Galderma Launches Campaign Aimed at Parents of Teens With Acne
Galderma, maker of Differin acne products, has launched an advertising campaign targeting parents of teens with acne. Called ‘Talking Acne with Your Teen,’ the program features educator Michele Borba, Ed.D., and dermatologist Linda Stein Gold, M.D.
According to the manufacturer’s literature, the campaign is geared to mothers of children aged 11 to 18 and features an E-guide and Web site (www.MyChildsAcne.com) that provide parents with straightforward advice on how to “proactively relate to and communicate with their teens about acne — without getting under their skin!” The E-guide offers information on acne and its treatment and tips to boost children’s self esteem and promote improved communication between teens and parents.
Following are several of Dr. Borba’s practical pointers included in the E-guide:
• Get to be a know-it-all — Show interest in the issues affecting your teen by researching the topic beforehand — whether it’s acne, peer pressure, bullying or dating woes. Be prepared to back up your advice with information and facts by framing the discussion so your teen can relate.
• Get tech savvy — Learn how to communicate more like a teen. Parents and even some doctors are texting to get kids to remember to take their medications. Use text and e-mail to send reminders/quick updates.
• Get into your kid’s time zone — Timing is everything, including talking to your teen at the right time of day. Know when he/she is most receptive to talking — and make sure you’re available. Hint: it is usually NOT first thing in the morning or right after school.
For more information, visit www.differin.com.
Study Suggests Hereditary Rosacea Link
A survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) and published in Rosacea Review found that nearly 52% of the 600 surveyed had a relative who also suffered from the condition and that people of some nationalities are more likely than others to develop the disorder.
Familial Association
Of those who said they had a relative with rosacea, most indicated it was an immediate family member. Thirty percent reported their mother has or had rosacea, while 35% indicated their father, 28% cited a sister and 24% named a brother. In some cases more than one family member was indicated.
National Ancestry Association
In addition to family history, the survey found that national ancestry also may be an indication of relative risk for rosacea. Thirty-one percent of the respondents reported they had at least one parent of Irish ancestry, although only 11% of the United States population is of Irish heritage, according to the 2000 U.S. Census figures.
It was determined that those of German and English heritage seem to be highly prone to rosacea as well. Forty-one percent of patients responding to the survey reported they had some German ancestry, compared to 15% of the U.S. population, and more than 30% reported English ancestry, versus 9% reporting English ancestry in the national census.
Other nationalities in which rosacea was present at a higher rate than the ethnicity is represented in the U.S. population include Scandinavian, Scottish, French, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Hungarian and Czech.
Award-Winning Research Reports Discovery of Acne-Sebum Targeting Wavelengths
Presenting findings at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) that may lead to the development of more effective laser- and light-based acne treatments, Harvard Medical School research fellow Fernanda Sakamoto, M.D., and colleagues at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) described their discovery of a wavelength that can specifically target the sebaceous glands, allowing for selective heating of their chemical bond structures without damaging the surrounding epidermis or skin structures. Their paper, which was honored with ASLMS’s “Best Overall Basic Science Award” built upon earlier research that demonstrated that laser light can selectively absorb CH2 bonds through chemical vibration absorption, as opposed to the traditional electronic absorption transitions.
Based on those earlier findings, Sakamoto’s team used a tunable free-electron laser (FEL) to study the principles of selective photothermolysis as a means of exciting vibrational modes of chemical bond of acne sebum molecules. Their use of the FEL, which can be tuned for various wavelengths and pulse durations, to target the acne sebum, which consists of 30% fat, to establish parameters for selectively heating the desired target — the sebaceous glands responsible for acne — led to the discovery of two wavelengths, 1210 and 1720 nm, that are selectively absorbed more by fat than by water.
