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The youthful appearance of the eyelid can best be restored by reconstructinga proper continuum between the lower eyelid and the cheek, rather than simplyby removing fat, said Jean Carruthers, M.D., of Carruthers Aesthetic FacialOphthalmology, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

With a handful of new options expected to receive FDA approval withina year, the field of tissue augmentation stands poised to undergo a seismicshift. "The bottom line is, tissue augmentation is about to changedramatically," said Mariano E. Busso, M.D. He is clinical professorin the University of Miami's department of dermatology, chief of dermatologyat Mercy Hospital, also in Miami, Fla., and a private practitioner who isboard-certified in dermatology.

As a world-class city, Washington, D.C. is home to a wonderful selectionof dining establishments featuring a wide array of international and regionalAmerican cuisines. Meals run the gamut from the sumptuous and sublime todown-to-earth and down-home. And you can generally choose an ambiance thatsuits either your lifestyle or current mood. Bon appetit!

With more than 7,000 eateries in the greater Washington, D.C. area, it'sa pretty good bet that, given the time, even the most finicky gourmand willfind something to please his or her palate. However, choosing the rightrestaurant can be tricky, especially if you're pressed for time.

Tattooing, body piercing, and other skin adornments are nothing new.When the body of the Ice Man was discovered frozen in the mountains of NorthernItaly, the well-preserved 5,300-year-old corpse had tattoos on its knees.One belief is that the tattooing might have been for medicinal reasons -to remedy his arthritic knees.

If you'd like to catch some of the sights while you're in town, all youhave to do is look around. Chances are there's a monument, memorial, museum,or historical building close by. Most of the war memorials are outdoors,so take that into account if the weather is a little on the chilly side.However, a little inclement weather shouldn't stop you from taking in someof what the capital has to offer. You could literally spend months in Washington, D.C. and still not get through all the museums. Indeed, seeing all themuseums within the Smithsonian is a daunting task in and of itself.

It was established on cheap swamp land that was once thought uninhabitable,but it became the capital of "the last best hope of man." Itswide avenues, streets, monuments, and buildings play witness to the steadymarch of time and history.

When Pierre L'Enfant first viewed the land along the banks of the Potomacin 1791, he must have been a little disappointed. He faced a daunting designtask. Much of the land was uninhabitable swamp land ceded from the Stateof Maryland and Virginia. Indeed, the land in Virginia was actually givenback to that state.

Hair transplants can appear very natural now that they can be performedusing micrografts and natural follicular grouping that occur in the scalp,according to Marc R. Avram, M.D., who will speak at the American Academyof Dermatology (AAD) annual meeting today.

National Report - These days, the monthly statements from your bank and broker may generate little enthusiasm for estate planning. Still, whatever your present financial condition, you need to provide for the future of those you care about. This means assuring that your assets will be properly managed and go where they'll do the most good.

National Report - For most professionals, accepting another job or retiring involves little more than giving notice and enduring a farewell party or two. Not so for physicians. You have to notify patients, colleagues, employees, insurers, hospitals, and medical boards. You must make appropriate referrals, see that patient records remain accessible, collect accounts receivable, and arrange for continued liability coverage. If you're a solo office-based practitioner, you'll need to find a buyer, hire an associate who will eventually take over, affiliate with another practice, or shut down the business.

Many of the modern therapies that evolved during the last 25 years are new, more patient-friendly twists on old therapies. Harsh treatments with unpleasant odors that fail to diminish the most severe forms of acne and rosacea are no longer the main tools in the dermatologists' arsenal.

Five years ago, we marveled at the incredible advances in both medical and surgical dermatology. These included systemic retinoids for acne and keratinizing disorders, superpotent topical corticosteroids for even steroid-unresponsive dermatoses, photochemotherapy and narrow-band UVB phototherapy for psoriasis, and mycosis fungoides. They also included other difficult-to-treat skin problems, and sophisticated surgical modalities to improve photo-damaged skin and to help turn back the clock on skin aging in general. Five years ago, we celebrated, in these pages, 20 years of change in dermatology as reflected on the subjects that Dermatology Times covered for its readers.

