Do hydrolyzed collagen supplements affect skin aging?
In a recently published article in the International Journal of Dermatology, researchers reviewed 19 articles featuring the results of randomized, double-blind, controlled trials to determine the effect of oral hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles.
A total of 1,125 patients were included in the review, 95% of which were women. While the supplement formulation and dosing were not uniform, hydrolyzed collagen supplementation for 90 days was associated with decreased facial wrinkles along with improved skin hydration and elasticity.
Which cosmeceuticals have proven clinical efficacy? Find out inDermWorld Weekly.
DermWorld Insights and Inquiries: Nailing down the treatment for ungual melanoma in situ
In the recent Dermatologic Surgery manuscript “Nail Unit Melanoma In Situ Treated with Mohs Micrographic Surgery,” Dr. Divya Srivastava and her colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center demonstrated the effectiveness of the combination of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and the application of MART-1 staining in the treatment of ungual melanoma in situ (MIS).
The authors present a series of 14 patients diagnosed with nail unit MIS which were treated with MMS employing MART-1 staining over the course of a 10-year period. The entire nail unit was surgically removed, including the proximal nail fold, matrix, nail bed, and hyponychium, with a minimum of 5 mm of tissue from the edge of the clinically evident tumor. MART-1 immunoperoxidase staining was used to define the melanocyte density in the specimens. If positive margins were identified, an additional 3 mm margin was taken and analyzed with the standard MMS technique. Once the patient was cleared of tumor, the excised specimen was sent for permanent section preparation for staging purposes. The average follow-up for the patients was six years. Only one patient developed a recurrence (7.1%). Keep reading!
Young Physician Focus: A little help from my friends
In my interactions with students and budding physicians, there is often one recurring question — why dermatology? What made me choose this specialty over a surgical specialty, primary care, or radiology? Even patients ask me this from time to time. It brings back memories of interviewing for dermatology residency: sitting in a room full of bright-eyed, sweaty-palmed applicants nervously smiling and making small talk, all trying to come up with a sincere but unique answer to this ubiquitous query.
I’m still not sure I have formulated a succinct reply, but one of the things I love about dermatology is the variety of opportunities within the specialty. I primarily practice medical dermatology, but also enjoy surgical and cosmetic dermatology, and have taken steps to incorporate those skillsets into my practice. Early on in my career, I wondered whether private practice medical dermatology would keep me intellectually stimulated (so far, so good), or whether I would regret not delving more into the cosmetic world, where new devices and technologies are evolving at a breakneck pace. It certainly is a challenge to keep abreast of all these new developments, especially with in-person meetings (and the tantalizing exhibitor booths) on hold for the time being. Read more from DermWorld Young Physician Advisor Jenna O’Neill, MD.
Isotretinoin management: Store-and-forward vs. live-interactive telemedicine
Authors of a study published in JAADpiloted a store-and-forward (asynchronous) telemedicine program for isotretinoin management and found that this model led to the same clinical recommendations as a live-interactive (synchronous) model and may improve patient access and clinical productivity.
[Questions about how to code a telehealth visit? Check out the Academy’s Teledermatology Toolkit for flowcharts, coding guides, and more.]
Patients uploaded photographs and completed a questionnaire in an online portal, which was then viewed and responded to by the physician. Overall, 77.5% of visits were completed asynchronously without requiring conversion to a synchronous telemedicine visit. Dosing outcomes were not different between the two telemedicine models.
Learn more about how to care for isotretinoin patients during the pandemic in the Academy’s COVID-19 Resource Center.
Derm Coding Consult: Audits for skin biopsies, repairs on the rise
Academy members have reported to the AAD’s coding staff that they are receiving claim audit reviews for claims submitted with the skin biopsy and intermediate and complex repair codes. It appears that claims are being denied on the basis of a lack of appropriate documentation.
Share examples of patient harm caused by early release of electronic health information
The AADA is working with the AMA and other specialties to gather real-world scenarios of instances where the release of lab results, reports, or notes directly to the patient before the physician could review it with the patient caused or could have caused emotional harm.
The implementation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) final information blocking and patient access rules have resulted in many patients having immediate access to their electronic medical records — perhaps before their physicians.
How can you help? Please send your examples of patients potentially harmed by the release of their electronic medical records before you were able to discuss them with your patients to PracticeCenter@aad.org by Wednesday, April 28.
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