Study Method
Dr. Sakamoto studied the effects of this laser application on in vitro samples of prepared artificial sebum (a control), human forehead skin, pig skin and water (a control). A thermal camera was used to determine where the sebaceous glands were located in the human and pig samples, as well as how much heat was absorbed by each sample at various wavelengths and pulse durations. In addition, tissue samples were stained for H&E in order to determine if any hair follicles, epidermis or collagen was damaged during the procedure. Nitrobluetetrazolium staining also was used to evaluate the viability of the skin after being irradiated by the laser, as well as the condition of the surrounding tissue.
Clinical trials using this technology are slated to begin in late 2008.
Study Finds Combined CO2 Laser and Medication Therapy Superior to Medication Alone
A study conducted at the at the Rajdhevee Dermatology Clinic in Phrae, Thailand, compared the efficacy and safety of the combination of ultrapulsed CO2 laser and medication (doxycycline and 5% benzoyl peroxide) with medication alone in the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris.
Investigators, who reported their findings in a poster presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, theorized that the ultrapulsed CO2 laser, which can precisely vaporize the covered skin of comedones and inflammatory acne, enabling the portal drainage of acne content, may rapidly alleviate acne lesions.
Method
A prospective 8-week study evaluated the changes in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts from baseline and Investigator’s Static Global Assessment in 50 patients. Subjective evaluations of response to treatment were assessed.
Results
The combination demonstrated superior efficacy to medication alone, especially in the first 4 weeks. Combination with ultrapulsed CO2 laser was significantly more effective in reducing inflammatory, noninflammatory and total lesion counts (P < 0.000) than treatment with medication alone. In addition, the time taken to achieve a 50% reduction in total lesion counts was 3 weeks in the combination group which was significantly shorter when compared to the medication group (>8 weeks; P <0.000). No pigmentary alteration, scarring, or infection was observed. The Investigator’s Static Global Assessment and subjective satisfactions were much greater with the combination group.
Conclusion
The combination of ultrapulsed CO2 laser and medication was safe, well-tolerated, and significantly more effective than medication alone for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris.
Waewsiri Sappachang W, Jerasutus S. MD, Rajdhevee Is Combination of Ultrapulsed CO2 Laser and Medication Therapy Better Than Medication Alone in Patients With Moderate Acne Vulgaris?
Study Finds No Valid Connection Between Isotretinoin and Suicide
In view of reports of an association between isotretinoin and psychiatric reactions including suicide and self injury, poster authors investigated the comorbidity between isotretinoin and suicide, using data collected between 1993 and 2003 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
Methods
Data was based on the following: 521 patient visits involving isotretinoin use (representing more than 9.6 million weighted visits); 1,176 patient visits associated with ‘‘suicide and self-inflicted injury’’ (representing more than 4.2 million weighted visits); 5,939 visits involving fluoxetine use (more than 79 million weighted visits); and 360 visits associated with narcan use (more than 1.2 million weighted visits).
An ‘‘isotretinoin’’ variable was created when any of the medications reported for the visit included isotretinoin. A ‘‘suicide’’ variable was created when any items under ‘‘suicide and self-inflicted injury’’ were endorsed for the visit.
To determine ‘‘concurrent validity’’ of this method, variables were created for ‘‘fluoxetine’’ (which is used for the treatment of depression and would be expected to be associated with suicide) and ‘‘narcan’’ (which one would expect to be used in cases of suicide attempts with narcotic overdose). All analyses were carried out using the complex samples module of SPSS v. 15, which accounts for the multi-stage probability sampling design used to collect the data.
Results
No isotretinoin-related visits were associated with the ‘‘suicide’’ variable. However, there was a significant association between ‘‘fluoxetine’’ (odds ratio [OR] 1/4 2.5; 95% CI, 1.36-4.7) and ‘‘narcan’’ (OR 1/4 417.9; 95% CI, 257.8-677.4) and ‘‘suicide.’’
