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Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs and NPs

Unraveling the Advancements in Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment

“Bottom line, if you see seborrheic dermatitis, treat it. Maybe it's not all about the yeast and there's a bit more to this story, and it's time we ask some of the tough questions,” said Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, FAAD, associate professor at Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School and the founding director of the Center for Medical Dermatology and Immunology Research, and Dermatology Times' 2024 Fall Editor in Chief, as he summarized his take-home pearls in a few words. At the 2024 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs and NPs, he presented the session "How Seb D Got Its Groove Back," which delved into the often overlooked realm of seborrheic dermatitis, affectionately referred to as Seb D by Chovatiya.

Unraveling the Advancements in Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment

Highlighting insights from his extensive clinical experience and 2024 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs and NPs session “What’s New in Alopecia Areata,” James Song, MD, director of clinical research at Frontier Dermatology Partners in Seattle, Washington, emphasized the importance of early intervention, shedding light on the efficacy and safety profiles of emerging therapies that are approved or in the pipeline.1

In an interview with Dermatology Times, Song also addressed genetic and immunological nuances, and discussed how tailored treatment approaches can optimize patient outcomes. Moreover, Song spoke to the growing interest in oral minoxidil, elucidating its role as a complementary option in hair loss management.

Rapid HS Pearls: Drug Data and Wound Care

Managing hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) requires a multifaceted approach with medical surgical, and social interventions to serve patients, and 4 leaders in HS research and treatment showcased the latest drugs and treatment strategies at the 2024 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners in Scottsdale, Arizona. The workshop titled “A Clinician’s Guide to Managing HS” was led by Hadar Lev-Tov, MD, MAS, associate professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida; Jennifer Hsiao, MD, associate professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California; TJ Chao, MPAS, PA-C, advanced practitioner at Atlanta North Dermatology in Atlanta, Georgia; and Athena Gierbolini, HS Foundation board member, Hope for HS president.

Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants Summer Conference

Opening Doors of Communication: Social Media Trends and Challenges

“It is our imperative to be educated on social media,” Luke Maxfield, DO, told Dermatology Times regarding his session at the 2024 Society for Dermatology Physician Assistant Annual Summer Dermatology Conference in San Diego, California. Maxfield and his co-presenter, Muneeb Shah, DO, dived into the world of social media to discuss trends and common dermatology and skincare myths and misinformation that patients may be accessing.

Maxfield explained it is a different world, and patients are being educated by the information available on social media, so it is important to be aware of what’s out there and what they are hearing and then to engage in meaningful conversations with patients.

Getting JAK’d With Amy Spizuoco, DO, FAOCD

Despite research pointing to their relative safety and efficacy, some clinicians are still hesistant about Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, Amy Spizuoco, DO, FAOCD, told Dermatology Times about her session at the 2024 Society for Dermatology Physician Assistants Annual Summer Dermatology Conference.

Usually, it is simply because it is a new class of medications, and some clinicians believe the medications they have used for a long time are good enough, explained Spizuoco, who is an associate clinical instructor in the department of dermatology at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist with True Dermatology in New York City, New York. The session she is co-hosting with Matthew Zirwas, MD, was designed to help clinicians feel more comfortable with prescribing the JAK inhibitors, by explaining efficacy and speed in itch response, how to mitigate risk of zoster and eczema herpeticum, and issues in evaluating the risks of venous thromboembolism and major adverse cardiovascular events.

Hands-on Workshop Empowers Clinicians in Cosmetic Dermatology

From building connections with patients to understanding the foundations of cosmetic dermatology from A to Z, Robin Siperstein, MD, FAAD, hopes attendees leave her session with the tools for a successful practice. Siperstein’s Cosmetic Dermatology Workshop is kicking off the 2024 Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants Annual Summer Dermatology Conference in San Diego, California.

“I'm going to start out with neuromodulators like Botox and Dysport. We'll talk about how they came about, how they were invented, and the different options we have as well as the science behind them,” she told Dermatology Times in an exclusive interview. “And hopefully through educating about the muscles and the anatomy it'll give attendees an insight into why we recommend how we treat.”

Maui Derm NP & PA Fall

Rosacea Treatment: Letting the Patient Lead the Way

During her presentation at Maui Derm NP+PA Fall 2024, Hilary Baldwin, MD, discussed the current treatment landscape for rosacea, focusing on shared decision-making and patient buy in.

During the presentation, titled “Acne and Rosacea Update 2024,” Baldwin was joined by James Del Rosso, DO, and Julie Harper, MD.

"Today I talked about rosacea, mostly about treatment for rosacea, but I began by recognizing that our old-fashioned way of describing rosacea was to talk about people with erythematotelangiectatic or papulopustular or phymatousor ocular and we tried to squeeze people into those individual categories. In reality, most of our patients have combination rosacea. They have a little ocular, a little erythema, a little papules, and a little phyma," said Baldwin.

Current Commonalities in Contact Dermatitis with Matthew Zirwas, MD

At the Maui Derm NP+PA Fall meeting in Nashville, Matthew Zirwas, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based at DOCS Dermatology in Columbus, Ohio, presented on contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and recent literature.

After his presentation on contact dermatitis, he spoke with Dermatology Times about the disease state, including diagnostic challenges and upcoming therapeutics.

Zirwas started the conversation by focusing on sulfites, which he declared the “Allergen of the Year.” He clarified that sulfites are unrelated to sulfates, and are commonly found in systemic contact dermatitis. Sulfites can be found in wine, cured meats, and maraschino cherries, and Zirwas said avoiding them can help alleviate symptoms.

Melodie Young, MSN, ANP-c: Key Psoriasis Treatment Advances for Pediatric Patients

Although it would make treatment a lot easier, children and adolescents are not just “tiny adults,” and instead present unique challenges and considerations for dermatology providers. Children and adolescents with psoriasis, historically, have had few options for treatment and most medications that were in the toolbox were used off-label.

In her talk at Maui Derm NP+PA Fall 2024, Melodie Young, MSN, ANP-c, of Mindful Dermatology in Dallas, Texas, shared treatment updates for this group, detailed the difference in disease manifestation between adults and children, and urged her colleagues to avoid topical corticosteroids at all costs.

"Now we have 2 new psoriasis medications that are FDA-approved to use in the pediatric population. One of them is a topical, which is roflumilast, and the other is apremilast, [which] just got approved and is just making its way onto the shelf. So I thought it was important that we kind of review what we're doing so that we can just reset our decision-making when it comes to kids," said Young.