Derms on Drugs

The Derms on Drugs enlist the Sultan of Scratching, Dan Kaplan from the University of Pittsburgh, to answer the age- old question - should you scratch an itch or not?  Believe it or not, some of the most cutting-edge science on the planet is focusing on this question (you think they'd have better stuff to work on, but who are we to judge). The answer(s) are going to surprise you - turns out scratching does a lot more than just get bugs off our skin (although that part is important too).Derms on Drugs is brought to you by Scholars in Medicine.Guest: Daniel H. Kaplan, MD, PhDDaniel H. Kaplan, MD, PhD is a Professor within the Department of Dermatology and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh. His research is dedicated to understanding the mechanisms that underlie skin immunity and the interplay of different immune cells types that reside in the skin.  As a graduate student at Washington University, St Louis he participated in the re-invigoration of the concept of tumor immunosurveillance by observing an increased frequency of skin tumors in immunodeficient mice. During his post-doc at Yale University, he developed a number of mouse lines with a selective deficiency of Langerhans cells (LC) and showed that these cells have the unexpected capacity to suppress tissue immune. As an Assistant and later Associate professor at the University of Minnesota, he found that LC and dermal dendritic cells have unique functions in the development of anti-pathogen responses. In 2015 he moved to the University of Pittsburgh. His laboratory is currently focused on understanding how intracellular communication mechanisms between immune cells and non-hematopoietic cells in the skin with a particular emphasis on sensory afferents modulate cutaneous immunity and skin disease. Resource links for this episode are available at ⁠Scholars in Medicine⁠.Brain's reward circuits mediate itch relief. a functional MRI study of active scratchingEpidermal Mechanical Scratching-Induced ROS Exacerbates the Itch-Scratch Cycle via TRPA1 Activation on Mast Cells in Atopic DermatitisScratching promotes allergic inflammation and host defense via neurogenic mast cell activationActivation of Mast-Cell-Expressed Mas-Related G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Drives Non-histaminergic ItchMast-Cell-Derived TNF Amplifies CD8(+) Dendritic Cell Functionality and CD8(+) T Cell PrimingMast Cells Initiate Type 2 Inflammation through Tryptase Released by MRGPRX2/MRGPRB2 Activation in Atopic Dermatitis

The Captain of Compliance, The Admiral of Adherence... Whatever you want to call him, you're going to love this week's episode as the Derms on Drugs dig deep with Dr. Steve Feldman on how to help our patients actually follow through with our recommendations. Trust us, even if you've heard Dr. Feldman talk about this before, you're still not going to want to miss this.As part of our dive into the nitty gritty of adherence we'll also talk about:-The first "Oral Biologic" on the way from Janssen - is this oral peptide that inhibits IL-23 a real game changer?-How a drug like VTAMA is a game changer for pediatric atopic dermatitis, both because of how well it works and because it's so easy for patients to use-If Cabtreo, the new triple combo cream for acne, works so fast that it actually helps patients stick with using it Derms on Drugs is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠Scholars in Medicine.⁠⁠Guest: Dr. Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD is a Professor of Dermatology, Pathology, and Social Sciences & Health Policy at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. His chief clinical interest is psoriasis.  Feldman has done groundbreaking research on addiction to tanning beds, patients’ adherence to their medication treatment regimens, and patients’ satisfaction with their medical care.  Feldman’s experiences in medicine have led him to try to see how others perceive things, leading to his book Compartments and his recent novella Bent Toward Justice.  His research has been published in over 1,000 peer reviewed, Medline-referenced articles.  Expertscape.com ranks Feldman among the top experts in the world on psoriasis, acne, dermatology, and treatment adherence. Feldman also serves as the editor of the Journal of Dermatological Treatment and the Journal of Dermatology and Dermatological Surgery and as chief medical editor of The Dermatologist.  Resource links for this episode available at Scholars in Medicine:1.  FRONTIER-2: A phase 2b, long-term extension, dose-ranging study of oral JNJ-77242113 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis2. Tapinarof cream 1% once daily: Significant efficacy in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adults and children down to 2 years of age in the pivotal phase 3 ADORING trials3.  Efficacy and Safety of a Fixed-Dose Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Benzoyl Peroxide 3.1%, and Adapalene 0.15% Gel for Moderate-to-Severe Acne: A Randomized Phase II Study of the First Triple-Combination Drug4.  An exploratory study of adherence to topical benzoyl peroxide in patients with acne vulgaris5.  Effects of ruxolitinib cream on pruritus and quality of life in atopic dermatitis: Results from a phase 2, randomized, dose-ranging, vehicle- and active-controlled study6.  Long-term adherence to topical psoriasis treatment can be abysmal: a 1-year randomized intervention study using objective electronic adherence monitoring

