Skin & Allergy News back issues from January 2008:
Free ink removal offers clean start.
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Leg irons and handcuffs might not be the usual attire of patients at a doctor's office, but it's not unusual at Dr. Douglas Naverson's clinic in Medford, Ore. Along with the "lunch peel" and wrinkle treatments offered at Dermatology & Laser ...
Fillers pose little pigmentation risk in skin of color: lack of previous data prompted the study.
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- Two hyaluronic acid fillers were found to be safe and effective for the facial augmentation of patients with Fitzpatrick skin types IV through VI, according to a study presented at an international symposium sponsored by L'Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research. ...
Aluminum plus radiation: is Skin Toxicity a myth?
Jan 01, 2008; ... Los ANGELES -- A small pilot study conducted at a community hospital in the Midwest challenges the common wisdom that breast cancer patients should shun aluminum-based deodorant when being treated with external radiation. Radiation oncology nurses Juli Aistars and Kathleen ...
Case of the month.(Ichthyosiform Mycosis Fungoides and Bazex Syndrome)
Jan 01, 2008; ... A 63-year-old African American man was evaluated for dysphonia, dysphagia, and weight loss. Exam revealed widespread tender, ulcerated, and indurated plaques on the extremities, chest, back, and head and neck, as well as remarkable ichthyosis on the lower extremities. Keratoderma was ...
Studies reveal genetics of vitiligo.(News)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BUENOS AIRES -- Recent genetic studies have advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of complex disorders of pigmentation, Dr. Jean Bolognia said at the 21st World Congress of Dermatology. Vitiligo, a disorder of hypopigmentation, can be so ...
Dermatologists: when they plan to retire.(VITAL SIGNS)
Jan 01, 2008 ... <Pre> 50% >15 years 14% 1-5 years 18% 6-10 years 19% 11-15 years Note: Table made ...
Ustekinumab found to improve psoriatic arthritis.(News)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BOSTON -- Inhibition of two key immunoregulatory cytokines known to be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases led to significant improvements in psoriatic arthritis, judging from data from a new study, Dr. Alice B. Gottlieb reported in a late-breaking ...
Face transplant 18-month results 'encouraging'.(News)
Jan 01, 2008; ... After 18 months, the functional and aesthetic outcomes of the first human face transplantation are satisfactory and "encouraging," according to the physicians who performed the surgery. It appears that face transplantation "can offer hope" to selected patients who have severe ...
FDA confiscates eyelash-lengthening product.(News)
Jan 01, 2008; ... The Food and Drug Administration seized more than 12,000 tubes of a product claiming to increase eyelash growth because it was found to contain bimatoprost--the active ingredient in a prescription glaucoma solution--that could potentially cause vision problems in users. The ...
Adverse events prompt alert on smoking cessation drug.(News)
Jan 01, 2008; ... The Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert about postmarketing reports of suicidal thoughts, aggressive and erratic behavior, and drowsiness associated with varenicline, the smoking cessation drug marketed as Chantix. A notice posted on the FDKs MedWatch site advises ...
Regulators are not yet ready to go behind the counter.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
Jan 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration has no immediate plans to seek establishment of a new, behind-the-counter class of drugs, agency officials said at the conclusion of a day-long meeting on the topic in November. FDA Deputy Commissioner for Policy Randall Lutter told ...
New conflict rules set for advisory committees.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
Jan 01, 2008; ... The Food and Drug Administration said it wants to require more public disclosure of advisory committee members' conflicts of interest and the information will be available on a new and improved Web site. The agency also said it will also post more data in advance of upcoming ...
Skin toxicity alert added to carbamazepine label.(News)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Patients of Asian ancestry are at significantly increased risk for fatal skin reactions when treated with carbamazepine and should first undergo genetic testing to assess their risk before initiating therapy, according to an alert issued today by the Food and Drug Administration. ...
Universal screening renews HIV debate.(Guest Editorial)
Jan 01, 2008; ... When a person discloses a positive HIV status to a partner, the disclosure eliminates many of the moral, ethical, and legal considerations inherent in the opposite scenario. Just what is our responsibility as physicians in this regard? Do we have a duty to protect and warn the known sexual ...
Discretionary spending.(Under My Skin)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Chad sat on the exam table with an elegant black bag from Amphora, a local purveyor of high-end skin care products. "I need a prescription for Protopic," he said. "I'll put in for Prior Authorization," I replied. "But your insurance may not cover it." So ...
Dermatology is losing ground as medical profession.(Guest Editorial)
Jan 01, 2008 ... The gap is widening between medical and appearance-based dermatology. The field is now at a crossroads: Should the focus be on disease with science-based skin medicine, or on wellness with "lifestyle dermatology" directed at beauty and skin rejuvenation? Dermatology is an ...
