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Training expenses can be tax deductions for practice, tax-free for recipients

The Vonage Softphone is a piece of software that uses your laptop or desktop computer to do what was previously done by Vonage hardware and a telephone handset.

The medical record is the primary source of evidence for the plaintiff's case.

Just as patients suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are out of touch with reality, doctors' assumptions regarding this disease often miss the mark, say some dermatologists.

Safe, cost-effective filler ideal for correcting large defects

Tool offers shorter recovery time, fewer risks, less cost

Patients report smoother skin after single application

Orlando, Fla. - Pain has several components - both sensory and emotional - and it is an experience that varies by individual. The ability to control pain effectively is crucial to a good dermatology practice. That was the message Christopher B. Zachary, F.R.C.P. presented recently at the Skin Disease Education Foundation Cosmetic Dermatology Symposium here.

Q. Can a permanent wave decrease hair growth?

Stanford, Calif. - Radiance FN (BioForm) is an excellent injectable material for augmentation of minor defects, particularly in the midface, although accumulating experience might point to additional roles for this relatively new addition to the filler armamentarium, says Hayes B. Gladstone, M.D.

Uses explode across medical specialties

The road to finding the perfect filler substance has been bumpy. Experts say researchers are getting close to that ultimate filler, but are not yet there.

Victoria, British Columbia - Sometimes what we accept as fact isn't actually reality. The truth in pediatric dermatology is turning out to be a bit different in some conditions than was taken for granted just a few years ago.

Cleveland - When thinking of pediatric fungal diseases, the mind may immediately turn toward the scalp and the typical presentation of tinea capitis. Yet fungal diseases often masquerade in several forms in various areas of the body, making the dermatologist's job of diagnosis and treatment more complicated.

Walnut Creek, Calif. - Current indications for vascular lasers include port wine stains, rosacea, telangiectasia, a variety of vascular lesions, warts, scars, leg veins, stretch marks and nonablative wrinkle reduction, says Jerome R. Potozkin, M.D., in private practice here.

Chicago - Tracking the photoreactivity of many medicines that predate U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements in this area has been an inexact science, but it's becoming less so. That's because an extensive review released in a presentation at "Important Advances in Allergy-Immunology and Dermatology - From the Bench to the Bedside," a recent gathering of allergists, immunologists and dermatologists in Chicago hosted by Northwestern University, outlines photoreactivity data for more than 100 widely used drugs gleaned from more than 150 research articles

Stanford, Calif. - Reports of the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan) injection for the management of focal hyperhidrosis are prompting more patients to seek treatment for excessive sweating, says Daniel Berg, M.D., who spoke on the topic at "The Next Step: Mastering Cutaneous Outpatient Procedures," a continuing education program held at Stanford University.

They are not the most common of dermatitis types that dermatologists typically see in their practices, but asteatotic dermatitis and neurodermatitis are driving some people to seek relief from their doctors.

New York - Experts believe the facts about emerging infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance are cause for worldwide concern.

The Patients' Bill of Rights, long sought by physicians to provide protections in their relationships with managed care organizations, may get new life as a result of the June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court limiting patient lawsuits against health maintenance organizations.

Dr. Ron has finally learned to deal with all the new privacy requirements of HIPAA. He provides reasonable confidentiality to his patients and his privacy statement to patients is in full compliance with the law. His computers and vendors are all HIPAA compliant. His attorney assures him that his office is now HIPAA compliant.

Leeches may now officially be used for medicinal purposes, following recent approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for commercial marketing.

St. Paul, Minn. - Aldara (imiquimod) Cream 5 percent, a topical immune response modifier, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC).

National report - The tactics of bioterrorism span the ages, from the catapulting of plague-ravaged bodies over the parapets of a besieged medieval city to mailing of the stealthy, mysterious anthrax-tainted letters that sowed panic across the United States in 2001.

One of the best and most exciting ways to attract attention to your practice is becoming a resource for your local media such as newspaper, television and radio stations.

Q My broker has recommended that I purchase exchange-traded funds, and in particular, an "SPDR." Are these investments as good as they seem?

Orlando - Assessing newer injectable fillers is easier if certain criteria are used to evaluate and compare them. According to Murad Alam, M.D., these criteria can be either objective, based on research and anecdotal evidence, or can be patient-directed and somewhat subjective.

Charleston, S.C.- Hair disorders in children are discernible by several factors, including the amount of hair on the head (hypotrichosis or hypertrichosis), structure (with fragility or without) and color (hypopigmented or hyperpigmented), according to Carola Duran-McKinster, M.D., department of dermatology at the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico.

The coverage by Dermatology Times of efforts to control the undisciplined use of indoor tanning facilities is excellent.My hat is off to the dermatologists in the various states who have been fighting the good battle

Even small modifications to verbiage, sentence structure streamline process