Feature Channels: Dermatology

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It can be easy to forget that the human skin is an organ. It’s also the largest one and it’s exposed, charged with keeping our inner biology safe from the perils of the outside world. But Michigan State University’s Sangbum Park is someone who never takes skin or its biological functions for granted. He’s studying skin at the cellular level to better understand it and help us support it when it’s fighting injury, infection or disease.

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In a new article published in Clinical Cancer Research, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers reveal how different therapies impact the surrounding immune environment of metastatic melanoma tumors according to location and identify a rare population of immune cells that is associated with improved overall survival.

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An international team of researchers, led by UC Davis Health, developed a new therapeutic approach to treating psoriatic arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints.

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Local board-certified dermatologist Louis Kuchnir, MD, FAAD, was honored as an American Academy of Dermatology Patient Care Hero for establishing a COVID-19 vaccination site in Marlborough, Mass. for school nurses at a time early in the vaccine rollout when vaccines were in short supply.

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Local board-certified dermatologist Amy J. Derick, MD, FAAD, was honored as a Patient Care Hero by the American Academy of Dermatology for her efforts to improve access to COVID-19 vaccines for frontline health care professionals in Illinois after realizing they could not obtain vaccinations at the start of the vaccine rollout in December 2020 and January 2021.

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A treatment regimen for patients with advanced melanoma that combines the immunotherapy agents relatlimab (anti-LAG-3) and nivolumab (anti-PD-1) delayed time to cancer progression significantly more than nivolumab alone, according to results of a study to be presented June 6 at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.

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Under the guidance of Daniel S. Morrison, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the student led study, published in the May edition of the Journal of Hospital Infection, examined whether the placement of a silicone scar sheet (ScarAway®), Cavilon™, or Tegaderm™ affects 3M™ half-face mask respirator barrier integrity when compared to no barrier using QNFT. 3M half-mask respirators were chosen because they were already being used by clinicians, are reusable, and are readily available. Nine clinicians were enrolled, including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and technicians.

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In the longest follow-up results from a clinical trial of combination immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma, investigators report that nearly half the patients who received the drugs nivolumab and ipilimumab were alive a median of six and a half years after treatment.

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With many planning outdoor gatherings this Memorial Day weekend, board-certified dermatologists want to make sure consumers don’t get burned by confusing sunscreen labels or the sun’s harmful rays. In a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, the American Academy of Dermatology found that while 80% of Americans know they should apply sunscreen every two hours when outdoors, few do.

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UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers identify how the body regulates and prevents constant skin inflammation.

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Researchers at Georgia Tech have uncovered differences in itch on hairy versus non-hairy skin that could lead to more effective treatments for patients with persistent skin itching.

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An oral medication called upadacitinib yielded rapid and significant improvements in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, in phase 3 clinical trials, Mount Sinai researchers reported today in The Lancet online.

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Yvette Ellerbe, 56, understands the importance of wearing sun protection. In 2004 at the age of 39, Ellerbe was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma – a condition she still worries about to this day.

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In a new study published in JAMA Dermatology, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers report on the mutation profile of acral nevi and describe differences between acral nevi and acral melanoma.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Wednesday.

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When checking the body for signs of skin cancer, many people may only think to check their skin. However, board-certified dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology say it’s important to check the nails, too. Although rare, skin cancer, including melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — can develop under and around the fingernails and toenails.

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Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute have found critical new insights into how cells defend against melanoma. In a report published in Nature Communications, the team describes how an enzyme called nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, or NAMPT, initiates antitumor activity. The researchers suggest that new therapies strengthening this pathway in immune cells could be the foundation for more effective treatments against melanoma.

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Programs that provide ongoing support to patients with painful conditions and complex medication regimens may also help them avoid using potentially risky opioid pain medications, or reduce the amount they use, a new study finds.

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Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, affecting one in five Americans during their lifetime. To help raise awareness of skin cancer prevention and detection, the American Academy of Dermatology will host Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™, a month-long steps challenge, beginning Sat., May 1 in recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The participant-driven fundraising event — part of the AAD’s SPOT Skin Cancer™ campaign to create a world without skin cancer — aims to log 9,500 miles across the country in honor of the approximately 9,500 people who are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.

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Chula Faculty of Science has found new antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances from Dendrobium signatum and Egg Magnolia extracts and aims to expand on its economic potential as a natural beauty product.

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Public health officials and researchers have become increasingly concerned about the health risks posed by indoor tanning. Researchers at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey recently addressed the importance of increasing efforts to limit indoor tanning among minors in a viewpoint paper published in the April 28 2021 online edition of JAMA Dermatology.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Wednesday.

