News

National report - Synta Pharmaceuticals has stopped drug trials for a melanoma drug due to serious safety issues, Forbes.com reports.

"Cleveland - The first American to receive a face transplant has gone home from the Cleveland Clinic, and doctors say her recovery has been "astonishing," according to published accounts. "

National report - Busy dermatologists say that new Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA) give-away guidelines reflect many policies they already had adopted.

National report - Dermatologists won't miss the free pencils, notepads and posh dinners that new Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) guidelines prohibit companies from providing, say physicians contacted by Dermatology Times.

National report - The North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) has named mixed dialkyl thioureas as the 2009 Allergen of the Year, according to Bryan E. Anderson, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.

National report - A new prescription product that promotes eyelash growth (Latisse, bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03 percent; Allergan) will benefit cosmetic-minded patients and the dermatologists who serve them, sources say.

Dermatologist Dennis J. Doud, M.D., jumps into things with both feet. His first mountain-climbing experience was Mount Everest; his first marathon, Boston.

In 2008, many Americans were left with a general sense of concern for our economy. The mortgage and credit crisis, presidential election and record federal budget deficits have caused many of our physician clients to believe that taxes will increase.

In our current financial crisis, it's only natural to worry about the safety of our assets, and every business owner or professional with an investment portfolio has some portion of it invested in cash or cash equivalents.

With the economy in the gutter, businesses closing left and right, and hundreds of thousands of Americans being laid off or losing their jobs, owners of medical practices are starting to worry how the slumping economy will affect their practices short- and long-term.

Patient relations experts and practice management consultants often talk about "moments of truth" - those small encounters that can set the tone for the patient's entire experience at a practice.

A new ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology technique used to extract cells from suspected melanoma-infiltrated sentinel lymph nodes offers a more sophisticated and very accurate clinical assessment of sentinel lymph nodes.

In a recent five-year study involving superficial BCC, daily treatment with imiquimod achieved high-sustained clearance and low-recurrence rates, the study's lead author says.

A recent study indicates that melanoma does not necessarily develop de novo. Banal nevi demonstrating melanocytic aggregates are thought to be the precursors of melanoma.

A recent study shows the cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel filler Juvéderm is associated with smoother, softer results, and achieved high patient satisfaction.

Eating foods rich in probiotics is a good habit to practice to ensure healthy skin. Vitamins such as C and D enhance epidermal function, and skin hydration is met through consumption of adequate amounts of water.

The top five cosmeceuticals for ethnic skin are vitamin C, hydroquinone, tretinoin, sunblock and salicylic acid, an expert says. In recommending cosmeceutical ingredients for patients, she says dermatologists must consider differences in aging and skin responses between ethnic and lighter skin types.

Injection lipolysis may work best when phosphatidylcholine is combined with deoxycholate, an expert says.

Aquaporins are water channels present in plants, bacteria and human skin. They are highly conserved structures that are integral membrane proteins from a larger family of major intrinsic proteins.

Combination therapies can be customized to treat photoaging skin, according to a New York dermatologist. The order of treatments depends on the individual symptoms of the patient, and how disturbed they are by them.

We have discussed lasers, and some of basics of lasers, and now I would like to take a break from some of the science to present examples of the more clinical side of lasers.

Topical agents in combination with surgery may lead to better results. Pre-op treatment can make lesions more visible, define margins and reduce tumor size. Post-op use can reduce the amount of residual cancer.

Combination therapy is typically first-line therapy for children with atopic dermatitis. The dermatologist's task is to personalize treatment to optimize the patient's response, an expert says.

Combination therapy has a role in the treatment of psoriasis, particularly when there is a loss of response with monotherapy using biologic agents. Methotrexate, systemic retinoids, or phototherapy can be part of a combined therapy with biologic agents.

Combination treatment for acne continues to evolve, helping doctors address the sometimes tough-to-tackle condition.

The concept of using Thermage, Fraxel and fillers as a kind of combination-therapy trio is an emerging technique that offers a complete package to patients seeking an effective, noninvasive skin rejuvenation procedure.

A single product that combines a retinoid and benzoyl peroxide is showing promise against acne. The new gel is not only safe and effective, but fast-acting, too.

Medihoney (Derma Sciences, Princeton, N.J.) has been shown in various studies to help heal especially stubborn wounds. The dressing can be a safe adjunct to incision and drainage, long-term topical steroids and oral antibiotics for localized conditions.

Extracellular matrix wound dressings can help give chronic wounds a jump start by applying living cells to the wound base and helping to stimulate healing.

Clinical trials suggest hyperbaric oxygen is an effective wound-healing therapy for lower extremity wounds connected with diabetes and wound healing problems related to radiation exposure.