Dermatology Blogs This is an OPML file. It can be used to export all the MedWorm RSS feeds on this topic into your personal RSS reader (usually you have to save this file to your own computer before clicking on an Import OPML command in your own feed reader to upload the file which will then import all the feeds) or it can be used by webmasters to integrate MedWorm feeds with their own website. This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 40.

Cellulite Treatment with a Unipolar Radiofrequency Device
CONCLUSION: Upper thigh skin cellulite can be improved with a new unipolar radiofrequency device. Histologic changes suggest skin tightening as the method of improvement. No undesired complications of the skin or lipid metabolism were noted.” While further research and larger samples will be needed before we can declare victory over cellulite, it is exciting to see some progress is being made by these prominent scientists.
Source: Cellulite Treatment Forum - February 11, 2008 Category: Dermatologists Authors: admin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs

Healthbolt Travel: Scratch Free Sleep.
(photo credit) Travelodge is at it again. They conducted a survey of 3,000 adults to find out what kept them awake at night. Surprisingly, it wasn’t noise or unfamiliar surroundings that caused the most problem. Instead, it was itchy nightclothes and body temperature changes throughout the night. Always up for a challenge, Travelodge decided to create a line of sleepware designed for maximum comfort. They commissioned designers to come up with pyjamas that would not only regulate bo...
Source: Healthbolt - February 11, 2008 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Liz Tags: Gear Happy Living Tip Health Misc. Travel healthy travel Source Type: blogs

Late Reconstruction of the Nail Bed
Recently I received the following e-mail:"I came across your blog about fingertip injuries. When I was 4 years old I slammed a door on my pinky finger. The tip came off leaving me with what they call a hook nail. I have been trying to research any procedures that may improve the appearance of my finger. Do you have any suggestions or info on any procedures." Secondary reconstruction is always less effective than "doing it right" at the time acute care is given to a nail bed injury. The appearance and shape of the nail improves during the first year after the injury so no attempts at reconstruction of the nail bed should be...
Source: Suture for a Living - February 11, 2008 Category: Plastic Surgeons Tags: hand surgery Source Type: blogs

Interesting Articles for Week of February 8
Here we are at the end of another week and based onthe week's articles the FDA has been busy. There are however a number of articles that I haven't covered. Some aren't exactly pharma related but I still think they are of value and have great information in them. So here we go:Interesting Articles for Week of February 8Research Confirms Genetic Skin Barrier Defect Linked to Eczema (American Academy of Dermatology) Very High 'Good' Cholesterol Might Be Bad (Reuters Health) Researchers Discover New Battleground for Viruses and Immune Cells (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) Many Babie...
Source: PharmaGazette - February 8, 2008 Category: Pharmacists and Pharmacologists Tags: News Source Type: blogs

Multiple Sclerosis Drug May Be Linked to Melanoma
Doctors report 2 cases of the deadly skin cancer developing in patients taking Tysabri From HealthDay Almost immediately after a 46-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis received her first dose of the drug Tysabri, a mole that had been on her shoulder for years suddenly took on a dangerous new character. It turned out to be a melanoma that spread like wildfire. The woman now has just a few months to live. At almost the same time, a 45-year-old woman who also has multiple sclerosis developed melanoma in her retina after receiving several doses of Tysabri. She had a family history of melanoma and also had atypical moles on ...
Source: Renegade Neurologist - A Blog by David Perlmutter, MD, FACN - February 8, 2008 Category: Neurologists Authors: Dr. Perlmutter Tags: Heads Up Source Type: blogs

Eric Dane has skin cancer?
Actor Eric Dane, star of TV's "Grey's Anatomy," has been reported to have skin cancer. Before his legions of fans panic, it appears that his prognosis is excellent. Though he is not our patient, he reportedly noticed an odd patch above his lips which a dermatologist treated with a freezing treatment, liquid nitrogen. Clearly, this is not a life threatening melanoma, but rather a sun-induced pre-cancerous lesion called an actinic keratosis. If untreated, these scaly spots, due to sun exposure early in life, can turn into a form of non-melanoma skin cancer called squamous cell skin cancer (SCC). Unlike melanoma, SC...
Source: Skinema, dermatology in the media blog - February 7, 2008 Category: Dermatologists Authors: vail reese Tags: Television Source Type: blogs

