Monthly Archives

June 2019

Skin of Color Update Announces 2019 Didactic, Case-Based Lectures, Hands-On-Training and Live Demonstrations

By Skin of Color Update Agenda
SOCU attendees in general session

The medical education event focused on the dermatologic treatment of skin of color has a new name. Skin of Color Update, previously the Skin of Color Seminar Series, provides dermatologists with evidence-based research and practical pearls in treating skin of color, including patients with multiracial backgrounds.

“Just as the treatment of skin of color has evolved, this event has also evolved,” says Skin of Color Update co-chair and founding dermatologist Eliot Battle, MD. “Thanks to audience feedback, nearly all general sessions will have additional time for Q&A, making this year’s event the most interactive yet.”

Skin of Color Update will now be held annually in the fall. The 2019 event will be held September 7 and 8 at the Crowne Plaza Times Square in New York.

Skin of Color Update uses a didactic, case-based approach through lectures, hands-on-training and live demonstrations. Co-founding dermatologist Andrew Alexis, MD, also serves as an event co-chair. Common skin, hair and nail conditions in diverse populations will be covered. In addition, advanced treatment protocols for pigmentary and hair disorders will be shared during mini symposiums.

Sessions will address medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. New sessions include:

  • “Challenging Challenges: Hidradenitis Suppurativa and the Skin of Color Patient” with Ted Rosen, MD
  • “Current Understanding and Novel Innovations in Photoprotection” with Henry Lim, MD
  • “Diagnosis and Management of Vitiligo in Skin of Color Patients: Where Do We Stand?” with Pearl Grimes, MD
  • Laser and Device-Based Treatment of Scars” with Paul Friedman, MD
  • “Surgical Approaches for Keloids” with Maritza Perez, MD

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View the full agenda

Patient Buzz: At-Home Laser Hair Removal – The Expert Weighs In

By Media Coverage, Uncategorized
At Home Laser Hair Removal Devices. Are they safe and effective?

Marie Clairerecently posted a list of the magazine’s top devices for at-home laser hair removal, noting their budget-friendly appeal. But are these devices safe and effective? How should you counsel your patients?

For an expert opinion, I consulted dermatologist Eliot F. Battle Jr., MD, CEO and co-founder of Cultura Dermatology & Laser Center in Washington, D.C., clinical instructor in the Howard University Department of Dermatology, and Co-Chair of the Skin of Color Update.

How do at-home laser hair removal devices compare in effectiveness with in-office laser hair removal?

At-home laser hair removal devices have now been available for more than a decade. Just like most gadgets, you get what you pay for, so buyer beware. The devices range from using an intense pulsed light source to using actual diode lasers, although with a much lower energy source then office-based devices. Regardless of which device patients choose, at-home devices do not compare with the efficacy and speed of office-based laser systems. At-home devices are very slow. Because of the amount of time it takes to treat an area and their decrease in efficacy as compared with office-based lasers, I view at-home devices more as “hair-growth delay” devices than “hair-reduction” devices. They can be used alone or as maintenance treatments to office-based hair removal. The main limitations are they are best utilized on smaller areas and are contraindicated on patients with skin of color or tanned skin.

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