News

While common allergens cause most contact dermatitis in women, finding the sources of these allergens often demands detective work, an expert says.

Recovery audit contractors are the government's hired guns to recover money from Medicare fraud and abuse. Dermatologists need to be ready for these potential audits by becoming familiar with the RAC process.

Just as patients are delaying or downsizing elective treatments, the economy is pushing dermatology practices to do more with less, sources say. From manpower to marketing dollars, practices are economizing while also seeking to maintain - if not improve - patient service.

Interim results from a five-year study of Artefill (polymethylmethacrylate/PMMA, Suneva) required by the Food and Drug Administration show that the product appears to be as safe as existing fillers for the nasolabial folds, a lead investigator says.

Although treatment for dysplastic nevi varies among dermatologists, these atypical moles are always biopsied, and then patients are followed closely to watch for melanomas, according to an expert.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended reclassifying tanning beds and setting stricter limits for their use by minors. But whether the FDA will adopt these changes remains unclear, say sources who attended a March 25 General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel meeting at which these and related manners were discussed.

What is it going to take for Congress to stop playing games with physicians who treat Medicare patients and develop an effective solution to the fee cuts that are scheduled every year and require last-minute, short-term emergency solutions? Will the likelihood of physicians stopping their care of Medicare beneficiaries be enough to jolt Congress into action?

Treatment adherence is an important variable in psoriasis therapy, and it can be the deciding factor between successful and unsuccessful outcomes. Prescribing once-a-day, cosmetically acceptable regimens can be key in achieving better treatment adherence in psoriasis patients.

Dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Andrew A. Hendricks, M.D., remembers when he first became interested in his family history. It was in fourth grade, when a teacher's assignment turned into a lifelong passion. Learning about the Dutch influence on U.S. history fueled the dermatologist's desire to spread the word.

Postpartum striae rubra is common, and in Asian skin, these lesions can progress to become hyperpigmented striae distensae. Results from a consecutive case series show the utility of nonablative fractional photothermolysis for treating this problem.

Researchers developed a nitric oxide-releasing nanotechnology platform and have investigated its efficacy for treating full-thickness wounds infected with MRSA.

Dr. Nose uses botulinum toxins to treat the nasal flush associated with rosacea. He treated a patient in this manner, and she developed an infection after her treatment. Although all agree that the infection had nothing to do with the actual toxin per se, the patient finds out that no botulinum toxins are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this purpose. She files a complaint with the local state board of medical examiners.

Although a recent survey indicates many physicians are postponing retirement because of the recession, dermatologists say that - regardless - retirement in their specialty is rare.

Some time ago, I wrote an editorial in this magazine describing my early experience with the use of an electronic medical record. In the article, I indicated that this technology was a valuable addition to the medical office, but there was a fairly steep learning curve and some difficulties in creating a coherent and understandable document. After three years of using an EMR, much of what I said before remains valid.

From fast-food restaurants churning out a meal in just minutes to the Internet culling through millions of documents in mere seconds, Americans are used to getting what they want, and getting it now. Have you figured the value of patient access to your practice?

Controversy remains about the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of thin, or early, melanoma. Dermatology Times asked two experts to weigh in.

New York - Congress is considering a bill that would allow federal regulators to limit the ultraviolet radiation emitted by tanning beds and restrict the amount of time consumers may tan indoors.

Throughout the last decade, an increasing number of doctors have looked internationally for wealth planning, although overall it’s still a small minority. To be sure, there are numerous pitfalls involved with international planning, all of which can catch up to naive doctors.

Now that we’re showing signs of slowly emerging from one of the worst financial crises in our history, it may be time to look back and try to figure out what lessons we’ve learned from the market crash of late 2008 through early 2009.

Frankfurt, Germany - A study using glycyrrhizic acid, the herbal extract from licorice, proves to be effective in halting hair growth in rats. This topical approach appears to be promising for future epilation therapies, and may rival currently used epilation modalities, which can frequently be associated with a host of unwanted side effects.

Vancouver, British Columbia - Various factors have to be addressed before a clinician decides what is the best course of management for a woman who is experiencing hair loss, according to an expert.

Naples, Fla. - The recent identification of a gene responsible for a cluster of debilitating diseases collectively known as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) has led to extremely effective anticytokine therapy.

West Palm Beach, Fla. - All the attention paid to medical lasers’ aesthetic indications has overshadowed the fact that lasers’ utility for treating medical conditions continues to grow, an expert says.

Jahrom, Iran - Many different therapies are currently being used to treat alopecia areata, however, most prove to be only marginally effective. A recent study showed that sulfasalazine is effective in the treatment of alopecia areata and can be considered as a viable therapeutic option for this disease.

Montreal - The key to warding off skin reactions to specific cosmetic products is to stop using the offending products, as treatment will fail if exposure continues, and desensitization cannot be done, says an associate professor at McGill University in Montreal.

Camden, N.J. - Dermatologists know that skin symptoms can often be linked to the pathologies of internal organs, and the cutaneous manifestations of thyroid disease are no exception.

Casselberry, Fla. - Incorrect use of modifier 59 in dermatology is the single most common reason for claim denials by Medicare and commercial insurance carriers, according to Inga C. Ellzey, M.P.A., R.H.I.A., C.D.C., president and chief executive officer of Inga Ellzey Practice Group, Casselberry, Fla.

Miami - Pigmented lesion clinics or melanoma surveillance and detection clinics have a role in the early detection of melanoma in patients who are at elevated risk of developing a malignant lesion.

Nashville, Tenn. - The popularity of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for treating precancer skin conditions has increased exponentially over the past decade. The reasons are many, according to Michael Gold, M.D., medical director, Gold Skin Care Center, and clinical assistant professor, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, department of dermatology, Nashville, Tenn.

National report - Little did dermatologist Luette Semmes, M.D., know that her successful treatment of a young patient with bullous pemphigoid would land her a spot on national television a few years later.