News

Although the expression "I was so stressed I broke out in hives" is quite common, it can be a challenge for dermatologists to identify the psychosocial precipitants of chronic urticaria, according to Josie Howard, M.D., a psychiatrist in private practice, and clinical instructor departments of psychiatry and dermatology, University of California, San Francisco. But that is beginning to change, she says.

Hair disorders such as alopecia areata and trichotillomania often involve a complex mind-body connection that dermatologists must untangle, according to Wilma Bergfeld, M.D., in practice at the Cleveland Clinic. "Management of these types of conditions often requires consultation and support of a psychologist or psychiatrist," she says.

Suneva Medical has acquired a new product line, including worldwide rights to Refissa (tretinoin 0.05 percent), from Spear Pharmaceuticals.

A person’s eye color may help to predict risk for vitiligo, according to results of a new study.

A new study shows that a hormone that is associated with maintaining bone health may also help to boost antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression when dietary vitamin D levels are low.

Scientists have taken skin cells from patients with advanced heart failure and used them to create healthy, patient-specific heart muscle cells, according to results of a recent study.

New research suggests aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help protect against skin cancer.

Another recent study has shown that the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib is safe and effective in treating advanced melanoma.

Swiss drugmaker Novartis has signed an agreement to acquire Fougera Pharmaceuticals for more than $1.5 billion in cash.

Data from an ongoing clinical evaluation of a combination of two drugs in patients with advanced melanoma is showing promise as a new way of treating the disease.

Cosmetic manufacturer L’Oréal?s attempt to trademark products with a similar name to Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan), was rejected by the top European Union court.

Langerhans cells (LCs), immune cells found in the skin, can be both helpful and harmful, allowing beneficial microbes to live as well as attacking harmful foreign bodies, depending on the situation, a new study proposes.

New research proposes that zinc oxide, a common ingredient in sunscreens, may not be as effective as previously thought and may actually cause damage to cells.

Dermatology Times welcomes Albert C. Yan, M.D., as the newest member to its Editorial Advisory Council. Dr. Yan is the chief of pediatric dermatology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he is also an associate professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Many young adults engage in high-risk sun exposure and indoor tanning behaviors even as skin cancer rates among this age group continue to rise, according to recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute.

Vermont residents under age 18 will have to wait until the sun is out to tan. A new law there will ban the use of indoor tanning beds by minors, making it the second state in the country, after California, to place an age restriction on indoor tanning.

The Food and Drug Administration has delayed for six months regulations that would require sunscreen makers to change product labels to more clearly state how much protection they offer from the sun.

A report in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry may offer researchers a new avenue to treating one of the leading causes of dandruff, the unsightly shedding of excess skin cells off the scalp.

Researchers in Sweden have successfully described the function and structure of the topmost layer of skin at the molecular level, creating new possibilities for large-scale drug delivery via the skin and also opening the door for greater understanding of skin diseases.

Diagnosis at a Distance : Driven by improving technology as well as undeniable need, teledermatology continues to gain as a consultation option Fine Tuning : IL-17 inhibitors may modify approach to psoriasis Clinical Dermatology : Careful laser selection, combos standard for vascular treatment Cosmetic Dermatology : Gene-matched cosmetics - Mostly hype, or practical? Practice Management : Superior customer service generates satisfied patients Special Report : Skin cancer

A new marketing concept is to design boutique cosmetics that complement the genes of the consumer. The idea builds on the current genomic approach to cosmeceutical research where gene expression is being used to study the effect of ingredients on the skin.

According to dermatologist John E. Olerud, M.D., "Life is a lot like baseball." In fact, Dr. Olerud often shares with his trainees the life lessons he learned as a professional baseball player. He focused on the topic in a recent acceptance speech, when Washington State University honored him last year with its Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award.

On Call asked dermatologists around the country what they, or their practices are planning this year as they await a determination of what healthcare delivery will look like. Are they making any major changes, expanding or downsizing their practices?

Above and beyond its therapeutic value in cosmetic medicine, botulinum toxin can be useful in a number of medical indications and can represent an adjunct treatment option, said Philippe Humbert, M.D., Ph.D., at the 20th annual European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress last October.

Accurately coding for evaluation and management (E&M) services billed to Medicare requires mastering subtleties that aren't always spelled out in coding instructions, said Allan S. Wirtzer, M.D., medical director, Mid Valley Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Center, Sherman Oaks, Calif., at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Although ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb) has been a tremendous advance for patients with metastatic melanoma, only a subset of patients benefits from treatment.

The revolution in treatments for venous incompetence includes combinations of lasers and sclerosing technologies for leg veins, along with the gold standard of pulsed dye lasers for facial telangiectasias, hemangiomas and port wine stains, according to Neil Sadick, M.D.

Dr. Laser, in an attempt to lower office fees, taught his nurses to use lasers for various problems such as hair removal, facial toning and acne treatment. He sent his staff to many training courses and established rigid in-office guidelines for laser treatments. Unfortunately, a patient treated by a laser nurse now has a scar on her upper lip, and she filed a complaint against the nurse and Dr. Laser with the state board of nursing.

Physicians with the most satisfied patients aren't necessarily the ones who spend the most time with patients. Sometimes, even getting the highest-quality goods or services doesn't make up for a poor interaction.

Two experimental psoriasis drugs that target the interleukin (IL)-17 signaling pathway led to significant improvements in skin lesions for most patients over 12 weeks, separate phase 2 studies show.