Getting under the skin of an autoimmune disorder

Supporting actors sometimes steal the show. In a new study published today in Cell, researchers headed by Prof. Ido Amit at the Weizmann Institute of Science have shown that supporting cells called fibroblasts, long viewed as uniform background players, are in fact extremely varied and vital. A subset of these cells, according to the study, may lie at the origins of […]

New major survey finds ‘healthy’ suntan myths persist despite warnings about skin cancer and aging

(7 September 2022, Milan, Italy) 8 in 10 Europeans believe tans are attractive with almost as many (73%) saying tans are healthy, according to a new study presented today at the 31st European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress.1 This is despite decades of awareness campaigns linking too much sun exposure to skin cancer and ageing in many countries. […]

Microneedling improves appearance of surgical scars – especially if performed early

Performed early after surgery, a procedure called microneedling can improve the final appearance of surgical scars – with best results if done within six to seven weeks, reports a study in the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer. That’s in contrast […]

Simple skin biopsy can assess tissue damage related to COVID-19

Using skin biopsy samples, investigators found that patients with severe COVID-19 had clots in small venous and arterial blood vessels in skin that appears normal. This was not seen in the skin of patents with other types of severe infectious lung disease, or in individuals with only mild or moderate COVID-19. Their findings appear in The American Journal of Pathology, published […]

Scarless skin grafting using mussel adhesive protein

One of the biggest concerns for patients undergoing skin grafting is scarring post-surgery and the regeneration of transplanted skin. The depth of scarring after suturing varies depending on the skill of the medical personnel performing the skin grafting, and wound healing at the suture site requires over a month. Recently, a Korean research team has drawn attention for developing a […]

Sun safety for children – new research will explore the role of primary schools in preventing skin cancer

With skin cancer rates rising, much of it preventable, a new research project is to explore the role of primary schools in Wales and assess the effectiveness of sun safety policies in protecting children.  The results will help improve prevention of skin cancer in Wales and beyond. Skin cancer now accounts for half of all cancers in England and Wales, […]

The right moisturiser for children with eczema is the one that they like to use, study finds

The Best Emollients for Eczema trial has found that no one type of moisturiser is better than another.  This study, the first in the world to directly compare different types of moisturisers, highlights the importance of patient education and choice when deciding which moisturisers to use for children with eczema.  The results from the National Institute for Health and Care […]

Clinical pharmacy services in the dermatology biologics clinic

Kläre Bryant, advanced clinical pharmacist in dermatology at Liverpool University Hospitals, was a recently-qualified independent prescriber when she managed the switch to biosimilar infliximab for the cohort of dermatology patients who were receiving the drug. Clinics for patients receiving biologic and other systemic treatment were the next logical step for her. Over time her role in the clinics has developed […]

Covid vaccination linked to hair loss

A  report of nine cases of alopecia areata (AA) following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination appears to confirm suspicions that mRNA vaccines can trigger autoimmune responses that lead to hair loss. The nine cases had received either the Pfizer or Moderna SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines and AA was reported from two weeks after the first dose to four months after the second dose. Detailed […]