Team effort needed to treat Sturge-Weber.(Guest Editorial)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Consider the possibility of Sturge-Weber syndrome in neonates born with a facial port-wine birthmark. Sturge-Weber syndrome is a relatively rare congenital disorder that is indicated at birth by a pink to dark red port-wine birthmark, typically located on one or both sides of the forehead ...
In fight against MRSA, panic is not a practical tool.(Guest Editorial)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has become the disease of the moment, with alarming headlines almost daily about the "killer" bacterium. While of course MRSA is a real concern, we physicians can help by reassuring people that we have tools to deal with this problem. ...
Nonablative fractional resurfacing improves acne scars in darker skin.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MIAMI -- Nonablative fractional resurfacing with an erbium-doped 1,550-nm laser device can safely and effectively improve ache scarring among patients with skin types IV-VI, Dr. Wendy E. Roberts said at an international symposium sponsored by L'Oreal ...
Fractional laser side effect risk low, study finds.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Fractional laser photothermolysis should be considered first-line therapy for cutaneous resurfacing because of the device's efficacy in treating a wide range of skin types with minimal adverse events. "There is a very low complication rate, compared with other ...
Fresh scars respond well to fractional laser treatment.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- The first reported treatment of fresh scars with fractional resurfacing shows the modality to be both safe and effective, which places the device in direct competition with the carbon dioxide laser. "Fractional laser treatment using the 1,550-nm erbium fiber laser ...
Laser therapy found effective for dermatosis papulosa Nigra.(Aesthetic Dermatology)(Medical condition overview)(Clinical report)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- Laser treatment improved dermatosis papulosa nigra with efficacy comparable to standard electrodesiccation, according to rater assessments in a randomized, split-face pilot study of skin types IV-VI. Subjective ratings, however, revealed a trend toward better efficacy ...
Fillers changing cosmetic approach.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... LAS VEGAS -- The new approach in the cosmetic treatment of the aging face is to look beyond simply using fillers for wrinkles and to think about restoring volume in the upper face and cheeks, Dr. W. Philip Werschler said. "We are moving from using fillers as wrinkle and line ...
Oils and Mineral Oil.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Oil is a substance that is liquid at room temperature and insoluble in water. It is both hydrophobic and lipophilic. In fact, dietary and topical oils contain copious lipids, which the skin requires for the proper formation and function of cell membranes. Significantly, oils have the ...
Green tea may complement retinoids, evidence suggests.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... LAS VEGAS -- Beware the cosmeceutical claims about green tea and its antiaging properties. Although there is strong evidence that green tea contains substances that may ward off UVA-related skin damage, it is all from in vitro experiments, Dr. Cherie Ditre said at the annual ...
Skin ca risk up in RA patients on biologics.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Biologic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients has spurred an increase in melanoma and other skin cancers but not malignancies other than those of the skin, according to an observational study of 13,001 patients, reported Dr. Frederick Wolfe, a rheumatologist at the National Data Bank ...
Sirolimus use for Kaposi opens door to research.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... ZURICH -- The effectiveness of sirolimus for treatment of Kaposi sarcoma arising in solid organ transplant recipients has opened the door to development of novel therapeutic approaches in the often more aggressive AIDS-related form of the malignancy, said Dr. Erwin Tschachler. ...
Paclitaxel tops second-line choices for AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... ZURICH -- Intravenous paclitaxel is the treatment of choice in patients whose AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma isn't responsive to liposomal anthracydines, Dr. Erwin Tschachler said at the annual meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research. "It's more cytotoxic, has ...
Orient nail biopsy specimens with paper template.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MONTEREY, CALIF. -- Proper management and orientation of nail biopsy specimens will help ensure that the ensuing diagnosis is accurate, Dr. Phoebe Rich advised colleagues at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. "If you send these ...
A multitude of initial diagnoses seen for nail SCC.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MONTEREY, CALIF. - The initial preoperative diagnoses of nail lesions that prove to be squamous cell carcinoma run the gamut from onychomycosis to subungual verruca, Dr. Phoebe Rich said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. In ...
Intensity-modulated radiation Tx may cause less acute dermatitis.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Los ANGELES -- Use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy rather than conventional radiation significantly reduced the severity and duration of acute dermatitis in a review of consecutive cancer patients who underwent whole breast radiation after breast-conserving surgery. All ...
Subungual melanoma often presents without any visible pigmentation.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... NEW YORK -- Subungual melanomas are often difficult to diagnose and thus present in an advanced clinical stage with poor prognosis, Dr. Richard Scolyer said at the Fourth International Melanoma Congress. A review of the Sydney Melanoma Unit's experience between 1951 and 2004 ...
