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Tik Tok is an emerging social media platform that provides a novel opportunity for health practitioners such as dermatologists to disseminate accurate health information.

The University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, is recruiting for two academic dermatologists in the Clinical X series or Health Sciences Clinical Professor (HSCP) series at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level based on experience and qualifications. These positions are for general medical dermatologists. Expectations of the Clinical X series are to engage in teaching, research, service, and clinical work, while expectations of the faculty in the HSCP series are primarily clinical and include teaching, service, and scholarly and/or creative activity.Additionally, based on the qualifications and experience a candidate may be considered for the departmental directorships.The appointments may be made up to 100%.

This work presents an essential module for the Transfer Learning approach's classification of melanoma skin lesions. Melanoma, a highly lethal form of skin cancer, poses a significant health threat globally. Image analysis plays a crucial role in enhancing the accuracy of malignant skin lesion classification. Although neural networks trained on extensive datasets have emerged as the latest solution, their scalability remains a challenge. This study proposes an efficient method for classifying skin lesions utilizing labelled data from open sources, leveraging EfficientNet as the foundational model to robustly capture discriminative features from diverse visual perspectives. Validation of the proposed algorithms relies on the classifier's capacity to distinguish between classes is measured by the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUC-ROC) curve. AUC-ROC score greater than zero denotes better classification performance. Our proposed model achieves an impressive score of 98.65%. In contrast to existing approaches, our method demonstrates swift and accurate identification and segmentation of melanoma skin lesions, showcasing its efficacy in advancing the field of skin lesion classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Methods Results Conclusions Melasma is a chronic condition characterized by dark patches on the facial skin. It has a known female gender dominancy, and women usually think of melasma as being a serious cosmetic problem. Treatment of melasma can be seriously challenging, thus, dermatologists may employ different approaches for melasma. This study aimed to investigate how dermatologists diagnose and treat patients with melasma and to present the general characteristics of patients with melasma.A survey was conducted using Google Forms targeting dermatologists in Turkiye. A total of 199 dermatologists (142 females/57 males) participated in the study.Most of the participants (52.3%) were residents. Majority gender of the patients was female and most common age range of patients with melasma was 30–40 years. Mixed melasma was the most common type (57.4%). Malar region was the most frequent location (58.6%). Wood's lamp examination was used by 25.6% of the participants. Topical treatment was the first‐line choice for melasma therapy (95%), with Kligman's formula being the most used topical agent (69.8%). Oral therapy was not used by 70.8% of the participants. Tranexamic acid was the first choice for oral treatment (23.4%). Only 24.9% of the dermatologists used laser/light therapy, and Q‐switched Nd‐YAG laser was the most preferred device (58%). The most common recurrence rate was 41%–60% (45.9%).The findings of the current study investigating the melasma management in Turkiye revealed a female predominance and peak prevalence in the 30–40 years age group. Kligman's formula is the preferred topical treatment, whereas oral tranexamic acid remains underutilized. Recurrence rates are high, highlighting the need for preventative strategies. This study emphasizes the importance of personalized approaches and ongoing research for effective melasma management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients’ experience accessing dermatologic care is understudied. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine current wait times for new patients to receive dermatological care in NYC. Websites at 58 accredited private and public hospitals in the five boroughs of NYC were reviewed to identify dermatology practices. Office telephone numbers listed on each website were called to collect information pertaining to whether the physician was accepting new patients, type of insurance accepted (public, private, both, or none), and the number of days until a new patient could be seen for an appointment. Data pertaining to the time kept on hold and availability of web-based booking were also collected. Mean waiting time for an appointment was 50 days [standard deviation, SD 66] – nearly 2 months, but the distribution was considerably skewed. The median waiting time was 19.5 days [Interquartile range, IQR 4–60]. The time kept on hold to make the appointment was negligible at about 1 min (63 s, SD = 77) but could take up to ~ 7 min. Two-thirds of dermatologists accepted private, Medicare, and Medicaid insurance (n = 228, 66%); a small number accepted only private insurance (n = 12, 4%) or no insurance at all (n = 16, 5%). The median waiting time for an appointment for the 228 providers that accepted Medicaid was 30.5 days (IQR = 5.0-73.25) while for providers who did not accept Medicaid (n = 116) the median wait time for an appointment was 13.0 days (IQR = 3.0–38.0). Just over half (56%) of the dermatologists allowed for appointments to be booked on their website (n = 193). This research highlights the necessity of incorporating new strategies into routine dermatology appointments in order to increase treatment availability and decrease healthcare inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Limited evidence is available on real-world management of atopic dermatitis (AD) among Asian adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess current approaches in AD diagnosis and management in Asia. Methods: Practising dermatologists regularly treating patients with moderate-to-severe AD were recruited from eight Asia–Pacific territories, namely Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. A survey was administered to eligible dermatologists after screening and taking informed consent. Data from fully completed submissions were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory. Results: Data from 271 dermatologists were included for analysis. About one-third (31.7%) reported that they referred to the Hanifin and Rajka criteria during diagnosis. The majority of dermatologists used clinical impression when assessing AD severity and treatment response. Reduction of eczema and pruritus was the primary treatment objective when managing both acute (98.1%) and chronic (69.1%) AD. More than half of dermatologists preferred adding systemic anti-inflammatory medication for patients who did not respond to maximized topical treatment, while 43.6% would switch to another systemic medication for those failing to respond to maximized systemic treatment. Topical corticosteroids were frequently selected by dermatologists. For systemic therapies, oral corticosteroids were most frequently used, followed by cyclosporin and dupilumab. Narrow-band ultraviolet B was the most common phototherapy reported (84.9%). There was considerable variation in estimated average and maximum durations of therapies used to treat AD. Conclusion: This study has provided insights on the real-world management of moderate-to-severe AD in the Asia–Pacific region. The diverse approaches in diagnosis and treatment highlight the multifactorial nature of AD, reliance on clinical judgement, and importance of personalized care. To improve outcomes in patients with AD, it will be crucial to develop biomarkers for diagnosis, reduce subjectivity in assessment, as well as promote access to newer and effective therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder that manifests as nonscarring hair loss and imposes a substantial disease burden. The current study, using an e‐claims database, assesses the disease burden, comorbidities, treatment patterns, specialties involved in the diagnosis of AA, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and associated costs in privately insured patients with AA in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The retrospective longitudinal secondary study was conducted using Dubai Real‐World Database e‐claims data during 01 January 2014 to 30 June 2022. Patients with at least one diagnosis claim of AA during the index period (01 January 2015–30 June 2021) with continuous enrollment (one or more AA/non‐AA claim in the post‐index period) were included in the analysis. The patients were stratified into subcohorts based on diagnosis code and treatment patterns, as mild, moderate‐to‐severe, and others. Demographics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, specialists visited, and HCRU were assessed. The study included 11 851 patients with AA (mean age: mild: 37 years; moderate‐to‐severe: 36 years), with a male predominance (mild: 77.6%; moderate‐to‐severe: 60.8%). The most prevalent comorbidities in the moderate‐to‐severe AA subcohort were autoimmune and T‐helper 2–mediated immune disorders, including contact dermatitis and eczema (62.1%), atopic dermatitis (36.1%), and asthma (36.1%). Most patients consulted dermatologists for treatment advice (mild AA: 87.4%; moderate‐to‐severe AA: 47.7%) and, notably, within 1 day of AA diagnosis. Topical steroids were frequently prescribed across cohorts, regardless of disease severity. Analysis of comorbidities among patients with AA indicated an additional HCRU burden among these subsets of patients. The median disease‐specific HCRU cost was higher for psychological comorbidities versus autoimmune and T‐helper 2–mediated immune disorders (US $224.99 vs US $103.70). There is a substantial disease and economic burden in patients with AA and associated comorbid conditions; therefore, investing in novel therapies that target the underlying autoimmune pathway may address the gap in effective management of AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Limited evidence is available on real-world management of atopic dermatitis (AD) among Asian adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess current approaches in AD diagnosis and management in Asia. Methods Practising dermatologists regularly treating patients with moderate-to-severe AD were recruited from eight Asia–Pacific territories, namely Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. A survey was administered to eligible dermatologists after screening and taking informed consent. Data from fully completed submissions were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory. Results Data from 271 dermatologists were included for analysis. About one-third (31.7%) reported that they referred to the Hanifin and Rajka criteria during diagnosis. The majority of dermatologists used clinical impression when assessing AD severity and treatment response. Reduction of eczema and pruritus was the primary treatment objective when managing both acute (98.1%) and chronic (69.1%) AD. More than half of dermatologists preferred adding systemic anti-inflammatory medication for patients who did not respond to maximized topical treatment, while 43.6% would switch to another systemic medication for those failing to respond to maximized systemic treatment. Topical corticosteroids were frequently selected by dermatologists. For systemic therapies, oral corticosteroids were most frequently used, followed by cyclosporin and dupilumab. Narrow-band ultraviolet B was the most common phototherapy reported (84.9%). There was considerable variation in estimated average and maximum durations of therapies used to treat AD. Conclusion This study has provided insights on the real-world management of moderate-to-severe AD in the Asia–Pacific region. The diverse approaches in diagnosis and treatment highlight the multifactorial nature of AD, reliance on clinical judgement, and importance of personalized care. To improve outcomes in patients with AD, it will be crucial to develop biomarkers for diagnosis, reduce subjectivity in assessment, as well as promote access to newer and effective therapies.