Cochrane
Ben Toth has raised an interesting issue relating to the Cochrane (click here). In addition to Ben's comments I'm going to add a few criticisms of Cochrane. Ben highlights that the UK taxpayer (via the Department of Health) has spent tens of millions of pounds on Cochrane. has that been money well spent?We answer thousands of clinical questions from primary care every year. You'd like to think Cochrane would answer a significant chunk. In our experience Cochrane rarely answers a genuine clinical query on it's own. A recent analysis of over 300 dermatology questions revealed that Cochrane systematic reviews answered 2. The ...
Source: Liberating the literature - February 7, 2008 Category: Technology Consultants Source Type: blogs

From Chapped Lips To Malignant Tissue: Eric Dane’s Skin Cancer Story
Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan, Eric Dane himself has his own real life story to tell about a scary brush with skin cancer. Dane opens up to OK! Magazine about his battle with skin cancer: The actor first noticed a problem while looking in the mirror, at what he first thought were chapped lips. “I went to my dermatologist. He said it was malignant tissue caused by sun damage,” Dane told OK! magazine. He underwent a treatment procedure that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the cancer tissue. He was then given a cream for his lips to use following the treatment, to which he had a severe reaction...
Source: Cancer Commentary - February 7, 2008 Category: Cancer Authors: Gloria Gamat Tags: cancer story on skin cancer Eric Dane Greys-Anatomy skin-cancer Source Type: blogs

BehindTheMedspeak: Why it feels so good to scratch that itch
This study demonstrates brain areas (motor, sensory, and non-sensory) activated and deactivated by repetitive scratching. Future studies that investigate the central effects of scratching in chronic itch conditions will be of high clinical relevance..................... Bonus: Read the entire article, including figures and tables, here. The legend for the figure just above: "ACC activity is inversely related to the perceived intensity of scratch. There was a significant correlation between perceived scratch intensity and bilateral deactivation of the ACC (P=0.02). These images are located at x_2 mm, y_18 mm, and z_34 m...
Source: bookofjoe - February 7, 2008 Category: Anesthetists Authors: bookofjoe Source Type: blogs

Doctor Ly in the Maui News
A Number of Treatments Available for Age Spots Age spots are also known as sun spots, liver spots, lentigos, or lentigines. These lesions are flat, tan, brown, or dark brown spots on sun- exposed skin. As people age, sun spots most commonly appear on the backs of the hands, the forearms, neck, chest, and face. Sun spots are associated with cumulative sun exposure. The pigment producing cells in the skin (called melanocytes) are activated to produce more pigment (melanin) by ultraviolet rays. While these spots are not themselves cancerous, you may be at risk for skin cancer. Age spots increase with age and with in creased s...
Source: aloha-dermatology.com - February 5, 2008 Category: Dermatologists Authors: doug Tags: Dr. Ly in the News Source Type: blogs

Dr Crippen and Quackitioners
We all know that Dr Crippen of NHS Blog Doctor doesn't like nurse practitioners, who he so kindly refers to as 'quacktitioners', but now he has taken a pot shot at pharmacist with a special interest(PHwSI). Now just in case Dr Crippen doesn't realise this, pharmacists do four years at uni, followed by a years on the job training (a pre-registration year). To become a PHwSI you would no doubt have to do a clinical diploma which takes another two years, and most pharmacists don't start these just after registration. So a minimum of six years training until a pharmacist could be a PHwSI. Lets not also forget that pharmacists ...
Source: UK Community Pharmacist - February 5, 2008 Category: Pharmacists and Pharmacologists Source Type: blogs

Hair Transplantation
Just as some want to remove hair, others want to replace lost hair. The loss may be from male pattern balding or trauma or previous surgery (loss of side burns from a face lift). HISTORYModern day hair transplant surgery began in 1952 when a New York Dermatologist by the name of Dr. Norman Orentreich performed the first known hair transplant in the US on a man suffering from male pattern baldness. However, the "roots" were actually cultivated in Japan in the late 1930's, but were not known to western medicine due to WWII, etc. In 1939, Dr Okuda, a Japanese dermatologist, described in detail his groundbreaking work (burn v...
Source: Suture for a Living - February 5, 2008 Category: Plastic Surgeons Tags: surgery skin Source Type: blogs

