Women's Health

Chicago - A pilot survey in California, completed in January 2002, suggests that dermatologists prefer to stick with tried and true surgical modalities to treat numerous actinic keratoses (AK) and severe actinic dysplasia of the face, rather than using alternate treatments.

San Francisco - A higher level of confidence deciding which dermatologic surgery procedures should be performed on the pregnant patient may lead to making these procedures safer and more comfortable, Christine E. Correale, M.D., said.

San Diego - Fifty years ago many experts thought a diagnosis of melanoma during pregnancy would be so aggressive that the pregnancy should be terminated. Other experts believed that melanoma and pregnancy were linked. Since then, numerous studies have found that conditions rarely warrant such drastic measures as abortion, and that no increased risk exists between melanoma and pregnancy.

Paris - Imiquimod 5 percent cream (Aldara), like intralesional interferon, may prevent keloid recurrence. And although imiquimod use may necessitate longer treatment - up to eight weeks compared to two injections of interferon - the drug is without adverse systemic reactions, Ivonne Arellano, M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.

Paris - Modern imaging techniques have increasing value as adjunctive tools for improving cryosurgical management and follow-up of cancerous, precancerous, and benign skin lesions, William A. Abramovits, M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.

New York - Dopamine agonists commonly prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease can cause alopecia, according to a recent study. Parkinson's affects about 1.5 million Americans.

San Francisco - Despite the unexpected finding that combined use of oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) actually raises a healthy menopausal women's risk of coronary heart disease, and that it increases invasive breast cancer risk, gynecologist Susan Ballagh, M.D., remains a proponent of the popular regimen for appropriate patients.

New Orleans - Liposuction is an effective technique for breast reduction with advantages over surgical mammoplasty, Daniel Lanzer, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Los Angeles -- In an attempt to prove estrogen's unknown effect on keratinocytes, researchers presented in vitro data at the Society for Investigative Dermatology that suggest a direct link of the hormone to in vivo epidermal turnover and wound healing.

It's 10:45 p.m. on a Sunday. You're winding down from an enjoyable weekend when, suddenly, the sound of your pager summons you. There's a call from your local hospital.

System to Manage Accutane Related Teratogenicity requires patient, physicianeducation and cooperation

New York - Although relatively uncommon in African Americans, skin cancer does occur in this group and often in atypical or advanced forms.

New York - A number of drugs used commonly in dermatology have teratogenic potential, making careful screening and comprehensive and ongoing pregnancy prevention counseling a must when prescribing medications for female patients, Robyn Gmyrek, M.D., said.

Although the Bush Administration, in the person of the Solicitor General, filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court suggesting that it refuse to hear an appeal from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on Maine's Rx prescription law, the court agreed to hear the case.

New York -The old idea that chemical peels cannot be used on people of ethnic skin has been eradicated according to Harold E. Pierce, M.D., a Philadelphia dermatologist.

Gene mutation a breakthrough, but much more testing neededThe identification of the BRAF gene mutation's presence in 66 percentof malignant melanomas received much fanfare last month, but physiciansstill are years shy of reaping the rewards of the discovery through diagnostictools and drug therapies.

Problems exacerbate when patients, doctor falsely believe diagnosis isless serious than it actually is

New Orleans-Topical photodynamic therapy is a very effective and convenient new modality for treating actinic keratoses, according to David J. Goldberg, M.D.

New Orleans - A new 585nm pulsed dye laser (C-Beam, Candela Corp.)introduced at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatologyaddresses the needs of patients with hypertrophic scars or psoriasis.

New Orleans - Adjunctive therapies from occlusive dressings to growth factors and tissue-engineered skin can hasten and augment the healing of acute wounds, Robert S. Kirsner, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Case cohort study finds 30 to 40 percent of women on HRT less likelyto develop leg ulcers

New Orleans - Rhinophyma resection needs to be performed in a way that allows for postoperative histopathologic study, according to Luis A. Lopardo, MD, speaking here at the 60th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans - Photosensitivity is an important clue to connective tissue disease, and new studies are focusing on animal models to determine the mechanisms of the link,

Postmenopausal Women Encouraged to Take Another Look at HRT through National Medical Research Study

Dallas - Modified Mohs micrographic surgery using immunohistochemicalstaining of frozen sections along with rush permanent sections may be thetreatment of choice for lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma, Lian-JieLi, M.D., said at the annual combined meeting of the American Society forDermatologic Surgery and the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgeryand Cutaneous Oncology.

After years of relatively stable levels on the cost of malpractice premiums,many physicians across the country experienced sticker shock when they openedtheir bills in January.

Knowing exact characteristics of deadly growths speeds diagnosis, cansave lives

Baltimore - Phase II study results point to the potential roleof HspE7 as a safe and effective immunotherapeutic agent for the treatmentof genital warts and other HPV-related sexually transmitted diseases, KeertiV. Shah, M.D., said.

Majority of women have sexually active lives; quality of sex life relativeto disease-related problems

Cause of problems categorized seven ways; lack of nutrition, drug usageoften cited