Abstract Introduction It remains unclear how patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and clinicians perceive the level of patient–clinician communication and if there could be potential lapses. This cross-sectional study aims to compare perspectives between patients with AD and dermatologists regarding communication and treatment expectations in Asia. Methods Moderate-to-severe patients with AD and practicing dermatologists were recruited from eight Asia–Pacific territories, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Patients and dermatologists completed separate surveys designed to elicit their expectations regarding AD management, and their perceived level of patient–clinician communication. Patients were also asked about their treatment satisfaction and whether they prefer additional treatment beyond what was prescribed. Demographic information and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory, and all participants provided informed consent. Results A total of 1103 patients and 271 dermatologists completed the surveys. Both patients and dermatologists were largely aligned in their top treatment goals in AD management. However, greater proportions of patients prioritized the prevention of exacerbation (78.0% versus 47.2%), minimization of treatment adverse effects (46.4% versus 9.1%), and improvement in mental health (16.0% versus 4.9%), compared with dermatologists. Although patient–clinician communication was observed to be generally good, 10.9% of patients reported dissatisfaction with communication in AD management. The majority of patients were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their latest acute AD treatment, but 65.5% of patients still desired additional treatment. Conclusions This multinational study has provided insights on the perspectives of Asian patients and dermatologists in treatment goals, AD management, and communication. In general, both patients and dermatologists were aligned in treatment goals and there was satisfactory patient–clinician communication in most aspects. However, potential areas of improvement have been identified to further enhance patient-centered care.