-Big BCCs – Debulk First or Chemo First?; -Do Covid or the Covid Vaccine Affect the Risk of Getting a Bullous Disease?-Does Drinking Drive Melasma?But of course that’s not all: Should we be treating Strep to help our psoriasis patients get better faster? What Biologics are new on the horizon for treating linear morphea? And just how well does oral roflumilast work for psoriasis?Join us this week for more dermatology takes that you won’t get anywhere else!Derms on Drugs is brought to you by ⁠Scholars in Medicine.Resource links for this episode are available at Scholars in Medicine.Surgical Debulking Modifies Notch Signaling and May Improve Vismodegib Effectiveness for Locally Advanced Basal Cell CarcinomaCOVID-19 infection is associated with an elevated risk for autoimmune blistering diseases while COVID-19 vaccination decreases the risk: A large-scale population-based cohort study of 112 million individualsDiet and Living Environment as Novel Etiological Factors for Melasma: The Results Form a Retrospective Case-Control Study of 150 Chinese PatientsThe impact of antibiotic therapy in psoriasis patients with active streptococcal infection: A prospective studyUse of biologic drug in the treatment of localized scleroderma and systemic sclerosis in children: A scoping reviewOral roflumilast for psoriasis: a real-world 24-week prospective cohort studyA randomized, controlled pilot study of oral roflumilast compared with intramuscular methotrexate for plaque and scalp psoriasisRoflumilast and cognition enhancement: A translational perspectiveAcute treatment with the PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast improves verbal word memory in healthy old individuals: a double-blind placebo-controlled studyAcute administration of roflumilast enhances immediate recall of verbal word memory in healthy young adults

Psoriasiform Dermatitis - the Derms on Drugs take on your worst nightmare when it comes to path reports.  Dermatitis?  Psoriasis?  Both?  Neither?  We'll get into the weeds with Amber Atwater, who looked at what the final diagnoses ended up being in hundreds of patients with psoriasiform dermatitis that gives us some clues on how to approach these patients. We also review the latest work on idiopathic erythroderma - not so idiopathic anymore, thanks to the hard work and genius of Shawn Kwatra at the University of Maryland. And, stick around to the end for some hard hitting trivia on the American Contact Dermatitis Society's last 25 years of Allergens of the Year. Join us for another episode of Derms on Drugs, brought to you by Scholars in Medicine.1.  Targeted dual biologic therapy for erythroderma of unknown etiology guided by high-parameter peripheral blood immunophenotypinghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39809837/2.  Molecular Structure and Function of Janus Kinases: Implications for the Development of Inhibitorshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32083640/3.  Final clinical diagnosis in cases of histopathologic psoriasiform dermatitis: retrospective cross-sectional analysis of a Southeastern United States population, 2004-2017https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39792248/4.  Epidermal spongiotic Langerhans cell collections, but not eosinophils, are a clue to the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis: A series of 170 clinically- and patch test-confirmed caseshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39709083/5.  The 2023 Annual Report of DataDerm: The database of the American Academy of Dermatologyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38936667/6.  Guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis: section 1. Diagnosis and assessment of atopic dermatitishttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24290431/7.  The atopic dermatitis spectrum disorder. Recognizing the clinical heterogeneity in patients with atopic related skin conditions in order to improve therapeutic decision-making and outcomes: an expert panel consensus statementhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34365875/8.  Toluene-2,5-Diamine Sulfate: Allergen of the Year 2025https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39862176/