Conclusion
Authors concluded that none of the patient visits involving isotretinoin use was associated with suicide or self-injury. However, there was a significant OR of 2.5 for ‘‘suicide’’ in visits involving the use of the antidepressant fluoxetine, presumably used by the depressed patient population considered to also be at a higher risk for suicide. Authors also concluded that the significantly higher OR of 417.9 in visits involving narcan use is consistent with the reality that many cases of narcan would be used for suicide attempts with narcotic overdose. Therefore, the findings with fluoxetine and narcan support the ‘‘concurrent validity’’ for the authors’ method. The lack of an association between isotretinoin and ‘‘suicide’’ in this large database (representing 10 years of patient visits) further suggests that suicidal behavior with isotretinoin represents an uncommon idiosyncratic phenomenon.
Gupta M, Gupta AK. Isotretinoin, self-injury, and suicide: A negative association in data representing over 9.6 million patient visits involving isotretinoin use.
Finding the Right Products to Enhance Compliance Among Teen Boys with Acne
According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for The Mentholatum Company, makers of Oxy acne products, teenage boys are woefully under-informed about how to care for the acne that plagues some 92% of this 12- to 19-year-old population.
And it’s not because they don’t care. Twenty-two percent reported that acne breakouts lower their self-confidence. Unfortunately, as the company-generated “OXY Acne Report,” pointed out, boys have fewer resources for dealing with these psychological and social effects than girls for whom there are numerous magazines and beauty Web sites. In addition, girls tend to be more open than boys with friends and family about such concerns.
Survey Purpose
The survey was undertaken for the Orchard Park, NY-based company to gauge how acne affects the lives and self-esteem of teens (both boys and girls) and how knowledgeable they are about treating acne. It also surveyed mothers of teens separately to gauge their perceptions on their children's acne issues and what they felt were the key issues and misunderstandings.
Survey Findings
Findings highlighted in the report focused on boys with this list of The Top Five Skincare Mistakes Teenage Boys Make:
1. 58% of boys admit to popping or picking at their pimples (and 20% of their mothers as well).
2. 33% of teenage boys use acne products.
3. 25% of teenage boys only wash their face when they are in the shower — something 55% of those aged 13 to 15 do only once a day or even once every other day.
4. 47% of boys have scrubbed their face or body harder or more often in an attempt to treat acne.
5. 9% of teenage boys have asked their parents to see a dermatologist.
Implications
The finding that some boys may be going 2 days in between face washings was noteworthy, given the importance of washing as well as medication application in acne treatment. However, the company-sponsored report noted, if boys are washing mainly in the shower, they should use an acne wash specially formulated for shower use, such as their OXY Maximum Body Wash or OXY Bar Soap to increase the odds that they will include acne skincare as part of their grooming regimen within the shower.
The report also mentioned that teenagers with painful cysts or pimples that do not respond to drugstore treatments should consider visiting a doctor, particularly a pediatric dermatologist with a specialty in adolescent skin issues.
For more information, visit www. oxymom.com.
Galderma Launches Campaign Aimed at Parents of Teens With Acne
Galderma, maker of Differin acne products, has launched an advertising campaign targeting parents of teens with acne. Called ‘Talking Acne with Your Teen,’ the program features educator Michele Borba, Ed.D., and dermatologist Linda Stein Gold, M.D.
According to the manufacturer’s literature, the campaign is geared to mothers of children aged 11 to 18 and features an E-guide and Web site (www.MyChildsAcne.com) that provide parents with straightforward advice on how to “proactively relate to and communicate with their teens about acne — without getting under their skin!” The E-guide offers information on acne and its treatment and tips to boost children’s self esteem and promote improved communication between teens and parents.
Following are several of Dr. Borba’s practical pointers included in the E-guide:
• Get to be a know-it-all — Show interest in the issues affecting your teen by researching the topic beforehand — whether it’s acne, peer pressure, bullying or dating woes. Be prepared to back up your advice with information and facts by framing the discussion so your teen can relate.
• Get tech savvy — Learn how to communicate more like a teen. Parents and even some doctors are texting to get kids to remember to take their medications. Use text and e-mail to send reminders/quick updates.
• Get into your kid’s time zone — Timing is everything, including talking to your teen at the right time of day. Know when he/she is most receptive to talking — and make sure you’re available. Hint: it is usually NOT first thing in the morning or right after school.