Background and Design: Social media has gained widespread prominence in contemporary society and has significantly impacted various critical aspects of healthcare. While Instagram was initially a platform for social interaction, it has gradually gained recognition in professional fields, including healthcare. This study aimed to analyze the content of popular professional dermatologist accounts on Instagram in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: Based on a sample of 34 dermatologist accounts with the highest number of followers, the study investigated several key parameters related to the content and account characteristics of accounts that publicly share information about dermatology. Results: Most dermatologists (29, 85.2%) were specialist physicians working in private practices. Aesthetic and cosmetic dermatology content prevailed across categories compared to medical dermatology (p

Objective There is growing interest in the early identification of patients with axial PsA (axPsA). We aimed to evaluate whether a dermatology-based screening strategy could help to identify axPsA patients. Methods The dermatologist-centred screening (DCS) questionnaire was administrated by dermatologists to consecutive patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria [(i) age ≥18 years and (ii) clinical diagnosis of psoriasis made by a dermatologist] to identify patients eligible (affirmative answers 1–3c of the DCS) for rheumatological evaluation. Clinical, laboratory, genetic and imaging data were collected from all referred patients. Results Among the 365 patients screened, 265 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and 124/265 (46.8%) were eligible for rheumatological referral. Diagnosis of axPsA, with or without peripheral PsA (pPsA), was made in 36/124 (29.0%) patients; pPsA without axial involvement was found in 21/124 (16.9%) patients. Back pain at screening was recorded in 174 (66%) patients, with 158 (60%) reporting a back pain duration longer than 3 months and 140 (53%) reporting back pain onset before the age of 45 years. Active inflammatory and/or structural post-inflammatory changes in the sacroiliac joints and/or spine were observed in all axPsA patients. Patients with PsA showed a numerically longer duration of back pain and higher CRP levels in comparison with patients with psoriasis without PsA. Conclusion The DCS tool proved to be a valuable screening strategy for detecting and characterizing patients with axPsA in a real-life cohort of psoriasis patients in a dermatological setting and helped to identify a substantial number of patients affected by undiagnosed pPsA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: It remains unclear how patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and clinicians perceive the level of patient–clinician communication and if there could be potential lapses. This cross-sectional study aims to compare perspectives between patients with AD and dermatologists regarding communication and treatment expectations in Asia. Methods: Moderate-to-severe patients with AD and practicing dermatologists were recruited from eight Asia–Pacific territories, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Patients and dermatologists completed separate surveys designed to elicit their expectations regarding AD management, and their perceived level of patient–clinician communication. Patients were also asked about their treatment satisfaction and whether they prefer additional treatment beyond what was prescribed. Demographic information and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory, and all participants provided informed consent. Results: A total of 1103 patients and 271 dermatologists completed the surveys. Both patients and dermatologists were largely aligned in their top treatment goals in AD management. However, greater proportions of patients prioritized the prevention of exacerbation (78.0% versus 47.2%), minimization of treatment adverse effects (46.4% versus 9.1%), and improvement in mental health (16.0% versus 4.9%), compared with dermatologists. Although patient–clinician communication was observed to be generally good, 10.9% of patients reported dissatisfaction with communication in AD management. The majority of patients were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their latest acute AD treatment, but 65.5% of patients still desired additional treatment. Conclusions: This multinational study has provided insights on the perspectives of Asian patients and dermatologists in treatment goals, AD management, and communication. In general, both patients and dermatologists were aligned in treatment goals and there was satisfactory patient–clinician communication in most aspects. However, potential areas of improvement have been identified to further enhance patient-centered care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical mycology is an extremely accessible research field for dermatologists. With only a few dozen fungal species identified as human skin pathogens, dermatologists can enhance their clinical proficiency by acquiring basic knowledge of common fungi, standard light microscopy, and fungal culture techniques. This knowledge enables dermatologists to readily collaborate with experts and embark on research in the field. Among the many research fields in dermatology, dermatomycology is unique in that it is accessible to many dermatologists, wherein research and clinical practice are closely linked. As an example, while this article focuses on Sporothrix species and Trichophyton tonsurans, there remain many unanswered questions about dermatomycoses. The author hopes that dermatologists in the next generation will explore new themes and find new methods and become active researchers in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to timely, satisfactory dermatology care is an ongoing challenge that specifically impacts aging adults. Among the numerous barriers that older generations face, transportation emerges as a central obstacle that affects their ability to receive proper treatment and follow-up care. Overcoming this potential hurdle requires innovation in healthcare delivery from the current traditional brick-and-mortar option. One solution to closing this gap and improving treatment opportunities includes the collaboration with senior living facilities to provide onsite dermatologic care to this vulnerable population. This forward-thinking healthcare delivery model not only addresses access and transportation barrier issues but also offers additional advantages including personalized timely care, flexible patient scheduling, a culture of safety, space for patient dignity, and privacy aswell as strengthens partnerships with ecosystem stakeholders. Dermatology nurses are uniquely positioned to advocate for older adults in need of appropriate dermatology services. It is our hope that the information in this article will support the successful delivery of on-site dermatology care for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Design: Social media has gained widespread prominence in contemporary society and has significantly impacted various critical aspects of healthcare. While Instagram was initially a platform for social interaction, it has gradually gained recognition in professional fields, including healthcare. This study aimed to analyze the content of popular professional dermatologist accounts on Instagram in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: Based on a sample of 34 dermatologist accounts with the highest number of followers, the study investigated several key parameters related to the content and account characteristics of accounts that publicly share information about dermatology. Results: Most dermatologists (29, 85.2%) were specialist physicians working in private practices. Aesthetic and cosmetic dermatology content prevailed across categories compared to medical dermatology (p<0.05). There were significant correlations between the number of followers and factors such as the total post count, the presence of cosmetic product recommendations, the sharing of procedure-related media, the use of reel videos, and the gender of the dermatologist [with a preference for female practitioners (p<0.05)]. While some accounts (17.6%) included medical treatment recommendations along with the specific drug name, 35.2% (12) included specific cosmetic product recommendations. Current literature was shared only in 3 accounts (8.8%). Most dermatologists (85.2; 29%) also shared social posts unrelated to medicine. In terms of the number, the most shared content was also paramedical (social) posts with a median value of 4 (1-8) (in the last ten posts). Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into Turkish dermatologists' online presence and content preferences on Instagram and sheds light on how healthcare professionals interact with their audience and share information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notalgia paresthetica (NP) is a sensory neuropathy characterized by chronic pruritus, skin pain, and other pathologic sensations affecting the mid-to-upper back. NP may be under-recognized and under-diagnosed, with limited data available on its symptom presentation and treatment patterns. NP-DERM was an internet-based survey of dermatologists (n = 650) from 8 different countries on their perspectives on NP symptoms and current treatment practices. Dermatologists typically treated a median of 12 patients with NP per month. Dermatologists reported that itch (pruritus) was the most common symptom for their patients with NP, followed by hyperpigmentation and sensitive skin. The most burdensome NP symptom was pruritus, followed by burning or hot sensation, and painful or raw skin. The most prescribed treatments included non-medicated skin care, topical corticosteroids, oral antihistamines, medicated topicals, and gabapentin or pregabalin. Physicians reported low satisfaction with available treatments. The most common reason for physicians to discontinue patients’ therapy was lack of response.

