Dermatology Times May 2026 Print Recap

The May issue of Dermatology Times includes a collection of thought-provoking articles and topics as we recap exciting data from this year's AAD meeting, address concerns on the FDA's withdrawn tanning bed ban, discuss red flags in practice contracts, and more.

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The Psoriasis Pipeline Heats Up: What Clinicians Need to Know

For years, the trade-off in psoriasis therapeutics has been binary: Choose injectables for superior skin clearance or oral agents for convenience. That dichotomy may be collapsing. Late-breaking presentations at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting revealed a pipeline of oral therapies achieving clearance rates and durability curves traditionally associated with biologic agents—a shift that prompted Melinda Gooderham, MD, MSc, FRCPC, a dermatologist and medical director at the SKiN Centre for Dermatology in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, to declare, “We finally will have a pill that can offer the same efficacy as a biologic.“

Two next-generation TYK2 inhibitors emerged as standouts: envudeucitinib (ESK-001; Alumis) and zasocitinib (TAK-279; Takeda Pharmaceuticals). Both compounds achieved remarkably similar efficacy profiles.

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Addressing Concerns as FDA Pulls Proposed Tanning Bed Ban for Minors

The FDA has withdrawn its much-discussed proposal to restrict minors from accessing tanning beds. The rule, which would have banned those aged under 18 years, was officially pulled on March 16, 2026, sparking widespread conversation among dermatologists.

First introduced in 2015, the ban was designed to help curb the skin cancer risks tied to indoor tanning, particularly among younger users. The decision to withdraw it comes despite significant research linking tanning beds to an increased risk of melanoma. Dermatologists say it could also send a confusing message about the risks and safety of UV exposure to young Americans and their parents. “Dermatologists have for a long time known the harmful risk of UV-A/UV-B radiation on the skin,” said Kavita Mariwalla, MD, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Mariwalla Dermatology in New York, New York. “We know that it is a direct cause of melanoma and skin cancers.”

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IL-17 Inhibition Is Redefining Long-Term Disease Control in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

The therapeutic landscape for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is rapidly evolving, with data presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting underscoring a major shift toward durable disease control driven by IL-17–targeted therapies. Across multiple late-breaking presentations and analyses, evidence on agents such as bimekizumab (Bimzelx; UCB, Inc), sonelokimab (MoonLake Immunotherapeutics), and izokibep (Affibody) demonstrated not only strong efficacy but also sustained and deepening clinical responses over time.

Among the most mature data sets presented were new analyses from the phase 3 BE HEARD program (NCT04242446, NCT04242498) evaluating bimekizumab, a dual inhibitor of IL-17A and IL-17F. Three-year extension data reinforced the durability of response, with Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response 50 (HiSCR50) rates increasing steadily from approximately 80% at year 1 to over 90% at year 3. Importantly, deeper responses also accumulated over time, as HiSCR90 rates rose from 42% at year 1 to more than 64% by year 3. These improvements were consistent across a wide range of patient subgroups, including those with high body mass index, severe disease (Hurley stage III), and prior biologic exposure—populations that have historically been more difficult to treat.

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Contracts: The Most Important Document Most Clinicians Treat Like an Afterthought

If you spend enough time in dermatology, one truth becomes obvious. Our training prepares us extremely well to diagnose disease, treat patients, and manage complex clinical problems. What it absolutely does not prepare us for is practicing medicine in the corporate setting. Contracts, compensation models, productivity expectations, and ownership structures. Those pesky, inconvenient details that nonetheless dictate how we practice, where we practice, and our quality of life. America trains exceptional clinicians who ultimately enter an increasingly corporatized industry unarmed and unprepared. And make no mistake. Medicine is very much a business.

That gap is why Dermatology Times and I are launching this column. The Practice Playbook is built around a simple idea: Take real questions from clinicians across dermatology and give them straight answers about the business of practicing medicine. Not theory. Not platitudes. Honest and direct answers grounded in what actually happens when you open the books, staff a clinic, or try to leave a bad deal in a hostile environment.

Read more from Joseph Gatti, DMSc, MPAS, MBA, PA-C

Click here to view all articles in the May issue.