News

Kenilworth, N.J. - Clarinex, a new systemic drug for treatmentof urticaria (hives), has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA), according to Schering-Plough, the drug's manufacturer.

Irvine, Calif. - Turf battles over who should administer botulinumtoxin injections erupted within the first month after the April 15 FDA approvalof Botox Cosmetic.

Complaints of pruritis from patients may be neuropathic in origin andwill not be relieved with conventional treatment modalities

New Orleans - Bexarotene gel (Targretin) appears to be both effective and well tolerated for long-term use in early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, according to a poster presentation at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting.

New Orleans - Clobetasol propionate and betamethasone valerate in a foam vehicle are effective for the treatment of acne keloidalis nuchae and have the advantage of better cosmetic acceptability compared with other formulations of topical steroids, Valerie D. Callender, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Dose rather than duration of therapy appears to be the important factor for achieving favorable cure rates using oral terbinafine (Lamisil) for the treatment of tinea capitis, Sheila Fallon Friedlander, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Calciphylaxis can be a confusing condition, Madhu Dahiya, M.D. said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Previewing what may become routine in a few years, researchers have used genetic profiling to evaluate efficacy and adverse effects of a drug undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of psoriasis.

New Orleans - Topical tazarotene gel 0.1 percent (Tazorac) can improve the appearance of epidermal nevi and may be worthwhile to consider as an effective and generally well-tolerated modality in children with lesions that are large and present in cosmetically important areas, or for patients who do not wish to have surgery,

New Orleans - A new 585nm pulsed dye laser (C-Beam, Candela Corp.)introduced at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatologyaddresses the needs of patients with hypertrophic scars or psoriasis.

Optimal vehicles and occlusion are two important factors in deliveringefficacious and reliable topical anesthesia. Any addition that helps topicalanesthetic penetrate the skin improves efficacy.

New Orleans - Selecting an appropriate topical anesthetic agent requires a knowledge of the biochemistry and mechanisms of action of these agents to ensure efficacy and a quick onset of action, Christopher J. Arpey, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Chronic wound healing can be enhanced through a variety of products that encompass systemic agents such as pentoxifylline and aspirin to tissue-engineered skin and growth factors that stimulate healing, according to Robert S. Kirsner, MD.

New Orleans - Management of skin cancer in organ transplant recipientspresents numerous challenges, but there are also many opportunities fornew approaches that will improve the care of these patients, Clark C. Otley,M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

General symptoms, pain, burning reduced with reports of only minimal side effects

Patients say disease has moderate to large impact on lives, including sleep problems

Norman Levine, M.D., professor and chief of dermatology, University of Arizona, and Gerald G. Krueger, M.D., professor of dermatology, Cumming Presidential Endowed Chair, University of Utah, discuss immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of psoriasis.

New Orleans-Psoriatic patients who responded partially or not at all to initial treatment with efalizumab (Xanelim) responded more positively and without significant adverse events during a second course of treatment.

TNF-alpha inhibitors etanercept, infliximab two of four drugs signaling new era of treatment

The chief forensic toxicologist who ruled that no Accutane (isotretinoin) was present in the body of deceased suicidal teen Charles Bishop confirmed that enough blood was present in his body during tests to validate the investigation.

The drug that pleases by paralysis is no reason to party, even in the wake of FDA approval.

Silver Spring, Md. - The FDA Dermatologic and OphthalmicAdvisory Committee on May 23 strongly recommended approval of alefacept,a systemic drug for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis.

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New Orleans - Although debridement has never been proven scientifically to improve wound healing outcomes, emerging concepts recognize it as an essential component of a comprehensive approach to optimizing the wound bed, Vincent Falanga, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - The level of UVA protection afforded by a broad-spectrum sunscreen determines its ability to protect against UV-induced immune suppression, according to a study presented by Dominique Moyal, Ph.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Photostable UV absorbers are more efficient and more reliable in a sunscreen formulation, according to Bernd Herzog, Ph.D., and Uli Osterwalder of Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany.

New Orleans - Regular use of a commercially available antidandruff shampoo containing 1 percent pyrithione zinc (PTZ) does not adversely affect hair loss in men with androgenetic alopecia and may in fact slow its progression or result in improvement, according to the results of a prospective, randomized, controlled investigation.

New Orleans - Combined intralesional and topical corticosteroid treatment can be effective for reversing eyebrow hair loss in patients with alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, Jordana S. Gilman, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Ambulatory phlebectomy is a safe and effective outpatient procedure for treating varicose and reticular veins that offers a host of advantages compared with alternative techniques, Mitchel P. Goldman, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Suture materials and needle choices for clinicians can seem to be limitless, according to Margaret Terhune, M.D. Dr. Terhune presented a thorough review of the materials and methods surgeons can select for wound closure here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.