The article discusses a pilot study on collaborative management of specialty medications by a dermatologist and pharmacist. The study found that patients prescribed medications post-implementation were more likely to have their first-choice medication approved in a shorter time, with a decrease in time to first fill by almost a week. The close collaboration between the dermatologist and pharmacist, along with enhanced patient support, played a key role in the success of the program, showing potential benefits for clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and healthcare costs. The study acknowledges limitations in generalizability due to the focus on a single dyad and suggests further research to explore the program's impact on clinical outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

Jing Fan,1,2,&ast; Shiyuan Li,3,&ast; Yan Qiang,1,&ast; Zhen Duan,3 Albert Wu,2 Ruiping Wang1– 3 1Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Skin Diseases Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA; 3School of Public Health, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ruiping Wang, Email w19830901@126.comIntroduction: Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process involving both healthcare providers and patients in making medical decisions, which gains increasing prominence in healthcare practice. But evidence on the level of SDM in medical practice and barriers as well as stimulus during the SDM implementation among aesthetic dermatologists is limited in China.Methods: From July to August 2023, 1938 dermatologists were recruited online in China. Data were collected through an electronic questionnaire covering: (1) demographic features; (2) SDM questionnaire physician version (SDM-Q-Doc); and (3) stimulus and barriers in SDM implementation. Logistic regression was applied to explore factors associated with SDM practice, barriers, and stimulus of SDM implementation, respectively.Results: The 1938 dermatologists included 1329 females (68.6%), with an average age of 35 years. The total SDM score ranged from 0 to 45, with a median value of 40 (IQR: 35– 44), and the median stimulus score and barriers scores were 28 (IQR: 24– 32) and 19 (IQR: 13– 26), respectively. The prevalence of good SDM was 27.2%, logistic regression indicated that female dermatologists (odds ratio, OR=1.21, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.96– 1.51), and dermatologists with more years of aesthetic practice had a higher proportion of good SDM practice (OR was 1.44 for 5– 9 years, 1.58 for 10– 15 years and 1.77 for over 15 years). Moreover, female dermatologists and dermatologists with higher education level and serviced in private settings had lower barrier scores; female dermatologists and dermatologists with more years of aesthetic practice had higher stimulus scores.Conclusion: Chinese aesthetic dermatologists appear to implement SDM at an active level, with more stimulus and less barriers in SDM implementation. The integration of SDM into clinical practice among dermatologists is beneficial both for patients and dermatologists. Moreover, SDM practice should be strongly promoted and enhanced during medical aesthetics, especially among male dermatologists, dermatologists with less working experience, and those who work at public institutions.Keywords: shared decision making, dermatologist, good practice, barriers, stimulus