Classic histology measures useful in melanoma exam of black patients.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BALTIMORE -- Several classic parameters of melanoma histology are associated with survival and thus have a role in evaluating black patients, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Dermatopathology. "The incidence of melanoma in [blacks] ...
Top 5 skin diagnoses in study vary by ethnicity.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- Unique structural and functional differences between the skin of black and white patients might help explain differences in the top five dermatology diagnoses for each ethnicity. "As diversity increases in the U.S., understanding these differences becomes important," ...
Tips for treating the common skin disorders of black patients.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BUENOS AIRES -- The five most common skin disorders of black patients can be effectively managed by understanding that not all skin types are treated the same, reported Dr. Susan C. Taylor at the at the 21st World Congress of Dermatology. Acne is the most common dermatologic ...
Ethnic skin differences quantified in two studies.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- Although some skin features vary by ethnicity and with age, researchers found no significant seasonal differences in skin smoothness or dryness between African American, Chinese, white, or Hispanic women. In a second comparison, color heterogeneity and yellowness were the primary ...
Topical antioxidant soothes shaving irritation.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- A topical tocopheryl phosphate complex effectively reduced problems associated with sensitive skin and shaving-induced irritation in a study of 28 Hispanic, Asian, and other participants. Tocopheryl phosphate occurs naturally and is found in many animal and plant ...
Lips' color characteristics appear to vary by ethnicity, age.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- Differences in lip color vary by ethnicity and with aging, according to a study presented at an international symposium sponsored by L'Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research. "We have a large range of skin tones in the world, but we also have a wide range of ...
Use of hair weaves may be linked to alopecia.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... MIAMI -- A strong association was found between the use of sewn-in or glued-in weaves by black women and development of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia in a retrospective survey. Investigators did not, however, fend a strong association with genetics or other ...
Few black women seek help for hair care consequences.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008 ... MIAMI -- Many black women experience adverse events and dissatisfaction stemming from their hair care practices, but few seek medical advice, results of a survey presented at an international symposium sponsored by L'Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research indicate. ...
Many African American women cite their hairstyle as exercise obstacle.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008 ... MIAMI -- Nearly one-third of women of African descent exercise less because they have concerns about hairstyle management, according to a survey presented at an international symposium sponsored by L'Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research. "Sweating out their ...
Cultural sensitivity boosts treatment compliance.(Ethnic Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BUENOS AIRES -- Cultural sensitivity is essential for dermatologists who work with Hispanic and Latino patients, Dr. David Rodriguez said at the 21st World Congress of Dermatology. "Many immigrants continue to adhere to their cultural views of health and disease," he said ....
Pediatric S. aureus resistance to clindamycin stable.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN DIEGO -- The overall rates of resistance of pediatric Staphylococcus aureus isolates to clindamycin remained stable at around 11% in Southern California between 2004 and the first half of 2007, results from a large study of patients from that area demonstrated. At the same ...
CDC relaunches Spanish web site.(Infectious Diseases)(Website overview)
Jan 01, 2008 ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaunched its Spanish language Web site, CDC en Espanol, with new features. The site provides up-to-date information on health promotion and disease ...
New MRSA subclone spread through skin contact.
Jan 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- The pUSA03 subclone of the USA300 strain is emerging as a major cause of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, especially in men who have sex with men. The new strain is likely spread through skin-to-skin, sexual contact, Dr. Binh An Diep, ...
HIV-positive patients struggle with weight gain.(Infectious Diseases)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN DIEGO -- In the 1980s, patients with HIV/AIDS commonly lost an excessive amount of weight, a process known as wasting. But today, these patients are becoming just as overweight and obese as the general population of the U.S., Dr. Nancy E Crum-Cianflone reported at the annual ...
Think the worst with neonatal vesicles, pustules.(Infectious Diseases)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- When pediatricians call in dermatologists to assess neonatal vesiculopustular eruptions, what they're really asking is, "Could it be herpes?" said Dr. Ilona J. Frieden. Think of the neonate as an immuno-compromised host, and consider the worst possible ...
Vaccination Technique, Adolescents' Weight Should influence choice of needle length.(Infectious Diseases)
Jan 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- When immunizing adolescents, body weight and injection technique should guide the needle choice, according to a poster presented at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Using a needle that is too short may result in reduced ...
CDC panel clarifies pneumococcal catch-up dosage guides.(Infectious Diseaseas)
Jan 01, 2008; ... ATLANTA -- Healthy children between 2 and 5 years of age who have been incompletely vaccinated against pneumococcal disease should receive one dose of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ...
