News

Philadelphia - Growth factors concentrated from a patient's own bloodaccelerate hair regrowth while prod-ucing up to 35 percent more folliculardensity, says Carlos Oscar Uebel, M.D. "Normally it takes three months for hair to start growing.

The importance of this cosmeceutical trend to the dermatologist is the need to ask patients about the use of such products, especially patients who will be undergoing physician- administered peels or patients that present with facial irritant contact dermatitis.

National report - As men continue to show more interest in cosmeticprocedures, dermatologists will need to anticipate their needs for information and support, William P. Coleman III, M.D., says.

Newport Beach, Calif. - Anti-aging therapies are shifting as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves an assortment of fillers and as researchers continue to study the use and safety of botulinum toxin.

National Report - Dermatologists have known for years that retinoids suppress the development of skin cancers. Recently this underutilized application has been dramatically illustrated in a case report.

Adelaide, Australia - When patients and their families learn that a loved one has malignant melanoma, they may question whether the cancer could have been caught earlier, when it was curable.

Victoria, British Columbia - "Question what everyone tells you, including me," advises Daniel Berg, M.D., director of the University of Washington's Center for Dermatologic Surgery.

Stanford, Ca. - Imaging can help dermatologists to diagnose and treat some of the lesions they encounter, according to Barton Lane, M.D., professor of radiology and neurosurgery at Stanford University Medical Center, here.

Las Vegas - Coumadin and other blood thinners should not be discontinued pre- or postoperatively in patients who are having skin surgery, says a professor of dermatology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.

Stanford, Calif. - Chin-jowl implants are a valuable adjunct for optimizing the results of minimally invasive facelift procedures and neck liposuction, says Greg S. Morganroth, M.D., who spoke at "The Next Step: Mastering Cutaneous Outpatient Procedures," a continuing education program at Stanford University.

Philadelphia - The state of the art in lip augmentation isn't about fillers or filling technique but a conceptual breakthrough, says Sydney R. Coleman, M.D., a plastic surgeon with a New York City practice.

Singapore - Non-invasive ways to renew aging faces are growing and changing. There are new devices, new twists on old techniques - and even changes in potential patients' wants and needs. But according to Robert Weiss, M.D., one aspect of this cosmetic dermatology niche is not likely to change.

It is estimated that less than 4 percent of the total number of dermatologists in the United States are following a purely academic career. Suffice to say that most academic dermatologists remain in the Franciscan branch of the family; if not truly a vow of poverty, then certainly a career-long differential from the income of our colleagues in private practice exists.

Dr. John Caribe has been licensed as a dentist in the state of New York for 20 years. He has hospital privileges at his local community hospital where he performs oral surgery and other dental procedures. Five years ago, Dr. Caribe received a medical degree from the University of Health Sciences Antigua, St. Johns, Antigua. He never completed any postgraduate training; nor did he complete any part of the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) or the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Menlo Park, Calif. - Dale Pearlman, M.D., was puzzled. Increasingly, though he used appropriate, proven neurotoxic lotions to treat head lice problems of his patients, in far too many cases, the lice weren't going away.

Louisville, Ky.-Dermatologists are often faced with treating and managing severe cutaneous drug reactions.

New York - As winter exacerbates existing skin problems and precipitates new ones, many patients benefit from practical advice on changing their skin care regimens to fit the season, according to Ch?rie M. Ditre, M.D.

New York - The four recently defined subtypes of rosacea are likely caused by different pathogenic factors, and thus respond to different therapeutic regimens, according to Michelle T. Pelle, M.D.

Seattle - Dermatologists are usually the first specialists to see patients who have psoriasis and who might have psoriatic arthritis. Their decision about how to treat these patients can impact the cutaneous and arthritic manifestations of the disease.

In response to such concerns, in late 2003 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out draft guidelines regarding genetic testing requirements for all drug submissions.

Part of the problem is that PG is very uncommon and can be difficult to diagnose.

Phototherapy offers good efficacy but patients can have frequent relapses.

Backed by a long and successful history as a tool to examine human anatomy such as the heart, breast, thyroid and prostate, sonography is now proving to be equally valuable in analyzing the skin.

National report - California pharmaceutical manufacturer Allergan is taking steps to reassure doctors and patients about the safety of Botox after four people became critically ill after they were treated with an unapproved raw botulinum toxin.

National report - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent approval for medical applications of VeriChip, the world's first implantable identification device for humans, could signal the beginning of a new state-of-the-art world of computerized data tracking previously seen only in science fiction movies.

Santa Barbara, Calif. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Inamed Corp.'s Captique, a non-animal-based hyaluronic acid gel to combat facial wrinkles. It is the newest dermal filler to enter the U.S. market.

Cleveland - Facial transplantation, a controversialprocedure, has moved one step closer to clinical practice,following approval of a protocol late last year by the ClevelandClinic's internal review board. However, no one can say when thefirst facial transplant will take place.

While many dermatologists believe the options for treating and curing vitiligo are lacking, one doctor in Argentina is having good success using a combination of nutritional supplements and topical steroids.

Another treatment used in the case of a severe acne patient who did not respond to any oral antibiotics was infliximab (Remicade, Centocor).

Englewood Cliffs, N.J. - Instead of prescribing drugs, a chiropractor and best-selling author based here advocates a holistic regimen that emphasizes changing the diets of psoriasis and eczema patients while ridding their bodies of toxins.