News

Tucson, Ariz. - Norman Levine, M.D., has been named vice president of the newly formed Tucson Dermatology Society. He is an editorial adviser to Dermatology Times.

Washington - A proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule that would ban over-the-counter sales of skin bleaching creams containing hydroquinone has many dermatologists wondering why the FDA has taken the step - and taking steps themselves to urge the agency to reconsider.

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Philadelphia - As the human body ages, its ability to muster a robust and effective immune response diminishes, a fact reflected in cutaneous immunity.

Water loss from the skin is scientifically referred to as transepidermal water loss, abbreviated TEWL.

National report - People are more often choosing herbal remedies to treat their chronic rosacea.

The age analyses also revealed the age of onset may be earlier for PP rosacea than for the ETR subtype.

Shanghai, China - A growing number of men in Shanghai are taking an interest in their looks and are having cosmetic surgery or walking into beauty salons, according to People's Daily Online.

West Yorkshire, England - Scientists have developed a new wound dressing that could provide the benefits of maggot therapy to patients without placing live blowfly larvae in nonhealing wounds.

Toronto - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may cause necrotizing fasciitis, especially in areas where community acquired MRSA is prevalent, researchers say.

Bethesda, Md. - Two patients with metastatic melanoma have been cancer-free for almost two years, following the first successful use of gene therapy to cure cancer.

Washington - A recent change to the federal iPLEDGE program that eliminates one controversial lockout period is a welcome one, says Stephen P. Stone, M.D., president of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

National report - Doctor-patient communication impacts compliance, treatment outcomes, frequency of malpractice litigation and more.

Legislatures have broad discretion in levying taxes to raise public funds. Legislatures also have great freedom in the area of which professions they seek to tax.

For decades doctors and patients have used hydroquinone products to reduce differentiations in skin tones.

Naples, Italy - A new study suggests that a daily dose of lutein, a nutrient found in foods including eggs and green leafy vegetables, may benefit the skin in terms of hydration, elasticity and superficial skin lipids.

Sacramento, Calif. - Noting that unsanitary nail salons can pose a serious health threat to consumers, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a bill aimed at preventing bacterial infections during manicures and pedicures by threatening salons with loss of their license if they fail to keep their instruments and premises clean.

Cincinnati - Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) has pulled its SK-II skincare line from stores in the People's Republic of China after that country's government expressed concern that the products contain small amounts of metals, which can skin irritations, allergies or other side effects.

Rolling Meadows, Ill. - The American Society of Dermatological Surgery (ASDS) has issued a statement warning patients that undergoing cosmetic surgery by untrained non-physicians is risky and can lead to serious injury and even death.

National report - Two recent studies regarding isotretinoin risks confirm what dermatologists have long known - that the drug can transiently raise cholesterol levels and perhaps aggravate inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

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National report - Laser companies continue to forge ahead with new techniques to stake their claim among leg vein treatments; however, sclerotherapy currently remains the treatment of choice for most cases, according to Mich?l Gold, M.D.

National report - Hirsutism may signal an underlying medical condition including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or Cushing's syndrome that dermatologists can help detect without laboratory tests, says Marcelle Cedars, M.D., who also suggests several treatment plans available to the dermatologist.

National report - There are different types of cutaneous wounds with varying degrees of depth; therefore, there are also various methods to treat these wounds.

National report - Scaly, erythematous papular and papulopustular rashes on the face are a common sight for dermatologists, and a number of possible diagnoses come to mind.

Philadelphia - It is estimated that psoriasis affects 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent of the general population, with more than 4.5 million adults affected here in the United States alone. Approximately 20 percent of patients afflicted with this disease are categorized as "moderate-to-severe".

The first systematic review of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in isotretinoin users shows that this drug may trigger IBD in certain patients. While the Physician's Desk Reference lists IBD as a possible adverse event associated with use of isotretinoin, "Our goal was primarily to determine if this association was legitimate," and if so, what it means to physicians and patients, Corey A. Siegel, M.D., says. He is one of the review's authors and assistant professor of medicine and director of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center in Lebanon, N.H.

National report - Community-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has become a ubiquitous presence across the United States.

Washington - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s General and Plastic Surgery Advisory Panel has recommended that Radiesse, a soft-tissue augmentation product manufactured and distributed by San Mateo, Calif.-based BioForm Medical, be approved for use in restoring facial contours such as nasolabial folds and in treating facial lipoatrophy associated with HIV.