The Phuckwit will see you now - more dumbing down
NHS DirectA email arrives from an angry GP in Hull who is furious that the PCT is trying to prevent his patients from seeing experienced dermatologists. The email introduces Dr Crippen to yet another subspecies of Quacktitioner, the PHwSI. We have frequently met the ludicrous GPwSI, a clumsy acronym which at least has a pronounceable homonym. I could not think of a homonym for PHwSI. And what does PHwSI mean? My GP colleague says it stands for “PHuckwit with a special interest” which, given current government policy, sounds plausible.I was trying to think of a collective noun for a group of Quacktitioners. A flock? A h...
Source: NHS Blog Doctor - February 4, 2008 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: gpwsi dumging down PHuckwits dermatology PHwSI Source Type: blogs

Legal obstacles in telemedicine practice: Lawyer-Physician Discusses Remote Video Care
I have a few attorney colleagues who when asked search Westlaw for cases dealing with telepathology. To date, there is no case law on the matter. There are a few cases dealing with telephone consults and the like in terms of "patient-physician" relationship, but not directly for telepathology. This recent post from the Virginia Law Weekly touches on the issues and the problems to be solved for widespread adoption with appropriate licensure, regulation, credentialing and reimbursement. http://www.lawweekly.org/?module=displaystory&story_id=1904&edition_id=80&format=html On Monday,...
Source: Digital Pathology Blog - February 4, 2008 Category: Pathologists Authors: Keith Kaplan Source Type: blogs

Aloe Vera Actually Works
Sarah Bellum Says: One of my personal heroes of the cosmetic industry is Zoe Draelos, MD a dermatologist who is frequently quoted on matters of cosmetic science. In a recent article in Dermatology Times, Dr. Draelos answered a question that’s bugged me for ages: Is there really a scientific reason that aloe vera is good for burns? So, here are three things you should know about aloe vera: Where does Aloe come from Aloe vera gel is harvested from plants by cutting open the leaves and collecting what oozes out. This thick, clear “ooze” is known as a mucilage. What is Aloe made of This mucilage is 99.5% water. The other...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - February 3, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: Sarah Bellum Tags: Skin Source Type: blogs

How the Match Works
(’Cause everyone’s been asking, “So did you get a job?”) I find it best to begin at the beginning. In your final year of medical school, you have to decide in which specialty you want to train. This could be anything from “Internal Medicine,” where you would become an internist, to “Pediatrics,” where you’d become a pediatrician, to “Urology,” where you’d become a urologist. Radiology, Neurosurgery, Emergency Medicine–it’s all there. (Except some Internal Medicine specialties, like cardiology, endocrinology, which require you to do an inte...
Source: over my med body! - February 2, 2008 Category: Medical Students Authors: graham Tags: Thoughts Source Type: blogs

Fraxel re:pair™ for Ablative Fractional Resurfacing™
Reliant Technologies, Inc will be showing off its new Fraxel re:pair™ laser for CO2 skin resurfacing at the American Academy of Dermotology meeting in San Antonio, which is starting today. The Fraxel re:pair laser system, the result of two years of clinical research, represents a new category in skin rejuvenation: Ablative Fractional Resurfacing (AFRTM) treatment. It is the only device on the market that has received FDA clearance specifically for skin resurfacing with a fractional mode of delivery. “Ablative fractional skin resurfacing with the Fraxel re:pair laser is the biggest breakthrough for wrinkle re...
Source: Medgadget - February 1, 2008 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Michael Source Type: blogs

Trichloroethylene (TCE) Is A Risk Factor For Parkinsonism, Study Shows
From sciencedaily.com Parkinson’s disease, the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder caused by aging, can also be caused by pesticides and other neurotoxins. A new study found strong evidence that trichloroethylene (TCE) is a risk factor for parkinsonism, a group of nervous disorders with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. TCE is a chemical widely used in industry that is also found in drinking water, surface water and soil due to runoff from manufacturing sites where it is used. Led by Don M. Gash and John T Slevin, of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY, researchers conducting a clinic...
Source: Renegade Neurologist - A Blog by David Perlmutter, MD, FACN - January 30, 2008 Category: Neurologists Authors: Dr. Perlmutter Tags: Heads Up Source Type: blogs

