Paula Moyer

Eight years after the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) linked estrogen supplementation to breast cancer and heart disease, the impact of estrogen withdrawal is obvious in a less-than-obvious location; hormone-deficient vulvar disease is becoming more common, according to F. William Danby, M.D.

The use of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) in dermatology is preferable to using synthetic hormones because potential overdose is less hazardous, and bioidentical hormones are not known to be carcinogenic, says Julie T. Hunter, M.D., founder and director of Wholistic Dermatology in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Men do not get onychomychosis more frequently than do women, and the disease is no more severe than it is in female patients. Men may, however, be more likely than women to view the condition as cosmetic and, therefore, delay treatment, according to Nardo Zaias, M.D.

Male patients comprise a discerning and sensitive market, and regardless of its benefits, a product that seems feminine will fail, as will any product associated with multiple steps, say Zoe D. Draelos, M.D., and Joel Schlessinger, M.D.

Male rosacea patients present with larger facial telangiectasias and more severe erythema because they tend to minimize skin problems and delay treatment, but a treatment plan focused on laser surgery can produce excellent outcomes, and the lack of ongoing aftercare is appealing to many male patients, says Tina S. Alster, M.D.

Acne patients live with more psychological distress than the published numbers would have you believe, according to an expert who is both a dermatologist and a psychologist.

Dermatology Times welcomes Albert C. Yan, M.D., as the newest member to its Editorial Advisory Council. Dr. Yan is the chief of pediatric dermatology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he is also an associate professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Chronic inflammation following Lyme disease may respond to therapy that targets inflammation custom-designed peptides, according to a team of investigators. The team has submitted a pre-Investigative New Drug (pIND) letter to the Food and Drug Administration as a step toward testing whether a novel treatment based on this model is effective.

Dermatology Times welcomes Albert C. Yan, M.D., as the newest member to its Editorial Advisory Council. Dr. Yan is the chief of pediatric dermatology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he is also an associate professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

People of African descent face unique hair concerns, and hair straighteners, relaxers and extensions can break, burn and otherwise damage the hair and scalp.

High Point, N.C. - The public is being inundated with advertisements about expensive topical agents that purport to have anti-aging properties. However, dermatologists can help their patients be savvy consumers by demystifying the manufacturers? claims.

Boston - Patients and dermatologists have new options in the management of pigmentary disorders resulting from decades of sun exposure, according to Ranella A. Hirsch, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology, Boston University Medical Center.

Adult stem cells may have a greater role in wound healing in the future, an expert says. Researchers are conducting tissue-engineering research with bovine models to assess the feasibility of stem cells to heal wounds in bones, cartilage and tendons.

Vulvovaginal symptoms are often best diagnosed by a dermatologist, an expert says.

Washington - When patients come in complaining of weeks, months, and even years of chronic eczema, the physician should immediately suspect overuse of and subsequent addiction to topical corticosteroids.

San Francisco - The option of Mohs surgery plays a limited but valuable role in the management of certain melanomas, James G. Spencer, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

San Francisco - New topical and systemic treatments, and new uses for existing ones, are making several photodermatosis conditions more manageable, according to John L.M. Hawk, M.D.

San Francisco - When assessing a nevus or group of nevi, the treatment approach - including the option not to treat at all - needs to be based on the clinical presentation, the size, and whether the mole is changing, according to Jason K. Rivers, M.D. Different treatment strategies also apply to congenital and acquired nevi, he said.

San Francisco - As the international situation has become more complicated, dermatologists have realized that they may need to diagnose and respond to individuals who have been infected by a microbial agent of bioterrorism. Among the several viral agents that could be so used, smallpox has caused the greatest concern, according to Scott A. Norton, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc.

San Francisco - The future of melanoma treatment may include a union of surgical and medical oncology in which treatments such as interferon play an important role, according to Donald P. Lawrence, M.D. However, it is less likely that melanoma treatment will evolve to include genetically targeted therapies such as imatinib (Gleevec) in the future.

San Francisco - Although bacterial sexually transmitted diseases are decreasing in prevalence in the United States, viral STDs are on the rise, according to Ted Rosen, M.D. Of particular concern, he said, are the increasing numbers of people infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human papilloma virus (HPV).

Chicago - With all the new at-home hair treatments and recent reports of contact dermatitis and other cutaneous manifestations from using shampoos, conditioners and hair dyes, dermatologists should be keenly aware of products that can harm patients' hair and skin.

San Francisco - For the diagnosis of certain skin cancers, the future may lie in innovative lasers and "bedside" optical microscopes, according to R. Rox Anderson, M.D.

San Francisco -The conversation has to go beyond sunscreens when dermatologists counsel patients on photoprotection strategies, Darrell S. Rigel, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.