News

Patients taking telaprevir for hepatitis C are at risk of developing a serious skin rash that could be fatal, the Food and Drug Administration has warned.

A recent court ruling allows pharmaceutical representatives to tell doctors about appropriate off-label uses of medications without risking a penalty from federal authorities.

Audits : The fight against fraud is heating up, and dermatologists may be at risk. Protect yourself by being proactive. FDA clears PicoSure for tattoo removal Clinical Dermatology : When tackling challenging eczema, think outside the box Special Report : Implementing small practice-related changes can make a big difference in patient perception Cutaneous Oncology : High-tech imaging helps to identify perineural spread of malignancies Cosmetic Dermatology : HA filler can address complications associated with tear trough correction Business of Dermatology : Ensure HIPAA compliance in your social media strategies

Patients find physicians more approachable when they are wearing “business casual” dress, according to the results of a patient questionnaire. Respondents still prefer the hallmark white coat, however.

Revolutionized by the advent of fractional laser technology, laser surgery for scars continues to evolve. However, clinicians continue to be confronted with a wide variety of scar types without a well-established treatment algorithm.

The first hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal filler indicated specifically for the tear troughs provides a safe, long-lasting alternative to previous HA options in this area, says Hassan Galadari, M.D.

The Food and Drug Administration has given Cynosure 510(k) clearance to market its PicoSure laser workstation for removing tattoos and pigmented lesions.

In an ethical attempt to limit the numbered of required patient visits, Dr. Smith often will treat 20 to 30 solar keratoses in one visit. Dr. Smith has taken courses on proper coding and codes in a recognized, honest and ethical manner. Unfortunately, several of his carriers inform him that only 15 actinic keratoses can be treated at each visit, and only four such visits are allowed during a year for each patient.

Dermatologists have become extremely reluctant to participate in hospital activities such as evaluating in-patients as consultants, serving on hospital committees, and participating in educational activities in the hospital. the most troubling is our resistance to see patients at the hospital bedside. There are a number of apparently legitimate excuses for the failure of dermatologists to visit the hospital wards.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a supplemental new drug application for a topical local anesthetic cream to be used in superficial cosmetic procedures.

The iPhone is among the top devices consumers are using to gather medical information, according to a recent survey.

A mouse model indicates that a protein-rich diet high in arginine and proline may improve chronic wound healing.

Exposure to ultraviolet nail lamps does not increase the risk of developing skin cancer, a recent study indicates.

Plastic surgeons have identified molecular changes in molecules that regulate gene activity that may serve as critical makers to tissue aging, allowing for less invasive avenues to improve the skin’s appearance, according to a new study.

An online service based in western Pennsylvania aims to get more patient cases in front of dermatologists faster.

The American Academy of Dermatology has named Elaine Weiss, J.D., as its new executive director and CEO, starting Feb. 7.

Allergan has announced plans to acquire SkinMedica’s topical aesthetics skincare business for $350 million.

Dermatologist Tina Alster, M.D., has joined Dermatology Times’ Editorial Advisory Council.

Ranbaxy is launching its isotretinoin product for the treatment of acne, Absorica, in the United States.

Low-dose isotretinoin may be effective, with fewer side effects, when used to treat adult acne, results of a clinical trial presented at the annual congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology suggest.

Less than 50 percent of dermatologists pursue written informed consent, and procedure type appears to heavily influence the practice, say researchers from Emory University.

An oral phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor may offer significant improvement in signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, according to preliminary trial data presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in Washington.

U.K. surgeons are reporting a dramatic rise in the number of complications due to nonsurgical cosmetic filler procedures.

Dermatologists can make small changes in their practices to improve the doctor-patient experience, according to Ranella Hirsch, M.D., a Boston dermatologist in private practice. By placing themselves in the position of the patient, physicians can evaluate the user experience and then make adjustments accordingly.

A patient’s experience has been shown to impact treatment adherence and outcome, says Charles Ellis, M.D., William B. Taylor professor and associate chairman, department of dermatology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor. Therefore, it’s in the patient’s best interest for dermatologists to measure patient satisfaction.

James A. Zalla, M.D., has affected the lives of countless patients during his 43 years of practice as a dermatologist and dermatopathologist. But what many dermatologists might not know is that Dr. Zalla has influenced their practices, too, by working for decades to help ensure fair payment for the specialty’s services.

Although the vast majority of children who present with a challenging eczematous eruption have refractory atopic dermatitis or poor medication compliance, clinicians need to perform a good history and clinical examination to rule out other underlying causes or comorbidities.

The etiology of rosacea isn’t completely understood, but the number of treatments that can temporarily block its symptoms is growing, says Guy F. Webster, M.D., Ph.D.

Whatever the medical indication, patients with a clinical history of jewelry or metal allergy who are scheduled to receive metal implants could benefit from patch testing prior to prosthetic device implantation, as the screening test can help identify a patient’s potential hypersensitivity to the implant chosen by the surgeon, says James Taylor, M.D.

Imiquimod shows promise for treating cases of melanoma in situ that aren’t amenable to surgery, and for other off-label indications such as metastatic melanoma, says M. Shane Chapman, M.D.