All Posts By

Luciana Nofal

Eliot Battle discusses Skin of Color Updates in 2019

Skin of Color Update 2019 Press Coverage

By Media Coverage

NEW YORK (Oct. 16, 2019) Skin of Color Update 2019 continues to receive media coverage from various publications after producing a sold out event.  Skin of Color Update, Sept. 7 & 8, 2019, held at the Crowne Plaza Times Square, hosted an expert faculty with 2 days education, networking and discovery.  This 2-day event attracted over 300 dermatology providers from all over the US. Purchase Skin of Color Update On-demand here.

See what the media has to say about the event and register for Skin of Color Update 2020 before it sells out.

  • The Dermatologist covered Wendy Roberts, MD session on Hair and Scalp Disorders: A Review of Alternative Therapies
  • In an interview with The Dermatologist, Skin of Color Update presenter Cheryl M. Burgess, MD, discusses her lecture on common cosmetic concerns among patients with skin of color and the importance of recognizing adverse reactions. Read more.
  • Sun protection in Skin of Color patients still matters. Find out what Henry Lim, MD had to say in an interview with The Dermatologist regarding his lecture at Skin of Color Update 2019.  Read more.
  • Skin of Color Update speaker Theodore Rosen, MD presented on hidradenitis suppurativa in the black community and the improvement of disease control.  Read an overview of his session here.
  • Andrew Alexis, MD presented clinical findings on new drugs that particularly benefit skin of color patients with acne. Read the overview on Dermatology News.
  • Skin of color poses some unique challenges when it comes to diagnosing atopic dermatitis (AD). In a recent interview, co-founder and co-chair Andrew Alexis, MD discusses his challenges and pearls for treating AD in skin of color.  Read more.
  • Dermatology News recently covered Wendy Roberts, MD Skin of Color Update 2019 presentation on combination treatments for pseudofolliculitis barbae.  Read the interview and more here.
  • Whitening of skin remained charged topic at the recent Skin of Color Update, co-founder and co-chair Eliot F. Battle, Jr. MD lead the discussion with an interesting expert opinion on the topic.  Read more.

Register for Skin of Color Update at the Sheridan Times Square, September 12 and 13, 2020.

Skin of Color Update On Demand Video

Andrew Alexis atopic dermatitis skin of color lecture

Treating Atopic Dermatitis in Patients With Skin of Color

By Media Coverage, Sessions

The Dermatologist recently featured an interview with Dr. Andrew Alexis, Skin of Color Update co-founder and co-chair, regarding his lecture on challenges and pearls of treating atopic dermatitis (AD) inpatients with skin of color.

Associate Editor, Melissa Weiss posed the following questions:

  • What are some of the challenges for diagnosing AD in patients with skin of color?
  • What are your recommendations for clinically assessing AD in patients with skin of color?
  • What are your recommendations and treatment considerations for AD?
  • Do you discuss options for a patient who want to treat AD-associated pigmentary changes?
  • Are there any other key takeaways you would like dermatologists to leave our audience with?

 

Visit The Dermatologist to read Dr. Alexis’s answers and more.

Missed Skin of Color Update 2019? Purchase this lecture and more on-demand.

Skin of Color Update On Demand Video

Skin Lightening at Skin of Color Update Eliot Battle

Skin Lightening in Skin of Color Remains Charged Topic

By Media Coverage, Sessions

We recently hosted an expert panel discussion on the topic of skin lightening in skin of color at the 2019 Skin of Color Update.  Skin of Color Update co-chair and co-founder, Eliot F. Battle, MD took an informal audience poll and the results will surprise you.

“How many of you think total body skin whitening is wrong?” Dr. Battle asked the audience for a show of hands.  The majority of the audience raised their hand.

“How many think breast augmentation is wrong?” he asked. “How many think changing your hair color is wrong? Before we cast judgment, let’s think a little about how our patients feel.”

Should physicians provide total body skin whitening for cosmetic purposes or should skin lightening be provided only for clinical indications, like melasma?

Dr. Pearl Grimes and Dr. Cheryl Burgess weighed in on this charged topic to provide compelling commentary.  Read their insights and more here. Coverage provided by MDedge |Dermatology.

Purchase Skin of Color On-Demand Below

Skin of Color Update On Demand Video

 

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology Andrew Alexis MD MPH Skin of color Update Award from JDD

ANDREW F. ALEXIS, MD, MPH, PRESENTED WITH INNOVATIONS AWARD

By Media Coverage

NEW YORK (Sept. 9, 2019)– The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (JDD) presented dermatologist Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, with the Innovations in Dermatology Award at Skin of Color Update, held September 7 and 8 in New York. The award recognizes individuals who have fostered innovation and improvement in dermatology through increased emphasis on education and research.

“Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH is committed and passionate — not only about being the best dermatologist he can be – but also about bringing skin of color education to dermatology,” said Shelley Tanner, CEO and president of SanovaWorks, which produces the JDD and Skin of Color Update. “Through his efforts, the changing landscape of patients can now thrive through treatment and management plans that address their specific needs.”

“Dr. Alexis is the top innovator in the dermatologic and cosmetic treatment of patients with skin of color,” said dermatologist Eliot F. Battle, MD, co-chair of Skin of Color Update along with Dr. Alexis. “His decades of pioneering research in dermatology have led to the development of new procedures and products that address a wide range of dermatologic conditions. He compassionately treats his patients, shares his expertise by presenting throughout the world and gives back through mentoring the next generation of dermatologists and researchers. I am honored to serve alongside this distinguished innovator.”

Dr. Alexis is chair of the department of dermatology and director of the Skin of Color Center at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West, New York. As such, he is actively involved in advancing patient care, research and education pertaining to dermatologic disorders that are prevalent in ethnic skin. He is also professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Alexis is the co-founder and co-chair of SOCU, now in it’s 10th year.

Read more.

 

Diversity in Dermatology Residency application Process

Diversity in the Specialty of Dermatology

By SOC Manuscripts

Dermatology has the most expensive residency application process.  Refinery29 recently published an editorial article on diversity in dermatology, looking at medical school, residency and training. Nathan Rojek, MD and Next Steps in Dermatology reviewed the dermatology residency application process and put the statistics into numbers.

Dermatology is at high risk of becoming a specialty comprised of physicians that do not come close to representing the socio-economic diversity of the patients in this country. It is critical that those of us in the dermatology community make the necessary changes to attract the most promising medical students from all walks of life; otherwise we risk alienating the people we’ve vowed to help.

 

Read more.

Purchase Skin of Color Update On-Demand. Click below.

Skin of Color Update On Demand Video
Excerpt provided with permission. Originally published by Next Steps in Dermatology. All rights reserved.

Annual Skin of Color Issue from the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (JDD)

By SOC Manuscripts
JDD Cover Image

US Dermatologists, Dermatology Residents and Dermatology NP and PAs can create a free account on JDDonline.com to read the following Skin of Color annual issue highlights:

Patient-focused Solutions in Rosacea Management: Treatment Challenges in Special Patient Groups by Ahuva Cices MD and Andrew F. Alexis MD MPH aims to expand awareness of the impact of rosacea on QoL of patients of all ages, genders, and skin types. (CE credit is available)

Myths and Knowledge Gaps in the Aesthetic Treatment of Patients With Skin of Color, Andrew Alexis, MD et al.,  identifies knowledge gaps and myths concerning facial aesthetic treatment in individuals with SOC.

An online study was designed to survey facial aesthetic concerns, treatment priorities, and future treatment considerations in 2 companion articles, Understanding the Female Hispanic and Latino American Facial Aesthetic Patient and Understanding the Female Asian American Facial Aesthetic Patient.

In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy and Tolerability of a Non-Hydroquinone, Multi-Action Skin Tone Correcting Cream Pearl Grimes, MD evaluates an alternative to HQ for improving skin tone.

A Survey-Based Comparison of Sun Safety Practices in a Representative Cohort of the General Public Versus Attendees of a Skin Cancer Screening examines sun-protection practices.

Topical Ozenoxacin Cream 1% for Impetigo: A Review explores the challenges of treating impetigo and growing concern of antimicrobial resistance.

Uncommon localizations of PLEVA pose a diagnostic challenge in An Atypical Presentation of PLEVA: Case Report and Review of the Literature

 

Medical Updates in Skin of Color

Medical Updates in Skin of Color

By Skin of Color Update Agenda

During the 16th Annual ODAC Dermatology, Aesthetics and Surgical Conference, ANGELO LANDRISCINA, MD had the pleasure of taking part in the Resident Career Development Mentorship Program (a program supported by an educational grant from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.). and was paired with Dr. Andrew Alexis, Co-Chair of the Skin of Color Update.

Dr. Alexis lectured on new developments in the treatment of skin of color focusing on two prevalent conditions: hyperpigmentation and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). Below are Dr. Landriscina’s takeaways and pearls from this lecture.

Read more. 

 

Panel discussion at dermatology conference

The Skin Lightening Dilemma: A Candid Conversation with the Experts

By Sessions

This article features a recap of the Skin Lightening Panel at the 2018 Skin of Color Seminar Series, now known as the Skin of Color Update. Dr. Bridget Kaufman, onsite correspondent for the meeting, shares highlights directly from the experts, Drs. Eliot Battle, Seemal Desai and Valerie Callender.