Wound healing treatment is a challenging strategy in skin drug delivery due to its complexities. During wound healing stages, fibroblasts deposit extracellular matrix components, which majority is collagen. Issues related to collagen production, including scar formation, and delayed wound healing are essential in wound healing research. Hence, recent studies have focused on assessing macroscopic and microscopic collagen fibers qualitatively and quantitatively. Macroscopic analysis of collagen includes two-dimensional (2D) photographs, planimetric assessments, ultrasonic imaging, and 3D scanning of wounds; as well as histology-based microscopically scoring. Thus, the quantitative assessment of collagen involves Scar Index quantification and collagen content measurement using ImageJ. To date, a comprehensive analysis combining those methods could provide insight for pharmacists, dermatologists, and skin researchers to conduct a precise assessment of the wound healing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on hair growth promotion skills for hair dressers and nutrition requirements for hair growth of females in Umunneochi local government area (LGA) of Abia State. Specifically, the study aimed to examine the practices that promote human hair growth, assess the importance of human hair growth, determine the effect of poor nutrition on hair and identify the skills of hairdressers to promote hair growth. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Population for the study was 2,800. Sample for the study was 200 using a multistage sampling techniques involving simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using mean. The result of the study examined six practices that promote human hair growth, six importance of human hair, eight effects of poor nutrition on hair and eleven hairdressers’ skills were identified. It was suggested that adolescents and mothers should be encouraged to eat recommended diets to suit their age; they should maintain a good hairdresser; and they should consult a dermatologist at regular intervals and follow their advice.

Background: Dermatoscopy has been established as an important diagnostic tool for a wide range of skin diseases. This study aims to evaluate the use of dermatoscopy in clinical practice among Greek dermatologists. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire-based survey was conducted collecting data on the frequency of dermatoscopic examinations, the types of lesions examined, training and educational resources, as well as factors influencing the choice to incorporate dermatoscopy into daily clinical routines. Results: A total of 366 Greek dermatologists participated in the survey. Most of the respondents reported the daily use of dermatoscopy in their practice. Pigmented and non-pigmented lesions, inflammatory diseases, cutaneous infectious, hair disorders, and nail lesions were the most common indications for dermatoscopy. Factors influencing the utilization of dermatoscopy included increased diagnostic accuracy, enhanced patient care, better patient communication and general compliance, and improved satisfaction among dermatologists. Conclusions: This national questionnaire-based study demonstrates that dermatoscopy has become an integral part of daily dermatological practice in Greece. The findings highlight the significance of structured training and education to promote dermoscopy's effective and routine use. Incorporating dermatoscopy into clinical practice not only improves diagnostic precision but also enhances patient care, contributing to the overall quality of dermatological services in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Scientific evidence supports dermoscopy as an essential tool in dermatological diagnosis. Objectives: The objective is to know the factors that influence its use in Chilean dermatologists. Materials and Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. An adapted version of the survey was submitted from the pan-European study by Forsea et.al. to members of the Chilean Society of Dermatology, between September and December 2020. Analysis using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis with ordinal logistic regression looking for factors associated with greater use of. Results: 198 responses, mean age 46.3 years and 14.6 years on average practicing as dermatologists. 61.6% trained in dermoscopy during their residency. 98% use a dermatoscope. More than 80% consider dermoscopy useful for the diagnosis of melanomas, follow-up of melanocytic lesions, and diagnosis of pigmented and non-pigmented tumors. Between 50% and 70% consider it useful for monitoring non-melanocytic lesions, nail and hair pathologies. Greater confidence when evaluating pigmented and non-pigmented tumors and capillary pathology. Adjusting for age, sex, confidence, and education, participation in teaching was associated with greater use of dermoscopy in non-pigmented and pigmented tumors, and capillary pathology. Conclusions: Percentage of participation in the survey and training in dermoscopy higher than in the reference study, recognizing the usefulness of dermoscopy for the diagnosis and follow-up of tumor pathologies. Participating in teaching is a strong independent factor that is associated with a greater use of dermoscopy in Chile. Dermoscopy is positioned as a tool widely used by Chilean dermatologists in their daily practice.

Introduction: CRP/albümin ratio (CAR) has been lately demonstrated as a prognostic factor and an indicator of disease activity, severity and prognosis in solid organ malignancies and inflammatory diseases. However, the effects of CAR have not been investigated in mycosis fungoides (MF) patients yet. This study aimed to determine the potential role of CAR as a diagnostic and a prognostic indicator in MF. Methods:We retrospectively investigated the electronic medical records of 97 patients with MF admitted to the Dermatology Clinic of Ankara Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital between January 2014 and December 2020. In total, 60 patients with MF were enrolled in the study. CAR was evaluated, patient and control group. Also, the other clinicopathological factors including age, lactate dehydrogenase, stage of disease, beta-2-microglobulin levels, and sedimentation levels were evaluated. Results: The median value of CAR was 0.85 (0.10-7.51) in the patient group, whereas it was 0.39 (0.0-1.11)in the control group(P0.05). Conclusion: There is no association between the CAR and progression in the stage in MF patients. But the CAR is significantly higher in patients with MF than in the control group. The CAR can be a guide for us in cases where we have difficulty in diagnosing.

BackgroundHidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is associated with comorbidities that contribute to poor health, impaired life quality, and mortality risk.ObjectiveTo provide evidence-based screening recommendations for comorbidities linked to HS.MethodsSystematic reviews were performed to summarize evidence on the prevalence and incidence of 30 comorbidities in patients with HS relative to the general population. The screening recommendation for each comorbidity was informed by the consistency and quality of existing studies, disease prevalence, and magnitude of association, as well as benefits, harms, and feasibility of screening. The level of evidence and strength of corresponding screening recommendation were graded by using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) criteria.ResultsScreening is recommended for the following comorbidities: acne, dissecting cellulitis of the scalp, pilonidal disease, pyoderma gangrenosum, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, suicide, smoking, substance use disorder, polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, spondyloarthritis, and sexual dysfunction. It is also recommended to screen patients with Down syndrome for HS. The decision to screen for specific comorbidities may vary with patient risk factors. The role of the dermatologist in screening varies according to comorbidity.LimitationsScreening recommendations represent one component of a comprehensive care strategy.ConclusionsDermatologists should support screening efforts to identify comorbid conditions in HS.

