News

Chicago — The trend toward non-invasive rejuvenation of the face is continually expanding with methods ranging from the simplest at-home therapies to aggressive, high-tech methods of removing as many signs of aging as possible.

Stanford, Calif. — Scientists here have begun unraveling the mechanism by which botulinum toxin attacks nerves, thereby causing paralysis.

Europe's version of Botox, Dysport (Ibsen-Biotech Laboratories) is poised to officially cross the Atlantic, mainly into the offices of U.S. cosmetic surgeons, once Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval is obtained by its U.S. marketer, Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Inamed.

Chicago — The popularity of botulinum toxin type A injections for correcting wrinkles of the upper face has increased dramatically over the past few years. The extent of its popularity as a cosmetic procedure is obvious when this statistic is considered: The number of botulinum toxin type A procedures rose 157 percent from 2002 to 2003; the next highest increase was chemical peels, which rose a relatively sparse 48 percent over that same period.

In Dr. Baumann's experience, Sculptra is safe and effective for off-label cosmetic use alone or in combination with other fillers. The nature of the product makes it suitable not just for filling wrinkles, but for changing the structure of the face.

St. Louis — Turbo UVB phototherapy with the 308 nm excimer laser performed using a single high dose appears to be a well-tolerated and rapidly effective method for treating chronic plaque psoriasis, according to the results of an open-label pilot trial undertaken by dermatologists at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland.

National report — Preliminary review finds no adverse effects of anti-TNF-alpha agents on pregnancy outcomes. Analyses of limited data collected by the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) suggest there is no increased risk of major malformations or spontaneous abortions in women who received treatment with an anti-TNF-alpha medication early during pregnancy, reports Christina Chambers, Ph.D., M.P.H., who is current President of OTIS, assistant professor, departments of pediatrics and family and preventive medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, Calif.

A fundamental lesson and one that has been a basis for years of continued research is that aphthosis is a multifactorial disease.

Dr. Ferrara's work provided a basis for a major breakthrough in cancer research — the development of an antibody against VEGF in the treatment of lung and colorectal cancer.

Ferndale, Mich. — Ferndale Laboratories has created a new aesthetic division, Biopelle, dedicated exclusively to aesthetic medicine, according to company president Dr. Michael Burns.

Even in places that have an image of relative safety — the hurricane makes people acknowledge their vulnerability.

The best time to respond to a disaster is before it happens. There are steps you can take now to prepare your dermatology practice for a crisis.

London - The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, reported recently that a Chinese cosmetics firm is using skin taken from the corpses of executed convicts to develop beauty products for sale in Europe.

Baltimore - According to a recent Johns Hopkins study, a hefty dose of dignity is a good way for doctors to enhance their patients' course of treatment.

Omaha - A study at Omaha's Methodist Hospital is evaluating Sorafenib, a new drug for treating advanced stages of melanoma.

New York - In what is believed to be the first product collaboration between a cosmetics company and a drug, Elizabeth Arden Inc. and Allergan Inc., the pharmaceutical firm that markets and distributes Botox, have teamed up to market a reformulated version of Allergan's anti-aging product, Prevage.

Barrington, Ill. - The National Rosacea Society has published the results of a new survey that reflect how devastating rosacea can be to those who suffer from even a mild form of it.

Recently you probably received registration materials in the mail to be completed so that in the future you will be allowed to prescribe isotretinoin to your patients. This new registration program might also have confused you, since we had been living with the "SMART" program for the past few years. So, let me try to set the record straight. This new program, known as iPledge, was not developed by the American Academy of Dermatology. In fact, our representatives have been actively involved at stages of isotretinoin review trying to keep this drug available for dermatologists. The program is free, but you must fill out the registration forms and return them in order to be able to use this drug in the future.

Houston -- Isolagen Inc. in early August reported mixed results from two trials of its wrinkle treatment and said the findings indicate the need for another trial, which will be conducted in the fall.

Newtown, Pa. -- CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals recently filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the Food and Drug Administration for Oracea, the first orally administered, systemically delivered drug to treat rosacea.

Queensland, Australia -- Two enzymes found in the extract of crushed pineapple stems show promise in fighting cancer growth.

Washington -- In a move that comes as a surprise to few in the medical community, the federal government has proposed reducing Medicare payments to doctors by about 4.3 percent in 2006.

Doctors pay millions of dollars over the course of their careers for medical malpractice insurance coverage and often thousands more to protect some of their assets, yet they still fail to protect their single largest asset. Why is this?

Chicago — Patients seeking safe and effective fat removal procedures presently must stick to dermatologist-performed tumescent liposuction, according to an expert.

Buenos Aires — In selecting therapies for patients with psoriasis, dermatologists need to consider that psoriasis is a life-long, systemic disease that substantially affects a patient's quality of life, according to Alan Menter, M.D., chief of the division of dermatology at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas.

Doctors pay millions of dollars over the course of their careers for medical malpractice insurance coverage and often thousands more to protect some of their assets, yet they still fail to protect their single largest asset. Why is this?

Baltimore - Results of an exploratory phase 3 clinical trial demonstrate that injection of autologous living skin fibroblasts provides safe and effective correction of facial contour deformities that is sustained for at least 12 months, reports Robert A. Weiss, M.D.

National report - Even as new techniques, devices and pharmaceutical developments for facial contouring and wrinkle refinement proliferate for dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons, two trends are gaining momentum - one for the better and one for the worse, according to dermatologist David H. McDaniel, M.D., and his colleague, cosmetic surgeon Kyle S. Choe, M.D.

National report — Photodynamic therapy using the topical photosensitizer methyl aminolevulinate 16 percent cream (Metvix, Galderma) is a non-invasive, well-tolerated, effective treatment for Bowen's disease, offering excellent cosmetic results, according to the findings of a multicenter, randomized, active- and placebo-controlled study, says Colin A. Morton, M.D., consultant dermatologist, Falkirk Royal Infirmary, Falkirk, Scotland.

Tri Nguyen, M.D. was 6 years old when he finally escaped from war-ravaged Vietnam in 1976. The exit route: his parents paid a French-Vietnamese woman leaving for France to adopt him. After a year in Paris, he was reunited with his family, who ultimately settled in the United States.