News

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.

Long beach, Calif. - Obagi Medical Products announces the launch of SoluCLENZ Rx Gel,a solubilized benzoyl peroxide, used for the treatment of acne, according to marketwatch.

Chicago - Dermatologists warn consumers that black henna tattoos contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a harmful chemical associated with a rash and major skin problems, according to PR Newswire.

Mississauga, Ontario - Cipher Pharmaceuticals announces it has entered into a distribution and supply agreement with Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited for Ranbaxy to market, sell and distribute CIP-ISOTRETINOIN in the United States, MarketWatch reports.

New York - Researchers have found mebendazole, a widely prescribed drug used to treat parasitic infections, to be a a viable investigational agent for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant malignant melanoma, ScienceDaily reports.

San Diego - Artes Medical announces the immediate launch and commercial sale of Food and Drug Administration-approved Elevess, a new hyaluronic acid dermal filler formulated with an anesthetic for patient comfort, according to a press release.

Sacramento, Calif. - The California Assembly’s Committee on Health has defeated a bill that would have required manufacturers - including lipstick-makers - to prove that their products contain no more than “an unavoidable trace of lead,” CosmeticsDesign.com reports.

Rotterdam, Netherlands - Researchers here say that Pegintron, a hepatitis C drug marketed by Schering-Plough Corp., helps stop the post-surgery return of melanoma, Reuters reports.

Ann Arbor, Mich. - New research suggests that a form of laser cosmetic surgery first used two decades ago - but which has since fallen out of favor - could make a comeback in treating facial wrinkles, London’s Daily Mail reports.

London - The issue of whether sun exposure is a major cause of melanoma is the subject of two opposing articles published July 22 on bmj.com, the Web site of the British Medical Journal, HealthDay News reports.

Boston - A recently released analysis shows that studies of prescription drugs following their release on the market are becoming more common in the United States, Europe and Japan, The Boston Globe reports.

Washington - More than 90 percent of physicians base their drug-prescribing decisions on multiple sources of information, according to a new survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), PRNewswire reports.

Irvine, Calif. - Allergan, based here, has finalized a deal to acquire acne treatment gel Aczone from QLT USA Inc., the Associated Press reports.

Chicago - A national hospital-accrediting agency has issued new requirements aimed at minimizing the kind of physician behavior that can lead to medical errors, the Associated Press reports.

The subprime mortgage crunch is rippling through our economy in a variety of different ways. Many homeowners are postponing plans to sell until the market stabilizes; others, with hopes for trading up to a bigger home, are opting to stay put, turning instead to remodeling or enlarging.

In rejuvenating the midface, it's important to remember the impact that addressing lost cheek volume has both in this area and on the lower face, a Canadian expert says.

According to one expert, continued research in laser surgery has given birth to new and innovative technologies for treating vascular lesions, such as newer wavelengths and combinations of wavelengths.

Dermatologist Suzanne M. Connolly, M.D., thrives on the opportunity to join forces with others to make differences in people's lives.

You don't need to read another article telling you how terrible the malpractice crisis is. You already know that lawsuits are on the rise, jury awards are out of control, malpractice premiums are escalating to the point of being unaffordable, and the practice of medicine as we know it is severely threatened.

Researchers' growing understanding of melanoma's molecular biology is facilitating the development of more effective treatments that may be combined with some existing agents, an expert says.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma rates may be on the rise, but a recent study shows that there are gross misclassifications occurring in respect to the mortality rates of this disease.

Results of a recent study indicate that there is an increase in the incidence of lymphoma among atopic dermatitis patients using topical corticosteroids.