Stem Cells and New Tissue Generation in the Aged
Evidence to date suggests that we retain diverse populations of stem cells - and the resulting processes by which new cells and tissue are generated - throughout our lives. Stem cells don't go away as we age, but rather age-related changes in our biochemistry act to suppress the action of those cells. When we better understand these biochemical changes, it may be possible to restore the regenerative capacities of the aged through comparatively simple manipulation of signaling processes in the body. Here are a couple more papers to add to the weight of science behind this supposition: Neurogenesis in the aging brain: Neur...
Source: Fight Aging! - January 30, 2008 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs

Messing Around
Well, I went to the Dermatologist Monday, and other than a small flareup of my Acne Rosacea, he didn't find anything worrisome. He did say I had some sun damage on my forearms ... But I've had almost 65 years to accumulate that damage, so it's not really surprising. I did the sunbathing stuff in high school and college, but that's just about it. I did have some pretty bad sunburns during that
Source: Day by Day with Parkinson's and Peripheral Neuropathy - January 30, 2008 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Dirty Butter Source Type: blogs

Plagues & molecules?
Two interesting articles out in the PNAS early release feed.Molecular insights into human daily behavior:Human beings exhibit wide variation in their timing of daily behavior. We and others have suggested previously that such differences might arise because of alterations in the period length of the endogenous human circadian oscillator. Using dermal fibroblast cells from skin biopsies of 28 subjects of early and late chronotype (11 "larks" and 17 "owls"), we have studied the circadian period lengths of these two groups, as well as their ability to phase-shift and entrain to environmental and chemical signals. We find not ...
Source: Gene Expression - January 29, 2008 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Economics Behavior Genetics History Source Type: blogs

Advice for Aveeno: Oats May Be Awful For Baby Skin
We’ve blogged before about the soothing power of oat extract and Aveeno has positioned an entire brand around oat protein, so it MUST be good for your skin, right? For adults yes, but maybe not for babies. A recent article in the Dermatology Times (which is always on my nightstand right next to Cosmo) reveals that children with sensitive skin may be allergic to the oat proteins used in skin products. French researchers worked with over 300 eczema patients at the Hopital Pellegrin-Enfants in Bordeaux, and found that almost a third of the kids (between 4 months and 15 years) were sensitive to oat proteins. Apparently, ...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 29, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: Mid Brain Tags: Natural Baby/Kid Products Moisturizers Source Type: blogs

Doc Banned Amgen Reps After Enbrel Sales Call
In May 2006, David Peng, a dermatology professor at the University of Southern California, was disturbed by claims made by an Amgen district manager, who was trying to boost Enbrel at the expense of an older psoriasis med, methotrexate. And so Peng banned Amgen reps from doing ‘lunch-in-learns’ with residents at his clinic at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, and decided to use a med by Genentech for an investigator-initiated study. We know this after reading an e-mail from an Amgen rep, Matt Mitchell, who was at the May 2006 sales call. He wrote this follow-up note to his manager: “During our call, he...
Source: Pharmalot - January 29, 2008 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Ed Silverman Tags: Uncategorized Amgen David Peng Enbrel Off Label Marketing Patient Privacy Source Type: blogs

My beef with infomercials
Over the holidays I watched television or listened to the radio at odd times. And lately I’ve run into a run of infomercials. I’ve tried to watch with a critical eye. I’ve given up on the ones with the rows of smiling, buff, dancing exercise enthusiasts. I know our increasingly obese American population likes watching the tight bodies but makes no effort – with new gizmos of not – to exercise themselves. It’s just eye candy and another way to blow money on a New Year’s resolution almost no one follows for very long. But beyond the 30-minute exercise-equipment commercials are the more medical ones. Jane Seymou...
Source: Andrew at Large - January 28, 2008 Category: Cancer Authors: natalieb Tags: Health news Healthcare Lifestyle Media Patient advocacy bogus colon cleanse diabetes Dr. Z exercise scams FDA Hugh Downs infomercials jane seymour master cleanse master cleanse debate master scam medical money pharmac Source Type: blogs

