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Dissecting cellulitis responds to Nd:YAG laser
April 1st 2004Washington D.C. - In a recent trial involving four patients with dissecting cellulitis, long-pulsed Nd:YAG (1,064 nm) laser treatments were shown to reduce pain, purulent drainage, and the need for systemic antibiotics. In addition, some patients' hair regrew without recurrence of the disease.
Filler frenzy is cause for consideration
April 1st 2004New York - As injectable filler options grow, so do their power to offer patients a second round of youthful looks. The market is expanding with fillers that offer various compositions, indications, durations of effect, and stages of FDA approval. The growing choices are cause for celebration and consideration.
Simple fat transfer approach avoids sharp needles
April 1st 2004New York - Imagine fat as a substance bundled into intact parcels that are a size and shape allowing for them to travel through a small cannula - both when harvested and injected. This is the key to transferring the permanent subcutaneous filler, Sydney R. Coleman, M.D. said.
Exercise should correct posture, lengthen spine, strengthen muscles
April 1st 2004San Diego - Much of the aging process is about gravity trying to pull us out through the soles of our feet, and eventually it succeeds, said Michael Colgan, Ph.D. A physiologist and biochemist, Colgan called humans "the most domesticated animal" and said that our sedentary habits exacerbate the impact of gravity.
Non-ablative radiofrequency finds niche in skin tightening
April 1st 2004Deer Valley, Utah -- Patients seeking long-lasting cosmetic improvement without a facelift have a new treatment modality - non-ablative radiofrequency (RF) - in which improvement continues for up to six months after a single treatment.
Nix cancer threat in organ transplant patients
April 1st 2004Washington - Extensive skin cancer can be a life-ruining or even lethal event for organ transplant recipients. Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, Clark C. Otley, M.D., reviewed for his colleagues five lessons he learned, some times the hard way, to address this challenging problem.
New pediatric therapies emerging
April 1st 2004Washington -- New therapies continue to emerge in pediatric dermatology, and recent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of such therapies. Ilona J. Frieden, M.D., highlighted studies in some areas of common concern in a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Treat juvenile dermatomyositis early
April 1st 2004Washington - Timely diagnosis of juvenile dermatomyositis is critical, because early aggressive management with immunosuppressive agents - even for patients with amyopathic disease - is the best method for preventing calcinosis that is a source of significant morbidity for these children, said Amy S. Paller, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Immunosuppressive drugs may pose threat in transplant patients
April 1st 2004Washington - Dermatologists should be aware that a number of the treatments they prescribe are associated with an increased risk of skin cancer, said Mark Lebwohl, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Skin lesions among travelers present significant clues
April 1st 2004Boston -- Skin lesions often provide significant clues for diagnosing infections seen among international travelers. A new review of dermatologic infectious diseases in international travelers describes some of the more common conditions, and looks at changes in treatment.
Magnetic resonance gauges port wine stains
April 1st 2004Washington D.C. -- Testing conducted at the Dermatology Center at the University of Manchester's (U.K.) Hope Hospital shows magnetic resonance (MR) scanning can help dermatologists get a better subcutaneous look at patients' port wine stains. However, it fell short of providing the predictability doctors desired with respect to estimating how patients would respond to pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatments.
Oral tazarotene delivers lasting results for plaque psoriasis
April 1st 2004Washington - According to a poster study presented at the annual American Academy of Dermatology meeting, oral tazarotene (Tazorac; Allergan Inc., Irvine, Calif.) gives patients with plaque psoriasis significant improvements that continue after treatment stops. The blinded, placebo-controlled multicenter study of approximately 700 patients shows that oral tazarotene delivers several advantages over existing alternatives for treating plaque psoriasis.
Derms should stay alert; melanoma may accompany less-serious nail abnormalities
April 1st 2004Wailea, Hawaii - The dermatologist should maintain a high index of suspicion and a willingness to biopsy when assessing unusual lesions of the nails, according to Richard K. Scher, M.D., who presented here in January at the 46th annual meeting of the Noah Worcester Dermatological Society.
Anti-TNF-? formula enhances wound healing
April 1st 2004Washington - Topical application of anti-tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) monoclonal antibody (infliximab) produced dramatic improvement with wound closure in chronic, non-healing leg ulcers, said Markus Streit, M.D., department of dermatology, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland.
New biological treatments show promise for psoriasis
April 1st 2004Washington - Biological treatments for psoriasis have largely unraveled the once-secret mechanisms behind this disease. "The biologics including Amevive [alefacept], Raptiva [efalizumab], Embrel [etanercept], and Remicade [infliximab] are scientifically revolutionary and exciting," said John Y. M. Koo, M.D., who spoke about these treatments at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting. Board-certified in dermatology and psychiatry, he is professor and vice chairman of the University of California at San Francisco's department of dermatology.
1,450-nm laser treats facial acne rapidly
April 1st 2004Washington - The recently concluded American Academy of Dermatology conference witnessed the first published report documenting the safety and efficacy of the Smoothbeam laser treatment for inflammatory facial acne. Building on previous research that showed the 1,450-nm diode laser to be effective for treating inflammatory acne on the back, a team of researchers led by Paul M. Friedman, M.D., showed the same type of laser to be safe and effective for treating facial acne vulgaris.
Informed consent cornerstone of research
April 1st 2004Dr. Smarts wants to start performing clinical research studies in his office. He assumes that such research will bring him the press notoriety that will boost his lagging dermatology practice. Dr. Smarts begins to evaluate a new substance for the treatment of psoriasis not approved by the FDA. He verbally tells his patients they are research "guinea pigs"; he lets them know he is able to obtain the as-of-now unobtainable material from a local compounding pharmacy.
Newer May Not Always Be Better
April 1st 2004About 15 years ago, while riding on a shuttle bus at the annual American Academy of Dermatology meeting, I overheard two elderly dermatologists discussing the state of dermatology, as they perceived it. One gentleman commented that he had not seen a single advance to rival the advent of tetracycline for acne, and that most of the new treatments did not work very well. At the time, I remember thinking that these practitioners were out of touch with all of the hot new therapies for skin disorders. Since that time, as I have been bombarded by myriad new and supposedly revolutionary "advances," I, too, am beginning to question whether we should equate the concept of "newness"