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Going generic: Formularies limit brand-name choices
September 1st 2009A patient with a complicated chronic skin disease consulted me some time ago. He had been under the care of another practitioner and was very satisfied with the quality of the care he had been receiving, but he could no longer afford the treatments being prescribed.
Music to medicine: Classically trained violist, jazz pianist thrives as dermatologist
September 1st 2009Hungarian-born dermatologist Judith Hellman, M.D., has a life rich in experiences. She served in the Israeli Air Force; she's a classically trained violinist and jazz pianist; and, ultimately, she trained in medicine to follow the footsteps of her father, the late Lawrence Hellman, M.D. - formerly on the dermatologic faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York - and her mother, Vera Rados, M.D., an allergist/immunologist, who continues
Golimumab eases PsA: Benefits of once-monthly anti-TNF treatment sustained for at least two years
September 1st 2009Results have been analyzed from 276 patients followed for two years in the phase 3 trial of golimumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The data shows sustained benefits with no new safety signals emerging.
Destroying benign lesions: Are you getting your money's worth?
September 1st 2009Next to biopsies and the destruction of premalignant lesions, the third most common bread-and-butter service for dermatologists is the destruction of benign lesions (CPT codes 17110 and 17111). In this article, we will discuss the proper use of these codes, rules that govern their use and bundling issues
On the horizon: Deciding when to collect your Social Security benefits is a highly personal matter
September 1st 2009Whether your retirement is off in the distance or just over the horizon, eventually you will have to decide when to start drawing your Social Security benefits. That decision will have a significant effect on your financial future. The more you know about your options, the better your chance for making the decision that is right for you.
The nation's health: Derms express views on proposed reform
September 1st 2009Despite urging from President Obama, both houses of Congress went home for their August break without passing any version of healthcare reform. All facets of reform appear to be on the table still, while the proposals being considered have a multitude of interpretations.
Pet vectors: MRSA infections transmitted between humans, animals
September 1st 2009People and their pets are often said to take on the morphology and mannerisms of each other over time. Regardless of whether that is true, it's clear that they do come to share diseases, and, increasingly, that means methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA).
NeoGenomics, Abbot partner to develop melanoma test
August 31st 2009Ft. Myers, Fla. - NeoGenomics, a provider of cancer genetics testing services, announced that it has entered into a Strategic Supply Agreement with Abbott. The agreement provides for Abbott to supply materials for NeoGenomics to develop its own FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization)-based test for the diagnosis of melanoma.
Avoiding steroidal addiction: Consider calcineurin inhibitors first
August 31st 2009Sheffield, England - New research data demonstrates that mild, moderate and potent strengths of topical corticosteroids (TCS) cause a thinning of the stratum corneum, particularly when applied for longer periods of time, whereas topical calcineurin inhibitors show no negative change in the integrity of the skin barrier.
The truth about topicals: Effectiveness of anti-aging agents revealed
August 31st 2009High Point, N.C. - The public is being inundated with advertisements about expensive topical agents that purport to have anti-aging properties. However, dermatologists can help their patients be savvy consumers by demystifying the manufacturers? claims.
Activating cutaneous vitamin D: Low-dose UVB strengthens epidermal barrier, antimicrobial function
August 31st 2009Wonju, South Korea - While high-dose UVB is detrimental to the epidermal permeability barrier, low-dose UVB can be therapeutic in mending a defective epidermal barrier and antimicrobial function, such as in atopic dermatitis, according to one dermatologist.
Neck rejuvenation: Fractional CO2 laser is valuable tool
August 26th 2009A clinical trial evaluating neck rejuvenation using an ablative fractional CO2 laser showed all patients (n = 13) achieved at least 25 percent improvement in rhytids, crepe-like skin, neck tightness, and pigmentation. There were no problems with scarring or pigmentary changes.
Fear not: Botox safety concerns overstated, expert says
August 26th 2009Las Vegas - Although some recent animal research and human case reports have spurred concerns regarding the safety of Botox Cosmetic (botulinum toxin A, Allergan), one of the product's pioneers says that Botox remains safe when used as directed for cosmetic indications.
Botox and hyperhidrosis: Gold standard for treating underarms
August 26th 2009Botulinum toxin type A (Botox Allergan) is the gold standard to treat axillary hyperhidrosis, but it also can be administered to treat palmar hyperhidrosis or plantar hyperhidrosis. In very rare instances, it can be used to treat the mid-face. There is not a standard dosing schedule in using botulinum toxin type A to treat hyperhidrosis.
Under suspension: Suture lift technique permits retention of facial tissue
August 14th 2009Augusta, Ga. - A new technique for soft-tissue suture lifting in the face is an alternative to the minimally invasive facelift. The technique uses clear, modified polypropylene with bio-absorbable cones and multiple point fixations, says Gloria Mabel Gamboa, M.D., F.A.C.S., associate professor at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga.
Laser update: Fractionated devices, wavelength combinations drive surgery segment
August 14th 2009Washington - Over the next five years, fractionated lasers and combined-wavelength treatments will continue to lead growth in the dermatologic laser surgery segment, according to a leading dermatologic laser surgeon.