimus for the treatment of chronic plaque-type psoriasis has yielded encouraging safety and efficacy results, Alice B. Gottlieb, M.D., Ph.D., said at the annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar, sponsored by the Skin Disease Education Foundation.

London -- The use of skin creams containing peanut oil to treat diaper rash, eczema, or other inflammatory skin conditions in babies may lead to peanut allergy in childhood, according to research by Gideon Lack, M.B., B. Ch., and colleagues, based on data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

With one in four children at risk for becoming overweight and one in 10 children already overweight, childhood obesity is an epidemic fast becoming a national health problem.

Oklahoma City - Results of preclinical and initial clinical studies indicate the investigational compound CX-452 has promising activity as a highly safe and very effective topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and anti-aging agent, Bryan B. Fuller, Ph.D., said.

The recent news that a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is well on its way to being a reality has dermatologists pricking up their ears. The vaccine, which is in development by Merck & Co. to target HPV-16, could facilitate a 40-percent reduction of intraepithelial cancer of the cervix within 10 years of widespread distribution to women and men, according to Ulrich R. Hengge, M.D., department of dermatology, University of Essen, Germany. More importantly to dermatologists who see histologically benign recalcitrant vaginal warts every day, the science behind the HPV-16 vaccine is virtually the same as that behind similar investigational therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines for condylomata.

Acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, hyperhidrosis, trichotillomania, onychotillomania, neurotic excoriations ... Even as connections between isotretinoin (Accutane) and depression in teens was hotly debated in the media spotlight last year, no one denies the powerful connection between the health of the psyche and that of the skin.

Pittsburgh -Topical tacrolimus ointment 0.1 percent (Protopic) may be a viable addition to the current therapeutic armamentarium for early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), Larisa Geskin, M.D., said.

Pusan, South Korea -- Intralesional interferon alfa-2b (Intron-A) can be a useful option for the treatment of rapidly growing keratoacanthomas, Chang-Keun Oh, M.D., Ph.D., said.

Boston - Data indicate that UV light is increasing the incidence of melanoma development by specifically targeting the Rb pathway. The study is among the first to verify the link between UV exposure and melanoma risk in experimental models.

Kansas City, Kan. - It is a simple rule of office organization. And interior decorating. Even dermatology. What's the rule? Group like items together to keep things simple and streamlined.

Sandusky, Ohio - Tacrolimus 0.1 percent ointment can treat a subset of patients with granuloma annulare (GA), according to a study conducted at Northern Ohio Dermatology Research in Sandusky, Ohio. The phase IV, open-label, single-center, clinical trial was conducted by Mandi R. Motter, R.N., clinical research coordinator, Thomas E. Fleming, M.D., principal investigator, and colleagues.

New York - Ciclopirox 1 percent shampoo is an effective alternative for management of scalp seborrheic dermatitis, according to results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Stanford, Calif. - Conjugation of cyclosporin A to arginine oligomer protein transduction sequences provides a promising method for delivery of the peptide immunosuppressant agent into psoriatic skin. However, further study is needed to characterize the cutaneous bioavailability achieved with that novel delivery platform and to answer the larger question of whether topical cyclosporin A offers a viable therapeutic modality for psoriasis, according to David F. Fiorentino, M.D., Ph.D.

Vienna -- Oral pimecrolimus is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for certain inflammatory skin diseases, such as chronic plaque psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, according to Klaus Wolff, M.D., F.R.C.P., professor of dermatology and chairman, department of dermatology, University of Vienna, Austria.