News

Identifications of mutations such as those that lie in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter area are shedding light on hereditary melanoma, according to the Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Melanoma and Pigmented Lesion Center and Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

This is the second most difficult question to answer in dermatology behind how often should I wash my face. I am not sure that all dermatologists would agree on the frequency of hair washing, and perhaps this is due to the fact that shampoo is to wash the scalp and beautify the hair.

In a recent article by David Shaywitz, M.D., Ph.D., he describes four reasons why physicians are concerned about the increase in popularity of social media and online search. After reading these concerns it occurred to me, that there may be a significant gap on the part of the medical community surrounding the potential benefits associated with online search and social media.

Contaminated tattoo ink that was recalled in July may have reached distributors and poses the potential for skin infections and other health problems, the Food and Drug Administration has warned.

Advanced basal cell carcinoma (aBCC) is a term used to describe a subset of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) that have extensive, invasive or metastatic involvement; are located near vital and sensitive areas; or are recurrent despite multiple treatments. The diagnosis of aBCC is dependent on many patient specific factors, some of which are subjective and may be open to interpretation by both the patient and provider.

One of my employees recently visited another physician office as a patient and remarked “Oh, Dr. Palm, their office was nothing like ours. I realize how lucky our patients are.” She recounted her experience including an extended wait in the reception area, her lack of pre-visit counseling, a mountain of paperwork, and the brusque and cursory manner of the office staff.

Are you wondering how to make your dermatology blog stand out? Do you worry that blogging too much might overwhelm your patients, and add to the content clutter “out there”?

Olfactory receptors in the nose that allow us to smell are also present on the surface of keratinocytes. According to new research, stimulating a particular receptor with a specific synthetic sandalwood oil causes those keratinocytes to proliferate and migrate, processes that are essential to wound healing and skin regeneration.

Researchers have developed a spectroscopic device that combines three ways of using light to measure the properties of skin tissue and potentially detect skin cancer.

Successfully treating melasma requires a correct diagnosis and, increasingly, combination therapy, an expert says.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) remain at odds over the GAO’s recommendation that Medicare payments limit financial incentives for self-referral of biopsies.

If dermatologists don’t more effectively police themselves, experts say, they may lose their ability to perform in-office dermatopathology. Dermatopathology also faces competitive pressures and aggressive fee reductions, these experts add.

Along with reimbursement levels and dermatology’s Stark law exception, the practice of client billing is under government and private payer scrutiny respectively, an expert says.

Some years ago I wrote an editorial in this magazine about my early experience with an electronic medical record (EMR). I indicated that there were definite pitfalls, but overall, it was worth considering for your practice. Over the years I have become far more enthusiastic about this technology and would now strongly recommend it to all dermatologists, other than those who will be retiring very soon or those with a morbid fear of the 21st century and all that it has to offer.

In a dermatology practice, three medical technicians are served legal papers for practicing medicine without a license, and the dermatologist is accused of aiding and abetting the practice of medicine without a license. Such a crime is a felony in his state and could force Dr. M to lose his medical license.

Successful treatment of chronic pruritus requires recognizing that its origins might not be as clear-cut as formerly thought, an expert says.

For a chuckle, people turn to David Letterman’s Top 10 List. For some clinical pearls, dermatologists can look to Dialogues in Dermatology, a discussion at a recent meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery.

Key trends among topical treatments for psoriasis include the potential reformulation of systemic therapies into topical form, the search for steroid alternatives and the optimization of vehicles, an expert says.

Part one of our series on starting a laser practice went into the business nuts and bolts of launching a laser business - the how and why. Once dermatologists have determined there is a need for laser services at their practices and why, they’ll have to decide which lasers to purchase or lease.

Seaweed and oceanic extracts are the ingredients of the moment. Why? Because raw material suppliers have decided to put their efforts towards growth in this area.

Doctors and other healthcare providers should stop subcutaneous injection use of Expression by Enhancement Medical LLC, the Food and Drug Administration has announced. The product is not approved as a dermal filler.

Listen to part 1 in our series on medication adherence. Dr. Elaine Siegfried and Dr. Steven Feldman discuss the important role adherence plays in patient management.

Read part 1 in our series on medication adherence. Dr. Elaine Siegfried and Dr. Steven Feldman discuss the important role adherence plays in patient management.

The human monoclonal antibody dupilumab has shown promising results in treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in a series of phase 2 studies as both monotherapy and in combination with topical glucocorticoids.

Results of a new study suggest pain and itching can be an indication of skin cancer.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would streamline the approval process for over-the-counter sunscreen products.

The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a statement citing skin cancer as a “major public health problem” and noting the danger of indoor tanning and sun exposure.

Counterfeit medical products, including skin-tightening devices, are appearing at trade shows and pose risk and liabilities, according to a letter in a recent issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.

A graphic for patients that explains what parabens are, where they come from and why they are used in various products.

Nanotechnology has been used by the largest cosmetic companies for decades. Nanotechnology can help change the texture of otherwise goopy ingredients, such as the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide used in sunscreens, as well as their bright chalky white appearance on the skin.