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Patient instruction essential to effective acne medication application
November 1st 2005Proper application consists of placing a "fingertip unit" of medication at each of 10 spots on the face — two on the mid-forehead (left and right), one each on the tip of the nose and chin, two spaced across each cheek, and one on each side of thelower face at a location that is approximately mid-distance between the spots on the cheek.
Advances in IPL tx boost acne results
November 1st 2005Atlanta — According to Michael H. Gold, M.D., medical director of the Tennessee Clinical Research Center in Nashville, the Food and Drug Administration registration requirement for Accutane (Roche) users — in combination with side effects caused by other modalities — has launched a quest for alternative therapies in the treatment of moderate to severe inflammatory acne vulgaris. He argues that one of the best contenders is intense pulsed light (IPL) with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) as photosensitizer.
New phototherapy approach restores pigment, quality of life
November 1st 2005Walnut Creek, Calif. — Advances in phototherapy are bringing greatly needed new options for the treatment of hypopigmentary conditions in patients with ethnic skin, says Min-Wei Christine Lee, M.D., M.P.H., a dermatologic surgeon and director, The East Bay Laser and Skin Care Center, Walnut Creek, Calif.
New bankruptcy laws make old asset protection planning obsolete
November 1st 2005What effect, if any, has the new bankruptcy act had on physician's asset protection plans? In short, the answer is "a significant one." In this article, we will explain exactly what this effect has been and why it is so important for all physicians to re-examine their planning because of it.
Unpinch the symptomatic pincer nail
November 1st 2005Many a pincer nail can reside relatively unnoticed, curled in a nail bed and requiring no treatment, but when such nails become symptomatic, surgical treatment is necessary with a main goal of targeting the widened nail matrix, according to Nathaniel J. Jellinek, M.D., a dermatologist at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence.
Study shows ointments appear worthless for wound healing
November 1st 2005Atlanta — According to a recent study, placing ointment on surgical wounds before applying occlusive dressings provides no observable benefits; moreover, applying mupirocin ointment to clean surgical wounds is contraindicated given the potential for creating antibiotic resistance.
Tug-of-war continues in Medicare's SGR
November 1st 2005Legislation backed by the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) to abolish the controversial sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula in the Medicare fee schedule contains provisions to implement a payment system based on "pay for performance," a plan to compensate physicians according to the quality of care they provide.
Committee: Separate entity could handle procedure credentialing
November 1st 2005National report — The most feasible road to procedure credentialing would likely involve setting up a separate entity comprised of dermatologic-associated societies and administering a credentialing system similar to the process of hospital privileging, according to the initial findings of a joint task force of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS).