Have you ever met anybody who is plugged in and tuned out? How about the acne patient who is listening to an ipod when you enter the room and continues to listen despite your greeting? How about the acne patient and their parent who are both listening to their own separate ipods and continuing to listen despite your greeting? What should you do?

Acne, eczema, psoriasis, are all skin conditions that can cause discomfort and embarrassment. But for many patients, the worst part of these and a number of other skin ailments may be the residual pigmentation left behind even when the conditions are successfully treated.

Isotretinoin is a potent therapy for treating acne, but the associated side effects and regulatory hurdles leave dermatologists increasingly reluctant to use it.

Manufacturers of isotretinoin are awaiting more information to determine whether iPLEDGE — the mandatory federal drug registry already in place — will meet the Food and Drug Administration's new safety plan requirements.

Some existing treatments used in slightly newer ways and some new treatments on the horizon can help children suffering from acne.

A new acne drug, Atralin, works comparably to tretinoin alternatives, but offers better tolerability due to formulation including hyaluronic acid, collagen and glycerin, according to a 12-week, multi-site, blinded, randomized study.

Effective combination therapy for acne requires addressing all four of this condition's causes while avoiding bothersome side effects and minimizing antibiotic resistance, according to an expert.

Results from a series of in vitro studies show a new combination clindamycin/tretinoin product (Zianis, Medicis) may potentially be applied sequentially with benzoyl peroxide without concern about loss of activity from tretinoin degradation.

The complex relationship between stress and the skin can likely be influenced by the placebo effect resulting from many psychological interventions, an expert says.