Previewing the 2026 AAD Annual Meeting

The 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting kicks off today in Denver, Colorado, and ends on Tuesday, March 31. Nearly 300 forums, symposiums, focus sessions, and courses will be held over the 5-day conference with endless opportunities to network and collaborate with fellow clinicians and industry leaders while learning about the latest dermatological advancements.

The conference begins with opening remarks led by Susan Taylor, MD, FAAD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology. Throughout the meeting, attendees can attend informative presentations, panel conversations, live patient workshops, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities.

Featured sessions highlight the evolving role of JAK inhibitors in dermatology, the management of autoimmune and inflammatory skin disorders in pregnant and breastfeeding patients, and a new session on Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis controversies. Skin cancer remains a major focus, with sessions covering dermoscopy for diagnostic challenges, what's new in advanced skin cancer management, and non-surgical therapies as alternatives to excision. There is also notable emphasis on systemic medicine intersecting with dermatology, including a session on GLP-1 agonists and other antidiabetics and their relevance to skin disease.

Beyond specific disease states, the meeting addresses the full scope of clinical practice and emerging tools. Sessions on advanced dermoscopy, complication management in cosmetic procedures, and nutritional factors in skin aging reflect a specialty rapidly absorbing new technologies and data. Hair disorders also feature prominently, with multiple sessions dedicated to scarring and non-scarring alopecias, menopause-related hair changes, and trichoscopy to guide treatment decisions. Inflammatory skin disease tracks are set to explore translational science, biologics, and nuanced management across special populations, including patients with skin of color.

AAD is also known for its exciting posters and presentations on late-breaking data. This year’s late-breaking sessions will be held on Saturday from 9 am-12 pm MT and 1-4 pm MT. Dermatology Times will be front and center as we provide live updates to our audience. To stay up to date on the latest AAD updates, follow us on social media, turn on notifications, and sign up for daily eNewsletters.

The editors of Dermatology Times will be covering the conference in person, reporting on numerous engaging sessions, as well as conducting exclusive interviews with experts in the field. Several of our Editorial Advisory Board members will be sharing their knowledge and insights as well so stay tuned; you can find the full list of AAD sessions here.

“Here at the American Academy of Dermatology Meeting, Dermatology Times is here. We are here watching the data. We are here talking to the investigators. And we are here talking to you, the dermatologist, so we can bring you the latest breaking news,” said Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and Dermatology Times’ editor in chief.

To keep up with all conference coverage from AAD, click here. To receive updates and top insights from the meeting, subscribe to our eNewsletters for clinical pearls straight to your inbox.