Dermatology
Clinical insights on skin conditions, dermatologic procedures, and treatment approaches from practicing dermatologists.
Recent Discussions
Would you utilize rituximab or dupilumab for treatment resistant bullous pemphigoid?
Dupilumab is a phenomenal drug for BP in most patients and is inarguably safer. Updated to add that coverage is much easier with the new FDA approval! As an aside, tralokinumab has a better patient assistance program than dupilumab, and so far has worked just as well in my clinic as dupilumab. If a ...
Are there subgroups of patients with pemphigus in whom you prioritize lower-dose rituximab regimens?
Lower doses don’t work as well, with less depletion and earlier relapses.
If methotrexate is contraindicated or not tolerated, what systemic treatments do you use for generalized morphea?
I typically reach for mycophenolate as a second-line agent if methotrexate failed or is contraindicated. If the generalized morphea is actively progressing, I will add a steroid taper as a bridge until the DMARD has time to take effect. Whole body UVA1 is also a helpful adjunctive treatment to a DMA...
How do you screen for colon cancer in patients with Behcet syndrome with colonic involvement?
Behcet syndrome, unlike some other rheumatologic conditions, for the most part, has not been shown to increase risk of malignancies in patients. This may in part be due to the fact that the disease tends to get milder/less severe with time and treatment. As such, colon cancer screening should follow...
For a contact allergy, do you need to test for the metals individually or does it suffice to just test with a piece of metal from the device?
I asked Dr. Brandon Adler about this question and he said:Testing with metal discs or samples from a manufacturer is not recommended because irritant reactions, false negatives, and false positives are known to occur. Even if there were to be a true positive reaction, there would be no way to know w...
What are your preferred treatment options for patients with chronic non-healing leg ulcers?
In addition to all the typical things (decreasing edema with meds, compression, etc + treating superinfection, critical colonization, or debriding eschars), there is some evidence for pentoxifylline 400 mg TID or 800 BID in ulcerations of any etiology. There is also newer evidence for using topical ...
What is your approach to a patient with generalized morphea, no systemic involvement but a positive RNA Polymerase III?
I would perform age-appropriate cancer screening given the link between RNA pol III and cancer. Otherwise, I would simply monitor for onset of systemic sclerosis or other autoimmune disease symptoms.
How would you approach diagnosis of a patient with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain, severe myalgias, low grade fevers and urticaria?
Without the mEFV variant, from a rheumatologist viewpoint, the differential includes IBD, a periodic fever syndrome such as FMF or FCAS, and MCAS. Therefore, I would consider that workup with genetic testing (anyone can send!), fecal calprotectin, and MCAS eval with A/I. I don't think of urticarial ...
What is your late or no-show policy for patients?
I'm really interested in reading answers by those of you who have punitive policies for these patients. I wrestle with these problems several times per week, as I have Mohs surgery patients either no-show or cancel/reschedule with less than 24 hours' notice. On the one hand, I find that most patient...
What clinical scenarios warrant the use of a skin substitute?
Chronic wounds like diabetic and venous leg ulcers are the most common clinical indication, especially when healing fails to progress after standard wound care. Extensive full-thickness burns are also a primary indication, particularly when there is insufficient donor skin available for autografts o...