Pediatric Dermatology

Danville, Pa. - Effective office-based patch testing requires physicians to go beyond the limits of a popular commercially available test, when possible, and take second readings on every patient, an expert says.

Pittsburgh - New "activated" moisturizers help the skin retain moisture, and they also repair abnormalities with the skin at baseline in atopic dermatitis patients, according to Douglas W. Kress, M.D., of Children's Dermatology Services at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Coral Gables, Fla. - Stiefel Laboratories' recent purchase of Connetics blends Connetics' innovative vehicle technology with Stiefel's worldwide marketing reach, company officials say. For dermatologists and patients, the acquisition augurs a steady stream of new applications for vehicles including the popular, patient-friendly foam pioneered by Connetics.

International report - French surgeons have performed the world's third partial face transplant - with "already amazing" results - on a man suffering from the rare genetic disorder neurofibromatosis.

Many of the new treatments on the market are not distinctive in their key ingredients, but represent a new formulation or vehicle of an available agent.

Hanover, N.H. - A community-wide sun safety intervention targeting middle-school-aged children was effective in changing sun-protection behaviors and reducing skin cancer risks, WebMD reports.

National report - The Food and Drug Administration's role is a necessary one, dermatologists say, but regulatory red tape can slow the introduction of new drugs into the marketplace, and post-marketing restrictions can hamper efforts to deliver effective medications to patients.

Dr. Monheit also tapes the face to remind the patient to restrain from facial motion.

Q What is the mechanism of action of lip plumping cosmetics?

Omaha, Neb. - A patient presenting to a primary care physician with complaints of an arm rash may not be particularly unusual, but one unusual case illustrates the need for proactive cooperation between primary care physicians and specialists to best serve the patient's needs.

The severe hyperpigmentation began at 2 weeks of age and continued until 8 years of age, when the pigment began to disappear leaving behind a light-brown colored skin and numerous lentigines.

Because the condition is rare, there is no one standard medication that is administered.

Ambient humidity influenced the rate of skin barrier maturation in extremely preterm infants.

National report - Experienced dermatologists would agree that some dermatoses are easier to treat than others.

Irvine, Calif. - Juv?derm, billed by manufacturer Allergan Medical as its "next-generation" family of hyaluronic acid dermal filler products, has entered the market nationwide, the company announced in mid-January.

Paris - French doctors performed a partial face transplant in late January on a man disfigured by a genetic disorder, giving him a new nose, mouth and chin and replacing part of his cheeks.

National report - Steve Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., began a lecture about scalp psoriasis a few years ago by relating to his audience.

National report - As use of lidocaine for injectable local and topical anesthesia is increasing, dermatologists need to recognize that this amide anesthetic has the potential to cause allergic contact dermatitis, according to James Taylor, M.D., a dermatologist at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland.

San Francisco - Scientists here have completed a study in mice that shows a stress-triggered hormone could worsen or cause skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema

Paris - According to a French study reported in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, infants who received phototherapy for jaundice appear to have an increased risk of developing skin moles in childhood.

Boca Raton, Fla. - Age management experts focus on three hormones to slow the aging process and prevent age-related disease: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), growth hormone and testosterone.

When Parisian-born architect Pierre-Charles L'Enfant first viewed the land along the banks of the Potomac River in 1791, he must have been a little disappointed.

If you're any kind of history buff, this is your chance to perhaps relive some of the events that shaped this nation.

San Mateo, Calif. - Newly approved Radiesse - billed by manufacturer BioForm Medical as the "next-generation" dermal filler - offers long-lasting correction of moderate-to-severe facial wrinkles and folds, the company says.

National report - The Food and Drug Administration's first approved prescription botanical in modern times is - not surprisingly - a green tea extract that happens to have a dermatologic indication.