By Allison Sit
An international group of 24 plastic surgeons and dermatologists from 12 countries have collaborated to create a consensus on the treatment of acne scars. Lasers and Surgery Medicine, the official journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, published the consensus.
“There is a paucity of high‐quality clinical studies supporting many acne scars therapies and combinations,” said lead author Ofir Artzi, MD, in a news release. “This study is aimed to provide clear, stepwise, consensus‐based treatment recommendations for the different types of acne scars.”
According to the study, the consensus addresses the role of energy-based devices (EBDs) in mitigating and treating acne scars in a patient with active acne, the use of various EBDs for the treatment of different acne scar types with a special focus on commonly used laser platforms, such as vascular lasers, ablative fractional lasers (AFLs) and non‐AFLs (NAFLs), treatment combinations, and acne scar treatments in skin of color.
Maui dermatologist George Martin, MD, advocated for access to sunscreens while Maui County considered a proposed ban on all non-mineral sunscreens to protect Maui’s coastal waters, reefs and marine life. In an interview with KHON-TV, Dr. Martin said that the study finding marine harm tested too much of the sunscreen compounds.
“It was based on creating an artificial reef situation fish tank, where they put in 1,000 times the measurable amounts that have been detected in the reefs in Hawaii,” Dr. Martin said. “What we really wanted Maui Council to do was take a pause and wait for the FDA guidance and the National Academy of Science ad hoc committee on sunscreen safety for humans, as well as for our oceans and reefs.”
Dr. Martin is concerned the new law will stop some people from using sunscreen to protect their skin. Maui’s mayor signed the bill into law in December. The ban will go into effect on October 1, 2022.
Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD, will lead the new Mark Lebwohl Center for Neuroinflammation and Sensation at Mount Sinai Health System in New York. According to a news release, the Center aims to advance multidisciplinary research, bringing together skin biology, immunology, and neuroscience, and provide world-class clinical care for patients with chronic itch and other sensory disorders. The Center’s ultimate goal is to bring therapeutic innovations through fundamental new science and cutting-edge clinical trials towards highly unmet sensory and neuroinflammatory disorders.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Kim, a world-renowned superstar physician-scientist who made paradigm-shifting discoveries linking sensory neurons, inflammatory pathways, and itch,” said Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, Waldman professor and system chair of dermatology. “Dr. Kim’s complementary expertise synergizes with our department’s excellence in translational research and will help transform research on skin diseases, aiming to bring more drugs to patients with itch and skin inflammation.”
Dr. Kim is currently the co-director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders, and associate professor of medicine, anesthesiology, and pathology and immunology, at Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, in St. Louis.
Dr. Kim received the American Skin Association Research Achievement Award in Discovery in 2020 and the American Dermatological Association Young Leadership Award in 2019. He is also the inaugural recipient of the Stephen I. Katz Memorial Award from the Society for Investigative Dermatology.
