News

With a new wave of Republicans who have vowed to slash federal spending now controlling the House of Representatives and wielding more clout in the Senate, chances that the Medicare fee schedule crisis will be permanently resolved any time soon appear to have significantly dimmed.

Tattoos are increasingly prevalent in Western society. One survey found that 24 percent of respondents had tattoos. While options for tattoo removal include excision, dermabrasion and CO2 laser vaporization, selective short-pulsed laser treatment is the preferred modality.

A new technique that begins with early tangential excision and coverage with cadaver allograft (A), followed by placement of cultured epithelial autograft (CEA) onto an allodermis base (CEA/A) is an effective treatment for coverage of large burns, according to a recent study.

There is a gold standard in woundcare systems based on the concept of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), but making refinements to the gold standard is driving innovation that is seeing the emergence of alternative woundcare systems.

Ronald L. Moy, M.D., has always cared about dermatology, but he never intended to join the specialty. Today, he is president-elect of the American Academy of Dermatology 2010 board of directors, set to assume the academy's presidency in February 2011.

Treatment algorithms notwithstanding, diagnosing and treating melanomas measuring less than 1 mm thick poses many challenges, an expert says.

The cover story on my office copy of this month's Readers Digest caught my eye. The title was "Doctors Confess Their Fatal Mistakes." The article recorded personal accounts of errors made by several healthcare providers. In the introduction, the author included a statement about being surprised that so many medical professionals were not only willing but also eager to share their stories.

Although most oral lesions observed in children pose little health risk, some of these lesions may be severe and followed by permanent sequelae, an expert says. And some pediatric oral lesions can provide clues to the presence of a systemic disease, she adds.

In early testing, an experimental protocol combining excimer laser (XTRAC Velocity, PhotoMedex), clobetasol spray and topical calcitriol ointment achieves fast, impressive results in patients with severe, generalized psoriasis.

Dr. Light has been in practice for 25 years. He has never considered himself a "cosmetic dermatologist." He makes the decision to learn more about cosmetic procedures. He feels that if he treads slowly and approaches the learning process of cosmetic dermatology the same way he approached medical dermatology, he can't go wrong.

No one knows what it means when a skincare product is "green," because this is an as-of-yet undefined marketing term. In general, it does not mean that the product is colored green, but rather that the product is environmentally friendly.

As of January 2010, physicians lost one more category of income from the Medicare reimbursement table. Consultation codes were eliminated, with physicians being told to replace them with the lower codes for new or existing patients to cover consultation visits. On Call asked dermatologists around the country whether they had seen any impact on their practice when the codes were discontinued.

Clinical trials with a novel immune-based therapy known as PV-10 (Provectus Pharmaceuticals) shows promise in the treatment of advanced melanoma.

Has the sun set on the 10 percent tanning bed tax that was included in the new healthcare law, now that the Republicans are ready to flex their muscles on Capitol Hill? Does legislation introduced earlier this year that would give feds the power to regulate indoor tanning have a chance in this new Congress?

All but one piece of the American Osteopathic Board of Dermatology (AOBD) process for osteopathic continuous certification (OCC) stands ready for implementation ahead of the project’s 2013 deadline, AOBD officials say.

As the population ages, physicians are seeing a surge in the prevalence of chronic, nonhealing wounds because of the increase in disease processes leading to wounds, an expert says.

Treating keloids can be challenging because there is a high rate of recurrence of them, but promising therapies lie on the horizon, such as transforming growth factor-beta 3.

Defined benefit pension plans as well as cash balance plans are generating a lot of interest with medical practices, both large and small. Medical practices find that these retirement plans are a great way to increase retirement savings and reduce taxes at the same time.

As we continue through the fourth quarter of the year, most of our clients now have a fairly good idea of what their taxable income will be for 2010. If you are like these clients, you may be wondering, “Is there anything I can do now to save taxes on April 15?” The answer is very likely “Yes.”

Effective communication between medical specialists is necessary to ensure that all patients receive proper care. But the recent healthcare reform, combined with insurance cost issues, oftentimes results in dermatologic patients seeking care at emergency rooms or primary care facilities. It is the responsibility of physicians of all specialties to meet this challenge and improve interspecialty communications for the benefit of all patients.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan) for treatment of migraine headaches, the Associated Press reports.

The PinPointe FootLaser, made by PinPointe USA, based here, has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for the treatment of onychomycosis, Marketwire reports.

A new test can help doctors determine whether a woman experiencing hair loss is likely to benefit from antiandrogen therapies, Business Wire reports.

Psychiatrists dominate a list of physicians who receive the most in payments from pharmaceutical companies, according to a database compiled by investigative journalism group ProPublica.

Eugene Van Scott, M.D., and Ruey Yu, O.M.D., Ph.D., will be awarded the first Innovators in Cosmetic Dermatology Award during the 2010 meeting of the Cosmetic Surgery Forum here Dec. 2-4.

Dermatology's Future : Experts foresee greater demand, more extenders Melanoma & Minorities : Rising incidence signals need for more targeted outreach, experts say Special Report : Geriatric Dermatology

A new study suggests that dietary antioxidant supplementation does not help prevent skin cancer. In fact, in women, antioxidant supplements taken for a very long period may facilitate the development of skin cancer, especially melanoma.

One part of the healthcare reform package mandated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes a measure to give physicians a financial incentive for developing "meaningful use" of their certified electronic health record technology. As I learn more and more about the meaningful use provision, I realize it involves a great deal more than just digitalizing patients' medical records.

Several recent developments, such as ammonia-free hair dyes and more gentle hair-straightening methods, can help make taking care of geriatric hair easier, according to an expert.

Mohs surgeons are facing rising skin cancer rates, along with concerns about healthcare reform and controversial changes in credentialing, sources say.