BACKGROUND: Due to the increased use of artificial turf, turf burn has become a common sports injury. Turf burn is caused by exposed skin sliding on artificial turf. Health complications, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreaks, sepsis, and pneumonia, have been linked to untreated turf burns, and many athletes have been turning to social media for advice and companionship regarding their sports injuries. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to categorize and quantitatively assess the percentage of turf burn-related posts on TikTok based on creator type, content, athletes experiences, and treatment and prevention methods. With these data, we not only investigate if there is room for health care professionals to assist in the distribution of evidence-based health education to athletes to counteract misinformation but also investigate if there is a potential audience of athletes on TikTok who have the potential to develop problematic responses to injuries. METHODS: By using the Discover page on TikTok, we searched for the term turf burn on October 17, 2021. In total, 100 videos were analyzed. Videos were categorized and analyzed based on creator type, content, experiences of the athletes, and treatment and prevention methods. The number of likes and comments was recorded. RESULTS: Most videos (98/100, 98%) were created by athletes. A small number of videos (2/100, 2%) were created by health care professionals. In terms of content, most videos (67/100, 67%) displayed turf burns. A small amount of videos (15/100, 15%) showed the incidents when turf burns were acquired, while around one-quarter of the videos (23/100, 23%) demonstrated the treatment and prevention of turf burns. Of the 23 treatment and prevention videos, a minority (4/23, 17%) showed the preferred treatment of turf burns, while most videos (19/23, 83%) showed nonpreferred treatments. The smallest amount of videos (2/100, 2%) were about turf burn education. Most of the videos created by athletes (56/98, 57%) depicted the negative experiences that patients had with turf burns. Some videos (37/98, 38%) depicted neutral experiences, while the smallest amount of videos (5/98, 5%) depicted positive experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that there is a potential audience of athletes on TikTok who could develop problematic responses to sports injuries, such as turf burns, as most of the people who post videos are athletes, and many of the posts demonstrate negative experiences associated with turf burns. TikTok is a growing social media platform that should be studied to determine if it can be used to create a social support group for injured athletes to prevent the progression of negative emotional responses into problematic responses. Physicians should also have a role in establishing their social media presence on TikTok and offering evidence-based advice to athletes while disproving misinformation on TikTok.

To investigate the extent to which dermatologists are involved in innovative dermatology start-up companies, we analyzed the Pitchbook database which covers private capital markets. From January 1, 2010 to June 23, 2021, there were 105 dermatology companies, of which six (5.7%) had a dermatologist chief executive officer (CEO), 16 (15.2%) had a dermatologist founder, and 19 (18.1%) had a dermatologist advisor or board member. There were 98 dermatologists with leadership positions, including six (6.1%) CEOs, 21 (21.4%) founders, 11 (11.2%) chief medical officers (CMOs), and 60 (61.2%) advisors. Our findings highlight the underrepresentation of dermatologists in start-up ventures relating to dermatology.

