Brad Glick, DO, MPH, Highlights New Standards in AD Management

During the 2025 Fall Clinical Conference, board-certified dermatologist Brad Glick, DO, MPH, FAAD, shared his perspective with Dermatology Times on the growing collaboration between dermatologists and allergists in advancing the care of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Representing both academic and clinical practice settings, Glick, a practicing dermatologist at Glick Skin Institute, director of the Dermatology Residency at the Larkin Health System Palm Springs Campus, and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, Florida, emphasized the significance of the recently introduced AHEAD (Aiming High in Eczema/Atopic Dermatitis) guidelines, which seek to elevate treatment expectations and improve patient outcomes.¹

According to Glick, the AHEAD initiative represents an important evolution in the management of AD, paralleling the progress previously made in psoriatic disease.² Historically, many clinicians and patients have considered partial symptom control a satisfactory outcome. However, new evidence-based approaches, along with the introduction of innovative systemic and topical therapies, are redefining what “treatment success” means for this chronic, relapsing inflammatory condition.

Glick noted that the AHEAD recommendations encourage health care providers to aim for high levels of skin clearance—up to 90% improvement—and a near-complete reduction in itch. This reflects a broader shift in dermatology toward treat-to-target strategies that focus on measurable, patient-centered results rather than symptom minimization alone.

The guidelines also underscore the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. Because AD often overlaps with allergic, respiratory, and immunologic disorders, coordinated management between dermatologists and allergists is essential. Glick highlighted how such cooperation can lead to earlier diagnosis, more comprehensive patient education, and tailored therapeutic plans that address both cutaneous and systemic manifestations of disease.

In clinical practice, Glick integrates these principles at Platinum Dermatology Partners in Florida and through his teaching at Larkin Health System. He advocates for proactive, evidence-based treatment approaches that utilize modern biologic and JAK inhibitor therapies alongside supportive skin care.

Ultimately, the AHEAD guidelines exemplify an ongoing transformation in dermatology—one that prioritizes complete disease control, improved quality of life, and multidisciplinary care for individuals affected by atopic dermatitis.

References

1. Silverberg JI, Gooderham M, Katoh N, et al. Combining treat-to-target principles and shared decision-making: International expert consensus-based recommendations with a novel concept for minimal disease activity criteria in atopic dermatitis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2024;38(11):2139-2148. doi:10.1111/jdv.20229
2. Gossec L, Kerschbaumer A, Ferreira RJO, et al. EULAR recommendations for the management of psoriatic arthritis with pharmacological therapies: 2023 update. Ann Rheum Dis. 2024;83(6):706-719. Published 2024 May 15. doi:10.1136/ard-2024-225531