For more information, visit www.differin.com.
Study Suggests Hereditary Rosacea Link
A survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) and published in Rosacea Review found that nearly 52% of the 600 surveyed had a relative who also suffered from the condition and that people of some nationalities are more likely than others to develop the disorder.
Familial Association
Of those who said they had a relative with rosacea, most indicated it was an immediate family member. Thirty percent reported their mother has or had rosacea, while 35% indicated their father, 28% cited a sister and 24% named a brother. In some cases more than one family member was indicated.
National Ancestry Association
In addition to family history, the survey found that national ancestry also may be an indication of relative risk for rosacea. Thirty-one percent of the respondents reported they had at least one parent of Irish ancestry, although only 11% of the United States population is of Irish heritage, according to the 2000 U.S. Census figures.
It was determined that those of German and English heritage seem to be highly prone to rosacea as well. Forty-one percent of patients responding to the survey reported they had some German ancestry, compared to 15% of the U.S. population, and more than 30% reported English ancestry, versus 9% reporting English ancestry in the national census.
Other nationalities in which rosacea was present at a higher rate than the ethnicity is represented in the U.S. population include Scandinavian, Scottish, French, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Hungarian and Czech.
Award-Winning Research Reports Discovery of Acne-Sebum Targeting Wavelengths
Presenting findings at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) that may lead to the development of more effective laser- and light-based acne treatments, Harvard Medical School research fellow Fernanda Sakamoto, M.D., and colleagues at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) described their discovery of a wavelength that can specifically target the sebaceous glands, allowing for selective heating of their chemical bond structures without damaging the surrounding epidermis or skin structures. Their paper, which was honored with ASLMS’s “Best Overall Basic Science Award” built upon earlier research that demonstrated that laser light can selectively absorb CH2 bonds through chemical vibration absorption, as opposed to the traditional electronic absorption transitions.
Based on those earlier findings, Sakamoto’s team used a tunable free-electron laser (FEL) to study the principles of selective photothermolysis as a means of exciting vibrational modes of chemical bond of acne sebum molecules. Their use of the FEL, which can be tuned for various wavelengths and pulse durations, to target the acne sebum, which consists of 30% fat, to establish parameters for selectively heating the desired target — the sebaceous glands responsible for acne — led to the discovery of two wavelengths, 1210 and 1720 nm, that are selectively absorbed more by fat than by water.
Study Method
Dr. Sakamoto studied the effects of this laser application on in vitro samples of prepared artificial sebum (a control), human forehead skin, pig skin and water (a control). A thermal camera was used to determine where the sebaceous glands were located in the human and pig samples, as well as how much heat was absorbed by each sample at various wavelengths and pulse durations. In addition, tissue samples were stained for H&E in order to determine if any hair follicles, epidermis or collagen was damaged during the procedure. Nitrobluetetrazolium staining also was used to evaluate the viability of the skin after being irradiated by the laser, as well as the condition of the surrounding tissue.
Clinical trials using this technology are slated to begin in late 2008.
Study Finds Combined CO2 Laser and Medication Therapy Superior to Medication Alone
A study conducted at the at the Rajdhevee Dermatology Clinic in Phrae, Thailand, compared the efficacy and safety of the combination of ultrapulsed CO2 laser and medication (doxycycline and 5% benzoyl peroxide) with medication alone in the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris.
Investigators, who reported their findings in a poster presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, theorized that the ultrapulsed CO2 laser, which can precisely vaporize the covered skin of comedones and inflammatory acne, enabling the portal drainage of acne content, may rapidly alleviate acne lesions.
Method
A prospective 8-week study evaluated the changes in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts from baseline and Investigator’s Static Global Assessment in 50 patients. Subjective evaluations of response to treatment were assessed.
