Aesthetics

Preferably, PDL treatment should be initiated within the first two to four weeks after scar development.

White Plains, N.Y. -- Rhoda S. Narins, M.D., is doing it all.

To make patient visits as efficient as possible, Dr. Greenbaum recommends establishing up-front what's reasonable to accomplish in the allotted time.

National report — Accumulating data is adding evidence to support a role for topical imiquimod 5 percent cream (Aldara, 3M Pharmaceuticals) as a secondary alternative to conventional excisional or Mohs micrographic surgery for treating various types of skin cancers in patients who are poor surgical candidates — or refuse surgery — says M. Shane Chapman, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H.

After exposure to UV, "Keratinocytes send out immune suppressing signals [the cytokine IL-10] and antigen presenting cells are chased out of the skin," Dr. Yarosh explains.

In addition to using pure products suitable for human injection, Dr. Jones says physicians must adhere strictly to the microdroplet serial puncture technique.

The other differentiating factor is the large amount of temporal scalp skin removal as described with minimal preauricular skin removal.

A bipolar radiofrequency, infrared heat and pulsatile suction device is a non-surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic option that can improve body contouring, circumferential measurement reduction and smoothness associated with a bumpy and dimpling appearance of the skin, according to a new study.

Atlanta — Facial rejuvenation has sparked interest in procedures that make other telltale signs of aging, such as wrinkled or bony hands, more youthful.

Atlanta — A common and inexpensive petrolatum-based scar treatment emollient was as good as more expensive, heavily marketed onion extract over-the-counter topicals, according to a new study.

For hair transplants to be successful in the long-term, it is critical to consider that patients are limited by the amount of good genetichair that can be transferred to the balding area, and the establishment of the hairline will ultimately dictate the amount of balding scalp that willeventually need to be covered.

Palm Desert, Calif. — As an alternative to the increasingly popular option of using botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan) to treat excessive underarm sweating, some patients are experimenting with undergoing surgery that they report to be more lasting.

Botox can also be injected to smooth out wrinkles, but Dr. Markus believes that Botox is safe even if injected for wrinkles and axillary hyperhidrosis at the same time.

With these OTC products, one observes superficial frosting that can last for seconds to a few minutes, but its relevance is debatable.

Atlanta — According to a recent study, placing ointment on surgical wounds before applying occlusive dressings provides no observable benefits; moreover, applying mupirocin ointment to clean surgical wounds is contraindicated given the potential for creating antibiotic resistance.

Dermatologists use a variety of medications to treat common ailments.

Dr. Dave saw a patient with a biopsy-proven atypical nevus that required further excision.

Hyperbaric oxygen almost completely reverses the delay in wound healing caused by chronic stress and restores normal patterns of healing in mice, according to Phillip T. Marucha, D.M.D., Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Washington--The Global Alliance to Improve Outcomes in Acne has issued new acne-treatment guidelines that emphasize the importance of topical retinoid agents in treating lesions and acne precursors, and caution against the overuse of oral antibiotics.

Philadelphia--The International Hyperhidrosis Society has upgraded its Web site, which has become a popular resource for people seeking information about hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating.

Increasingly, clinicians may use biologic agents in addition to phototherapy to maximize results in their patients, notes Dr. Lui, and reduce the overall number of treatments.

Dr. Ferrara's work provided a basis for a major breakthrough in cancer research — the development of an antibody against VEGF in the treatment of lung and colorectal cancer.

Dr. Goldman notes that postsclerosis compression is perhaps the most important advance in sclerotherapy for varicose veins since the introduction of synthetic sclerosing agents in the 1940s.

Topically applied mupirocin penetrated bilayered cellular construct therapy and reduced colonization by MRSA.

The importance of sound wound-healing techniques cannot be overestimated in the practice of dermatology. Patients desire treatments that heal scarring and wounds effectively but that don't require long periods of treatment and recovery time. Sometimes that's a challenge, and top practitioners are seeking ways to meet it.