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2013: The year in review

As 2013 came to a close, Dermatology Times asked some of its editorial advisory board members what they considered to be some of the most clinically relevant advances in the past year.

New research indicates that outer skin cells are able to unite to form a bridge during wound healing. The finding may lead to advances in tissue engineering, artificial skin design and improved wound treatment.

What does the future look like for cosmetic medicine and aesthetic treatments? Jwala Karnik, M.D., chief medical officer, Suneva Medical, weighs in on three trends that are expected to impact cosmetic dermatology.

A new study suggests that topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may increase the risk of morpheaform basal cell carcinoma (mBCC) in patients with previous skin cancers.

Blood vessels in face transplant recipients reorganize themselves, according to study findings that could expand the medical community’s understanding of biologic changes that occur following such transplants.

Smartphone applications (apps) have become very popular in mainstream medicine and dermatology. Though the use of apps can and should not replace clinical judgment or physician interaction, smartphone apps can be practical and helpful in facilitating dermatologic care on both sides of the physician-patient spectrum.

Patient compliance to suggested therapy, whether topic or oral, remains the major obstacle in achieving good treatment outcomes in dermatology. Establishing trust with the patient, choosing a treatment plan that the patient likes, and scheduling the follow-up visit soon after first presentation are all key steps the physician can take in helping to improve patient compliance and further, treatment outcomes.

We now have three neurotoxins in our marketplace. Do you feel that these neurotoxins differ, and if so, how? An expert panel addresses the topic at the 2013 Vegas Cosmetic Surgery and Aesthetic Dermatology meeting.

According to an opinion piece published in JAMA Dermatology, when considering the appropriate ages for aesthetic procedures, the question isn’t so much, “What age is too young” as it is, “What age is too old?”

The Food and Drug Administration has approved luliconazole (Luzu Cream, 1 percent, Valeant Pharmaceuticals) for the two-week, once-daily treatment of interdigital tinea pedis, tinea cruris, and tinea corporis, caused by the organisms Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum, in patients ages 18 and older.