News

San Diego - Histogen has announced that Zoe Diana Draelos, M.D., will be joining the company’s scientific advisory board, PR Newswire reports.

Clark, N.J. - A recent L’oréal research study compared the efficacy of glycolic acid (GA) to capryloyl salicylic acid (LHA)in treating wrinkles hyperpigmentation, inside cosmeceuticals reports.

Toronto - Canadian dermatologist Dana W. Hanson, M.D., has been elected the 2009-10 president of the World Medical Association (WMA), a France-based independent confederation of 94 national medical associations representing more than 8 million doctors worldwide.

National report - New research suggests astaxanthin is superior to other carotenoids in sun protection, NPI center reports.

Las Vegas - Skinvisible has announced the appointment of Geert Cauwenbergh, Ph.D., as the head of its International Advisory Board, MarketWatch reports.

San Diego - Artes Medical has announced enrollment is completed in the 1,000-patient post-marketing study required by the Food and Drug Administration for ArteFill, the only FDA-approved non-resorbable dermal filler, according to Business Wire.

Tehran, Iran - Though the long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser and the alexandrite laser are both efficacious in long-term hair removal, a combination of the two lasers causes more adverse effects with no additional benefit, HealthDay News reports.

France - Melanoma patients treated with a special tumor-fighting T cell have a greater change of survival without relapse, according to HealthDay News.

Repeated use of topical therapies for atopic dermatitis may lead to sensitization that results in allergic contact dermatitis. In a recent study, investigators identified several risk factors that are significantly linked with sensitization to local atopic dermatitis therapies.

New York - The Skin Cancer Foundation raised almost $900,000 during its annual Skin Sense Award Gala, an event honoring those who have contributed to educating the public about the prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer, according to a press release.

Available data indicates that the number of MRSA infections is increasing in both AD patients and the general population, an expert says. Understanding innate immunity and antimicrobial peptide production may lead to new treatment modalities.

Washington - The Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) launched its multi-year initiative on the Burden of Skin Disease Co-Morbidities at an invitational scientific conference Oct. 15-16 in Bethesda, Md.

National report - According to a recently released study, the $5 billion a year that pharmaceutical companies spend on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising may not always be such a good investment. And to some dermatologists, DTC drug advertising may not always be such a good idea from a medical standpoint.

National report - With four generations of dermatologists rubbing elbows in medical schools and residency programs, and three generations working side by side in practice and other settings, it's no wonder that doctors of all ages are feeling frustrated.

Too many physicians over the last decade have sought cookie-cutter asset protection plans to give them some "peace of mind" that if they ever endure an outrageous malpractice case, they won't lose everything. While we admire these doctors' commitment to pro-actively managing their risk, we have to remind doctors that all "asset protection plans" are not created equal. In fact, many will not even "work" if they ever are relied on.

Photography plays a valuable role in dermatology for improving patient care, but the usefulness of archived images depends on how they are stored.

As we near the end of 2008 - one of the most economically volatile years in my memory-it seems natural to wonder what the coming year will bring. Even in the most stable of economic times, predicting future developments is an unwise indulgence at best. In times like these, it's pure madness.

Erin Boh, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chairman of dermatology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, says her life has been a series of seamless connections - or, as she puts it, happenstance.

First impressions have a strong influence on our perceptions and, ultimately, our loyalty to a service, a company or a physician.

The Internet provides a forum for disgruntled patients, employees or competitors to defame a doctor's reputation. One company helps doctors protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits.

Because verrucous carcinoma and ILVEN can have striking histologic similarities, one expert recommends considering verrucous carcinoma in the differential diagnosis of ILVEN. Initial biopsies can be misleading, evidence from this case demonstrates.

Several therapies are available for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC), including excision, PDT, 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod; however, not all of them have the same safety and efficacy profile. A recent study proves that imiquimod is safe and effective for the treatment of superficial BCC and assures sustained clearance over at least five years.

Ingenol mebutate is taking the dermatology world by storm as it time and again proves its high efficacy and excellent safety profile in the treatment of AKs. Many dermatologists are eagerly awaiting FDA approval of this novel topical therapy in the United States.

Early recognition and treatment of cutaneous events should be a crucial part of the medical management of patients taking kinase inhibitors, a co-author of a recent case report says.

In a recent study, seniors showed an unexpectedly high rate of compliance with 0.5 percent five-fluorouracil treatment for actinic keratoses, the study's lead author says.

New knowledge about the molecular pathogenesis of cutaneous lymphomas provides a basis for several new treatments under development, an expert says.

Targeting the melanocytes in the hypermelanosis seen in melasma is a common and effective therapy. Many therapies exist, including topical approaches, lasers and light therapy. A new approach targeting the vasculature, not the melanocytes, using a copper bromide dual 578 nm yellow laser has proven very effective in the treatment of melasma, a recent study shows.

When processing an ear wedge during Mohs surgery, maintaining and understanding orientation of the tissue are key, an expert says.

An audit conducted at a university dermatology department suggests that certain factors appear to increase patients' risk of postoperative complications, one of the audit's authors says. However, antibiotic use may reduce such complications, he adds.

As new laser technology continues to be introduced to the market, patients keep searching for the newest, latest and greatest device. The current trend seems to be centered on what patients can do themselves, minimizing the amount of time needed in the office.