News

Results of a new study suggest that the recovery of sensation after facial transplantation is as good as - and in some cases better than - that achieved by conventional surgery to repair nerve injuries, PRWeb.com reports.

China’s global economic impact is now being felt in the cosmetic surgery world, the online New York Times reports.

A large proportion of Caucasian teenage girls and young women who use tanning beds also have mothers who tan indoors, a new survey finds.

Participation in Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) continued to falter in 2009 as a large segment of eligible professionals either failed to meet minimum requirements or simply ignored the initiative, amednews.com reports.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Cosmofrance’s Dermasculpt, a flexible blunt-tip microcannula for non-bruising and virtually painless cosmetic injections, Medical News Today reports.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis may improve the prognostic evaluation of atypical Spitzoid tumors, results of a new study indicate, HealthDay News reports.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in American children and, moreover, linked with obesity and different types of fat distribution in white and black youngsters, HealthDay News reports.

A U.S. District Court jury here has awarded a Virginia man $212 million in a suit against Botox manufacturer Allergan, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

Despite public awareness campaigns warning about the risks of tanning, a large portion of young Caucasian women still use sun beds or intentionally tan outdoors, results of an American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey suggest.

French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi-Aventis is looking to sell its U.S. dermatology business, Bloomberg.com reports.

Less than a month after the nation’s first full face transplant was performed at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, doctors there have performed the second, the Associated Press reports.

Virtual Health : Teledermatology gains ground, but reimbursement still a challenge Biopsy Quality : Breakthrough 3-D optical imaging now possible in vivo Special Report : Skin cancer

Identifying the biochemical composition of moles rapidly with Raman spectroscopy may help dermatologists and general practitioners to diagnosis skin cancers. Technology being developed by Verisante, through its Verisante Aura device, a multimodality imaging and spectroscopy system, would assist physicians with the early detection of skin cancers.

The market is flooded with a sea of cosmeceutical products that can help to improve the quality and appearance of patients' skin. Most of the products available today do, in fact, work and are backed by solid science, but they should be part of an ongoing skincare regimen and should not be viewed as a panacea for aging skin.

Teledermatology is a growing component of the dermatology specialty, and many dermatologists say they'd be interested in participating in such programs. In this issue, we explore the potential benefits of using technology in this way - and why reimbursement remains problematic.

As third-party payer reimbursements for medical dermatological care decreased, many dermatologists started growing their cosmetic dermatology practices. When the economy took a nosedive a few years back, many doctors reported a drop in the demand for cosmetic procedures, but given the signs of economic recovery, On Call asked dermatologists if the demand is rebounding.

The EHR Incentive Program offers bonus payments for eligible professionals who make meaningful use of a certified system. Although the government's initiative is labeled under a single moniker, there are really two distinct programs for eligible professionals: Medicare and Medicaid. When you register for the EHR Incentive Program, you must choose one or the other.

Ever since Botox Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan) hit the market, it has gained enormous popularity in both the cosmetic and medical fields, and many other pharmaceutical and aesthetic companies have tried to produce additional botulinum toxins. Though Botox and Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA, Medicis) remain the most popular, others are surfacing.

Gail Wilensky, Ph.D., one of the most knowledgeable career health policy experts in Washington and someone who once ran the Medicare program, now says last year's passage of the healthcare reform law was a "wasted opportunity" because it did not include physician payment reform.

The aesthetic market is inundated with a gamut of fillers, many of which can be used for the same or similar cosmetic indications. But not all fillers are created equal, and a better understanding of the unique features of each individual product can help physicians choose their filler of choice for a given indication.

Intertriginous and scalp psoriasis has always been difficult to treat, mostly due to a lack of patient adherence. Using novel preparations as well as appropriate vehicles can significantly increase patient compliance and lead to improved treatment outcomes, according to one expert.

Patients desire cosmetic procedures that are noninvasive and offer minimal downtime and reliable results. Until recently, such options for facial and neck skin tightening were limited to broadband light and monopolar or bipolar radiofrequency devices. Introduction of an exciting application of ultrasound technology is changing this paradigm.

Dermatologists' toolbox of options for treating actinic keratosis (AKs) has two promising new tools, and another may be on its way to approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Mineral cosmetics have been popularized as better for sensitive skin, rosacea patients and acne prevention. Is there something magical about a mineral cosmetic? The answer is "no." Mineral cosmetics are simply powder cosmetics as opposed to lotions or creams. They are better for people with multiple sensitivities because they have fewer ingredients.

Preventing and treating extrinsic and intrinsic skin aging and photoaging requires attacking these processes at the cellular level, experts say. A lifetime of healthy skin requires evaluating one's diet and lifestyle choices and selectively using vitamins and supplements.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is commonly considered beneficial for predicting prognosis in patients with cutaneous melanoma, although there has been no documented survival value. A new analysis casts doubt on the value of this practice, however.

A series of technological innovations has led to near-real-time, in vivo, three-dimensional optical imaging of skin up to a depth of 1 mm – with potentially a depth of up to 2 mm with clearing methods.

Results of a recent study to determine the effectiveness of noncoherent blue light in the intralesional photodynamic therapy (PDT) of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) found the treatment to be beneficial for a certain subgroup of patients.

Many dermatologists would be eager to get involved with teledermatology, experts say - if only they could get paid for it. The snag is in federal rules pertaining to reimbursement. Currently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) operates under conflicting language in the rules regarding teledermatology.

Despite recent advances, topical and systemic treatments for infantile hemangiomas need more randomized, controlled trials to help guide treatment decisions. Topical medications generally work best for localized, superficial hemangiomas, says Maria Garzon, M.D., professor of clinical dermatology and clinical pediatrics, Columbia University, New York.