Results
The combination demonstrated superior efficacy to medication alone, especially in the first 4 weeks. Combination with ultrapulsed CO2 laser was significantly more effective in reducing inflammatory, noninflammatory and total lesion counts (P < 0.000) than treatment with medication alone. In addition, the time taken to achieve a 50% reduction in total lesion counts was 3 weeks in the combination group which was significantly shorter when compared to the medication group (>8 weeks; P <0.000). No pigmentary alteration, scarring, or infection was observed. The Investigator’s Static Global Assessment and subjective satisfactions were much greater with the combination group.
Conclusion
The combination of ultrapulsed CO2 laser and medication was safe, well-tolerated, and significantly more effective than medication alone for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris.
Waewsiri Sappachang W, Jerasutus S. MD, Rajdhevee Is Combination of Ultrapulsed CO2 Laser and Medication Therapy Better Than Medication Alone in Patients With Moderate Acne Vulgaris?
Study Finds No Valid Connection Between Isotretinoin and Suicide
In view of reports of an association between isotretinoin and psychiatric reactions including suicide and self injury, poster authors investigated the comorbidity between isotretinoin and suicide, using data collected between 1993 and 2003 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
Methods
Data was based on the following: 521 patient visits involving isotretinoin use (representing more than 9.6 million weighted visits); 1,176 patient visits associated with ‘‘suicide and self-inflicted injury’’ (representing more than 4.2 million weighted visits); 5,939 visits involving fluoxetine use (more than 79 million weighted visits); and 360 visits associated with narcan use (more than 1.2 million weighted visits).
An ‘‘isotretinoin’’ variable was created when any of the medications reported for the visit included isotretinoin. A ‘‘suicide’’ variable was created when any items under ‘‘suicide and self-inflicted injury’’ were endorsed for the visit.
To determine ‘‘concurrent validity’’ of this method, variables were created for ‘‘fluoxetine’’ (which is used for the treatment of depression and would be expected to be associated with suicide) and ‘‘narcan’’ (which one would expect to be used in cases of suicide attempts with narcotic overdose). All analyses were carried out using the complex samples module of SPSS v. 15, which accounts for the multi-stage probability sampling design used to collect the data.
Results
No isotretinoin-related visits were associated with the ‘‘suicide’’ variable. However, there was a significant association between ‘‘fluoxetine’’ (odds ratio [OR] 1/4 2.5; 95% CI, 1.36-4.7) and ‘‘narcan’’ (OR 1/4 417.9; 95% CI, 257.8-677.4) and ‘‘suicide.’’
Conclusion
Authors concluded that none of the patient visits involving isotretinoin use was associated with suicide or self-injury. However, there was a significant OR of 2.5 for ‘‘suicide’’ in visits involving the use of the antidepressant fluoxetine, presumably used by the depressed patient population considered to also be at a higher risk for suicide. Authors also concluded that the significantly higher OR of 417.9 in visits involving narcan use is consistent with the reality that many cases of narcan would be used for suicide attempts with narcotic overdose. Therefore, the findings with fluoxetine and narcan support the ‘‘concurrent validity’’ for the authors’ method. The lack of an association between isotretinoin and ‘‘suicide’’ in this large database (representing 10 years of patient visits) further suggests that suicidal behavior with isotretinoin represents an uncommon idiosyncratic phenomenon.
Gupta M, Gupta AK. Isotretinoin, self-injury, and suicide: A negative association in data representing over 9.6 million patient visits involving isotretinoin use.
Finding the Right Products to Enhance Compliance Among Teen Boys with Acne
According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for The Mentholatum Company, makers of Oxy acne products, teenage boys are woefully under-informed about how to care for the acne that plagues some 92% of this 12- to 19-year-old population.
And it’s not because they don’t care. Twenty-two percent reported that acne breakouts lower their self-confidence. Unfortunately, as the company-generated “OXY Acne Report,” pointed out, boys have fewer resources for dealing with these psychological and social effects than girls for whom there are numerous magazines and beauty Web sites. In addition, girls tend to be more open than boys with friends and family about such concerns.
