Dermatology News and Research

Latest Dermatology News and Research

Shingles runs in the family

Shingles appears when the virus that causes chickenpox, varicella zoster, is reactivated in spinal nerves; most adults carry the varicella zoster virus, but only 10 percent to 30 percent develop shingles.

20 May 2008

Dermatologists link family history to shingles susceptibility

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston have identified family history as one reason why some people might be more susceptible to shingles, a severe skin condition. Their findings are published in the May 19 issue of Archives of Dermatology.

19 May 2008

NIH launches undiagnosed diseases program

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced a new clinical research program that will aim to provide answers to patients with mysterious conditions that have long eluded diagnosis. Called the Undiagnosed Diseases Program, the trans-NIH initiative will focus on the most puzzling medical cases referred to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., by physicians across the nation.

19 May 2008

Holiday 'binge tanning' increasing skin cancer risk for young brits

A new survey, released today by Cancer Research UK to raise awareness of its annual SunSmart campaign, has identified a worrying trend for 'binge tanning' among young people heading off on holiday this summer.

8 May 2008

New understanding of how a mole develops into melanoma

Researchers have discovered how a mole develops into melanoma by showing the interaction of two key proteins involved in 60-70 percent of tumors. The Penn State scientists also demonstrate that therapeutic targeting of these proteins is necessary for drugs to effectively treat this deadly form of cancer.

6 May 2008

Skin cancer protection tips

With the days growing longer and the temperatures rising, Hoosiers will spend more time outdoors this spring and summer. And May, which is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month -- is a good time to refresh memories about protection from the sun.

5 May 2008

The risks of indoor tanning to women

At age 17, all Meghan Rothschild and Brittany Lietz wanted was a dark tan. They thought it made them look beautiful. But both had no idea that in just three years they would be battling melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Now Meghan, 24, of Wilbraham, Mass., and Brittany, 23, of Annapolis, Md., are speaking out about their experiences.

5 May 2008

Yale scientists explain metastasis

Metastasis, the spread of cancer throughout the body, can be explained by the fusion of a cancer cell with a white blood cell in the original tumor, according to Yale School of Medicine researchers, who say that this single event can set the stage for cancer's migration to other parts of the body.

29 Apr 2008

Tomato paste helps fight sunburn and wrinkles

Scientists in Britain are suggesting that a tomato product may help fight sunburn and wrinkles.

29 Apr 2008

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