Lip Reduction
Not all of us may want larger, fuller lips. Many people (both men and women) believe that their lips are too big, and want them reduced. Younger patients are often plagued by insecurities brought on by having larger than average lips and the teasing their classmates may do. These younger patients should wait until their late teens to have their lip size reduced due to maturing of the facial features. Macrocheilia or prominent lips has multiple etiologies affecting one or both lips. Those caused by disease can become a functional issue and not simply cosmetic in nature.Congenital causes include Double lip deformity occurs ...
Source: Suture for a Living - January 28, 2008 Category: Plastic Surgeons Tags: surgery medicine face Source Type: blogs

Doctor Ly in the Maui News
A Number of Treatments Available for Age Spots Age spots are also known as sun spots, liver spots, lentigos, or lentigines. These lesions are flat, tan, brown, or dark brown spots on sun- exposed skin. As people age, sun spots most commonly appear on the backs of the hands, the forearms, neck, chest, and face. Sun spots are associated with cumulative sun exposure. The pigment producing cells in the skin (called melanocytes) are activated to produce more pigment (melanin) by ultraviolet rays. While these spots are not themselves cancerous, you may be at risk for skin cancer. Age spots increase with age and with in creased s...
Source: aloha-dermatology.com - January 27, 2008 Category: Dermatologists Authors: doug Tags: Dr. Ly in the News Age Spots cancer chemical peels freckle hydroquinone laser melanin microdermabrasion Retin A sun sun spots Source Type: blogs

Is Prell Perfect For Picky Scalps?
Connie’s comedogenic question: My scalp is sensitive and easily clogged by shampoo ingredients so my dermatologist recommended Prell original rinse clean shampoo because it’s the only non-comedogenic gel shampoo on the market. But my hairdresser tells me that this shampoo is way too harsh to use every day because it’s too drying and damaging to my hair. What should I do? The Right Brain responds: Prell is an old-school shampoo created by Procter & Gamble back in 1947 and was orginally sold as a highly concentrated gel packaged in a tube. Prell’s claim to fame was a TV commercial that showed a pe...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 27, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: thebeautybrains Tags: Questions Source Type: blogs

Lip Augmentation
Appearance of the lips has always played an important role in the perception and assessment of facial beauty. Since the beginning of the 1990s there has been increasing public demand for changing the outer appearance of the lips. Until recently, plastic surgeons were concerned with techniques of rejuvenation of aging lips, generally in patients at least 40 years of age. Lately, young women have been requesting aesthetic enhancement of the lips. Lip deficiencies may arise from facial aging, previous ablative procedures or congenital absence of lip volume. The goals of lip augmentation are to increase deficient vermillion vo...
Source: Suture for a Living - January 25, 2008 Category: Plastic Surgeons Tags: surgery face Source Type: blogs

Skin Cancer? Use the "Ugly Duckling Test"
You don't have to be a doctor to spot a malignant melanoma, if you apply the "ugly duckling test," according to a report from Reuters Health. The ugly ducklings are moles that look different from a person's other moles, and they are easy to spot, even without medical training. Read the report: "Ugly duckling" sign spots most malignant melanomas I would go even further, because two doctors, including a dermatologist and a medical oncologist, told me the melanoma I had last year was nothing to worry about. But I didn't agree, and persisted. (It looked different from all my other moles: an ugly duckling, in other words...
Source: The Assertive Cancer Patient - January 24, 2008 Category: Cancer Authors: Jeanne Sather Tags: Cancer News Skin Cancer Source Type: blogs

The Crippen Diary - 2008 : January (3)
What do you want to do when you grow up...January 2008 (3)Mr Green is a new patient. He lives in the posh part of town. According to the notes, he is a quantity surveyor. I was running about twenty minutes late when he came in. I smiled, and said I was sorry to have kept him waiting. He did not smile. He sat down and said, "I want to see a dermatologist.""Is there anything I can help with?""No, I have tried everything I can think of, and it has not helped so I need to see a dermatologist.""OK, right, er... have you ruled out the possibility that anyone here can help you?""I have had this rash for nearly a year, and I want ...
Source: NHS Blog Doctor - January 24, 2008 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: Crippen Diary 2008 Source Type: blogs