National report - Trends in the treatment of melanoma continue to focus on early detection and include experimentation with vaccines that might someday stop the cancer from spreading or prevent it entirely. Despite progress in early detection, survival rates for late-stage patients continue to be a concern.

National Report -- In the past 25 years, dermatologists have witnessed a host of innovations that have made their specialty more vital than ever. During that same period, it has become increasingly evident that for the specialty to thrive in 2004 and beyond, two intertwined challenges must be addressed. They are the pervasive impact of managed care and the troubling trend for younger doctors to succumb to the allure of performing cosmetic procedures at the expense of clinical ones.

Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents can (and usually do) contain a wide variety of information known as metadata (information that you might not want to share with others when you distribute the document electronically) in "hidden" fields that can easily be viewed by simple text editing programs and by sophisticated software designed for the purpose of extracting this hidden information.

Waikoloa, Hawaii - Examine the scalps of women who report excessive hair shedding because early intervention is the key to successful treatment of female pattern hair loss.

Waikoloa, Hawaii - The Galaxy, a new machine from Syneron, achieves optimal skin rejuvenation by combining high fluence radio frequency energy with optical light and laser, according to R. Stephen Mulholland, MD.

Waikoloa, Hawaii- Since the advent of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) for cosmetic purposes, its use has been guided by two primary sources: clinical study and practice.

Panama City, Fla.-The suture material of choice for skin closure of reconstructive surgery wounds of the face and neck in adult patients is coated irradiated polyglactin 910 (Vicryl Rapide, Ethicon) for G. Joseph Parell, M.D. He reports it achieves solid cosmetic results that won't need further repair.

Las Vegas - Suspect infection in any patient who presents with painful erosions after resurfacing procedures because early treatment is key for achieving a good outcome, said Christopher B. Harmon, M.D., at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

Las Vegas - Suspect infection in any patient who presents with painful erosions after resurfacing procedures because early treatment is key for achieving a good outcome, said Christopher B. Harmon, M.D., at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

San Diego - Health care and public health workers vaccinated against smallpox have had few of the adverse events historically associated with smallpox vaccine, though unexpected cardiac events have occurred and continue to be investigated, according to Raymond A. Strikas, M.D.

Washington - When it comes to sun protection methods, there are some new options on the horizon. While many have yet to be approved for use in the U.S., they are showing promise as future preventive methods, according to Darrell S. Rigel, M.D., a dermatologist, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University, and a past president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New York - Adjuvant therapy with a macrophage-activating growth factor appears to prolong survival in high-risk melanoma, Lynn E. Spitler, M.D., said.

Waikoloa, Hawaii - The large, multicenter B.E.S.T. (Balancing Efficacy, Speed and Tolerability) clinical trial provides real-world data, reinforcing the conclusion that tazarotene 0.1 percent cream (Tazorac for acne) applied once daily in the evening is a highly and rapidly effective, well-tolerated treatment for acne vulgaris, said Dina N. Anderson, M.D., at the annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar in January.

Waikoloa, Hawaii - A investigational foam preparation of clindamycin phosphate 1 percent (Actiza) provides a safe, effective, well-tolerated, and innovative new treatment for acne vulgaris, said Lawrence F. Eichenfield, MD, at the annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar in January.

Washington, D.C. - Without a working knowledge of oral sores, it's easy to confuse one type with another, according to Alison Bruce, M.D. "You need a tier system for approaching these conditions. Once you know what questions to ask, they're not so hard to diagnose."

Waikoloa, Hawaii - Natural ingredients are often accompanied by scientific research findings that tout their benefits - and it is imperative for dermatologists to critically evaluate that data, said Susan C. Taylor, M.D.

Waikoloa, Hawaii - Phase III trials show etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen Inc. and Wyeth) has efficacy and safety for moderate to severe psoriasis.