A recent retrospective chart review published in the Pediatric Dermatology journal found that most children who develop alopecia areata before age 4 have mild disease with less than 50% hair loss present between ages 2 and 4. The review demonstrated that nearly 90% of the children presented between ages 2 and 4, compared to just 11.9% between 1 and 2 years, and just 1.6% aged under 1 year. The review included 125 patients under that age of 4 years old, who initially presented at the hospital with alopecia areata between January 2016 and June 2018. The researcher concluded that the results could “perhaps provide clinicians and families with a better sense of prognosis for progression in the youngest patients presenting with alopecia areata.”

 

A recent analysis published in JJAMA Dermatology has found that Mohs micrographic surgery is associated with improved survival compared to traditional excision in early invasive melanoma. The analysis examined more than 70,000 stage 1 patients in a national database. While univariable analysis demonstrated no overall survival (OS) difference between the two techniques, multivariate analysis showed better OS for those treated with Mohs surgery (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76-0.97). In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Ian Maher of the University of Minnesota in Minneapoli shared: "...The consistent finding of noninferiority and emerging findings of survival superiority strongly suggest that Mohs micrographic surgery is a safe and reasonable, if not superior, surgical option relative to wide local excision.”

 

A recent study review  published in Dermatologic Therapy analyzed emerging and effective treatment approaches for for acne. Citing various studies, the review highlighted five new options for acne treatment: 1. Topical antiandrogens  were found to be an option for controlling sebogenesis in patients with especially moderate-to-severe refractory acne. 2. Insulin-like growth factor-1 inhibitors demonstrated an ability to decrease comedone size by reducing the size of sebaceous gland and number of sebocytes. 3. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor modulators were found to reduce inflammatory acne lesions by downregulationg interleukin and leukotriene B4. 4. Oral and topical dapsone which was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat acne vulgaris. 5. Probiotics and Prebiotics were found to result in a 50% reduction in inflammatory acne count compared with placebo in an 8 week study.

 

Meet Dr. Glynis R. Ablon: a highly respected and well-known board certified dermatologist based in California. A graduate of Baylor School of Medicine in Houston, Texas, Dr. Ablon now leads the Ablon Skin Institute & Research Center and serves as an Associate Clinical Professor at UCLA. As an active leader in clinical dermatology research, Dr. Ablon is the first published author within the U.S. in the topic of mesotherapy. Highly regarded for her advanced knowledge engaging teaching style, Dr. Ablon has been featured on numerous television shows, magazines, and news reports and currently serves as an on-camera medical consultant for The Doctors Show, E! Entertainment, ABC, CBS, KCAL and Lifetime.  

With the surge of smartphone technology, millions of applications have become available for both Android and Apple users – some of which may be especially useful for clinicians looking to improve patient care and job productivity. Software applications tailored to dermatologists are also becoming increasingly available, providing additional support for desktop use.