Dermatology News and Research

Latest Dermatology News and Research

Scalp or neck melanomas most dangerous

People with scalp or neck melanomas die at nearly twice the rate of people with melanoma elsewhere on the body, including the face or ears, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found.

21 Apr 2008

Skin lesions larger than 6 millimeters more likely to be melanomas

Skin lesions larger than 6 millimeters in diameter appear more likely to be melanomas than smaller lesions, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology. The findings suggest that the diameter guidelines currently used by dermatologists to screen for melanoma are useful.

21 Apr 2008

CoolTouch introduces new laser lipolysis suction handpiece - reduces lipolysis procedure time

CoolTouch Inc. has announced the introduction of their new CoolBlue Duet laser lipolysis suction handpiece set designed specifically to be used with the CoolLipo 1320 laser system.

18 Apr 2008

Plastic surgeons to develop groundbreaking therapies for war injury research

Members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) will play a pivotal role over the next five years developing groundbreaking therapies to better treat U.S. soldiers critically injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

17 Apr 2008

Scientists turn normal skin cells into cancer stem cells

With a bit of genetic trickery, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have turned normal skin cells into cancer stem cells, a step that will make these naturally rare cells easier to study.

10 Apr 2008

Saving cancer patients' skin

Becky Sasaki has the quick laugh and easy smile of a woman who continues to thrive despite her four-year wrestling match with lung cancer.

31 Mar 2008

Severe psoriasis linked to serious medical conditions including cardiovascular disease, depression and cancer

It has long been known that psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly plaques that itch and bleed, can have a significant negative impact on a patient's overall quality of life.

25 Mar 2008

Inbred Romanian community provides insight into genetic factors associated with vitiligo

An isolated, inbred Romanian community has a higher than average frequency of the skin disease vitiligo and other autoimmune diseases, suggesting a genetic variation that may indicate susceptibility to the condition in a broader population, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

18 Mar 2008

Researchers find treatment for familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome

Dalhousie Medical School dermatologist Dr. Barrie Ross and his colleagues have successfully ended a 20-year quest to find a treatment for Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome (FCAS).

12 Mar 2008

Older adults also using the tanning salon

Think you won't run into grandparents at your local tanning salon? According to new research, you just might. In fact, a recent health survey of American adults suggests that while 20 percent of 18-39 year olds visited tanning beds, as many as 10 percent of those between 50 and 64 years of age and eight percent of those older than 65 tanned indoors.

10 Mar 2008

Turmeric for psoriasis performs no better than placebo

Anecdotal evidence touting the healing power of the Indian spice turmeric for psoriasis received a setback in a prospective study published this month by a leading dermatology journal stating that the low response rate of patients who ingested the active ingredient of the exotic spice was probably a result of the placebo effect.

1 Mar 2008

Galderma to acquire CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals

Galderma Pharma S.A., a global specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology, and CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced a definitive agreement pursuant to which Galderma's U.S. holding company, Galderma Laboratories, Inc., will acquire all of the outstanding shares of CollaGenex at a price of $16.60 per share in cash, representing approximately $420 million for the equity of CollaGenex.

27 Feb 2008

New gene discovered that determines hair texture and density in humans

A Columbia University Medical Center research team has discovered a new gene involved in determining hair texture in humans.

26 Feb 2008

Psoriasis lesions loaded with newly discovered immune cell

A new study of psoriasis patients shows that a recently discovered immune cell, called Th17, appears to be a key player in the disease and occurs in far higher concentrations in their skin than occurs in skin of healthy individuals.

22 Feb 2008

Both Alpha-Hydroxy and Beta-Hydroxy acid peels promise relief for acne sufferers

Chemical peels using either alpha-hydroxy acid or beta-hydroxy acid are both highly effective in treating mild to moderately severe facial acne, researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have found - the first study to compare the two different types of acid peels as therapies for the skin disorder.

6 Feb 2008

Enbrel shown to significantly reduced levels of C-reactive protein

Amgen and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth have announced findings from a retrospective analysis, which demonstrated that ENBREL reduced C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis following 12 weeks of treatment. Median reduction in CRP levels was 10 times greater in the ENBREL treated group compared to the placebo treated group.

5 Feb 2008

Why is scratching so nice?

In the first study to use imaging technology to see what goes on in the brain when we scratch, researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have uncovered new clues about why scratching may be so relieving - and why it can be hard to stop. The work is reported online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and will appear in a future print issue.

31 Jan 2008