Tips & Tricks for Counseling Patients
Next Steps in Derm and the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, in partnership with the Dermatology Education Foundation (DEF) and Physicians Resources, interviewed Dr. Julie Harper, clinical associate professor of dermatology, vice chair of clinical affairs and director of clinical research at the University of Alabama. What sticks with Dr. Harper the most when she returns from meetings and conferences are tips in how to better communicate with patients. Watch and learn her strategies for connecting with acne and rosacea patients, and how to challenge, not scold your patients about their sun protection habits. Want more buy-in from your patients? Follow Dr. Harper’s tips and improve your counseling techniques.
Dr. Julie Harper lectured on this and other topics at the recent DERM2022 NP/PA CME conference held July 28-31, 2022.
Further Reading
If you want to read more about patient-centered approaches in dermatology, check out the following articles published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology:
Patient-focused Solutions in Rosacea Management: Treatment Challenges in Special Patient Groups
ABSTRACT
Rosacea is among the most common facial skin conditions diagnosed by dermatologists. Typical clinical features include erythema, flushing, telangiectasia, papules, and pustules distributed on the central face. While the prevalence of rosacea is highest among white populations of Northern European descent, recent reports have found that rosacea frequently occurs in people from a broad range of racial/ethnic backgrounds and skin types. When rosacea presents in darker skin types, the diagnosis is often more challenging due to masking of features by increased epidermal melanin. As such, under-diagnosis and underreporting may contribute to misconceptions about the prevalence of rosacea in populations with skin of color. Recognizing the unique presentations and complications associated with darker skin types is necessary to reduce the disparities in rosacea treatment, especially as the American population continues to become increasingly heterogeneous. Although rosacea is most common in middle-aged females, patients of other demographics may have more negative impacts on quality of life due to their disease. In this article, we review rosacea management with a focus on special patient groups: people with skin of color, and less common forms of rosacea, in order to diminish the physical and psychosocial burden of rosacea in all patient groups. Due to the variability inherent to rosacea, we advocate for an individualized, patient-centered approach to disease management.
A Patient-Centered Guide to Hidradenitis Suppurativa Flare Prevention
ABSTRACT
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic debilitating skin disease characterized by painful dermal abscesses, subcutaneous inflammatory nodules, draining sinuses and hypertrophic scars. Prompt recognition and management of the disease is of the utmost importance as prolonged disease can have long-standing physical and psychological consequences. Quality of life and symptom improvement are viable outcomes from preventative interventions in patients with HS. While there is not a cure for HS, symptoms can be managed, and recurrence can be reduced following various lifestyle changes. Treatment should be focused on prevention of disease progression, reducing the frequency of recurrence, and treating existing lesions to minimize pain and drainage.
