DermHelpCentral

Demodeciasis Treatment

Case report of a 34 yo man with proven Demodex-Rosacea who was treated with 200 mg/kg ivermectin with subsequent weekly topical permethrin. The protocol  showed impressive treatment efficacy.
See pdf of article: Download Demodeciasis Ivermectin

Birth Control Apps

"A quiet shift is taking place in how women obtain birth control. A growing assortment of new apps and websites now make it possible to get prescription contraceptives without going to the doctor.

The development has potential to be more than just a convenience for women already on birth control. Public health experts hope it will encourage more to start, or restart, using contraception and help reduce the country’s high rate of unintended pregnancies, as well as the rate of abortions."

This NY Times article is a great overview.

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus (HZO)

HZO occurs when latent varicella zoster virus (VZV), residing in the ganglion of the trigeminal nerve, reactivates and affects the ophthalmic nerve (V1). Primary infection with VZV commonly occurs in childhood as chickenpox. Anterior uveitis occurs in 40-50% of all cases of HZO (but only when the tip of the nose is involved).

Here is a good article from the British Medical Journal: Download H Zoster O

Image from BMJ article

 

Pulse dexamethasone for adult alopecia totalis and universalis

Pulse corticosteroid therapy with oral dexamethasone for the treatment of adult alopecia totalis and universalis 

Download Dexamethasone A. Totalis

New Opioid Limits Challenge the Most Pain-Prone

The pendulum swings.  Once, we physicians were exhorted to prescribe more opioids -- now it's the opposite.  Pain does not seem, any longer, the be the fifth vital sign!

The fine article by Paula Span in the Tuesday, June 7, 2016m NY Times covers this complex topic are well.

Educate Your Immune System

Our bodies are confused by this 21st-century world.
by Moises Velasquez-Manoffjunem,

Op-Ed Piece in Sunday Review, NY Times, June 5, 2016

"The world today is very different from the one our immune system evolved to anticipate — not just in what we encounter, but in when we first encounter it. Preventing autoimmune disorders may require emulating aspects of that “dirtier” world: safely bottling the kinds of microbes that protect the kids, so we can give them to everyone and guide the “postmodern” immune system along a healthier path of development."

This essay argues that changes in our microbiome wrought by a "higher standard of living" in more developed countries  has led to an  increase the incidence of autoimmune diseases such as Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis.  Other changes have also increased life-span, but some individuals have a higher burden of some diseases.  It's a complex relationship, and the arguments are presented well.

Image from Times article

 

Dermatographia and Skin Art

Ariana Page Russell, 34, based in Brooklyn, New York, has dermatographia; which means when she rubs or scratches herself a red, swollen imprint is left on the spot.

In a bid to combat stigma, she started photographing the marks on her body - to date her images have been exhibited at galleries across the U.S.

She uses a blunt knitting needle to write text or create abstract patterns on her stomach, arms, legs and face. The designs, which are pain-free, last for about 30 minutes before fading.

See Ms. Russell’s photos.