An exhibition about skin as an unstable interface between art, science, philosophy and culture
When Jens Hauser gave a seminar here at Medical Museion last spring, he talked, among other things, about his next exhibitíon – on skin. His idea of exploríng skin “as a place where art, science, philosophy and social culture meet” is now becoming realised in Liverpool (UK) under the title of sk-interfaces. “What used to be understood as a surface that represents the limit of the self and between the inside and the outside can today be seen as an unstable border”, says Jens on the website. He has gathered an awesome crew of bio-artists — a few old hats, but mostly exciting new ac...
Source: Biomedicine on Display - January 24, 2008 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Thomas Tags: recent biomed displays/exhibits new books etc conferences art and biomed Source Type: blogs

Cosmoceuticals - Allergan and Estee Lauder team up
Can't wait to see the drug reps!Coming this fall to certain doctors' offices: A new upscale skin-care line from Estée Lauder Cos.' Clinique Laboratories and Botox-maker Allergan that won't be available from retailers and represents the next step in the blending of cosmetics and aesthetic medicine.Today the firms are set to announce a partnership that will combine Clinique's product-formulation expertise with Allergan's clout among dermatologists, plastic surgeons and other doctors specializing in aesthetic treatments. The products will be sold exclusively through physicians, a strategy reflecting the increasing importance...
Source: PharmaGossip - January 24, 2008 Category: Pharma Commentators Source Type: blogs

Questions from the mail bag
Today is the innagural session of attempting to answer questions from the audience. I'd like to make this a regular feature.Gorgeous black woman (what a great ID!) asks me to discuss "relatively new procedures (SmartLipo, Liposelection, surgery-free nose job, transumbilical breast augmentation)"Everyone's always looking for "something for nothing" which describes most of those things you're asking about. My thoughts in order.1. "Smartlipo" - this is a kind of liposuction machine which has a weak laser at the tip of the liposuction instrument which ostensibly breaks up fat at the end. It's promoted as having less edema, pai...
Source: Plastic Surgery 101 - January 23, 2008 Category: Plastic Surgeons Authors: Dr. Rob Oliver Source Type: blogs

Morgellons disease to be studied in California
In October of 2006, I wrote a story about the unusual, if not completely bizarre, illness known as Morgellons disease. At the time I said that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was initiating a study, but since government-related things often take longer than expected, it’s just now been announced that the study is finally getting underway. According to the CDC, “Persons who suffer from this condition report a range of symptoms including non-healing skin lesions associated with the emergence of fibers or solid material from the skin, abnormal skin sensations (such as stinging and biting or pins and needles) and non...
Source: Dr. Z's Medical Report - January 22, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: admin Tags: CDC Lifestyle New research Uncategorized health health news California Children parents dermatolgoy fatigue financial Foundation itchy Kaiser Permanente lesions medical Morgellons Morgellons disease mysterious Norther Source Type: blogs

Abbott Gets FDA Approval for Humira for Plaque Psoriasis
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) announced that it has received the fifth indication for its drug Humira. The new indication gives the company U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to market Humira as a treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis."The approval of HUMIRA for psoriasis is welcome news for people living with this challenging, lifelong disease," said Pam Field, acting president and CEO, National Psoriasis Foundation. "We are pleased to let people with plaque psoriasis know they now have a new treatment option available to them."Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that is characterized...
Source: PharmaGazette - January 22, 2008 Category: Pharmacists and Pharmacologists Tags: Drug Regulations & Approval Abbott Humira Psoriasis ABT Source Type: blogs

Patient Consent Management Wizard
Here is a presentation on a consent management solutionManaging consent Preferences by John Halamka. Also, check out John's blog"The basic idea is that a Consent Wizard could be created on the web to record and transmit all patient privacy preferences. Such an electronic consent document could be stored on the patent's personal health record, at their insurer, or at a third party secure website."With healthcare data sharing it is important to understand the need for allowing patient to decide what health information they are willing to permit their various healthcare to view. For example, a patient may not want their derma...
Source: RHIOs, Health Information Exchange & Healthcare IT - January 22, 2008 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Mark Singh MD Source Type: blogs

Morgellons Disease: A New Skin Infection? CDC Wants to Know
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is launching a study, in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Division of Research, to investigate whether multiple reports of a strange skin disease, that some call Morgellons, are true. ABC News is planning to run a story tonight on "Nightline" (11:35 ET), and has released the following statement about its upcoming program: People with the condition, referred to as Morgellons disease, say they have fibers and other inorganic material growing out of their skin. "We earnestly want to learn more about this unexplained illness which impacts the lives ...
Source: Medgadget - January 17, 2008 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Michael Source Type: blogs

