DermHelpCentral

Tattoo Removal Takes Tiny Steps Forward

by Courtney Rubin, NY Times Journal of Dermatology, 2.25.2016

A new laser has been widely hailed as the first major advancement in tattoo removal in 20 years. Called a picosecond laser, because it fires pulses at a trillionth of a second, it works the same way that the previous generation of lasers did, which is by breaking down the ink so that the body can absorb it.

This is a useful article if you are considering tattoo removal.

This article also includes a discussion on laser tattoo removal by non-medical technicians.

 

Candida Antigen for Warts

There’s a lot of experience out there now to suggest that Candida truly does work, but you’ve got to be aware of side effects," said Dr. Friedlander, professor of clinical pediatrics and medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

Articles in the medical literature suggest injecting up to 0.3 cc of Candida antigen directly into the substance of the largest wart. "Who are they kidding?" she scoffed. The wart would have to be a giant one to hold that much. "Get what you can directly into the wart," she suggested.

FULL ARTICLE.

See: Candin for ordering.

 

 

Covering Traumatic Scars

To help people with scars reclaim that painful space on their body, Brian Finn, a Toledo, Ohio tattoo artist,  has begun offering free tattoo coverups of scars inflicted by domestic violence, human trafficking, or self-injury (especially cutting). “It would make me feel so wonderful to be able to help anyone in a situation like this to move on to the next chapter in their lives,” said Finn. “I want to offer my time to help people feel better about themselves, and to not be ashamed.”

Brian's compassionate and generous work was featured on NPR recently.

Before and After

Save Money on Your Medications

I saw a patient today with no drug insurance today who needed a cream for skin lesions. His pharmacy quoted him a price of $297. I had told him about GoodRx and he went to their website. The price there varied between $103 and $214. He wound up getting it for $154 at Walmart.

There are two websites that can help patients without drug coverage save significant sums on generic medications.

We wrote about Good Rx in 2013. The new kid on the block is BlinkHealth.

For more background on these see “Entrepreneurs Pull Back Curtain on Drug Prices” (NY Times, February 9, 2016).

Excerpts:

A few entrepreneurs are aiming to fundamentally change the way people buy drugs, bringing the industry into the digital age by disclosing the lowest prices for generic prescriptions to allow comparison-shopping.

The spotlight on drug prices could not come at a better time for at least two online ventures. One company, GoodRx, collects drug prices at pharmacies around the country and connects consumers to coupons to help them pay. Another, Blink Health, takes the process a step further by allowing customers to pay for their drugs online, then pick up the prescription at nearly any pharmacy.

Many uninsured consumers do not know that the price pharmacies charge them is far higher than the rate that insurers pay the pharmacies for the same drug, health care experts said. And even insured customers are not always getting the best deal. Many people have insurance plans that require them to pay a flat rate of $10 or higher for generic drugs, even though the rate the insurers pay the pharmacy is often less.

Becoming familiar with GoodRx and BlinkHealth can save you, a family member or BFF a considerable amount on generic prescriptions.  If you need a drug that presents a significant expense, it would be wise to check both of these sites for the cheapest price.

Melanoma: Decision Tree for Patients

The decision tree begins when the patient or a clinician finds a suspicious looking, dark-colored skin lesion such as a mole, a blemish, or even a spot.  This tool is helpful.  It will give you an idea of how to proceed.

See:  Melanoma Decision Tool.

Isotretinoin Option Grid

Isotretinoin (aka Accutane) is commonly used for severe acne because it is universally effective whereas other therapeutic options are less predictably successful.  However, many patients (or their parents) are frightened by anecdotal reports of bad side-effects they find about on the Internet.

The decision to take isotretinoin is value-based for patients or their guardians.  This tool may help to make the choice easier.

See: Isotretinon Option Grid.