Survey Purpose
The survey was undertaken for the Orchard Park, NY-based company to gauge how acne affects the lives and self-esteem of teens (both boys and girls) and how knowledgeable they are about treating acne. It also surveyed mothers of teens separately to gauge their perceptions on their children's acne issues and what they felt were the key issues and misunderstandings.
Survey Findings
Findings highlighted in the report focused on boys with this list of The Top Five Skincare Mistakes Teenage Boys Make:
1. 58% of boys admit to popping or picking at their pimples (and 20% of their mothers as well).
2. 33% of teenage boys use acne products.
3. 25% of teenage boys only wash their face when they are in the shower — something 55% of those aged 13 to 15 do only once a day or even once every other day.
4. 47% of boys have scrubbed their face or body harder or more often in an attempt to treat acne.
5. 9% of teenage boys have asked their parents to see a dermatologist.
Implications
The finding that some boys may be going 2 days in between face washings was noteworthy, given the importance of washing as well as medication application in acne treatment. However, the company-sponsored report noted, if boys are washing mainly in the shower, they should use an acne wash specially formulated for shower use, such as their OXY Maximum Body Wash or OXY Bar Soap to increase the odds that they will include acne skincare as part of their grooming regimen within the shower.
The report also mentioned that teenagers with painful cysts or pimples that do not respond to drugstore treatments should consider visiting a doctor, particularly a pediatric dermatologist with a specialty in adolescent skin issues.
For more information, visit www. oxymom.com.
Galderma Launches Campaign Aimed at Parents of Teens With Acne
Galderma, maker of Differin acne products, has launched an advertising campaign targeting parents of teens with acne. Called ‘Talking Acne with Your Teen,’ the program features educator Michele Borba, Ed.D., and dermatologist Linda Stein Gold, M.D.
According to the manufacturer’s literature, the campaign is geared to mothers of children aged 11 to 18 and features an E-guide and Web site (www.MyChildsAcne.com) that provide parents with straightforward advice on how to “proactively relate to and communicate with their teens about acne — without getting under their skin!” The E-guide offers information on acne and its treatment and tips to boost children’s self esteem and promote improved communication between teens and parents.
Following are several of Dr. Borba’s practical pointers included in the E-guide:
• Get to be a know-it-all — Show interest in the issues affecting your teen by researching the topic beforehand — whether it’s acne, peer pressure, bullying or dating woes. Be prepared to back up your advice with information and facts by framing the discussion so your teen can relate.
• Get tech savvy — Learn how to communicate more like a teen. Parents and even some doctors are texting to get kids to remember to take their medications. Use text and e-mail to send reminders/quick updates.
• Get into your kid’s time zone — Timing is everything, including talking to your teen at the right time of day. Know when he/she is most receptive to talking — and make sure you’re available. Hint: it is usually NOT first thing in the morning or right after school.
For more information, visit www.differin.com.
Study Suggests Hereditary Rosacea Link
A survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) and published in Rosacea Review found that nearly 52% of the 600 surveyed had a relative who also suffered from the condition and that people of some nationalities are more likely than others to develop the disorder.
Familial Association
Of those who said they had a relative with rosacea, most indicated it was an immediate family member. Thirty percent reported their mother has or had rosacea, while 35% indicated their father, 28% cited a sister and 24% named a brother. In some cases more than one family member was indicated.
National Ancestry Association
In addition to family history, the survey found that national ancestry also may be an indication of relative risk for rosacea. Thirty-one percent of the respondents reported they had at least one parent of Irish ancestry, although only 11% of the United States population is of Irish heritage, according to the 2000 U.S. Census figures.
It was determined that those of German and English heritage seem to be highly prone to rosacea as well. Forty-one percent of patients responding to the survey reported they had some German ancestry, compared to 15% of the U.S. population, and more than 30% reported English ancestry, versus 9% reporting English ancestry in the national census.
Other nationalities in which rosacea was present at a higher rate than the ethnicity is represented in the U.S. population include Scandinavian, Scottish, French, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Hungarian and Czech.
