Last week to register for Skin Spectrum Summit 2023
The premier medical conference on ethnodermatology and dermatology disorders in skin of colour takes place this coming Saturday, Oct. 21 (1,500 words, 7 minutes)
There is less than one week left to register for the 9th annual Skin Spectrum Summit. This year’s Summit is being held this coming Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Chestnut Conference Centre at the University of Toronto.
The conference offers a full day of education on optimal dermatologic care for patients with skin of colour and cultural competence, for healthcare providers with an interest in skin health. View the agenda here.
Here is a preview of some of the presentations on this year’s agenda:
New Tx for Alopecia Areata and Other Common Hair Disorders Across the Skin Spectrum, presented by Dr. Renée A. Beach. Dr. Beach is a dermatologist practicing medical and cosmetic dermatology in Toronto. She treats a range of skin conditions and enjoys the therapeutic challenge that comes with treating the same condition effectively in different skin types.
Injectables in Asian Patients, presented by Dr. Monica Li. [Editor’s note: This edition of Skin Spectrum Weekly was originally distributed incorrectly identifying Dr. Li’s topic as “Lasers in Skin of Colour: Practical Considerations and Clinical Pearls.”] Dr. Li is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained dermatologist in Canada and the United States, and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology & Skin Science at the University of British Columbia. She practices in Vancouver and Surrey, B.C. Dr. Li is actively involved with the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Canadian Dermatology Association and American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery, and has been a spokesperson for the Canadian Dermatology Association.
The Effect of Climate on Skin, presented by Dr. Anna Chacon. Dr. Chacon is a board-certified dermatologist from Miami. She is the only dermatologist serving the secluded Alaskan Bush region, often travelling by bush plane for patient care. She also provides vital dermatology services to Indigenous tribes across Florida, Alaska, and California, and offers teledermatology consults. She also founded Indigenous Dermatology, a nonprofit organization focusing on dermatologic health in rural and tribal areas.
In addition to these and other presentations from Drs. Renita Ahluwalia, Raed Alhusayen, Rachel Asiniwasis, Danille Marcoux, Eric McMullen, Jaggi Rao, and Jonathan Shapero, the conference will include three live panel discussions, a “Lunch and Learn” session featuring Drs. Andrew F. Alexis, Gary Sibbald and Joel Claveau, and the announcement of the Canadian Skin of Colour & Diversity Scholarship awardees. The conference will be moderated by Dr. Shafiq Qaadri.
Online registration for the 2023 Skin Spectrum Summit is still available at this link:
Save the date: The 10th anniversary of the Skin Spectrum Summit is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Watch Skin Spectrum Weekly for more details in the coming months.
Reviewing current literature on dermatology in skin of colour
Treatment of mild to severe acne with 1,726 nm laser: A safe alternative to traditional acne therapies
In this review, the authors discuss the clinical challenges with present therapeutic options for acne treatment and the role of a 1,726 nm laser as a potential treatment option.
They review current acne treatment guidelines and conduct a literature review for trials of light-based acne therapy. This review includes an overview of the selectivity of previous light-based therapies.
The review shows that available acne therapy is effective, but treatment-related side effects are common. Existing acne treatment guidelines do not include recommendations for light-based treatments, and while several types of light-based treatments have been tried, no devices have used a wavelength specifically targeting sebaceous glands. When researchers reviewed the literature on the 1,726 nm laser, they concluded this approach is safe and effective for treating mild to severe acne in all Fitzpatrick skin types, with acne resolution apparent within the first month and improving for up to two years post-treatment.
Dark skin representation in mobile applications for dermatology education: A scoping review
The authors of this review say that past evaluation of dermatology textbooks has demonstrated that the depiction of dark skin makes up just 4.5% to 19.9% of the total photographs published. In this new study, they reviewed the representation of dark skin photography and diseases in dermatologic educational resources provided through mobile applications.
After reviewing 518 mobile applications the researchers included 18 in their analysis.
They categorized a total of 6,645 in-app photographs in Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV (5,975 photographs, 89.9%), Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI (459 photographs, 6.9%), or uncertain (211 photographs, 3.2%).
The percentage of photographs depicting Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI ranged from 0.0% to 17.7% between different mobile applications. This was significantly different from past results derived from photographic depictions in dermatology textbooks, the authors write, which they say is suggestive of fewer depictions within applications (p<0.001). In addition, they found the number of mobile applications presenting educational information regarding four conditions that affect people with darker skin tones varied considerably: central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (three applications, 16.7%), melasma (nine applications, 50.0%), acral lentiginous melanoma (eight applications, 44.4%), and keloid scarring (11 applications, 61.1%).
