Feb 04
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Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Patients with Skin of Color

By Sessions

hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is one of the most difficult-to-treat, chronic inflammatory diseases in dermatology, particularly for patients with skin of color. At Skin of Color Update, Tiffany Mayo, MD, led a case-based discussion highlighting earlier recognition, holistic management, and existing and emerging therapies for HS. She emphasized a simple, highly sensitive screening question to reduce diagnostic delays, which currently average 7–10 years, and reviewed the complex immunologic pathogenesis and systemic comorbidities associated with HS.

This session summary outlines practical takeaways, including the importance of reducing patient stigma by reframing misconceptions about causation, while setting realistic expectations — HS is a chronic, noninfectious disease requiring long-term management. Updated U.S. and European guidelines now support a structured, severity-based approach to treatment, incorporating both flare management and maintenance care. Dr. Mayo’s session emphasized holistic, patient-centered care and emerging therapies that can help reduce delays and improve outcomes.

Jan 29
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Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in Patients With Skin of Color

By Medical Dermatology

psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in skin of color

Psoriasis doesn’t look the same on every skin tone—and recognizing that matters. Dr. Mona Shahriari, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine, encourages clinicians to broaden their psoriasis color palette to improve diagnosis and care of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in skin of color.

In a video interview with Next Steps in Derm, Dr. Shahriari shares:

  • Key clues for diagnosing psoriasis in skin of color
  • The clinical domains of psoriatic arthritis and how early recognition can reduce diagnostic and treatment delays
  • Research insights on scalp psoriasis
  • How pigmentary sequelae impact quality of life

This is a must-watch for clinicians committed to more equitable care of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in skin of color.

Be on the lookout for more video interviews with Skin of Color Update faculty that will be posted to the blog in the coming months.

Jan 23
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Recent Dermatology Drug Approvals: SOCU in the News

By Medical Dermatology

recent dermatology drug approvals

Dermatologists have an increasing number of FDA-approved drugs at their disposal, including therapeutics for patients with skin of color. In an article by the American Journal of Managed Care, Skin of Color Update Conference Co-Chair Andrew F. Alexis, MD, FAAD, gave an update on recent drug approvals in dermatology, including atopic dermatitis (AD), hidradenitis suppurativa, and plaque psoriasis.

The article, which covered Dr. Alexis’s Skin of Color Update session on recent drug approvals, highlighted the approval of tapinarof cream 1% for AD in patients age 2 and older. In the phase 3 ADORING trials, nearly half of treated patients achieved clear or almost clear skin by week 8, with durable, treatment-free intervals observed in longer-term data. Importantly, efficacy and safety were consistent across racial and ethnic subgroups.

Other newly approved topical therapies include roflumilast foam for plaque psoriasis, delgocitinib cream as the first steroid-free topical JAK inhibitor for chronic hand eczema in adults, and ruxolitinib cream for moderate AD in young children, all demonstrating statistically significant improvements versus vehicle and good tolerability, including in diverse patient populations.

The article also covered advances in biologics. Lebrikizumab, an IL-13 inhibitor for moderate-to-severe AD, showed durable skin clearance and improvements in hyperpigmentation. Nemolizumab, targeting the IL-31 receptor, improved skin clearance in AD when combined with topical therapies. For HS, bimekizumab demonstrated sustained efficacy through 48 weeks. Additionally, dupilumab received new approvals for chronic spontaneous urticaria and bullous pemphigoid, marking major progress for conditions with historically limited treatment options.

Dr. Alexis is quoted as saying it was an “extraordinary year” in dermatology. The new therapies are already influencing clinical practice and appearing in clinical guidelines, resulting in meaningful advances for conditions that disproportionately affect patients with skin of color.

Jan 15
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Insurance Coverage of Hair Loss Treatments: JDD Buzz

By Medical Dermatology

insurance coverage of hair loss treatments

Hair loss treatments are in demand in 2026, including by patients of color. Dermatologists have a robust toolbox of prescription therapies, yet with any remedy in dermatology, insurance coverage is crucial for adherence. Unfortunately, insurers often deem hair loss therapies cosmetic despite their quality of life impact. Without insurance coverage of hair loss treatments, patients must decide if they’re willing to make financial sacrifices to regrow hair and improve their self-esteem.

A recent Journal of Drugs in Dermatology editorial analyzes insurance coverage of hair loss treatments and the impact on patients, including the underserved. In a Next Steps in Derm Commentary, author Kimberly S. Salkey, MD, shares her analysis of coverage by the top five largest health insurance companies by number of insured members. Dr. Salkey brings attention to this treatment barrier and provides tips for helping patients gain access when insurance coverage is denied.

Jan 07
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Alopecia Care for Head-Covering Women

By Medical Dermatology

head-covering women

For head-covering women, hair loss can have profound psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual consequences. In fact, emotional distress and fear of feeling exposed can lead these women to delay care. A poster presented at Skin of Color Update shares the experiences of head-covering women with alopecia and how dermatology should adapt to provide more respectful care.

The poster outlines how hair loss in women who wear head coverings is not simply a medical issue. Through qualitative studies, patient narratives, and dermatologic literature, the authors reveal what happens when a person’s hair loss is hidden from public view.  Head-covering women still experience grief, anxiety, and fear of stigma at the loss of hair. Barriers to care commonly include discomfort uncovering hair, lack of privacy, unease with male clinicians, and concerns about clinical photography.

The poster also outlines strategies that can improve care. These strategies include offering same-gender examiners, ensuring private exam spaces, clearly communicating each step of the visit, and respecting patient preferences around modesty and documentation. The poster authors contend that dermatology clinicians should acknowledge the religious and emotional significance of hair and adopt more culturally responsive practices. As such, dermatology clinicians can build trust and reduce delays in diagnosis, which in turn, lead to more compassionate, effective alopecia care.