Background: Patients with lesions suspicious for skin cancer often present to primary care physicians (PCPs), who may have limited training in skin cancer diagnosis. Objective: To measure the impact of an adjunctive handheld device for PCPs that employs elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS) on the diagnosis and management of skin cancer. Methods: Fifty-seven PCPs evaluated 50 clinical images of skin lesions (25 malignant and 25 benign), first without and then with knowledge of the handheld ESS device output, and in each case indicated if a lesion was likely to be benign or malignant. Results: The diagnostic sensitivity of the PCPs with and without the use of the ESS device was 88% (95% CI, 84%-92%) and 67% (95% CI, 62%-72%), respectively (P <.0001). In contrast, no significant difference was observed in the diagnostic specificity. The management sensitivity of the physicians with and without the use of the ESS device was 94% (95% CI, 91%-96%) and 81% (95% CI, 77%-85%), respectively (P =.0009). Similarly, no significant difference was observed in the management specificity. Conclusion: The use of the ESS device may have the potential to help improve skin cancer diagnosis and confidence in management decision-making in a primary care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several factors might affect career choice. Limited studies have been conducted to explore these factors among dermatologists. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine prevalent career preferences among Saudi dermatologists and assess the factors associated with those preferences. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: An online questionnaire was disseminated among 110 Saudi dermatologists who graduated from the national or international dermatology boards in Saudi Arabia between April and July 2020. Main Outcome Measures: Dermatologists' career choices and associated factors after dermatology board training. Results: Out of the participating dermatologists, 50% were females, and 50% were males. A total of 80% of participants were married, and 74.5% had children. 43.6% of dermatologists decided to pursue academic careers postresidency, 35.5% opted for private practice, and 20.9% opted for governmental clinical practice (Ministry of Health [MOH]/non-MOH). Gaining new skills, a perceived favorable job market, and earning/income potential was the most common motive for pursuing a fellowship, whereas geographic distribution and working hours were the least common motives. Participants aged 46 years and above had a 6.02-fold (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.50-24.15) higher odds of choosing clinical practice over academics compared to participants aged 30-35 years. Having children was associated with a 2.83-fold (95% CI: 1.07-7.50) higher odds of choosing clinical practice over academic. Conclusions: The surveyed dermatologists preferred clinical practice just after residency. After finishing their residency, more than half of the respondents decided to pursue a fellowship. The most important reasons for pursuing a fellowship are the acquisition of new skills and the enhancement of employment opportunities, whereas prestige is the least essential factor. Older age and having children were strongly associated with the odds of choosing clinical practice over academic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dermatology workforce includes physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician associates/assistants (PAs). The number of dermatologists is growing slowly while the growth of PAs working in dermatology is rapid and accelerating. To understand their characteristics, a descriptive study of PAs practicing in dermatology utilizing the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) workforce dataset on PA practices was undertaken. NCCPA certifies PAs who practice in the United States and queries them about their role, employment, salary, and job satisfaction. Analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and Mann–Whitney tests for comparisons between PAs practicing in dermatology versus the total of all other PA specialties. As of 2021, 4,580 certified PAs reported practicing in dermatology—a nearly twofold increase since 2013, when 2323 worked in the specialty. This cohort's median age was 39 years, and 82% were female. Almost all (91.5%) are office based, and 81% work more than 31 h per week. The median salary was $125,000 (2020 dollars). Dermatology PAs work fewer hours and see more patients than their counterparts compared to all 69 PA specialties. At the same time, dermatology PAs are more satisfied and less burnt out when compared to all PAs. The increased number of PAs selecting dermatology as their discipline can help lessen the projected physician shortage in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World Health Organization (WHO) records that skin cancer has vigorously affected people in recent decades. Worldwide, many people are affected by skin cancer, and its affected count will increase yearly. Hence, skin cancer has become a threatening disease. Skin cancer prediction at an earlier time is becoming the higher priority and most challenging task worldwide. A computer-based diagnosis is needed to perform the automatic prognosis of skin cancer. It assists dermatologists in many ways, including the prediction of skin cancer at the earlier stages, easy to diagnose and effective. Nowadays, artificial intelligencebased machine learning approaches have been implemented for an early prediction of cancer in the skin through medical images. This paper is focused on a detailed, comprehensive review of skin cancer analysis, forecast, and algorithmic-based procedures for classifying skin diseases. Moreover, this review paper focused on various stages of algorithm approaches for skin tumor detection like pre-processing data, segmenting data, feature selection, and disease classifier. This detailed review of neoplasm diseases like cancer on the skin is done based on machine and deep learning algorithms to help further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the clinical diagnostic accuracy of dermatologists and non-dermatologists in the diagnosis of dermatological diseases. Method: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dermatopathology department of a tertiary healthcare hospital in the Punjab province of Pakistan from January 1 to December 31, 2019, and comprised biopsy specimens of patients with diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The clinical diagnoses of general surgeons, otolaryngologists, dental/maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons and gynaecologists were noted and compared with those of dermatologists in the light of histopathological findings. Data was analysed using SPSS 16. Results: Of the 386 specimens submitted, 113(29.3%) were sent by dermatologists and 273(70.7%) by non-dermatologists. Clinical diagnostic accuracy of dermatologists 92(81.4%) compared to non-dermatologists 137(50.2%) (p0.05). In the neoplastic category, no significant difference was found in the clinical accuracy of dermatologists and plastic surgeons (p=0.347). Conclusions: The specialised skills of dermatologists could not be matched by any other group of physicians. Key Words: Diagnostic accuracy, Dermatologist, Surgical excision, Dermatological diseases, Histopathological diagnosis.

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating, and painful inflammatory skin disease that significantly and negatively impacts patients' quality of life. The prevalence of HS in the USA is estimated to be 0.10%, with worldwide reports suggesting a prevalence closer to 1%. There is limited real-world evidence available on the care of patients with HS. We aimed to evaluate the trends in clinical care and treatment in the patient population with HS in the USA in a real-world setting. Methods: A cohort study was conducted using claims data from IBM MarketScan Databases, including the US Commercial Claims and Encounters with Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits (CCAE+MDCR) database and IBM US Medicaid database. Results: The annual prevalence of HS increased from 0.06% (2008) to 0.14% (2017), and from 0.17% (2008) to 0.31% (2017) among CCAE+MDCR and Medicaid patients, respectively. Dermatologist visits increased from 31.9% (2008) to 47.8% (2019) in CCAE+MDCR patients, and decreased from 10.9% (2008) to 8.5% (2018) in Medicaid patients. Opioid use decreased from 45.4% (2008) to 25.5% (2019) among CCAE+MDCR patients, and from 71.3% (2008) to 48.1% (2018) among Medicaid patients. Only 8.4% of CCAE+MDCR patients and 5.8% of Medicaid patients were exposed to any biologic in 2018. Conclusions: Improved care and treatment of HS over the last decade, including the emergence of new treatments, have been accompanied by an increase in awareness and reported prevalence of the disease. However, there are still gaps in access to dermatologic care and low utilization of biologic therapies among patients with HS. Infographic: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 is a pandemic disease that spreads rapidly. The World Health Organization recommended social distancing to prevent disease transmission. Telemedicine was one of the most important tools used during the pandemic to provide health-care services. Different clinics, including dermatology clinics, tended to use telehealth and online tools. In addition, various dermatological conditions were diagnosed and treated by family physicians using the telemedicine applications of the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH). Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of family physicians using telemedicine to diagnose and manage different dermatological conditions. Specifically, we aimed to identify the common dermatological conditions that family physicians faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the use of the various telemedicine applications launched by the Saudi MOH. We also intended to assess the need for dermatologists in the telemedicine applications of the Saudi MOH and suggest possible improvements to the telemedicine process and related Saudi MOH applications for sustainable online health care. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted across Saudi Arabia among family physicians and general practitioners to assess their perception of using telemedicine for dermatology-related consultations. The self-administered survey questionnaire contained 16 questions in five sections. Results: A total of 302 family medicine and general physicians completed the questionnaire. Altogether, 165 (54.6%) physicians reported that they had never used telemedicine before the COVID-19 pandemic, while 12.9% reported frequent to continuous use. During the pandemic, 86.8% of family and general physicians used telemedicine for dermatological consultations. The most used methods were phone calls (57.6%) and the SEHA application (42.7%). A total of 96.4% of participants reported that they dealt with dermatological conditions before the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, about 99% of family physicians reported that they faced difficulty diagnosing dermatology-related consultations. Telemedicine was frequently used by all physicians in the central region compared with 76.7% of those in the western region (P = 0.035). Conclusion: Family physicians in Saudi Arabia increased their telemedicine practicing during the pandemic. Different telemedicine tools were used, such as phone calls, virtual clinics, and Saudi MOH applications (SEHA, TETAMMAN, TABAUD, TAWAKKALNA). The majority of family physicians faced difficulty diagnosing dermatological conditions. In addition, most reported that dermatologists should be part of health-care facilities and telemedicine centers to deal with dermatology-related consultations.

