News

People of African descent face unique hair concerns, and hair straighteners, relaxers and extensions can break, burn and otherwise damage the hair and scalp.

The new eyelash growth product Latisse (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03 percent, Allergan) is gaining a strong following among patients and their doctors.

Hair loss can be caused by various factors, including genetics and stress. Doctors must determine the cause in order to treat the condition effectively.

Medical therapy can be an important option for primary treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer in some patients.

If you're of a conservative bent, you probably have some of your savings invested in bank certificates of deposit (CDs). If so, you're already well aware of the poor rates that CDs are paying these days.

Nail exfoliation is an idea adopted from skincare to nail care. The concept in facial exfoliation is to remove the desquamating corneocytes creating softer, smoother, more attractive skin.

The surge in waterless hand sanitizers is creating an increase in brittle nails. An expert discusses some tried-and-true treatments that can help.

Have you ever examined what is left in your exam rooms at the end of the day? The staff is gone and the patients have all left, but something very important is left behind. What is it? Your trash!

Novel therapy appears to be a promising tool for hair growth promotion, an expert says.

A novel instrument for evaluating pigmented lesions is useful, a study finds.

A doctor suggests treating distal subungual nail bed disease by using active ingredients dissolved in alcohol-based solutions and pinpointing the location of delivery.

This month, the agency will complete its review of comments submitted regarding the adjustments.

Although hardly unexpected, the Food and Drug Administration's decision to add a warning about a possible link between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists and cancer in children goes too far, say most dermatologists contacted by Dermatology Times.

Soft tissue augmentation with injectable fillers is not without risk, but these events are usually treatable when they occur.

National report - Experts disagree on the possible impact a new pediatric cancer warning for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors may have on this drug category's growth.

The treatise on the "Evolution of Mohs" written by your senior staff correspondent John Jesitus and published in your July 2009 issue contains a very significant error. Frederick Mohs' professional life was not "general surgery's loss," for Dr. Mohs never was a surgeon (nor a dermatologist). I was informed he "completed an internship - most likely of the rotating kind - and then started his research and practice."

Dysport is being touted as the first serious competitor to Botox.

How humans misunderstand one another, and the damage that can result, is the theme of a new book, Compartments, by Steven R. Feldman, M.D.

Los Angeles - The expanding repertoire of cosmetic surgical procedures is providing safe and effective options for addressing aesthetic issues of concern for the aging ethnic face, says Pearl F. Grimes, M.D., director of the Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California, Los Angeles.

New York - Patients of color have a unique set of skin concerns, and those concerns need to be addressed while clinicians are treating patients, according to Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H., a dermatologist at St. Luke?s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York.

World report - Darker-skinned patients with morphea and related diseases are as likely to benefit from ultraviolet (UV) light therapy as patients with lighter skin. Some clinicians had speculated that the increased level of melanin found in darker skin might impede UV-A1, but that does not appear to be the case.

National report - Since no laser or light source meets every patient's needs, experts say it's crucial to choose technologies that will provide the maximum utility in a given practice setting.

Sewickley, Pa. - Chemical peels can be used safely and effectively for a broad range of indications and in patients of all skin types, but achieving success depends on proper skin preparation and matching the peel depth to the indication, says Suzan Obagi, M.D., director of the UPMC Cosmetic Surgery & Skin Health Center, Sewickley, Pa., and assistant professor of dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh.

When performing a procedure like blepharoplasty, it's most important to take into consideration the desires and wishes of the patients.

Portland, Ore. - A recent study confirms that the numbers of follicular melanocytes are significantly decreased in patients suffering from alopecia areata.This new insight into the often severe and psychologically burdensome disease serves as a beacon of hope for patients, as researchers begin to home in on a more precise etiology that may open the door for more targeted treatments. Past research has implicated follicular melanocytes to be the target structure in at least a proportion of patients suffering from alopecia areata.

National Report - Children with allergic contact dermatitis frequently react to the same allergens as adults with this condition do, according to a recent multi-center study conducted at the University of Miami and the University of Pennsylvania that calls for increased patch testing in children, especially those with chronic dermatitis.

National report - Registration deadline is Oct. 15 for the 2010 recertification examination for dermatologists, according to the American Board of Dermatology (ABD).

Las Vegas - Weight-based dosing with extended-release (ER) minocycline tablets allows patients with acne to achieve efficacy equivalent to that of 2 mg/kg or 3 mg/kg of body weight daily with just 1 mg/kg daily, says James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., dermatology residency director, Valley Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas.

Dallas - Long-term use of a triple-combination cream for melasma (fluocinolone acetonide, hydroquinone, tretinoin; TriLuma, Galderma) is effective and unlikely to cause skin atrophy, according to a recent study.

Las Vegas - A skin barrier protection cream (Tetrix, Coria Laboratories) appears to reduce exposure to skin allergens and irritants and decrease symptoms of eczematous dermatitis, according to James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., dermatology residency director, Valley Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas.