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Autologous hair transplantation has become an established therapy for irreversible alopecia. With the advent of CO[sub 2] lasers, new procedures have developed. However, CO[sub 2] lasers are associated with some disadvantages, and the introduction of the erbium YAG laser has led to further improvements. A case illustration of this technique is given here, and a study of 50 patients has been initiated to further evaluate the potential of this laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: An actinic keratosis (AK) is an area (lesion) of sun‐damaged skin, mainly found on sun‐exposed parts of the body, particularly the forearms, backs of the hands, face, ears, bald scalp and the lower legs. Left untreated, there is a small risk that an AK could progress into a form of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. One way of treating AK is called photodynamic therapy (PDT). The usual, or conventional, protocol for using PDT to treat AK is called C‐PDT. It involves applying a light‐sensitising cream to the skin which is activated by a high‐intensity red light about 2.5 hours later. This causes intense inflammation in the skin which destroys abnormal, but not normal, skin tissue. The main drawback of C‐PDT is the pain experienced by patients during the treatment. Due to this pain, many patients cannot complete the treatment. The authors of this study, based in France and Germany, proposed a new protocol for PDT of AK, called P‐PDT. P‐PDT involves a revised red light activation: the light intensity has been considerably reduced and the activation begins only 30 minutes after the molecule (cream) application. This revision was expected to increase the patient's tolerance. The primary aim of the study was to assess whether P‐PDT is at least as effective as C‐PDT in destroying AK. One of the secondary aims was to compare pain levels between P‐PDT and C‐PDT. Forty‐six patients with AKs of the head were included. These patients were treated with P‐PDT on one side of the head and with C‐PDT on the other side. With 94.2% disappearance of AKs six months after the treatment, P‐PDT was found to be at least as effective as C‐PDT, which had a disappearance rate of 94.9%. Moreover, from the pain levels reported by the patients for each protocol, P‐PDT is much less painful, or even painless, compared to C‐PDT. This summary relates to the study: The conventional protocol vs. a protocol including illumination with a fabric‐based biophotonic device (the Phosistos protocol) in photodynamic therapy for actinic keratosis: a randomized, controlled, noninferiority clinical study Linked Article: Mordon et al. Br J Dermatol 2020; 182:76–84 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the passing of dermatologist Manfred Lucas on February 6, 1997, the field of hair transplantation lost one of its outstanding members. He was deeply loved by both his staff and his patients and he treated all of those around him with respect. Lucas was born on May 28, 1938 in Pomerania, Germany. In 1954 the family went to Westphalia in Germany where Lucas went to school. He studied medicine from 1958 to 1964 and worked in various hospitals before gaining his doctorate in October 1966. Lucas went to Munich, Germany and worked from 1967 to 1973 in cardiac surgery. In the mid-1970s, Lucas became interested in hair transplantation as he himself was confronted with beginning baldness.