Skin Care
New Treatment For Psoriasis Is Highly Effective
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A new treatment for psoriasis that targets its key inflammatory mediators (IL-12 and IL-23) is highly effective, according to a study by University of Utah researchers to be published in the Feb. 8 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Current treatments for psoriasis include topical medicines and UV light therapy to treat the symptoms of the disease. Many of these treatments are messy, time consuming, have cumulative toxicities, and are not very effective, according to Gerald Krueger, M.D., principal investigator for the study. Krueger is a professor of dermatology and a Benning Presidential Endowed Chair at the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Overuse of skin numbing creams can cause death: FDA
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People who use large amounts of skin-numbing creams and lotions, often in conjunction with cosmetic procedures, are at risk of irregular heartbeats, seizures and even death, U.S. health officials warned on Tuesday.
The Food and Drug Administration, citing two deaths, said such topical anesthetics can be applied in amounts so large that a lethal dose of the chemicals can enter the bloodstream.
Women Twice as Likely as Men to Seek Treatment for Hyperhidrosis
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Whether it’s sweaty palms causing embarrassment when shaking hands on a job interview or unsightly underarm stains that could make anyone think twice about wearing a white shirt, the excessive sweating disorder known as hyperhidrosis can impact all facets of a person’s personal and professional life. Although the prevalence of this chronic medical condition is the same for men and women, a new study examining hyperhidrosis patients finds that women sought treatment much more frequently than men.
Speaking today at the 65th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologist Dee Anna Glaser, MD, FAAD, professor and vice chairman of dermatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., discussed how a patient’s age, gender and the site of the excessive sweating affected diagnosis and treatment.
Psychological Approaches Can Help Some Skin Conditions
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If you’ve ever blushed, you know your skin can reflect your feelings. It makes sense, then, that emotional trouble might show up as skin trouble. Although cause and effect can be difficult to pin down, considerable data suggest that in some people, psychological factors can activate or worsen certain skin conditions. Recognizing and treating these psychological issues might help the skin, too, reports the November 2006 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.
Interest in the mind-skin connection has led to a field called psychodermatology. Its aim is not to substitute psychotherapy for medicine, but to recognize emotional issues that may affect the way skin problems respond to medical treatment.
Laser technique shows women’s skin ages faster than men’s
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According to German researchers women’s skin ages faster than men’s - so men become distinguished women just look older!
The German team discovered this by using a new laser-based technique to measure damage from sun exposure and aging.
The technique involves shining pulses of infrared laser light on the skin to look at the deeper layers of the skin allowing the measurement of the amount of damage from sun exposure and measure aging.
Hypnosis may help improve type of hair loss
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People with a patchy form of hair loss called alopecia areata might be helped with hypnosis, a preliminary study suggests.
“Hypnotherapy may enhance the mental well-being of patients with alopecia areata and it may improve clinical outcome,” Dr. Ria Willemsen, of Free University in Brussels, and colleagues write in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by sudden, recurrent hair loss in round spots from the scalp or any part of the body that has hair. Psychological factors, such as stressful events and psychotrauma have also been reported to play a role in the onset of the condition, but few studies have looked at the efficacy of psychological treatments.
Superbug outbreaks linked to unlicensed tattooing
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People who get tattoos from unlicensed sources are at risk of developing a drug-resistant bacterial skin infection, federal health officials warn.
Six recent outbreaks of infections with this “superbug,” methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been traced to unlicensed tattoo artists, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
MRSA infection typically manifests as abscesses or areas of inflammation on the skin, though it can also lead to more serious problems such as pneumonia, blood infections or, in some cases, necrotizing fasciitis, also referred to as the “flesh-eating disease.”
Clinical web site may be target of porn seekers
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It seems that online dermatological images, intended as a references for doctors, are sometimes being used pruriently.
The idea that a searchable archive of clinical photographs was being misused first occurred to the site’s curators when they noticed a marked jump in queries for images of genital areas.
In light of this, Dr. Christoph U. Lehmann and colleagues, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, emphasize in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology that “anonymous misuse of collaborative archives must be anticipated, addressed and prevented to preserve their integrity and the integrity of the learning communities they support.”
Facing Facts and Fears About Hearing Loss
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If everyone is mumbling and your partner is complaining about the loud TV volume, perhaps your hearing isn’t what it once was.
Roughly one-third of Americans over age 60 and 40 percent to 50 percent of adults 75 and older have hearing loss.
Even though it’s common, some people are reluctant to deal with their hearing loss because of embarrassment or worry about seeming old. But if you suspect hearing loss, the most important thing you can do is see a doctor or an audiologist, advises the April issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource.
Finasteride reduces hair loss in women
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When given in combination with oral contraceptives, finasteride, an orally administered drug approved for male-patterned baldness, can improve female-pattern hair loss in most women, according to the results of a small study reported in the March issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
At present, the main treatment for female-pattern hair loss is topical minoxidil, which is effective, but tolerability can be an issue, senior author Dr. Antonella Tosti and colleagues, from the University of Bologna in Italy, note. Whether treatment with agents such as finasteride, which show activity against male hormones, might promote hair growth in women has been unclear.
Fish enzymes and gelatine may be the new treatment for psoriasis and eczema
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A new skin cream has shown promising results in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. The cream contains fish enzymes and gelatine and is under development by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the University of Bergen, Norway.
An important ingredient in the product is the enzyme zonase, which is found in fish eggs. The enzyme can break down dead skin cells without harming living cells. Used in the treatment of psoriasis, this cream helps to dead skin to flake off, while stimulating the growth of new cells.
But enzymes need water to function as they should. With typical creams, the moisture evapourates a short time after application to the skin. The challenge for manufacturers is to find a new and better method to bind water to the cream. Dr. Ingvild Haug is a specialist in fish collagen (gelatine)
Facial stimulators may do little for aging skin
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Electrical devices sold as over-the-counter alternatives to a face-lift fall far short of their claims, a study of two such products suggests.
Ads for the devices, known as facial stimulators, say they offer a sort of non-surgical face-lift. The concept is that electrical stimulation of the facial muscles firms up the face and leads to a more youthful appearance—similar to what’s gained from surgery.
Few patients on steroids receive bone-saving drugs
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Contrary to the guidelines of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), patients on long-term steroid treatment are often not prescribed therapy to prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, according to findings from a small study.
Steroids are commonly prescribed for chronic skin diseases and “autoimmune” conditions in which the body attacks itself. “Patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis,” said Dr. Victoria P. Werth of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Philadelphia.
Aldara slows return of cold sores
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Aldara cream can delay the return of cold sores, but it can cause severe inflammation, according to a report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Studies in guinea pigs found the cream reduced sore formation during and after treatment, Dr. David I. Bernstein of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and colleagues note. He and his colleagues hypothesized that Aldara (generic name, imiquimod) could boost the body’s defenses against the herpes virus, which causes cold sores, and delay the return of the lesions.
New rules on sun exposure divide EU lawmakers
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The European Parliament is split over controversial legislation intended to protect workers from over-exposure to sunshine, ahead of a vote next week.
The 732-member assembly will vote next Wednesday on a bill that seeks to protect workers from exposure to artificial and natural forms of radiation that can damage eyes and skin.
