News

Like fire, credit can be a valuable friend or a dreadful foe. Used sensibly, credit can be a major asset in your business and personal life. Use it carelessly and it can become your worst enemy.

National report - Although the pharmaceutical industry and medical professional organizations have guidelines regarding physician relationships with industry, it is incumbent on individual professionals to apply those guidelines in such a way that they will maintain public trust and continue to serve their patients' best interests, says Stephen B. Webster, M.D., department of dermatology, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, Wis.

National report - Findings from a decade's worth of research focusing on the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene show that it is a complicated gene.

New Haven, Conn. - Epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs), long thought to play a role in the initiation of contact hypersensitivity (CHS), appear to actually have quite the opposite function in the development of CHS responses, according to a report recently published in Immunity.

National report - Kinase inhibitors are the latest weapons in the cancer war, according to Mario Lacouture, M.D.

Paris - Several methods are available to the practicing physician for the treatment of open wounds as well as cosmetically disturbing wrinkles and keloids.

Boston - Among the most important developments in safety standards that impact dermatology practices are changes involving laser use in non-hospital settings and development of international standards for intense pulsed light (IPL) devices, according to Penny J. Smalley, R.N., a Chicago-based safety consultant.

National report - Results of two parallel, prospective, open-label, North American studies demonstrate that treatment with the injectable filler consisting of microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) in a carboxymethylcellulose gel carrier (Radiesse, BioForm Medical) provides safe, immediate and relatively durable restoration of facial volume in patients with HIV-associated lipoatrophy.

Dr. Crotty places dental rolls under the patient's upper lip in order to stretch out the skin, and, using an extra-coarse fraise, makes a superficial abrasion by gently rubbing the fraise back and forth.

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Every Mohs surgeon is aware of the dangers of a surgical intervention, as infection of the surgical site is one of the possible adverse events following a procedure.

National report - When it comes to the issue of perioperative management of existing anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing cutaneous procedures, results of a mail survey indicate most British dermatologists are continuing those medications and without untoward consequences, reports Claudia V. DeGiovanni, M.D.

National report - Present concerns about the spread of avian flu are a reminder that two years ago in the Midwest, another animal-carried virus - monkeypox - at least momentarily threatened to spread to more areas and infect more victims.

National report - A novel product formulating 40 percent urea in an essential fatty acid (EFA) vehicle (Umecta, JSJ Pharmaceuticals) appears to be a good choice for treating skin conditions associated with hyperkeratosis, scaling and compromised barrier function, according to Peter M. Elias, M.D., professor of dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, and a staff physician at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Francisco.

National report - Focal hyperhidrosis (or primary or idiopathic hyperhidrosis) is a common problem that affects about 3 percent of the population and has significant psychosocial implications.

National report - Results of a multicenter, phase 2 randomized clinical trial are providing new perspectives on use of blue light therapy (BLU-U, DUSA Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of moderate and severe acne vulgaris.

National report - As the prevalence of body art is increasing, it behooves dermatologists to be aware of the social and medical implications of tattooing and body piercing, says Anne E. Laumann, M.D.

National report - According to a recent survey, high levels of depression, anxiety and workplace dissatisfaction among academic physicians threaten patient care and bode ill for the long-term health of academic programs themselves.

London - German researchers found that rats exposed to the sunscreen chemical 4MBC had raised levels of thyroid stimulating hormones and heavier thyroid glands.

Nearly one in three people in the United States - or about 85 million residents - are people of color, and that number is growing, according to the most recent U.S. Census.

National report - Free or reduced cost medical care for U.S.patients without sufficient financial resources is continuing todecline, further challenging an already stressed safety net in thenation's healthcare system and putting pressure on physiciansacross specialties, including dermatologists.

The doctors say it is also important to keep their employees'skills up-to-date and they use various methods to accomplish it.

There will always be someone out there inventing new schemes tospend, invest, borrow or lose your money. That’s why youshould keep the overall safety of your assets as a primaryfinancial objective.

Looking for new - and affordable - ways to motivate thestaff at your dermatology practice?

Initial melanomas discovered by dermatologists were more likely tobe thin (0.75 mm or less) compared with malignancies found by otherphysicians.

Dermatologists who understand blacks' hair care practices and how those practices can lead to breakage and dry scalp can treat patients appropriately to patients' lifestyle needs.

National report - The prevalence of obsessive-compulsivedisorder (OCD) in certain dermatologic settings outside of skincancer - such as itchy dermatosis - can be as high as14 percent to 20 percent, compared to a prevalence of 2 percent to3 percent in the general population.

National report - Patients who present with groin or perineallesions may have a form of tuberculosis, says Allison Readinger,M.D., a resident in dermatology at the University of Texas MedicalBranch, Galveston, Texas.

Barrington, Ill. - The National Rosacea Society has announcedthat new grants are available to support research into the causesand other key aspects of rosacea. Applications may be obtained bye-mailing rosaceas@aol.com.

Berwyn, Pa. - DermAvance Pharmaceuticals, a privately heldspecialty dermatology pharmaceutical company, has appointed KeithA. Greathouse as president and chief executive officer. The companyalso announced the launch of its first products, including Vivelif,a topical therapy to address visible signs of aging.

Bangalore, India - U.S. pharmaceutical company Allergan hasobtained a license from the Drugs Controller General of India tointroduce Botox in India.