News

Sacramento, Calif. - A multipass technique using a longer interval between pulses may offer new opportunities for therapeutic benefits when treating vascular lesions with a pulsed dye laser, Emil A. Tanghetti, M.D., said.

Las Vegas - The FDA on Jan. 2 cleared Berlex Laboratories Inc. to market Finacea (azelaic acid 15 percent) gel for the treatment of rosacea.

I was exceedingly impressed by a conversation I had with Dr. Adelaide Hebert at the University of Texas department of dermatology some time ago. We were discussing residency programs and she informed me that charity or community service work was a requirement for dermatology residents at her institution.

Twelve percent of dermatologists responding to an American Academy of Dermatology survey said they have had difficulty getting malpractice insurance or renewing an existing policy. Sixty-nine percent have had their insurance premiums raised.

Patients enrolled in a phase III trial of a novel Bcl-2-directed antisense agent plus chemotherapy with dacarbazine (DTIC) are yielding remarkable responses thus far, according to Anna C. Pavlick, D.O., assistant professor of medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York.

Washington -- Phthalates, as used in the cosmetic industry, are considered to be safe, according to an independent panel of medical and scientific experts.

San Francisco - A higher level of confidence deciding which dermatologic surgery procedures should be performed on the pregnant patient may lead to making these procedures safer and more comfortable, Christine E. Correale, M.D., said.

Hermosa Beach, Calif. - New treatment options for patients with HIV-related facial lipodystrophy are proving as effective at boosting the spirits as they are at filling out the face. The distinctive outward appearance of facial wasting stigmatizes AIDS patients and contributes to heightened levels of anxiety and depression.

There was little in his childhood in Washington, D.C., to indicate that Haines Ely's future would take him to a career as a dermatologist/dermatopathologist, with a weekly radio talk show that deals often in metaphysics and alternative medicines. He also leads trips to visit a faith healer in Brazil.

At a meeting in Hong Kong, I needed to transfer a Powerpoint presentation from my laptop to a different laptop being used for projection of the talks. I felt a moment of panic but was saved when one of the organizers pulled out a credit card sized device and plugged it into the PCMCIA slot on the side of my laptop.

Chicago - Complete avoidance of laser treatment for patients on photosensitizing drugs may err on the side of caution but may not be routinely necessary with certain lasers, according to results of a study presented by Min-Wei Christine Lee, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Chicago - The beard region may serve as a useful harvesting site for hair transplantation in men who already have a severely depleted scalp donor supply, Gary S. Hitzig, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Q. Is vitamin E allergenic? This is an important question, since there is some confusion regarding this issue. Vitamin E can be an unstable substance prone to oxidation in the presence of light and air. It is a potent antioxidant and in the process becomes oxidized itself.

Chicago - Digital audio/video provides a superior format for teaching dermatologic surgery, Michael R. Migden, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery & Cutaneous Oncology.

Cambridge, Mass. - An experimental therapy that makes use of fibroblast growth factor type 1 (FGF-1) encoded in naked plasmid DNA (NV1FGF) could save the limbs of patients afflicted with chronic wounds due to critical leg ischemia associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), according to Vincent Li, M.D., M.B.A.

Jason Myers, D.O., and Lorah Wright, D.O., left a large, hospital-affiliated practice in Traverse City, Mich., to form their own family practice. Recognizing a growing market for cosmetic procedures, the enterprising doctors added a laser skin clinic with the hope of fattening the bottom line. J.P. Huntington and his wife,

Denver - Tumescent liposuction pioneer Jeffrey A. Klein, M.D., strongly advised against being overly aggressive with the procedure.

Chicago - Results of lipoaugmentation using frozen fat are as good as if not better than those achieved with fresh tissue, at least for treatment of aging hands, Kimberly J. Butterwick, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Chicago - A novel topical peel containing lidocaine and tetracaine (S-Caine Peel) provides convenient, safe, and effective anesthesia for patients undergoing a variety of laser and other dermatologic surgery procedures, researchers from the Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of New York and New Jersey reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Should I continue to allow my male patients with seborrheic dermatitis to use bar soap for hair cleansing?

Toronto - Refinement of immature scars with dermasanding is a safe, simple and low-cost technique for improving final cosmetic outcome, according to the results of an investigator-blinded, controlled study undertaken by Elena Poulos, M.D., and colleagues from the division of dermatology, Sunnybrook and Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada.

Leeds, U.K. -- Pain associated with lower extremity ulcers appears to be an under-recognized and under-treated problem, according to studies conducted by Michelle Briggs, MSc, RGN.

Paris - The nail bed is capable of regeneration and that observation introduces new concepts for nail-bed surgery, Ken Ogo, M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.

Chicago -- Off-label experience using injectable silicone (Silikon 1000) in an investigational protocol indicates it is a highly effective and, thus far, very safe modality for treating facial lipoatrophy in HIV-infected patients, Derek H. Jones, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Chicago - Photomodulation of cellular activity induced by low-intensity illumination from light-emitting diodes (LED) appears to have promise for treating photoaging as well as a variety of other dermatologic problems, Robert A. Weiss, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Chicago - Nonablative treatment with an intense pulsed light (IPL) source results in clinical and histological improvements in vascular, pigmentary and dermal elastotic alterations associated with photoaging, Neil S. Sadick, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

New York - Even as biologic therapies become available, there will still be a place for acitretin, methotrexate and cyclosporin-based treatment protocols, according to Mark Lebwohl, M.D.

New York - For severe forms of psoriasis, dermatologists should choose treatments based on efficacy and rapidity of response more so than potential for chronic toxicities, according to Kenneth B. Gordon, M.D.

New Orleans - Treating some types of psoriasis - severe, scalp, arthritic, "out of town," and others - can challenge the therapeutic acumen of dermatologists.

Paris - Certain clinical and laboratory features appear to be useful markers for determining the prognosis of leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and so their identification can be helpful for guiding patient evaluation and management, Jordi Peyri, M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.