For an interview with the poster’s lead author, read this Next Steps in Derm commentary.

Dec 30
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HS Deroofing Done Right: ODAC Interview

By Medical Dermatology

HS deroofing

Our sister conference, the ODAC Dermatology Conference, shares this interview on hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) deroofing with Wayne State Dermatology Program Director Dr. Steven Daveluy. Watch as Dr. Daveluy encourages dermatologists to try deroofing. He says dermatologists know how to perform the procedure – they just don’t know that they know! Watch as Dr. Daveluy outlines steps for deroofing as well as which patients make the best candidates for this procedures and others to address HS.

Want to learn more about a multifaceted treatment strategy for HS? Attend Dr. Daveluy’s HS sessions at ODAC:

  • From Biologics to Oral Therapies: An Overview of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Medical Treatment
  • Getting Your Hand Around Hidradenitis Suppurativa: An Interactive Medical–Surgical Hands-On Workshop

ODAC is January 16-19 at the Omni Orlando at ChampionsGate in Orlando. Register today!

Dec 22
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SOCU in the News: Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

By Uncategorized

chronic spontaneous urticaria

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) belongs in the dermatology wheelhouse, according to dermatologist Mona Shahriari, MD, FAAD. In a Medscape article about her Skin of Color Update session on the topic, Dr. Shahriari explains that dermatologists are better trained than allergists in differentiating CSU from other skin disorders.

While CSU is debilitating in patients no matter their skin type, Dr. Shahriari says CSU is especially impactful in patients with skin of color who often have a longer time to diagnosis. In addition, dermatology clinicians are often slower to prescribe stronger, more effective treatments in patients with skin of color as the severity of CSU is more difficult to appreciate in patients with darker skin tones.

In the article, Dr. Shahriari outlines her practical strategies for recognizing CSU and its severity, and she outlines therapies, including the recently approved remibrutinib. Dr. Shahriari recommends dermatologists have a lower threshold in prescribing targeted therapies in patients with CSU when first-line therapies have not shown to be effective.

For more on chronic spontaneous urticaria and other medical dermatology conditions, attend one of our sister conferences, the ODAC Dermatology Conference, to be held in Orlando from January 16-19. ODAC Conference Co-Chair Dr. Adam Friedman will provide a disease state update on CSU. Other ODAC sessions will address hidradenitis suppurativa, lupus and dermatomyositis, and prurigo nodularis – all conditions that are more common in patients with skin of color.

Dec 16
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Great Cases from the JDD: Pincer Nail Deformity

By Uncategorized

pincer nail deformity

Pincer nail deformity is a painful condition in which the toenail’s excessive curvature compresses surrounding tissue, most often affecting the great toe and occurring more frequently in older adults. Standard treatments like nail braces or surgical removal often fail to provide lasting or cosmetically satisfactory results.

Fractionated CO₂ (fCO₂) laser therapy offers a more advanced and precise option by targeting the nail matrix while sparing nearby tissue. However, treating patients with skin of color is more complex due to a higher risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and scarring—complications that can occur in up to 16% of individuals after laser procedures. Advances in laser technology, customized settings, and appropriate aftercare can help reduce these risks, making fCO₂ laser a viable option when tailored to the needs of patients with darker skin tones.

This “Great Cases from the JDD” tells the story of a 78-year-old African-American woman whose pincer nail deformity was corrected by fCO₂ laser.

For more “Great Cases from the JDD,” visit Next Steps in Derm.

Dec 08
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JDD Buzz: Trichologic Evaluations at Head Spas

By Medical Dermatology

head spas

Hair loss patients are now bringing trichoscopic images to their dermatology office visits. The images are taken at head spas, a new type of spa that is opening across the country that provides spa treatments and potentially therapeutic treatments for hair and scalp conditions. A visit may also include a consultation with a trichology professional and trichoscopic imaging. Patients are appearing in dermatologists’ offices with these images, seeking confirmation of the trichologist’s diagnosis.

In this JDD Buzz commentary, the author of a recent study on trichologic evaluations at head spas, shares if the head spa trend is helpful in caring for patients with hair and scalp disorders or whether there are serious downsides. Learn about the quality of trichoscopic images taken at head spas and how to address patients who bring these images to their office visits. Plus read the author’s hopes for the future impact of the head spa trend.

Nov 28
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The National Dermatology Mentorship Match Algorithm

By Aesthetic Dermatology, Medical Dermatology

mentorship

In this Thanksgiving season, we extend gratitude for the experiences and people who shaped us and made us who we are today. For dermatologists, especially those from disadvantaged groups, gratitude may extend to the mentors who provided guidance and encouragement in matching into dermatology.

Therefore, consider paying it forward and serving as a mentor through the National Mentorship Match Algorithm. This unique program, started by dermatology resident Dr. Surya Veerabagu while she was in medical school, uses a proprietary algorithm to match medical students with dermatologists and dermatology residents based on shared experiences and interests. During a one-hour call, mentees gain advice in the dermatology residency application process. The program prioritizes groups that are disadvantaged in the dermatology match process, including underrepresented groups in medicine and medical students without a dermatology home program.

NMMA mentor and advocate Adam Friedman, MD, FAAD, dermatology residency program director at GWU School of Medicine & Health Sciences, encourages dermatology residents and early career dermatologists to volunteer as mentors:

“The broader dermatology community needs you,” Dr. Friedman says. “Independent data show that mentor and home program connections heavily influence match outcomes, especially in the context of the competition heating up even more than ever before (last year boasted the most competitive numbers, with only a 50% match rate for applicants). Formal, scalable mentorship helps level that playing field, which is exactly what NMMA is designed to do.”

For more information on the program and how to get involved, read this article on Next Steps in Derm.

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