News

Results of a phase 1b trial of nivolumab combined with ipilimumab demonstrated one- and two-year survival rates of 94 and 88 percent, respectively, in patients with advanced melanoma.

Self-tanning creams are safe, but perhaps an explanation is in order. There have been a very few reported cases of allergic contact dermatitis to self-tanning creams.

Researchers in Australia are cautioning about an aggressive form of melanoma that looks like a pimple, leading many doctors to dismiss it as harmless.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved an antibacterial medication for the treatment of adult patients with acute skin infections.

A protein that plays a role in healing wounds and in tumor growth could be a future therapeutic target, recent research suggests.

Your brand identity is a communication to the world at large of who you are – as a physician, practice, product, and business. If done successfully, the creation of a strong brand identity resonates through all aspects of the practice – the website, logo, clinic space, staff, physician, and any of the associated ventures. Here, Tracy Drumm, Vice President of IF Marketing, offers tips relating to brand identity.

What emotions do these two little words evoke: “public speaking”? Perhaps fear, anxiety, discomfort or agitation? If you are among the greater than 90 percent of Americans that have an aversion to public speaking, the idea of being in the spotlight is enough to make your palms perspire and your heart leap from your chest.

Cellulite creams are the perfect cosmetic because of a wide potential audience and the large body service area that must be covered with cream required frequent purchase. This explains the competitive marketplace, but determining efficacy is another story.

Microsponges are very small sponges that can be loaded with substances for delivery to the skin. The most interesting use of microsponges in OTC (over-the-counter) drug dermatologics is in dandruff shampoos.

Although the timeline for implementation of the ICD-10 coding system has been pushed back to October 2015, all dermatologists will have to deal with this eventually. Meaningful Use regulations are also here to stay and will impact every practitioner sooner or later. Mark Kaufman, M.D., associate clinical professor in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical School in New York, explains the many vagaries of these initiatives for those of us who insist on pretending that they will never happen.

Triclosan, a common ingredient in antibacterial hand soaps, sanitizers and other hygiene products, has been banned from use in Minnesota, after the governor signed a bill into law recently.

Challenges facing physicians in dermatology include marketplace consolidation and competition from non-core providers. These issues are top of mind not just among clinicians themselves but also among the executives of pharmaceutical companies.

The vast majority of us have a fear of public speaking, but much of this fear can be dissolved with practice and preparation. What follows are some practical tips for the dermatologist in how to get and stay involved with the media.

A study published in JAMA Ophthalmology confirms the possibility of off-label filler injections to the forehead causing permanent blindness. Do you include this risk on your patient consent forms?

An innovative new line of cosmeceuticals (NuvesseMD, Nuvesse Skin Therapies) is being looked at as an exciting advance in the skincare market.

Findings of a Kaiser Permanante study suggest that radiation treatment can help reduce the recurrence of Merkel cell carcinoma, but that chemotherapy appears to have little effect on recurrence or survival.

A recent study suggests that the most important predictive factors of recurrence for nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) following radiotherapy include immunosuppression, age of the patient, tumor size as well as the treatment modality used.

Social media success requires accentuating the positive, as well as recognizing the potential impact of every comment or click, according to experts at the Cosmetic Surgery Forum, held here.

When it comes to social media, says Tracy L. Drumm, vice president of IF Marketing, “There’s a fine line between building your business and wasting your time. I see social media as a way to retain patients, build your brand and focus on relationship marketing.”

Dr. Expert has been in practice for 15 years and is has treated thousands of patients with psoriasis. He was requested to serve as an expert witness for another dermatologist involving dosing of methotrexate. It is determined that Dr. Expert’s resulting testimony is wrong based on improper calculations by a “hired” dermatology resident. Can an expert be sued for malpractice?

Both dermatologists and patients have expectations of what might result from an office visit. Dermatologists hope to meet the patient’s expectations and heal or address their concerns. Patients also have an expectation, and meeting those expectations yields patient satisfaction and a good patient/physician interaction.

Different agents have become available for scabies treatment, but topical permethrin cream 5 percent is still the go-to therapy, according to an expert. In combination with oral ivermectin, even the most challenging cases of scabies can be addressed effectively.

Female pattern hair loss typically will present with diffuse thinning of the hair on the top and crown of the scalp without hairline recession, and the hair loss rarely progresses to total or near total hair loss.

Current advances in the science of innate immune defense are helping to further elucidate the role of P. acnes, sebocytes and keratinocytes in the development of acne.

Careful examination of the nails recently helped reveal deliberate heavy metal poisoning in two murder cases, leading to the arrest of the perpetrators in two sordid who-done-it murder investigations.

Results of a new study suggest that mutations in a gene that helps drive immune response may lead to pustular psoriasis. The finding could lead to a more effective treatment for the condition.

Researchers have developed a new method for using immunotherapy to specifically attack tumor cells that have mutations unique to a patient’s cancer.

A phase 3 trial of brodalumab (AMG 827) for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis demonstrated positive results, meeting primary and secondary endpoints.

Defects in the skin that cause eczema may also help to lower the risk of skin cancer, recent research suggests.

Results of a new study suggest that having an established dermatologist can make a big difference for patients with self-detected primary melanoma.