Bill Gillette

Omaha, Neb. - A patient presenting to a primary care physician with complaints of an arm rash may not be particularly unusual, but one unusual case illustrates the need for proactive cooperation between primary care physicians and specialists to best serve the patient's needs.

National report - As the general population ages, the demand for allies in the battle against declining physical appearance has spurred the development of new treatment modalities - and creative uses of older standbys.

National report - The aging of the baby boomers and life-extending advances in medical research, technology and pharmaceuticals have begun to have a profound impact on the practice of dermatology.

It's doubtful the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) could have picked a better spokeswoman for its recently launched PSA campaign to educate teens about the risks of indoor tanning.

And, says the AAD, a 2005 study shows that regular exposure to tanning beds significantly elevates a person's risk for developing melanoma.

Another consideration was to design and build a vascular laser that could treat the widest range of vascular conditions, something that could only be done with multiple wavelengths.

Washington - A proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule that would ban over-the-counter sales of skin bleaching creams containing hydroquinone has many dermatologists wondering why the FDA has taken the step - and taking steps themselves to urge the agency to reconsider.

Washington - A recent change to the federal iPLEDGE program that eliminates one controversial lockout period is a welcome one, says Stephen P. Stone, M.D., president of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Schaumburg, Ill. - Dermatologists are virtually unanimously dissatisfied with the controversial federal iPLEDGE registry and want significant changes to the program, according to a poll of members of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Rancho Mirage, Calif. - The cosmetic surgery community needs to take a new look at what causes facial features to droop and need correction - and find new methods to correct iatrogenic defects that sometimes result from traditional facelifts, Mark Berman, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

San Francisco - A seminar presented at an anti-aging symposium suggests that when it comes to proper nutrition and how it impacts health and longevity, so-called advanced cultures have much to learn from ancient and what might be viewed as less-advanced civilizations of today.