Government-backed medical insurance plans have undergone significant changes in the last decade, but more information is needed to understand reimbursement trends, particularly for specialist medical services. The objective of this study was to identify the ratios of submitted dermatology service charges to allowed Medicare payments over the years. Further variables studied include regional or state variations, gender of provider, hierarchical condition category (HCC) risk scores of patient complexity, and number of services. Data were collected from publicly available Medicare Part B Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier 2012–2017 datasets. All data analysis was performed on SAS 9.4 Statistical Software. Total dermatology related medicare charges-to-payment ratios steadily increased over the years (1.77 [in 2012], 1.82 [2013], 1.87 [2014], 1.95 [2015], 2.02 [2016], and 2.06 [2017]). This suggests that for every $2.06 charged in 2017, dermatology providers could expect $1 of actual payment. When further stratified into medical services vs. drug services, this upward trend remained for medical charges but drug service ratios have remained constant. There was also significant geographic variation in total medicare charges-to-payment ratios as states in the Midwest (mean total ratio: 2.48) had higher charges to payment gaps than states in the Northeast (2.26), West (2.16), and South (1.99; p = 0.01). This study identifies trends and variables associated with dermatology medicare payments. Providers may use this information to better understand changing payment structures in their own practices and hopefully these results can be valuable in future policy discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teledermoscopy has demonstrated benefits such as decreased costs and enhanced access to dermatology care for skin cancer detection. However, the heterogeneity among teledermoscopy studies hinders the systematic reviews' synopsis of diagnostic outcomes, impeding trust and adoption in general practice and limiting overall health care benefits., Objective: This study aims to improve understanding and standardization of teledermoscopy diagnostic studies, by identifying and categorizing study characteristics contributing to heterogeneity. Subsequently, the variability and consistency of these characteristics were assessed., Methods: A review of systematic reviews regarding the diagnostic outcomes of teledermoscopy was performed to discern reported study characteristics contributing to heterogeneity. These characteristics were thematically grouped into 3 domains (population, index test, and reference standard), forming a data extraction framework. A scoping review on teledermoscopy diagnostic outcomes studies was performed, guided by the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist. Data pertaining to study characteristics from included studies were extracted and analyzed through descriptive content analysis. Systematic reviews' reference lists validated the scoping review query., Results: The literature search yielded 4 systematic reviews, revealing 15 heterogeneous studies across the population, index test, and reference standard domains. The scoping review identified 49 studies, with 27 overlapping with the systematic reviews. Population characteristics varied, with one-third (16/49, 33%) of studies reporting fewer than 100 samples; most studies (41/49, 84%) reported on the type of lesion, and most (20/49, 41%) teledermoscopy consultations took place in secondary care. One-fifth (11/49, 22%) did not describe inclusion or exclusion criteria, or the criteria varied highly. Index test characteristics showed differences in clinical expertise, profession, and training in dermatoscopic photography, and 59% (29/49) did not report on 1 or more index test characteristics. Image quality and clinical information reporting likewise varied. Reference standard characteristics involved teledermatologists' assessment, but 16 studies did not report teledermatologists' experience levels. Most studies (26/49, 53%) used histopathology as a gold standard., Conclusions: The heterogeneity in the population, index tests, and reference standard domains across teledermoscopy diagnostic outcome studies underscores the need for standardized reporting. This hinders the synopsis of teledermoscopy diagnostic outcomes in systematic reviews and limits the integration of research results into practice. Adopting a (tailored) STARD (Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) checklist for teledermoscopy diagnostic outcome studies is recommended to enhance the consistency and comparability of outcomes. We suggest performing a Delphi study to gather consensus on the tailored STARD guideline., (©Femke van Sinderen, Anne P Langermans, Andre W Kushniruk, Elizabeth M Borycki, Monique M Jaspers, Linda W Peute. Originally published in JMIR Dermatology (http://derma.jmir.org), 18.10.2024.)