We all kind of freaked out when the news broke that benzene had been detected in benzoyl peroxide. I mean, makes sense, right -benzene even sounds like benzoyl - how did nobody think of this before! And the lab that detected it got Zantac pulled from the market and it was even discussed at Fall Clinical..."There is no safe amount of exposure to benzene..." The final straw was when an article dropped in JID -JID for goodness sake - about the problem.Not so fast. Our trio did a deep dive and there is WAY more to this story than meets the eye. Join us as we get into the nitty grittywith John Barbieri (from Harvard!) about his published research on the topic along with the well­ known Australian cosmetic chemist, Michelle Wong, PhD (aka "Lab Muffin").Derms on Drugs is produced by Scholars in Medicine.John Barieri John Barbieri, MD, MBA is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Advanced Acne Therapeutics Clinic at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is an associate editor at JAMA Dermatology and is also the co-chair of the American Academy of Dermatology Acne Guidelines Work Group. His research is focused on conducting innovative clinical trials, health economic, and epidemiology studies to identify the best approaches to care for patients with acne. He also focuses on exploring the role of patient-reported outcomes to ensure we are capturing the patient’s voice and perspective on their care. Dr. Barbieri has received consulting fees from Honeydew Care.Michelle WongMichelle Wong is a science educator and chemistry PhD. In 2011 she started the website Lab Muffin Beauty Science, where she explains the science behind beauty products for a general audience. She has since expanded to YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and is known for her work debunking myths. Her book The Science of Beauty was released in June 2024, and she is the cofounder of BeautySciComm. Through her science communication work, Michelle has worked with many brands on campaigns, and delivered invited talks at international conferences. Her work has been featured in Wired, The New York Times, ABC News, and Chemistry & Engineering News.Social media handles:YouTube, IG, Threads, TikTok: @labmuffinbeautyscienceBluesky: labmuffin.comWebsite: labmuffin.comSubstack: labmuffin.substack.comResources:1.   Evaluation of Benzene Presence and Formation in Benzoyl Peroxide Drug Products PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39384016/Full Text Link: www.jidonline.org/action/showPdf? 2.   No evidence for an association between benzoyl peroxide use and increased blood benzene levels in the National Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyPubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38950699/Full Text: https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(24)00980-0/fulltext 3.   Benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment is not associated with an increased risk of malignancy: A retrospective cohort studyPubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39002561/Full Text: https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(24)01051-X/fulltext 4: Benzene in your products, Part 2: The story of Valisure. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. https://labmuffin.com/benzene-in-your-products-part-2-the-story-of-valisure/5: Shelf-stable formulations of benzoyl peroxide and methods of producing same https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2023177625A1/en6. A Legal Shakedown Exposed: How Valisure tried to cash in on its dubious claims about cancer. https://www.wsj.com/articles/valisure-cancer-claims-zantac-dry-shampoo-david-Iight-11675806424

Litfulo for when all hope for hair seems lost...when Olumiant strikes out, can Litfulo pinch hit and save the day? Hand eczema: Did we really need a 60,000-patient study to find out who's most likely to have horrible hands? The Hand Eczema Whisperer: Jacob Thyssen joins us all the way from the University of Copenhagen for some hand-to-hand combat: What causes it, what can you do about it right now, and what's on the horizon for hand eczema. But that's not all — the Derms on Drugs always bring the best stuff from the literature.Derms on Drugs is produced by Scholars in Medicine. Jacob P. Thyssen, MD, PhD, DmSci Dr. Thyssen has spent nearly 20 years as a clinical dermatologist at university hospitals in Copenhagen, where he currently serves as a professor emeritus. His research in inflammatory skin diseases and allergy has earned him numerous awards. Dr. Thyssen has co-authored more than 700 peer-reviewed articles, with his work appearing in prestigious journals such as The Lancet and NEJM. He holds PhD and medical doctor degrees and has been a research fellow at Harvard Medical School, Boston, UCSF in San Francisco, and a visiting professor at UZH in Zürich. Resources:1.  Efficacy and tolerability of neoadjuvant therapy with Talimogene laherparepvec in cutaneous basal cell carcinoma: a phase II trial (NeoBCC trial)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39820126/2.  Efficacy and Safety of Switching from Baricitinib to Ritlecitinib in Severe Alopecia Areatahttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39707907/3.  Major improvement of very severe alopecia areata in patients treated with the combination of baricitinib and low doses of corticosteroids: an eight-case serieshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37467740/4.  Prevalence of Chronic Hand Eczema in adults: A cross-sectional survey of over 60,000 respondents in the general population in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdomhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39797908/5.  The Prevalence and Determinants of Hand and Face Dermatitis during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Population-Based Surveyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33376481/6.  Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hand eczemahttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34971008/7.  Short-term glucocorticoid treatment compromises both permeability barrier homeostasis and stratum corneum integrity: inhibition of epidermal lipid synthesis accounts for functional abnormalitieshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12603860/8.  Association Between Topical Corticosteroid Use and Type 2 Diabetes in Two European Population-Based Adult Cohortshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30936111/9.  The Low Nickel Diethttps://www.thelownickeldiet.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-5a9BhCBARIsACwMkJ7Ah9ysdVxzpqlxk2KRJoUlUouvxmfcL6UzkNvmG7o8CIXjfNXlZnkaAlhYEALw_wcB10.  Imiquimod Cream Preceded by Superficial Curettage vs Surgical Excision for Nodular Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trialhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39878970/11.  Off-label use of tralokinumab in the treatment of bullous pemphigoid- a case serieshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39878153/12.  Association between use of antihypertensives and treatment of actinic keratoses: A TriNetX population- based studyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39894367/13.  Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence-Generated Responses to Patient Messageshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39412810/14.  Sofdra prescribing informationhttps://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2024/217347s000lbl.pdf15.  A Pivotal Study on the Safety and Effectiveness of a Targeted Alkali Thermolysis Patch for Treatment of Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis or Excessive Axillary Sweatinghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39480962/16.  Impact of Needle Design and Suture Gauge on Tissue Tearing During Skin Suturing: A Comparative Analysishttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39325023/