Does The Beurer Softlaser Really Help Wrinkles?
Hoyun at the Popculture Blog asks: What do you think of home laser treatment devices? Do they work? The Right Brain responds: Thanks for the question, Hoyun. We’re big fans of your blog and we saw your recent post on the Vitalmed Softlaser Wand for do-it-yourself laser skin treatments. Here’s what we think: What do lasers do for skin? As we previously posted, lasers are effective tools for the treatment of wrinkles and for skin resurfacing and specific laser devices have been approved by the FDA for use by dermatologists. Derms use these “professional strength” lasers to abrade the upper layers of skin, revealing �...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 16, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: Right Brain Tags: Anti-aging Wrinkle Treatment Questions Source Type: blogs

A Slow Low Whiny Day
I am very ready for winter to be over. I’ve been feeling down lately - not down down, but just kind of muted. I’ve gotten past the “WOW! This place isn’t my old job!” excitement stage at work and I’m having a hard time keeping my enthusiasm up through the grey of winter. I’m nervous about my upcoming Adventures in Single Motherhood. After a nice long research leave, Pili is headed back to work. Work is two hours away, which means that Monday-Wednesday nights, it will be me and the boy. Any tips on getting out of the house in the morning singlehanded will be much appreciated. I had ...
Source: Artificially Sweetened - January 15, 2008 Category: Diabetes Authors: artsweet Tags: Linky Love M'ijo The Other D (Better Living Through Chemistry) The Sweet Life Source Type: blogs

Hand Hygiene
Hand washing to prevent infection transmission is a hot topic in our hospital. Only last week we had a talk from our infection control nurse. Now I see it's the subject of an editorial in Radiology. It's worth reading (link to article below). The most interesting bit for me was on how to avoid skin irritation, which has been shown in studies to be a real and widespread problem. It is important to avoid such side effects of frequent hand washing, in part because they can reduce compliance and also because fissures and lesions on damaged hands are more susceptible to colonization by microorganisms, thereby fostering transmis...
Source: www.MidEssexRay.com - January 14, 2008 Category: Radiologists Source Type: blogs

Response to ASCP/USCAP "Sleaze" Meeting Announcement
This blog is about 6 months old and as frequent readers of this blog know, most post contents are re-posted news items I think may be of interest in digital pathology and the pathology community in general. Occasionally, I make some opinions about the piece and/or comment on its importance. In doing so, 2 items have surprised me, the amount of positive feedback and interest and the amount of content that in actuality is re-published or re-posted on blogs routinely, with or without original ideas about a news story. Some bloggers create several original ideas or opinions while others post thoughts on par...
Source: Digital Pathology Blog - January 14, 2008 Category: Pathologists Authors: Keith Kaplan Source Type: blogs

What I Do
(With a hat-tip to the Happy Hospitalist. Nothing new or profound here so my regular readers may, if they desire, ignores this article completely or read on and forgive the basic level of information presented. -PB) A young reader writes, “Dear Dr. Bear, I am a senior in high school and am thinking about being a doctor. What does your job involve?” I am a resident physician, meaning that I have graduated medical school and am now doing my specialty training, in my case in a specialty known as “Emergency Medicine.” Some people do not know that Emergency Medicine is a specialty but as yo...
Source: PANDA BEAR, MD - January 11, 2008 Category: Medical Students Authors: pandabearmd Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs

10 Things You Should Know About Permanent Makeup
Judith’s question: I’ve recently seen some posters in various nail shops/spas advertising permanent makeup. What exactly is permanent makeup? Is it a tattoo? Is it safe? Sarah Bellum says: I thought “permanent makeup” was just another one of those made up marketing terms that doesn’t really mean anything – like “world peace.” But it turns out permanent makeup really is pretty much…well, permanent. I was so intrigued by the idea that I told Lefty and Righty I’d write up something on the subject. So, here’s my list of what you should know about permanent make up: 1. Tattoo you Permanent makeup ...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 11, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: Sarah Bellum Tags: Tattoos Questions Make-up Source Type: blogs