Award-Winning Research Reports Discovery of Acne-Sebum Targeting Wavelengths
Presenting findings at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) that may lead to the development of more effective laser- and light-based acne treatments, Harvard Medical School research fellow Fernanda Sakamoto, M.D., and colleagues at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) described their discovery of a wavelength that can specifically target the sebaceous glands, allowing for selective heating of their chemical bond structures without damaging the surrounding epidermis or skin structures. Their paper, which was honored with ASLMS’s “Best Overall Basic Science Award” built upon earlier research that demonstrated that laser light can selectively absorb CH2 bonds through chemical vibration absorption, as opposed to the traditional electronic absorption transitions.
Based on those earlier findings, Sakamoto’s team used a tunable free-electron laser (FEL) to study the principles of selective photothermolysis as a means of exciting vibrational modes of chemical bond of acne sebum molecules. Their use of the FEL, which can be tuned for various wavelengths and pulse durations, to target the acne sebum, which consists of 30% fat, to establish parameters for selectively heating the desired target — the sebaceous glands responsible for acne — led to the discovery of two wavelengths, 1210 and 1720 nm, that are selectively absorbed more by fat than by water.
Study Method
Dr. Sakamoto studied the effects of this laser application on in vitro samples of prepared artificial sebum (a control), human forehead skin, pig skin and water (a control). A thermal camera was used to determine where the sebaceous glands were located in the human and pig samples, as well as how much heat was absorbed by each sample at various wavelengths and pulse durations. In addition, tissue samples were stained for H&E in order to determine if any hair follicles, epidermis or collagen was damaged during the procedure. Nitrobluetetrazolium staining also was used to evaluate the viability of the skin after being irradiated by the laser, as well as the condition of the surrounding tissue.
Clinical trials using this technology are slated to begin in late 2008.
Study Finds Combined CO2 Laser and Medication Therapy Superior to Medication Alone
A study conducted at the at the Rajdhevee Dermatology Clinic in Phrae, Thailand, compared the efficacy and safety of the combination of ultrapulsed CO2 laser and medication (doxycycline and 5% benzoyl peroxide) with medication alone in the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris.
Investigators, who reported their findings in a poster presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, theorized that the ultrapulsed CO2 laser, which can precisely vaporize the covered skin of comedones and inflammatory acne, enabling the portal drainage of acne content, may rapidly alleviate acne lesions.
Method
A prospective 8-week study evaluated the changes in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts from baseline and Investigator’s Static Global Assessment in 50 patients. Subjective evaluations of response to treatment were assessed.
Results
The combination demonstrated superior efficacy to medication alone, especially in the first 4 weeks. Combination with ultrapulsed CO2 laser was significantly more effective in reducing inflammatory, noninflammatory and total lesion counts (P < 0.000) than treatment with medication alone. In addition, the time taken to achieve a 50% reduction in total lesion counts was 3 weeks in the combination group which was significantly shorter when compared to the medication group (>8 weeks; P <0.000). No pigmentary alteration, scarring, or infection was observed. The Investigator’s Static Global Assessment and subjective satisfactions were much greater with the combination group.
Conclusion
The combination of ultrapulsed CO2 laser and medication was safe, well-tolerated, and significantly more effective than medication alone for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris.
Waewsiri Sappachang W, Jerasutus S. MD, Rajdhevee Is Combination of Ultrapulsed CO2 Laser and Medication Therapy Better Than Medication Alone in Patients With Moderate Acne Vulgaris?
Study Finds No Valid Connection Between Isotretinoin and Suicide
In view of reports of an association between isotretinoin and psychiatric reactions including suicide and self injury, poster authors investigated the comorbidity between isotretinoin and suicide, using data collected between 1993 and 2003 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
Methods
Data was based on the following: 521 patient visits involving isotretinoin use (representing more than 9.6 million weighted visits); 1,176 patient visits associated with ‘‘suicide and self-inflicted injury’’ (representing more than 4.2 million weighted visits); 5,939 visits involving fluoxetine use (more than 79 million weighted visits); and 360 visits associated with narcan use (more than 1.2 million weighted visits).