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Patients with advanced colorectal cancer may be spared from a toxic side effect caused by a type of targeted therapy used to treat the cancer with the help of another drug normally used to treat melanoma, according to a study led by researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

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Injectable dermal fillers provide a minimally invasive approach to reduce facial lines and wrinkles while restoring volume and fullness in the face. More than 2.7 million dermal filler procedures were performed in 2019, according to the most recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

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In a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, the American Academy of Dermatology found that one-third of Americans lack a basic understanding of skin cancer and sun protection — like seeking shade — that can help reduce their risk of skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S. Among the findings, more than half (53%) of adults are unaware that shade can protect them from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

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New research suggests a simple step could help millions of people reduce their risk of heart disease: make sure to get enough vitamin D. Elucidating linkages between skin pigmentation, vitamin D and indicators of cardiovascular health, the new study, combined with evidence from previous research, suggests vitamin D deficiency could contribute to the high rate of heart disease among African Americans.

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With cosmetic procedures in high demand during the pandemic, Cedars-Sinai dermatologist Jasmine Obioha, MD, has seen an unfortunate side effect: botched treatments for patients of color.

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With highly trained specialists skilled in caring for different types of melanoma, patients at the Waldman Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center will have access to the newest diagnostics and therapies such as Canfield Vectra180 – a 3D whole body imaging system that captures nearly the entire skin surface in macro quality resolution, and will be able to capture early skin cancer lesions; Nevisense—a safe diagnostic support tool utilizing Electrical Impedence Spectroscopy (EIS) which is applied as a harmless electrical signal to the skin; Vivascope 1500—a non-invasive confocal imaging system which offers a non-invasive way to image the skin to the superficial collagen layers; and innovative technologies which non-invasively collects skin cells through adhesive patches rather than a scalpel to diagnose atypical pigmented lesions (or moles) at high risk for melanoma.

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The magical ultraviolet C (UVC) sterilizing devices are proven to kill 99.99% of germs, but may pose a risk of skin cancer and cataracts, Chula professors cautioned consumers to use them carefully and by being fully informed.

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Despite the potential dangers of skin bleaching products, the global market for skin lighteners last year was estimated at $8.6 billion. With the market projected to reach $12.3 billion by 2027, board-certified dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology are expressing concern about this growing trend and the unintended health consequences of pursuing lighter skin at any cost.

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Visible light is all around us. From nature’s sunlight to artificial light sources from ceiling lights, our phones, computer screens and TVs, we may be exposed to more visible light than ever before, but what does that mean for our skin?

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During the pandemic, there was a shift to remote work, and demand for video conferencing increased. Zoom estimates daily meeting participants grew from approximately 10 million in December 2019 to more than 300 million in April 2020. Board-certified dermatologists also reported a change with this increased use of video calls: a rise in the number of patients they’re seeing with negative self-perceptions.

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The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) named board-certified dermatologist Jun Lu, MD, FAAD, and Tara Hood, FNP-BC, as Patient Care Heroes for using telemedicine to improve the health and well-being of women who have been incarcerated.

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The American Academy of Dermatology has announced the results of its annual election. The Academy’s new officers and board members will lead the world’s largest dermatologic society, representing more than 20,000 physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of skin, hair, and nail conditions.

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Florida board-certified dermatologist Terrence A. Cronin, Jr., MD, FAAD, has been elected to lead the American Academy of Dermatology. He will be installed as president-elect in March 2022 and hold the office of president for one year beginning in March 2023.

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Bruising caused by physical abuse is the most common injury to be overlooked or misdiagnosed as non-abusive before an abuse-related fatality or near-fatality in a young child.

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Most young women already know that tanning is dangerous and sunbathe anyway, so a campaign informing them of the risk should take into account their potential resistance to the message, according to a new study.

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Early results show that a new combination drug therapy is safe and effective against advanced skin cancer in patients who were not able to have their tumors surgically removed.

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A dysfunctional immune system significantly contributes to the development of cancer. Several therapeutic strategies to activate the immune system to target cancer cells have been approved to treat different types of cancer, including melanoma.

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Consumer demand for virtual health care has exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Study author and board-certified dermatologist encourages the public to get vaccinated

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Eczema, or atopic dermatitis (AD), is sometimes called "the itch that rashes." Often, the itch begins before the rash appears, and, in many cases, the itchiness of the skin condition never really goes away.

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A Northwestern University-led research team has developed a novel skin-mounted sticker that absorbs sweat and then changes color to provide an accurate, easy-to-read diagnosis of cystic fibrosis within minutes.

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As cancer survival rates improve, more people are living with the aftereffects of cancer treatment. For some patients, these issues include chronic radiation-induced skin injury – which can lead to potentially severe cosmetic and functional problems.