The Weekly Roundup: February 16-20

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Melanoma on the Mountain: Addressing the UV Crisis in Snow Sport Communities

US Olympian Travis Ganong’s melanoma diagnosis at age 36 exposed gaps in prevention, screening, and education in winter sports communities, highlighting opportunities for clinicians to intervene.

Are Topical Steroids Enough in Early Childhood Atopic Dermatitis?

Targeting IL-4 and IL-13 signaling with dupilumab has demonstrated significant reductions in total and food-specific IgE in pediatric AD populations.

Predicting Psoriasis "Super Responders": New Real-World Data on Durability of Risankizumab

Real-world data on psoriasis super responders show that risankizumab drives complete skin clearance for up to 2.5 years.

Combination Regimens Linked to Accelerated VASI Reductions in Patients With Vitiligo

Real-world data from Saudi Arabia show vitiligo combination therapy with narrowband UVB or Janus kinase inhibitors drives steeper VASI improvement than monotherapy.

Expectation Versus Reality in Chronic Wound Care

Ayman Grada, MD, highlighted the gap between dermatology’s expertise in skin biology and its limited involvement in chronic wound care delivery.

Expanding the Conversation on Hair Straighteners and Cancer

NIH Sister Study ties hair straightener use to higher pancreatic and thyroid cancer risk, but experts say methods limit certainty.

Misha Rosenbach, MD, on the Clinical and Psychosocial Burden of Cutaneous Sarcoidosis

Misha Rosenbach, MD, discussed the burden of cutaneous sarcoidosis (CS) and how emerging therapies like brepocitinib could fill this clinical need.

Meta-Analysis Supports 308 nm Excimer Laser for Plaque Psoriasis

Investigators reported consistent clinical improvement following twice-weekly excimer laser treatments.

CHE Experts Provide Framework for Diagnosis, Management, and Care in the United States

A new US consensus clarifies chronic hand eczema diagnosis and stepwise care, highlighting FDA-approved treatment and patient-reported outcomes.

Photodynamic Therapy for sBCC Shows Predictable Clearance and High In-Office Adherence

Todd Schlesinger, MD, highlights data supporting red light–activated PDT with 10% ALA gel for superficial basal cell carcinoma, discussing structured treatment protocols.

Getting Melanoma Right From the First Biopsy

At the 2026 South Beach Symposium, Joel Claveau, MD, emphasized that accurate early diagnosis and proper staging are the cornerstones of effective melanoma management.

Rare Disease Day Spotlight: Pipeline Updates in Epidermolysis Bullosa

Around 800 rare skin diseases affect 6.8 million people worldwide, including epidermolysis bullosa, generalized pustular psoriasis, ichthyosis, and erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Journal Digest: February 18, 2026

This review of the latest dermatological studies includes insights on racial differences in PCOS-related teenage acne, CVD in patients with HS and lymphedema, and more.

Ixekizumab Plus Tirzepatide Outperforms Biologic Monotherapy

In the phase 3b TOGETHER-PsO trial, ixekizumab plus tirzepatide led to significantly higher rates of complete skin clearance and ≥10% weight loss.

Remibrutinib Meets Primary Endpoints in Phase 3 Trial for Chronic Inducible Urticaria Subtypes

Novartis reports RemIND phase 3 success and submits a supplemental New Drug Application to the FDA for symptomatic dermographism.

Brepocitinib’s Unprecedented Phase 2 Results in Neglected and Rare Cutaneous Disease

BEACON phase 2 shows brepocitinib delivers dramatic, low-placebo CSAMI improvements with strong safety, Misha Rosenbach, MD reports, boosting hope for cutaneous sarcoidosis.

Full Conference Recap: South Beach Symposium 2026

Catch up on coverage from the 24th annual South Beach Symposium.

New Dermatology Technologies in 2026

Even without deep penetration, peptide moisturizers can improve the skin’s appearance through hydration and smoothing effects.

ICYMI: Difamilast Ointment Expands Non-Steroidal Options in AD Care

In pivotal studies, significantly more patients achieved clear or almost clear skin after 4 weeks of twice-daily difamilast compared with vehicle.

Abrocitinib Shows Fast Relief in Itch-Dominant AD

A post hoc analysis found that abrocitinib provided faster itch relief than dupilumab in adults with itch-dominant atopic dermatitis.

Targeting Sebum at the Source: Neal Bhatia, MD, on the Promise of Denifanstat

Neal Bhatia, MD, explores denifanstat for acne—oral FASN inhibition that curbs sebum, boosts outcomes, and may be an alternative to antibiotics or retinoids.

Alphyn Expands Pipeline with Phase 2 Trial of Zabalafin Hydrogel for Molluscum Contagiosum

Alphyn Biologics advances zabalafin hydrogel for MC, aiming for painless relief by clearing lesions and itch in pediatric patients.

A Team-Based Model for Efficient PDT Delivery

Michael O’Donoghue, MD, outlines how delegating PDT workflows to trained medical assistants can preserve physician time while maintaining treatment quality.

Evolving Treatment Strategies with James Del Rosso, DO

In a conversation with Dermatology Times, Del Rosso highlighted the growing range of systemic and procedural therapies available to clinicians.

Q&A: Galderma’s Anne-Cécile Chevrier Shares Key Survey Findings on the Future of Menopausal Skin Care

At IMCAS, Anne-Cécile Chevrier revealed new Galderma data on menopause and skin, urging earlier education and proactive treatment choices.

JAAD Study Validates 487-GEP to Guide JAK Inhibitor Selection in Moderate to Severe AD

Castle Biosciences’ AdvanceAD-Tx test stratifies patients by molecular profile, identifying patients more likely to achieve faster and deeper responses with JAKs compared with Th2-targeted treatments.

The Path to Long-Term Control: Thrasyvoulos Tzellos, MD, PhD, Discusses the Burden of HS

Thrasyvoulos Tzellos, MD, PhD, explains HS’s progressive toll and how UCB’s BE HEARD bimekizumab data shows durable tunnel reduction and lasting disease improvement.