Is your Litfulo not pulling its weight? New research gives you the inside scoop on when to throw in the towelWe’re buzzing about oral JAK inhibitors for vitiligo, but do they really outshine NBUVB alone? We’ve got the answer And guess what? While basking in the sun might up your skin cancer risk, it turns out those rays also help you dodge death from heart disease, cancer and other nasty surprises— at least if you happen to be living in EnglandJoin Richard Weller, the genius behind these sacrilege statements, as he helps us rethink how we guide our patients on sun exposure—taking into account their skin type and the sunny vibes of their locale.We’ll also dive into Dupixent’s surprising benefits for cancer immunotherapy, its heart-friendly profile, and how it shields kids from ADD, depression, and anxiety.  Ever wonder if switching up your psoriasis biologic is worth it? We’ll tackle that enigma. And don’t miss our head-to-head trial of Pregabalin vs. Gabapentin for the intensely itchy, plus a look at the long-term risk of psoriasis after a first bout of guttate psoriasis.  Oh, and do we really need sterile gloves in derm surgery? Tune in for all this and more—with the trusty team at Derms on Drugs! Join Drs. Ferris, Zirwas and Patton for a new episode every FridayDerms on Drugs is produced by ⁠Scholars in Medicine.⁠ Guest: Richard Weller, ProfessorI graduated in medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital, University of London (now part of King’s College, London) and undertook my general/internal medicine training in the north of England and in Australia.Having gained my MRCP I trained in dermatology at the Institute of Dermatology (St John’s) in London, and in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. I spent some time out of my clinical training to complete a research MD degree.  Having completed my dermatology training, I gained a scholarship from the University of Edinburgh, and spent three years in post-doctoral research training in the laboratories of Prof Victoria Kolb-Bachofen, Heinrich-Heine Universität, Dusseldorf, and of Dr Tim Billiar, University of Pittsburgh, USA.I was recruited from America to the post of Senior Lecturer, and latterly Reader in Dermatology and Associate Principal Investigator at the Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh.My time is divided between clinical duties, where I am an honorary NHS Consultant Dermatologist with a particular interest in medical dermatology and eczema, and the University where I have an active research group, and also a significant teaching commitment as Programme Director of the M.Med.Sci degree.  

