Dermatology Times April 2026 Print Recap

The April issue of Dermatology Times includes a collection of thought-provoking articles and topics as we explore how GLP-1s intersect with inflammatory skin diseases, celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the ABCDs in melanoma, analyze the recent FDA approval of icotrokinra for psoriasis, and more.

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Your Patient Is on a GLP-1: A Dermatologist’s Guide to What Comes Next

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are trending among all specialties. We know obesity drives inflammation, which can instigate chronic inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and polycystic ovary syndrome, and may even contribute to inflammation-related aspects of aging. Recent data from the TOGETHER-PsO trial (NCT06588283) demonstrated that 27.1% of participants receiving ixekizumab (Taltz; Eli Lilly and Company) and tirzepatide (Zepbound; Eli Lilly and Company) reached complete skin clearance (Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI] 100) and at least 10% weight loss compared with 5.8% of patients treated with ixekizumab alone, meeting the primary end point
(P < .001).

In a key secondary end point, ixekizumab plus tirzepatide delivered a 40% relative increase over ixekizumab monotherapy in the proportion of patients who achieved PASI 100 (40.6% vs 29.0%, respectively; P < .05), demonstrating that treatment of overweight or obesity with tirzepatide reduced the burden of psoriasis. This is our first pivotal trial supporting our anecdotal use of GLP-1s to co-manage inflammatory skin diseases. Although not many dermatologists feel comfortable prescribing GLP-1s (you don’t need to), we are at the forefront of managing cutaneous consequences of GLP-1 use. The most common clinic findings are hair loss and facial volume loss.

Read more from Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD

FDA Approves Icotrokinra, First Oral IL-23 Receptor Blocker for Psoriasis

The US FDA has approved icotrokinra (Icotyde; Johnson & Johnson), a first-in-class oral IL-23 receptor antagonist, for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults and adolescents 12 years and older weighing at least 40 kg. The once-daily oral peptide introduces a mechanistically distinct option in a therapeutic landscape largely defined by injectable biologics. Unlike currently available IL-23 inhibitors that target the cytokine itself, icotrokinra selectively blocks the IL-23 receptor. This approach may offer a more proximal interruption of the inflammatory signaling cascade while maintaining the convenience of oral administration. For clinicians, this dual advantage—mechanistic precision and ease of use—may influence earlier adoption of systemic therapy in appropriate patients.

Read more

Rosacea Uncovered: Current Practices and Therapies on the Horizon

Each April, Rosacea Awareness Month offers a moment to revisit a condition that is both common and surprisingly complex. Although rosacea is a familiar diagnosis in dermatology clinics, our understanding of the disease continues to evolve. Ongoing research is shedding new light on its underlying mechanisms while also expanding the range of treatment options available to patients. Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with a complex and multifactorial etiology. Although the precise mechanisms remain incompletely understood, several key contributors have been identified, including the following:

• Genetic predisposition
• Immune dysregulation
• Neurovascular dysfunction
• Skin barrier impairment
• Environmental influences

Increasing evidence supports the interplay between innate immune activation, inflammatory cytokine release, and abnormal angiogenesis in driving persistent erythema and vascular reactivity.

Read more from Jill Cowan, APRN, FNP-BC

40 Years of the ABCDs: Darrell Rigel, MD, MS, Reflects on the Evolution of Global Melanoma Detection

Four decades ago, a deceptively simple mnemonic transformed how clinicians, and eventually the public, recognized melanoma. The ABCDs of melanoma, now embedded in medical education and clinical practice worldwide, began not as a grand initiative but as a practical teaching solution developed by 3 dermatologists at New York University (NYU) seeking to clarify what early melanoma actually looks like. Dermatology Times sat down for an exclusive interview with Darrell Rigel, MD, MS, a clinical professor of dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, an adjunct clinical professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and a dermatology consultant at Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas, who developed the ABCD method in 1985 with his colleagues Robert “Bob” Friedman, MD, and Alfred “Al” Kopf, MD. At the time, Rigel and Friedman were young attendings working alongside their mentor, Kopf, a pioneering figure in melanoma research at NYU. The initial idea emerged from a straightforward question: How could clinicians teach pattern recognition for a disease where early detection is absolutely critical?

Read more

Click here to view all articles in the April issue.