Iatrogenic NICU injuries often overlooked, scarring is likely.(Pediatric Dermatology)(Medical condition overview)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Iatrogenic injuries to a baby's skin from a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit often get overlooked until parents notice them at home and think they are seeing new injuries, Dr. Ilona J. Frieden said. "These are very 'busy" babies, covered with monitors, ...
Look for 'ugly duckling' among acquired nevi.(Pediatric Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- While scanning the acquired moles on the skin of a child or adolescent, consider whether individual moles look like they are part of a pack or if there is one that stands out--"the ugly duckling," Dr. Lawrence E Eichenfield advised. Mild variations in nevi are ...
Warn mothers that biting babies' nails can spread herpes.(Pediatric Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Mothers who bite their babies' nails instead of clipping or filing them can spread herpesvirus infection unwittingly, Dr. Meg C. Fisher warned. Biting off infant nails "'is a very common thing, particularly among Hispanic mothers or any young mothers who are ...
Management varies little in pediatric acne.(Pediatric Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Children can get acne at any age, but what parents think is acne actually may be something else, Dr. Rebecca L. Smith said at a meeting sponsored by Skin Disease Education Foundation. A good example is "neonatal acne." That's what this imposter used to be ...
Image congenital dermoid cysts of the scalp.(Pediatric Dermatology)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Nearly half of congenital dermoid cysts on infant heads may have risky intracranial connections that link the outside world to the brain, said Dr. Brandie J. Metz. Tracts that expose the brain put a child "at higher risk for meningitis and abscess formation," ...
Early RA remission is achieved in a year with combination therapy.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BOSTON -- Half of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis treated with a combination of etanercept and methotrexate achieved disease remission within 1 year in the first major trial to use remission as the primary end point, Dr. Paul Emery reported in a late-breaking abstract session at ...
Worldwide adult obesity rate hovers around 25%.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... The rest of the world seems to be catching up with the United States in the prevalence of heftiness and obesity, according to a survey of primary care patients in 63 countries. Analysis of data from the survey, which excluded the United States, also found that waist ...
Proper nutrition, exercise help prevent cancer: a new, major report supports treating overweight and obesity like smoking, as an avoidable cause of cancer.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- A new comprehensive evidence-based report issued by an international expert panel provides an unprecedented analysis supporting the preventability of cancer by way of diet, exercise, and avoidance of obesity. Developed over a 5-year period by a multinational team ...
Heavy fruit and vegetable diet may lower CHD, stroke risk.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Women who followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet had significant risk reductions of coronary heart disease and stroke, results from a cohort of participants in the ongoing Nurses Health Study showed. Previous studies have shown that the diet heavy in fruits ...
Meth use up in women, teens, and minorities.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... The abuse of methamphetamine remains a national epidemic--despite the recent enactment of federal laws that sharply limit access to products containing the ingredients needed for illegal manufacture of the drug, a new survey has found. A particularly disturbing development is ...
Success of addiction program for physicians charted in study.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Of 104 physicians in New York state who were admitted to substance abuse treatment programs between 2003 and 2004 and were monitored for a mean of 41 months by the state's Committee for Physicians' Health, only 9 (9%) were discharged because of noncompliance with ...
HPV test boosts cervical neoplasia detection.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... Testing for human papillomavirus DNA, either alone or with routine Pap screening, improves the detection of cervical intraepithdial neoplasia, two groups reported in separate studies. One of the groups also found that adding human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing to ...
More women seeking vulvovaginal plastic surgery.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- A patient wants her hymen reattached as a 30-year wedding anniversary present to her husband. Would you support her request? Would your answer change if the patient were a 20-year-old woman seeking the same procedure because religious practices dictate that she be a ...
Look at other parts of the body to help make vulvar diagnosis.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Looking at other mucous membranes on the body may help identify subtle abnormalities that cause chronic pain, burning, or itching on the vulva. Just as a small aphthous ulcer in the mouth can cause remarkable pain, so can nearly invisible fissures on the vulva ...
Oral contraceptive use for 10 years may up arterial plaque risk by 40%.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... VIENNA -- Use of any type of oral contraceptive for 10 years was linked with about a 40% increase in relative risk of bilateral atherosclerosis in a Belgian study of about 1,300 women. The absolute risk of bilateral carotid plaque was about 3%, and for bilateral femoral plaque ...
Current NSAIDs being called gut busters.(Across Specialties)
Jan 01, 2008; ... BOSTON -- Following years of decline, the rate of stomach complications in arthritis patients taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs appears to be on the rise as a result of a widening gap between NSAID prescriptions and therapies that provide gastrointestinal protection, according to ...