News

National report — The 0.45 percent triclosan Dial Complete product was as mild as or milder than other hand-washing products commonly used by healthcare personnel, based on three comparison studies.

National report — The trend in cleansing agents over the past five decades has been to develop not only products that would be less drying to the skin than standard soap bars, but also to develop products that would actually deliver moisture.

Everything old is new again could be the theme of a promising new therapy for sufferers of immune-mediated skin disease — CellCept?. P. R?gine Mydlarski, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., assistant professor at the University of Calgary, says the reformulation of medication that has been around for nearly a century is an up-and-coming treatment for skin conditions in the hands of the dermatologist.

Washington — Promising results were seen in a phase 2 trial of the first drug in a new class of cephalosporins active against multi-drug resistant Staphlococcus aureus, according to Markus Heep, M.D., medical microbiologist and project physician at Basilea Pharmaceutica, Ltd. in Basel, Switzerland.

The phase 4 studies are designed to gather additional information on Metvix PDT compared with alternative treatments along with the use in specific patient populations and in new ways.

San Diego, Calif. — Studies are under way evaluating purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) inhibitors as a novel treatment for T-cell related skin diseases.

Many cases of hair thinning are reversible. And for those that are not, patients often can stop their hair loss with treatment.

Albany, Ga. — A rural dermatologist who treats several hundred patients with psoriasis —70 with biologics — has presented two one-hour community seminars about new treatments, and she plans to give more.

Singapore — Recent clinical experience with biologic response modifiers suggests that chronic plaque psoriasis may not be represented by a single disease, but by several, and treating it effectively could require combinations of older and newer therapies.

Biofilms are resistant to antiseptics and antibiotics for a number of reasons.

The waiting time to see dermatologists has been increasing, significantly. In the U.S., it is 36 days for a new appointment, and in Texas it is 34 days.

Philadelphia - The state of the art in lip augmentation isn't about fillers or filling technique but a conceptual breakthrough, says Sydney R. Coleman, M.D., a plastic surgeon with a New York City practice.

Seattle - Dermatologists are usually the first specialists to see patients who have psoriasis and who might have psoriatic arthritis. Their decision about how to treat these patients can impact the cutaneous and arthritic manifestations of the disease.

Unfortunately, most physicians only use traditional qualified plans, pensions and 401(k)s that are restrictive and burdensome, whilecompletely ignoring the more flexible non-qualified variety.

Washington, D.C. - While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approval and monitoring controversy has ensnared dermatologists prescribing isotretinoin, the implications of overhauling the drug approval process could be much more far-reaching to the profession.

Working with a visual medium is what dermatology is all about.

Miami Beach –Medical spas represent the natural evolution of dermatological practices into complete skin care centers, according to Bruce E. Katz, M.D.

Boston - The past year has been full of new developments for botulinum toxin (BT), says Neil Sadick, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.A.C.S.

Philadelphia - Growth factors concentrated from a patient's own bloodaccelerate hair regrowth while prod-ucing up to 35 percent more folliculardensity, says Carlos Oscar Uebel, M.D. "Normally it takes three months for hair to start growing.

The importance of this cosmeceutical trend to the dermatologist is the need to ask patients about the use of such products, especially patients who will be undergoing physician- administered peels or patients that present with facial irritant contact dermatitis.

National report - As men continue to show more interest in cosmeticprocedures, dermatologists will need to anticipate their needs for information and support, William P. Coleman III, M.D., says.

Newport Beach, Calif. - Anti-aging therapies are shifting as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves an assortment of fillers and as researchers continue to study the use and safety of botulinum toxin.

National Report - Dermatologists have known for years that retinoids suppress the development of skin cancers. Recently this underutilized application has been dramatically illustrated in a case report.

Adelaide, Australia - When patients and their families learn that a loved one has malignant melanoma, they may question whether the cancer could have been caught earlier, when it was curable.

Victoria, British Columbia - "Question what everyone tells you, including me," advises Daniel Berg, M.D., director of the University of Washington's Center for Dermatologic Surgery.

Stanford, Ca. - Imaging can help dermatologists to diagnose and treat some of the lesions they encounter, according to Barton Lane, M.D., professor of radiology and neurosurgery at Stanford University Medical Center, here.

Las Vegas - Coumadin and other blood thinners should not be discontinued pre- or postoperatively in patients who are having skin surgery, says a professor of dermatology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.

Stanford, Calif. - Chin-jowl implants are a valuable adjunct for optimizing the results of minimally invasive facelift procedures and neck liposuction, says Greg S. Morganroth, M.D., who spoke at "The Next Step: Mastering Cutaneous Outpatient Procedures," a continuing education program at Stanford University.

Philadelphia - The state of the art in lip augmentation isn't about fillers or filling technique but a conceptual breakthrough, says Sydney R. Coleman, M.D., a plastic surgeon with a New York City practice.

Singapore - Non-invasive ways to renew aging faces are growing and changing. There are new devices, new twists on old techniques - and even changes in potential patients' wants and needs. But according to Robert Weiss, M.D., one aspect of this cosmetic dermatology niche is not likely to change.