Amgen reps instructed to poach medical records?
I very much hope the following accusations prove to be inaccurate or exaggerated. If not, what is described here is almost unbelievable.After all the efforts by many different communities to promote the need for medical records privacy, security and confidentiality; with the penalties specified in HIPAA (albeit still rarely enforced); and with the increasingly common instances in the news of medical information misappropriation or stealing, one would think the pharma industry would be ultra sensitive to such matters.This is not to mention that the drug in question, Enbrel, is anything but innocuous, compared to simpler rem...
Source: Health Care Renewal - January 10, 2008 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: Amgen core values pharmaceuticals health care ethics medical record privacy Enbrel Source Type: blogs

It's Your Body
This article is a must read.
Source: InsureBlog - January 10, 2008 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs

Breast-Feeding Seems to Protect Against Some Allergies
It helps high-risk infants prone to eczema, asthma and food allergies, report suggests From HealthDay Atopic disease — which includes eczema, asthma and food allergies — may be delayed or even prevented in high-risk infants if they are exclusively breast-fed for at least four months or fed infant formula without cow milk protein. That’s the conclusion of a new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that’s published in the January issue of Pediatrics. The report replaces an earlier policy statement from the AAP. “Basically, it probably does not matter what pregnant or lac...
Source: Renegade Neurologist - A Blog by David Perlmutter, MD, FACN - January 9, 2008 Category: Neurologists Authors: Dr. Perlmutter Tags: Heads Up Source Type: blogs

Laceration Trick?
I was a little disturbed by the "Tricks of the Trade" article in the latest installment of ACEP News.The authors suggest placing a couple of absorbable sutures in selected wounds under tension, followed by the use of tissue adhesive. As you can see by the pictures, the initial outcome appears to be acceptable but certainly suboptimal in my opinion. Now I'm a huge fan of Dermabond, but I fail to see the benefit in this particular application.If you are going to go to the trouble (and cause the patient the discomfort) of anesthetizing the wound anyway, why not take the time to finish the job properly? A neat row of closely-p...
Source: Scalpel or Sword? - January 8, 2008 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Tags: lacerations tips Source Type: blogs

New Guidelines for Early Nutritional Intervention in the Prevention of Atopy (Allergy)
Atopy is a tendency towards allergic reactions, manifesting as eczema (atopic dermatitis), allergic rhinitis, asthma and allergic conjunctivitis. While there is a strong hereditary component, what is the impact of nutritional intervention early in life on the development of atopy? Well, apart from breastfeeding , there is little evidence other nutritional interventions affect the development of atopic disease in children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new Guidelines ( Pediatrics Vol. 121 No. 1 January 2008, pp. 183-191 free full text) that reviews the nutritional options during pregnancy, lactation, and ...
Source: Malaysian Medical Resources - January 8, 2008 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Palmdoc Tags: - Palmdoc - Medical Updates Source Type: blogs

Does Dermalogica Hold The Key To Younger Skin?
Vanessa’s very intrigued: What is so brilliant about Dermalogica’s Power Rich moisturizer anyway? It’s so special it even has its own special metal key to open the container up so that you can scrape the last bit of product from the tube! The Left Brain’s not impressed: The only brilliance I see here is the flash of marketing hype. Dermalogica’s Power Rich features a plethora of far fetched claims like inhibiting “enzymes which break down the skin’s natural structural support.” Their reason to believe is based on a hodge-podge of pseudo-scientific ingredients such as natural algae, yeast-derived co...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 6, 2008 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: Left Brain Tags: Anti-aging Questions Source Type: blogs

DermaMan: A dermatology calculator for PDAs
I have recently made a simple application to bring basic dermatology related calculations to hand held devices in Java. It includes modules for frequently used dermatological calculations like PASI, MASI, SCORAD and for PUVA and Botox (R) related calculations.DermaMan is a freeware which can be downloaded from http://www.gulfdoctor.net/derm/dermaman.htm if you are accessing from a PC and http://www.gulfdoctor.net/mobile/derm.htm if you are accessing from your hand held device for over-the-air installation. All modules are packaged as a single JAR file. Specific instructions for installation depend on your device and are us...
Source: Skin Deep - A Dermatology Blog - January 6, 2008 Category: Dermatologists Authors: Bell Source Type: blogs