Buckle-up Kids.  Our Derms on Drugs are answering some of the hottest questions in dermatology again this week: Melanoma's Mental Massacre: Discover which patients are most likely to spiral into anxiety and depression after diagnosis and how we can help save their sanity! Biosimilar Backstabbing: Why do patients switched to biosimilars fare worse than newbies to psoriasis? We'll peel back the layers of this pharmaceutical puzzle. Eczema Epidemic Exposed: Hold onto your moisturizers, folks! We've cracked the code on why everyone and their itchy grandmother has atopic dermatitis. Spoiler alert: It's not just your genes being jerks! Air Pollution: The Silent Skin Assassin: Dr. Ian Myles spills the tea on how he caught air pollution red-handed in the great eczema explosion of the '70s. Urban dwellers, your skin's arch-nemesis has been unmasked! But wait, there's more! We'll also dive into: The return of the zit: Predicting acne's revenge after isotretinoin Dupilumab: The accidental cancer crusader? Tralokinumab: Savior for dupilumab dropouts or just another letdown? Ferulic acid vs. Rosacea: The face-off you never knew you needed Cysteamine and hydroquinone duke it out in the melasma arena Digital mucous cysts: Because even your fingers deserve some drama You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you might even learn something new… Join Drs. Ferris, Zirwas and Patton for a new episode every Friday Derms on Drugs is produced by ⁠Scholars in Medicine.⁠ Guest: Ian A. Myles, MD, Mph Guest Bio: Dr. Myles, Principal Investigator, Epithelial Therapeutics Unit, graduated with a B.S. in biology from Colorado State University in 2001 and then obtained an M.D. from the University of Colorado in 2005. He completed an internal medicine residency at The Ohio State University prior to beginning fellowship training in allergy and clinical immunology at NIH. He worked under the mentorship of Dr. Sandip Datta investigating the mechanistic details of susceptibility to S. aureus skin infections. In 2011, Dr. Myles became a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. LCDR Myles has supported several USPHS missions, from the Ebola virus vaccine trial in West Africa to congressional Gold Medal Ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol. In 2013, he was awarded a position as an assistant clinical investigator in the NIAID Transition Program in Clinical Research. Dr. Myles received his M.P.H. from George Washington University in 2016. In 2018, Dr. Myles became the head of the newly formed Epithelial Therapeutics Unit to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a topical, live bacterial treatment for atopic dermatitis (eczema). He is currently a participant in the Lasker Clinical Research Scholars and Distinguished Scholars programs. Links to Articles and Websites 1.  Prevalence and odds of anxiety and depression in cutaneous malignant melanoma: a proportional meta-analysis and regression 2.  Drug Survival and Safety of Biosimilars Compared with Originator Adalimumab for Psoriasis: A Multinational Cohort Study 3.  The clinical, mechanistic, and social impacts of air pollution on atopic dermatitis 4.  Exposure to isocyanates predicts atopic dermatitis prevalence and disrupts therapeutic pathways in commensal bacteria 5.  Environmental and behavioral mitigation strategies for patients with atopic dermatitis 6.  Acne Relapse and Isotretinoin Retrial in Patients With Acne 7.  Risk of malignancy associated with use of dupilumab versus other treatments in atopic dermatitis patients: A national database analysis 8.  Tralokinumab Treatment in Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patients: 28-Week Evaluation of Clinical Effectiveness, Safety, Serum Proteins and Total IgE Levels 9.  Ferulic Acid in the Treatment of Papulopustular Rosacea: A Randomized Controlled Study 10.  Efficacy and safety of cysteamine 5% cream for the management of melasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials 11.  Effectiveness of surgical versus non-surgical interventions in treatment of digital mucous cysts Melanoma Prognosis Calculator http://www.lifemath.net/cancer/melanoma/outcome/index.php   Skinesa Defensin+ Probiotic Spray https://www.skinesa.com/products/defensin-probiotic-spray

Buckle up! We're diving deep into the wild world of dermatology, where the only thing more dangerous than a weird mole is a boxed warning. Here's what's cooking in this episode: Rinvoq vs. Dupixent: Two drugs enter, one drug leaves! We break down this pharmaceutical cage match and wonder if we learned anything besides how to pronounce "upadacitinib." Actinic keratoses get a glow-up with calcipotriol and 5-FU. Spoiler alert: It's not what you think, unless you think it's magic. Then you're right. Boxed warnings: Giving us more childhood suicides? We explore how these little black boxes are wreaking havoc on patients and ask, "Who's really getting schooled here?" Dr. Ted Lain attempts to convince our hosts there's actual science in skincare. Spoiler: It's harder than getting rid of back acne. Plus, we'll tackle burning questions like: Are JAK inhibitors the new Russian roulette? Is switching IL-23s just dermatological musical chairs? And is Topical Steroid Withdrawal the new gluten intolerance?Join us as we dive into the best articles of the last week. Warning: Side effects may include uncontrollable laughter, raised eyebrows, and a sudden urge to moisturize. Join Drs. Ferris, Zirwas and Patton for a new episode every Friday. Derms on Drugs is produced by Scholars in Medicine.