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Noninvasive procedures - specifically, filling agents - are maintaining their popularity with patients, both as independent cosmetic treatments as well as adjuncts to cosmetic surgery, according to plastic surgeons at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Stay tuned. You might soon see dermatologist Terry Cronin Jr., M.D., on your television sets. The Melbourne, Fla., dermatologist is a part-time filmmaker whose latest project is a television pilot called “Adventure Chefs.” Dr. Cronin stars in and produces the competition-based reality TV cooking show.

A recent study conducted by the Center for Connected Health suggests that text messages are an effective tool for improving patient compliance with treatment and self-care, PRNewswire reports.

Continued heat exposure from a laptop computer’s warm battery may lead to erythema ab igne (EAI) on the thighs, according to a clinical finding by a pediatric dermatologist.

Two studies related to medical student depression and burnout suggest, respectively, that depressed students are more likely to endorse depression stigma attitudes than are nondepressed students, and that students with burnout are more likely than students without burnout to engage in unprofessional conduct, HealthDay News reports.

EHRs, Worth the Hassle? : ‘Meaningful use’ criteria can pose high hurdle for derms Allergan Settles : Drugmaker to pay $600 million to resolve off-label marketing charges Special Report : Hair & Nails

Cloning will represent a major advance in hair transplantation when it is ready for prime time. It remains elusive for now, but new clinical therapies - along with older standbys - are helping hair loss patients in the meantime, according to a leading specialist in hair transplantation.

As the nation - and your patients - struggle with healthcare costs, building patient loyalty will be an important success factor for all dermatology practices. Outside of your own skills as a dermatologist, nothing builds patient loyalty as effectively as knowing how to manage the "moment of truth." The "moment of truth" occurs when a patient has the opportunity to make a snap judgment about the quality of your practice's services.

When patients present with symptoms of redness, pain and swelling around the nail fold on either the fingernails or toenails, the logical diagnosis is paronychia; however, physicians need to know how to identify key distinguishing factors in order to determine precisely which type of paronychia they are dealing with, and effectively treat it.

New dermatology criteria from the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) can simplify electronic health record (EHR) purchasing decisions, sources say. But, so far, these criteria are driving few dermatologists to implement EHRs who weren't already planning to do so, these experts add.

Dermatologists today have more options for treating hair loss during menopause than ever before. But according to one expert in the field of female hair loss, unless the right diagnosis is made, the treatments might be less than effective.

Results from ex vivo and in vivo studies combined with clinical outcomes indicate that new compression tip technology (XD Optic, Palomar Medical) is fulfilling its design objectives of safely enabling nonablative fractional treatment to increased tissue depth, according to research presented by Christine Dierickx, M.D., at the 31st annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.

Regardless of etiology, lower-extremity ulcers can be very challenging to treat, and patients may sometimes require more than the body's own natural healing abilities to close them. Dermagraft (Advanced BioHealing) is a bioengineered skin substitute that helps achieve rapid closure of lower-extremity ulcers and, according to one expert, surpasses similar products on the market.

Roger I. Ceilley, M.D., has had many milestones in his 33 years in dermatology. As a clinician, teacher and advocate, he has impacted not only the lives of his patients, but also the public, students, fellow dermatologists and the dermatology profession as a whole.

With the introduction of the diode pumped fiber lasers in the last decade, new laser wavelengths are now hitting the market. Introduced last year, the newest of the fiber lasers is the diode-pumped thulium laser, which emits a wavelength of 1,927 nm (Fraxel re:store, Solta Medical).

Dr. Derm spends 10 percent of his annual gross earnings on marketing, much of which is Internet-based. He often finds himself telling his peers how wonderful Internet marketing is, until one day he finds out that a disgruntled patient has damaged his reputation on the Web. Dr. Derm is concerned that this malicious act may ruin his career. What can he do?

When faced with a potentially serious nail abnormality, some providers who take a wait-and-see approach may delay diagnosis and treatment because they aren't comfortable performing nail surgery, according to Nathaniel J. Jellinek, M.D., clinical assistant professor, department of dermatology, Brown Medical School, Providence, R.I., and adjunct clinical assistant professor, division of dermatology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass.

On Call wondered whether dermatologists are seeing many complications from tattoos, or whether tattoo parlors are taking safety precautions to protect their clients. On Call also asked dermatologists whether they encounter "tattoo regret," and how they advise patients who want to have tattoos removed.

Allergan's recently announced $600 million settlement to resolve federal charges that it marketed Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) for unapproved uses could hinder innovation and hamper patient care, some dermatologists worry. But in the long term, sources agree that the settlement will have little impact on the fortunes of the drug or its maker.

Although not as common as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) can metastasize and exhibit more aggressive growth patterns than BCC. As a result, many experts have called for an improved staging system for cSCC to determine prognosis of tumors.

The U.S. injectable market has added lidocaine-containing versions of popular hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, and additional fillers are expected, an expert says. Juv?derm XC (HA, lidocaine; Allergan) was available in Europe for about a year before earning Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in February 2010. Restylane-L and Perlane-L (HA, lidocaine; Medicis) also won FDA approval in February 2010.

Growth factors that are developed via human fibroblast stem cells hold the promise of skin rejuvenation without presenting risks of toxicity or infection, according to an assistant professor of clinical medicine and dermatology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.

Changes in tax laws can catch successful people off guard. With most physicians so busy worrying about potential reimbursement reductions, they don't have the time to address the important challenge of establishing a tax-wise estate plan for their families.

There is a battle brewing in Washington by men and women who wear white coats to work. It's a battle over the manner in which non-physicians, such as nurses and nurse practitioners, can market or promote their level of service and expertise, and it has resulted in legislation being introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives.