John Jesitus

Treating common skin conditions such as rosacea and melasma with appropriate topical agents, chemical peels, devices and cosmeceuticals can build trust among patients who may require additional dermatological services, experts say.

Key trends among topical treatments for psoriasis include the potential reformulation of systemic therapies into topical form, the search for steroid alternatives and the optimization of vehicles, an expert says.

Dermatologists may need to beef up their dosing to boost their patients’ chances of experiencing sustained remission of severe acne via isotretinoin.

There is a misconception that people with skin of color are not at risk of skin cancer, and dermatologists are responsible for better educating themselves and their patients about this danger, says an expert who spoke at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Active chemicals found in the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) have important benefits for a variety of skin disorders, according to one expert who spoke at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

No cryptic cartel, the American Medical Association (AMA)/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) is an indispensable piece of the healthcare payment puzzle that beats less logical options that have been proposed, dermatologists say.

Dermatologists generally know that the sensitivity of many pathogens to the antibiotics used to treat them is decreasing, experts say. But many dermatologists may not appreciate their specialty’s role in potentially fueling the problem.

Popular media coverage of purported links between isotretinoin and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are largely overblown, as are patients’ concerns regarding the risks of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) for acne, according to an expert.

Even though bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes share the same genus and species, says an expert, recent research suggests that different P. acnes strains may behave differently, which could have profound implications for acne treatment.

With isotretinoin disappearing from continuous medical education (CME), says an expert, dermatologists must take the initiative in promoting best practices for this indispensable acne drug.

Even though patients may present with clinically similar acne, says an expert, their expectations and preferences for particular treatments may differ vastly.

With acne presenting in increasingly younger patients, new guidelines developed by the American Acne and Rosacea Society (AARS) promote more consistent care for pediatric patients, according to an expert.

Recent developments regarding acne and rosacea in skin of color include studies showing that combination topical products for acne appear safe in this population, and the fact that rosacea is perhaps more prevalent than many might expect.

Dermatologists’ prescribing of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and antibiotics for acne leaves room for improvement, according to an expert.

Once-daily application of Sansrosa (brimonidine tartrate/BT gel, Galderma) 0.5 percent has proven safe and effective for treating the persistent facial erythema of rosacea, according to the results of a phase 2 trial.

When it comes to newer healthcare delivery models, experts say accountable care organizations (ACOs) may impact dermatology only in highly competitive markets. Still, dermatologists worry that ACOs could set primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists at odds, and that specialists' roles in shared-savings programs remain highly uncertain in today's healthcare arena.

The first long-term trial of Latisse (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03 percent, Allergan) shows that daily application of the eyelash enhancer for up to one year is safe and effective for patients with idiopathic and chemotherapy-induced hypotrichosis.

A topical combination of vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid (CE Ferulic, SkinCeuticals) appears to provide protection against skin damage induced by infrared A (IR-A) radiation, said Jean T. Krutmann, M.D., professor of dermatology and environmental medicine and director at the IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, D?sseldorf, Germany, at the 70th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Correctly diagnosing the many mimics of lymphoma requires consideration of both clinical and pathological findings, said Antonio Subtil, M.D., M.B.A., at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology Summer Academy Meeting.

Compared with all that are available worldwide, fillers in the United States comprise a fairly limited selection, says Hassan Galadari, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at the United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain.

Promising breakthroughs in treating children of color include the discovery that nutritional deficiencies may have implications in vitiligo, said Nanette Silverberg, M.D., at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology Summer Academy Meeting.

Classical individualized homeopathic medicine provides a safe, inexpensive and nontoxic alternative for common dermatologic conditions such as acne, warts and eczema, according to Robert J. Signore, D.O.

Clinicians cannot assume a patient who presents with oral pigmentation has a benign condition, due to endogenous and exogenous pigment that can reflect local and systemic process, says Ginat Mirowski, D.M.D., M.D., F.A.A.D., a dermatologist and professor of oral pathology, medicine and radiology, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis.

Hand sanitizers represent a new and perhaps underappreciated category of cosmeceutical, according to Zoe Draelos, M.D., a High Point, N.C., dermatologist in private practice and consulting professor, department of dermatology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.

When working with the media, dermatologists should build their presentations around a key message that helps to focus the audience’s attention, says Patricia K Farris, M.D.

Recent findings regarding hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) highlight a possible genetic link to Alzheimer’s disease, said Ginette A. Hinds, M.D., at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology Summer Academy Meeting.

It is safe and effective to use epinephrine in the digits for hand rejuvenation and hand repair, according to Emily Fisher, M.D., chief of cosmetic dermatology and laser dermatology, Lahey Clinic, Boston.

Two of the hottest controversies in today’s dermatologic drug therapy involve medical concerns surrounding finasteride (Propecia, Merck) and Zostavax (zoster vaccine live, Merck), said Stephen E. Wolverton, M.D., at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology Summer Academy Meeting.

Achieving meaningful use and avoiding common mistakes in implementing an electronic health record (EHR) system require careful planning and learning from others' experiences, said Michael Doyle, chairman of Medsphere Systems Corporation, at the 70th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Research continues to elucidate how the human papillomavirus (HPV) contributes to the development of skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), said Eggert Stockfleth, M.D., at MauiDerm 2012: Advances in Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology.