Treating psoriasis with a systemic biologic therapy is increasingly the standard course of treatment, but little is known about how these therapies affect the elderly. Elderly patients are frequently excluded from biological clinical trials and simply described as a high-risk group for adverse events. This has led to a lack of information about safety and …
Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) causes hair loss near the front of the head, and causes scarring due to inflammation as the hair follicles are destroyed. This condition, which mostly affects postmenopausal women, is challenging to treat, and studies have examined the off-label use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARI) as a possible option for more severe cases. …
Atopic eczema is a relatively common condition in infants, but fears about the side effects of the most common first-line therapy may lead to parents undertreating their babies. While corticosteroids do have some side effects, a recent article stated that these have been amplified in the media and subsequently spawned an outsized fear of steroids. …
The use of oral micronutrients may play a role in reducing atopic dermatitis (AD) symptoms, but what about the topical versions? A recent review examined the current evidence on the benefits of using topical vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, and the minerals magnesium, manganese, zinc and iodine. The review found that the use …
Doxycycline is the typical first-line treatment for acne vulgaris, but it comes with some less-than-desirable side effects such as gastrointestinal symptoms, tooth discoloration, photosensitive reactions, pigmentation changes, and central nervous system effects. In addition, doxycycline is contraindicated for children under 8 and during pregnancy. A recent study compared the use of an alternate therapy, oral …
Many skin cancer surgeries are performed using a local anesthetic. While this is preferable to full sedation, there may be more patient anxiety associated with being alert and awake during procedures. In other surgical fields, there is some indication that hand-holding and other relaxation methods help patients feel more at ease. A recent study looked …