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How much does a patient need to pay for an effective facial moisturizer?

New York - The newest systemic antibiotics aren't always the best, especially when their overuse creates concerns for drug resistance.

New York - The newest systemic antibiotics aren't always the best, especially when their overuse creates concerns for drug resistance.

New York - Jean D. Carruthers, M.D., thinks it might be appropriate for her and her dermatologist husband, Alastair, to change their middle names to "determination."

New York- Results from a 12-month, open-label extension study highlight the efficacy and safety of the fixed triple-combination cream containing hydrocortisone 4 percent, tretinoin 0.05 percent and fluocinolone acetonide 0.01 percent (Tri-Luma Cream, Galderma) as a modality for the long-term management of melasma, says Helen M. Torok, M.D.

National report - In the treatment of vitiligo, the 308-nm excimer laser (PhotoMedex) achieves results as favorable as those of other phototherapy modalities in one-third the time, according to James M. Spencer, M.D.

New York - Simple clinical characteristics determined as part of the usual examination allow for reliable prognostication of the response of venous leg ulcers to standard therapy, and that information is useful formanaging patients in everyday practice as well as when conducting clinical trials, said David J. Margolis, M.D., Ph.D, at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Academy '04 here recently.

No matter how much the environment of medical care becomes infused with a bottom-line mentality, treating patients is a privilege, not a job. Medicine is a sacred calling, not something doctors do, but who we are.

New York - A combination regimen beginning with adapalene cream 0.1 percent (Differin, Galderma) and incorporating the fixed triple-combination depigmenting cream (Tri-Luma Cream, Galderma) provides a well-tolerated and effective method for treating acne and its distressing sequel of post-in-flammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) in African-American patients, said Valerie D. Callender, M.D., at the recently held Academy '04 meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

How much does a patient need to pay for an effective facial moisturizer?

Winston-Salem, N.C. - Pigmented lesions come in many forms, and while many do not require treatment, they sometimes serve as signs of seriousconditions, says Zoe D. Draelos, M.D.

National report - Pigmentary changes in skin are one of the first indicators of photoaging, according to Neil Sadick, M.D., F.A.C.P.

A large video clip can be difficult to send over the Internet, and can be difficult for viewers to download... Reducing the frame rate to one-third of the original led to a great reduction in file size, and it reduced the rate at which data had to be sent.

Barring cost issues, new systemic therapies could soon be on the forefront

Biologic therapy yields promising results in treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis

Option is good choice for psoriasis patients suffering moderate-to-severe plaque disease

New York - While dermatologists need to be aware of legitimate safety issues when prescribing any of the TNF-? antagonists for the treatment of psoriasis, as a bottom line, adalimumab (Humira, Abbott Immunology), etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen/Wyeth), and infliximab (Remicade, Centocor) appear to be safer than some older psoriasis treatments, such as methotrexate and cyclosporine, says Mark Lebwohl, M.D., Sol and Clara Kest Professor and chairman, department of dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

Four agents offer safe, effective alternatives to traditional tx for moderate to severe disease

Physician describes switch of patients from oral systemics to biologic therapy

Dallas - For psoriasis patients just starting treatment, as well as those who've had poor results from conventional systemic therapies, biologics are a good first-line treatment option. But what about those who've had good results with methotrexate and cyclosporine and are forced to consider alternatives?

New York - While acitretin remains a common oral treatment for psoriasis, oral tazarotene (Allergan), fumaric acid esters (FAEs), and oral pimecrolimus can cut side effects ranging from alopecia to liver and kidney damage, according to a recent study.

Research shows that less than half of patients with severe psoriasis in the United States receive aggressive treatment - systemic drugs, biologic drugs or phototherapy - for their disease. The total number of severely psoriatic patients has been estimated at 120,000 to 450,000 or more.

Each drug delivers a different level of efficacy and duration and, therefore, requires a different treatment strategy to optimize its impact.

Efficacy, safety encourage use for psoriasis

New York - Results of a retrospective review reinforce the long-term safety and tolerability of repeated treatments with botulinum toxin type A (Botox Cosmetic?, Allergan) for cosmetic reasons, said Alastair Carruthers, M.D., at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy '04 here recently.

New Orleans - BAY 43-9006, a novel signal transduction inhibitor, has very modest activity as a single agent in melanoma; however, it has promising activity in combination with chemotherapy, investigators said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Charleston, S.C. - Biologic agents for pediatric dermatology offer the promise of being safer and much easier to use than traditional drugs, according to Elaine C. Siegfried, M.D., associate clinical professor of pediatrics and dermatology at St. Louis University School of Medicine, Mo.

New York - When diagnosing a pediatric hair disorder, be sure to examine not only the scalp, but also the skin, nails and even the mouth.

When treating black patients for hair and scalp disorders, clinicians must also have an understanding of hair care practices.

Las Vegas - New technologies are bringing increasingly fine resolution to previously fuzzy images and ideas about disease pathways. That, in turn, is generating better-targeted therapies.