News

A doctor suggests treating distal subungual nail bed disease by using active ingredients dissolved in alcohol-based solutions and pinpointing the location of delivery.

This month, the agency will complete its review of comments submitted regarding the adjustments.

Although hardly unexpected, the Food and Drug Administration's decision to add a warning about a possible link between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists and cancer in children goes too far, say most dermatologists contacted by Dermatology Times.

Soft tissue augmentation with injectable fillers is not without risk, but these events are usually treatable when they occur.

National report - Experts disagree on the possible impact a new pediatric cancer warning for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors may have on this drug category's growth.

The treatise on the "Evolution of Mohs" written by your senior staff correspondent John Jesitus and published in your July 2009 issue contains a very significant error. Frederick Mohs' professional life was not "general surgery's loss," for Dr. Mohs never was a surgeon (nor a dermatologist). I was informed he "completed an internship - most likely of the rotating kind - and then started his research and practice."

Dysport is being touted as the first serious competitor to Botox.

How humans misunderstand one another, and the damage that can result, is the theme of a new book, Compartments, by Steven R. Feldman, M.D.

Los Angeles - The expanding repertoire of cosmetic surgical procedures is providing safe and effective options for addressing aesthetic issues of concern for the aging ethnic face, says Pearl F. Grimes, M.D., director of the Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California, Los Angeles.

New York - Patients of color have a unique set of skin concerns, and those concerns need to be addressed while clinicians are treating patients, according to Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H., a dermatologist at St. Luke?s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York.

World report - Darker-skinned patients with morphea and related diseases are as likely to benefit from ultraviolet (UV) light therapy as patients with lighter skin. Some clinicians had speculated that the increased level of melanin found in darker skin might impede UV-A1, but that does not appear to be the case.

National report - Since no laser or light source meets every patient's needs, experts say it's crucial to choose technologies that will provide the maximum utility in a given practice setting.

Sewickley, Pa. - Chemical peels can be used safely and effectively for a broad range of indications and in patients of all skin types, but achieving success depends on proper skin preparation and matching the peel depth to the indication, says Suzan Obagi, M.D., director of the UPMC Cosmetic Surgery & Skin Health Center, Sewickley, Pa., and assistant professor of dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh.

When performing a procedure like blepharoplasty, it's most important to take into consideration the desires and wishes of the patients.

Portland, Ore. - A recent study confirms that the numbers of follicular melanocytes are significantly decreased in patients suffering from alopecia areata.This new insight into the often severe and psychologically burdensome disease serves as a beacon of hope for patients, as researchers begin to home in on a more precise etiology that may open the door for more targeted treatments. Past research has implicated follicular melanocytes to be the target structure in at least a proportion of patients suffering from alopecia areata.

National Report - Children with allergic contact dermatitis frequently react to the same allergens as adults with this condition do, according to a recent multi-center study conducted at the University of Miami and the University of Pennsylvania that calls for increased patch testing in children, especially those with chronic dermatitis.

National report - Registration deadline is Oct. 15 for the 2010 recertification examination for dermatologists, according to the American Board of Dermatology (ABD).

Las Vegas - Weight-based dosing with extended-release (ER) minocycline tablets allows patients with acne to achieve efficacy equivalent to that of 2 mg/kg or 3 mg/kg of body weight daily with just 1 mg/kg daily, says James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., dermatology residency director, Valley Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas.

Dallas - Long-term use of a triple-combination cream for melasma (fluocinolone acetonide, hydroquinone, tretinoin; TriLuma, Galderma) is effective and unlikely to cause skin atrophy, according to a recent study.

Las Vegas - A skin barrier protection cream (Tetrix, Coria Laboratories) appears to reduce exposure to skin allergens and irritants and decrease symptoms of eczematous dermatitis, according to James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., dermatology residency director, Valley Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas.

New York - Cosmetic patients today have a multitude of cosmeceuticals from which to choose, and each product claims to raise the bar in its effectiveness in skin rejuvenation. Many of these products do have some degree of effectiveness, and yet others may be the cause of hardship in terms of eliciting an irritant or allergic contact dermatitis in the unfortunate user. According to one expert, physicians need to scrutinize the ingredients of these cosmeceuticals and carefully pick and choose among the vast array of products for the benefit of their patients.

Edmonton, Alberta - Although several different theories exist with regard to the pathogenesis of vitiligo, an immune basis appears to be the most favored mechanism, with cytokines and other chemical mediators playing a center role in disease development and progression. As a result, immunomodulating therapies such as tacrolimus (Protopic, Astellas) are employed.

San Antonio, Texas - Air Force Maj. Chad Hivnor, M.D., sees wounded soldiers with all types of serious scars - many with 50 percent to 70 percent of their body surface area covered with burns and grafts, he says.

Houston - Recent research makes clear that the yeast genus Malassezia plays a role in the etiology of seborrheic dermatitis and several other common cutaneous disorders - and that ketoconazole is the most effective treatment for Malassezia overgrowth, an expert says.

International report - Etanercept therapy helps to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety long-term in patients suffering from moderate-to severe psoriasis, according to the results of the Crystel study.

Prepping for a Pandemic : Be ready for widespread flu - or any other emergency Pet Vectors : MRSA infections transmitted between humans, animals Special Report : Pigmentary Disorders

International report - The patient who received Spain’s first full face transplant smiled about his new appearance, according to xinhuanet.com.

San Francisco - New research suggests that primary cilia can either promote or suppress certain types of skin cancer, depending on the mutation triggering the disease, according to a study published in Nature Medicine.

Washington - An advertisement for Aczone (Allergan), a gel used to treat mild-to-moderate acne, "grossly overstates" the drug’s effectiveness, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated in a letter released Aug. 21.

A multimarker assay analyzing the intensity and distribution of expression of five proteins in malignant melanoma has demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy.