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Steps such as taking a biopsy and obtaining a detailed history will assist in making a diagnosis in challenging and unusual cases. In some instances, such as a case of a patient with strongyloidiasis, it may be necessary to perform multiple biopsies to arrive at a diagnosis.

Considering genetics, as well as clinical presentation, will aid in managing challenging cases of skin cancer. It is also incumbent upon clinicians to conduct a comprehensive review of the medical literature to assess the risks associated with metastases of some lesions, such as proliferating trichelemal tumors, according to an expert who treats mainly skin cancer cases.

Despite nearly 20 years of waiting, a difficult case is diagnosed as the rare PAPA syndrome. After treatment with biologic anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs, the patient's skin is now clear.

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms may sometimes be related to dermatologic conditions. Recognizing the connection can prevent unnecessary complications, an expert says.

Recent studies show that port wine stains (PWSs) are likely to require multiple courses of treatment over a patient's lifetime. Applying topical anti-angiogenic creams may prevent eventual darkening of treated PWSs, an expert says.

A small prospective study suggests oral Lactobacillus could be helpful for patients with atopic dermatitis, although the study's results require validation, a study co-author says.

Even relatively common skin conditions can present themselves in ways that make their diagnosis a bit more challenging than many of the cases dermatologists see every day. Laptop computers resting on the thigh, for example, may lead to erythema ab igne.

With hydroquinone's status in the U.S. marketplace uncertain due to safety concerns, retinoids are increasingly gaining favor in the treatment of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

The iPLEDGE program is excellent for protecting the prescriber, so that he or she can continue to practice medicine and responsibly care for patients with severe acne, one dermatologist says. However, the issue of compliance remains a major hurdle.

It's imperative for woundcare specialists to ensure that urine and stool are kept away from the skin. To ensure this, clinicians need to use appropriate barriers. It's also paramount that the barriers be properly removed. If they are not, that can trigger skin damage. Whatever the choice of products used to protect the skin, following structured protocols will keep the integrity of the skin intact.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-ranging study evaluated five dosing regimens of pramiconazole, an oral broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agent, for the treatment of pityriasis versicolor. Four treatment groups demonstrated significant efficacy compared with placebo.

The number of dermatologists who patch test is on the rise for several reasons. Recent innovations aimed at facilitating the ease and speed of patch testing have led to an upswing in its use.

Although dermatologists rarely administer vaccines to prevent skin diseases such as genital HPV, they could be missing an opportunity to help patients avoid these diseases and their consequences, an expert says.

Clinicians should aim to improve the symptom management of malignant wounds, particularly in cases of advanced cancer. One proposed tool to do this is the Toronto Symptom Assessment System for Wounds (TSAS-W). In a pilot study, TSAS-W demonstrated that malignant wounds were the most symptomatic class of wounds.

A recent study shows that the human body produces chemical compounds similar to the active ingredient in marijuana, and these compounds, called endocannabinoids, play an important part in maintaining healthy skin.

Economists debate whether the United States has reached a full-fledged recession or is simply teetering on the brink, waiting for some sign it will either topple or be pulled back. Meanwhile, as the debate rages, people are dealing with the effects of soaring energy costs, rising unemployment and inflation.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced payment of more than $36 million in bonus payments to many of the more than 56,700 health professionals who satisfactorily reported quality information to Medicare under the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

Dr. Foot has, for years, been prescribing a highly effective oral medication for tinea pedis. One of the known and documented side effects of this oral agent is liver failure.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the addition of Elaine Siegfried, M.D., to the Dermatology Times Editorial Advisory Board. Dr. Siegfried will join Ronald Wheeland, M.D.; Norman Levine, M.D.; and Zoe D. Draelos, M.D., in helping to guide the editorial content of the magazine's print edition, as well as its Web site at www.dermatologytimes.com.

I had a recent personal experience that shocked me into re-examining what we dermatologists do and what our future will be as a specialty.

Surviving lean times demands that dermatologists use a hard line with finances and a soft touch with patients, sources say.

Skin moisturizers may be contributing to the increase in sunlight-induced nonmelanoma skin cancer, results of a murine study suggest, but researchers and dermatologists say further study is needed to determine if the findings translate to humans.

Despite concerns about the U.S. economy, a March 2008 survey by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) showed that nearly one-fourth of the survey's 562 respondents were experiencing increased bookings for existing aesthetic patients versus fall 2007.

While dermatologists offer mixed assessments of the impact of the sluggish U.S. economy on their specialty, they say today's tighter market clearly is intensifying the trend toward noninvasive procedures.

New York - The Skin Cancer Foundation is now accepting applications for its annual awards to support pilot research projects related to skin cancer. The foundation will award four $10,000 grants for basic research and clinical studies that address improved methods of prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer.

Copenhagen, Denmark - Danish researchers have found that combination therapy using betamethasone dipropionate and calcipotriene is more effective for treating scalp psoriasis than either component alone, HealthDay News reports.

Chicago - The concept of too many cooks in the kitchen does not apply to treating vascular anomalies. In fact, experts say, even dermatologists often need to tap into the expertise of multidisciplinary centers that focus on vascular anomalies and other "orphan" skin diseases in order to offer optimum care - especially for their pediatric patients.

San Francisco - American teens would pay an average of $275 to have never had acne, according to a study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, where researchers surveyed 266 high school students in San Francisco.

Mountain view, Calif. - Iridex Corporation says it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its IQ Laser Systems, according to BioOptics World.

New Brunswick, N.J. - Common moisturizers increase the production of tumors in mice that have previously been exposed to UV rays, according to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.