An ‘‘isotretinoin’’ variable was created when any of the medications reported for the visit included isotretinoin. A ‘‘suicide’’ variable was created when any items under ‘‘suicide and self-inflicted injury’’ were endorsed for the visit.
To determine ‘‘concurrent validity’’ of this method, variables were created for ‘‘fluoxetine’’ (which is used for the treatment of depression and would be expected to be associated with suicide) and ‘‘narcan’’ (which one would expect to be used in cases of suicide attempts with narcotic overdose). All analyses were carried out using the complex samples module of SPSS v. 15, which accounts for the multi-stage probability sampling design used to collect the data.
Results
No isotretinoin-related visits were associated with the ‘‘suicide’’ variable. However, there was a significant association between ‘‘fluoxetine’’ (odds ratio [OR] 1/4 2.5; 95% CI, 1.36-4.7) and ‘‘narcan’’ (OR 1/4 417.9; 95% CI, 257.8-677.4) and ‘‘suicide.’’
Conclusion
Authors concluded that none of the patient visits involving isotretinoin use was associated with suicide or self-injury. However, there was a significant OR of 2.5 for ‘‘suicide’’ in visits involving the use of the antidepressant fluoxetine, presumably used by the depressed patient population considered to also be at a higher risk for suicide. Authors also concluded that the significantly higher OR of 417.9 in visits involving narcan use is consistent with the reality that many cases of narcan would be used for suicide attempts with narcotic overdose. Therefore, the findings with fluoxetine and narcan support the ‘‘concurrent validity’’ for the authors’ method. The lack of an association between isotretinoin and ‘‘suicide’’ in this large database (representing 10 years of patient visits) further suggests that suicidal behavior with isotretinoin represents an uncommon idiosyncratic phenomenon.
Gupta M, Gupta AK. Isotretinoin, self-injury, and suicide: A negative association in data representing over 9.6 million patient visits involving isotretinoin use.
Finding the Right Products to Enhance Compliance Among Teen Boys with Acne
According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for The Mentholatum Company, makers of Oxy acne products, teenage boys are woefully under-informed about how to care for the acne that plagues some 92% of this 12- to 19-year-old population.
And it’s not because they don’t care. Twenty-two percent reported that acne breakouts lower their self-confidence. Unfortunately, as the company-generated “OXY Acne Report,” pointed out, boys have fewer resources for dealing with these psychological and social effects than girls for whom there are numerous magazines and beauty Web sites. In addition, girls tend to be more open than boys with friends and family about such concerns.
Survey Purpose
The survey was undertaken for the Orchard Park, NY-based company to gauge how acne affects the lives and self-esteem of teens (both boys and girls) and how knowledgeable they are about treating acne. It also surveyed mothers of teens separately to gauge their perceptions on their children's acne issues and what they felt were the key issues and misunderstandings.
Survey Findings
Findings highlighted in the report focused on boys with this list of The Top Five Skincare Mistakes Teenage Boys Make:
1. 58% of boys admit to popping or picking at their pimples (and 20% of their mothers as well).
2. 33% of teenage boys use acne products.
3. 25% of teenage boys only wash their face when they are in the shower — something 55% of those aged 13 to 15 do only once a day or even once every other day.
4. 47% of boys have scrubbed their face or body harder or more often in an attempt to treat acne.
5. 9% of teenage boys have asked their parents to see a dermatologist.
Implications
The finding that some boys may be going 2 days in between face washings was noteworthy, given the importance of washing as well as medication application in acne treatment. However, the company-sponsored report noted, if boys are washing mainly in the shower, they should use an acne wash specially formulated for shower use, such as their OXY Maximum Body Wash or OXY Bar Soap to increase the odds that they will include acne skincare as part of their grooming regimen within the shower.
The report also mentioned that teenagers with painful cysts or pimples that do not respond to drugstore treatments should consider visiting a doctor, particularly a pediatric dermatologist with a specialty in adolescent skin issues.
For more information, visit www. oxymom.com.