Each panelist started with a PowerPoint presentation on skin lightening, followed by a panel discussion. Rather than reporting on the session chronologically, I have divided the session into key points. Under each key point, I have indicated each faculty member’s contributions and opinions on the topic.  *Clinical pearls* from this session are bolded, underlined and marked with asterisks.

Read more.

Poster Session

2018 Scientific Poster Abstracts from Skin of Color Update

By Sessions

A selection of scientific poster abstracts from Skin of Color Seminar Series 2018 (now known as Skin of Color Update.) Thank you to our poster presentations and faculty. 


 

Cutaneous Crohn’s Disease of the Vulva in an Elderly African American Patient

Authors: Leah Wells, MS & David Kent, MD

We present a case of a 79-year-old African American female with painful vulvar ulcers of several years duration. She presented to an OB-GYN and was tested for syphilis, lymphoproliferative granulomatosis, herpes, TB, and fungal infection. Once these etiologies were ruled out, she was referred to dermatology where the knife-like lesions prompted suspicion for cutaneous Crohn’s disease. However, the patient had not been previously diagnosed with Crohn’s and had no gastrointestinal symptoms of the disease. Biopsy revealed non-caseating granulomas, confirming a probable diagnosis of vulvar Crohn’s. The patient was initially treated with oral steroids, and her lesions showed improvement after one month of therapy. Due to the severity of her case, infliximab was recently added to her regimen to further promote healing.
Less than 200 cases of vulvar Crohn’s disease have been reported in the literature. The mean age of onset is 35, making our patient’s advanced age uncommon. Vulvar Crohn’s is often difficult to diagnose, due to the multitude of differential diagnoses for genital ulcers. Further, a significant amount of patients with vulvar Crohn’s disease will not exhibit any gastrointestinal symptoms and vulvar Crohn’s will be the initial manifestation of underlying disease. As a result, many patients suffer from the disease for many years before it is recognized as cutaneous Crohn’s. A biopsy is necessary to achieve definite diagnosis.
Treatment recommendations for vulvar Crohn’s have not been well-established. However, initial treatment often includes metronidazole, steroids, and/or immunosuppressants. Recent case-reports have shown success in treating severe, or refractory, vulvar Crohn’s with infliximab.  Read More

Seemal Desai Melasma Skin of Color Update

Melasma and PIH – Disorders of Hyperpigmentation

By Sessions, Skin of Color Update Agenda

During his talk at the 2018 Skin of Color Seminar Series (now known as the Skin of Color Update), Dr. Seemal Desai discussed the treatment of melasma (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation PIH) with a particular emphasis on new and emerging therapies. Dr. Bridget Kaufman, onsite correspondent for the meeting, shares highlights directly from the talk.  *Clinical pearls* from this session are bolded, underlined, and marked with asterisks.

Dr. Desai started by stressing the importance of having an honest and upfront conversation with your melasma patients about realistic expectations for treatment. *You must emphasize to patients that this is a chronic condition and set their expectations accordingly.*While improvement with treatment is likely, there will always be underlying pigmentary changes even despite treatment. Patients must understand from the beginning that they cannot be cured of this condition.

Dr. Desai then addressed the large vasodilatation/vascular component of melasma. Although the predominant feature of melasma is the hyperpigmented patch, a pink hue becomes apparent after treatment of the brown pigment. Historically, the redness was thought to be a side effect of Modified Kligman’s Formula, but more recent research suggests that this due to an inherent expression of vascular markers in melasma lesions. This vascular component can be treated with low fluence pulsed dye laser; oral tranexamic acid has also been helpful in Dr. Desai’s practice.

Dr. Desai then addressed the relationship between thyroid disease and melasma. There are a few studies showing thyroid disease in patients with recalcitrant melasma. *If, after optimal treatment, a patient does not improve within 3-6 months, you may want to get a free T4 and TSH to screen for thyroid disease.*

So now onto the treatment of melasma! Given that triple combination cream (TCC) is the gold standard therapy for melasma, it makes sense that Dr. Desai started with a discussion of research on this product. A randomized controlled trial of TCC in Southeast and East Asian patients with melasma found that, after 8 weeks of treatment, *TCC was superior to monotherapy with hydroquinone, although it was associated with more adverse effects.* Dr. Desai has found this to be true in his practice and, therefore, he rarely prescribes hydroquinone alone. The retinoid and steroid in TCC help with desquamation and exhibit anti-inflammatory properties that counter the upregulation of prostaglandins and tyrosinase in melasma.

For more pearls like this – register for Skin of Color Update in NYC now before it is sold out.

Read more.

Excerpt provided with permission. Originally published by Next Steps in Dermatology. All rights reserved.