News

Diagnostic errors account for the greatest proportion of total payments on malpractice claims in the past 25 years, a recent study indicates.

A medication used to treat seizures, ezogabine (Potiga, Valeant), can cause blue skin discoloration, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns, and it is unknown whether the pigmentation changes are reversible.

Patients who have had nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a greater risk of contracting a secondary cancer at another site, researchers have found.

Laser lipolysis is effective for stimulating collagen production and skin tightening with less recovery time than surgery, according to findings presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s annual meeting.

An index that combines serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels with morphology, attenuation, size and structure (MASS) criteria response helps to predict survival in patients with metastatic melanoma who take bevacizumab.

Microscopic hairs on the leaves of kidney beans may serve as a model for a future remedy for bedbugs, according to findings from a recent study.

Cutaneous warts in schoolchildren are spread most commonly at home and at school, and preventive measures should be focused on limiting human papillomavirus transmission in families, according to a recent study.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug application for Taro Pharmaceutical Industry’s Topicort (desoximetasone 0.25 percent) topical spray for the treatment of plaque psoriasis.

Promius Pharma has launched Zenatane (isotretinoin) capsules for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Clinicians may one day be able to treat scleroderma more effectively, as researchers have uncovered how gene expression signatures can identify patients who respond well to particular therapies.

While still rare, the incidence of melanoma in children is trending upward, according to researchers who presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.

A dermatology researcher from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, has been awarded $1.9 million to conduct studies related to psoriasis.

A quarter of patients who survive melanoma don’t use sunscreen when spending extended time outdoors, according to findings reported at the American Association of Cancer Research meeting.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law a bill that prohibits minors under age 17 from using indoor tanning facilities, and bars minors under age 14 from using spray tanning procedures.

After Valeant Pharmaceuticals made a push to buy Obagi Medical Products for about $344 million in late March, Merz Pharma Group stepped up with an offer of about $384 million, but has since dropped its bid for the aesthetic skincare manufacturer, according to reports.

Quality ratings for physicians are becomingly increasingly important as measures of performance and determinants of reimbursement. One measure gaining traction for physician rating is the Press Ganey score.

If three groups of researchers were to discover a melanoma gene, could it be patented? If so, who could stake claim to the patent? There is precedent for this scenario with the development of testing for the BRCA breast and ovarian genes.

A combination therapy of same-session fractional ablative laser treatment and topical triamcinolone acetonide suspension improves hypertrophic scars, according to results of a recent study.

Early-onset baldness in African-American men may be linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer, results of a recent study indicate.

A repair procedure involving a full-thickness skin graft and a separately harvested auricular cartilage graft allow for correction of deep nasal alar defects after Mohs micrographic surgery, results of a study indicate.

The rate of adverse events in patients using adalimumab remains low over time, with infections indicated as the most common adverse event, according to a study.

Contrary to popular belief, not all generic and branded topical preparations are created equal in terms of efficacy and tolerability, in part due to the crucial differences in the vehicle used.

Although Mohs micrographic surgery represents the gold standard for treatment of many skin cancers, says an expert, healthcare reform dictates that dermatologists also consider less costly options when appropriate.

Treating uncommon tumors that present in a Mohs surgical unit requires matching the tumor’s clinical history and histopathology with available therapies, says an expert who spoke at the 71st annual American Academy of Dermatology meeting.

The many vagaries of lentigo maligna (LM) or melanoma in situ typically demand staged excision techniques for maximal margin control, according to an expert who spoke at the 71st annual American Academy of Dermatology conference.

Numerous therapies are making a significant difference in the management of metastatic melanoma, according to an expert who spoke at the annual Canadian Melanoma Conference.

Other physicians’ negative perceptions of dermatologists won’t change unless dermatologists police their own ranks more aggressively and step up in their communities, an expert says.

An individualized approach to medicine and standardized care in medicine do not necessarily have to be at odds when it comes to surgical management of melanoma.

Dermatologists’ prescribing of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and antibiotics for acne leaves room for improvement, according to an expert.