Best practices in the treatment of melasma with a focus on patients with skin of colour
Noting that melasma is a common driver for patients with skin of colour to seek out a dermatologist for treatment, the authors of this paper summarize the currently available topical treatments for melasma with considerations dermatologists should take into account for their patients with skin of colour.
The authors describe the development of a flexible and focused treatment algorithm through a steering committee consensus on clinical best practices. The algorithm reflects both treatment and maintenance periods.
They note there are limitations to their recommendations, which were developed based on real-world evidence and could have introduced individual practice bias.
A cross-sectional study of pediatric dermatoses in a specialized pigment and skin-of-colour centre in Australia
Researchers analyzed the prevalence of presenting conditions of pediatric patients with skin of colour attending an urban dermatology clinic in Melbourne, Australia over an 18-month period.
They identified the major presenting issues as vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and acne vulgaris, the majority of which did not significantly differ by ethnicity.
However, there was a statistically significantly higher proportion of Chinese and Indian patients presenting with atopic dermatitis.
The authors write that given the varying presentations of these conditions in skin of colour, their findings highlight the importance of increasing education for dermatologists and health personnel in pigmentary disorders and the need for further focused studies comparing the prevalence of skin disease across ethnicities.
VIDEO: Get rid of acne—for darker skin types
Brisbane, Australia-based dermatologist Dr. Davin Lim discusses approaches to treating acne that present less risk of pigment changes or scarring in darker skin types.
At the intersection of skin and society
The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon is creating a new Indigenous health department that will be the first of its kind in Canada.
This department will be dedicated to improving the health outcomes of Indigenous Peoples in Saskatchewan through academics and education, according to a press release from the university.
“We’re creating the structure that will allow Indigenous voices to tell us where we need to go,” said Janet Tootoosis, MD, interim vice-dean of Indigenous health. “We're creating a community but we're also creating a physical space where people can connect and learn about what’s happening in the College of Medicine.”
The new department will be Indigenous-led and ensure research is informed by Indigenous community needs. It will also influence how medical education and scholarship incorporate Indigenous knowledge and systems.
“It’s important that the College of Medicine has this department because Indigenous people are harmed in the health system,” said Dr. Tootoosis.
The department's goals are to meaningfully address Indigenous health inequities, knowledge translation, systemic racism, and the scarcity of strength-based Indigenous health research. It is also intended to build capacity for the college to effectively respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action.
In the release, Dr. Tootoosis stressed the importance of respectfully engaging and listening to Indigenous communities to understand the challenges from their perspective.
“We are trying to understand what those challenges are and what—if anything—could the College of Medicine do to change the issues that we’re having,” she said. “That information will allow the college to respond in an informed manner versus sitting around a table and determining what's in the best interest of Indigenous populations.”
Planning for the new department included external stakeholder consultations with Indigenous leaders at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, various First Nations Tribal Councils and Grand Councils, and Indigenous educational leaders at institutions such as the First Nations University of Canada.
Dr. Tootoosis and her team are now engaged in the first phase of implementation—staffing the department and building its capacity in collaboration, mentorship, and networking.
“The next steps really are recruiting and engaging faculty in duties to build the department and begin to work toward meeting the department’s goals,” she said. “Along with that, there will be student support, staff support, networking, and we have an expansion of space.”
This week
Oct. 15 to 21 is Healthcare Quality Week in the U.S.
Oct. 16 to 20 is National Health Education Week in the U.S.
Oct. 17 is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Something to think about in the week ahead. . .
—Alfred Austin, English poet [1835-1913]
Next week
In Skin Spectrum Weekly’s first coverage of the 9th annual Skin Spectrum Summit, Quebec City-based dermatologist Dr. Joël Claveau discusses the diagnosis of skin cancer in patients with skin of colour.
Upcoming meetings
The Great Lakes ImmunoDermatology Exchange (GLIDE) 5.0 meeting will be held at the Queen’s Landing Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. from Oct. 27-28, 2023. This meeting focuses on new concepts, therapeutic options, and real-world practice issues in immunodermatology.
If you like Skin Spectrum Weekly, why not check out Chronicle’s other publications, podcasts, and portal?
Established in 1995, The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy is a scientific newspaper providing news and information on practical therapeutics and clinical progress in dermatologic medicine. The latest issue features:
Drs. Irina Turchin (Fredricton), Ron Vender (Hamilton), and Ashley O’Toole (Peterborough, Ont.) discuss advances in psoriasis treatment.
Dr. Joel DeKoven (Toronto) details the current most common contact allergens, based on data from the North American Contact Dermatitis Group.
An essay from Dr. Fabian Rodriguez-Bolanosi (Toronto) submitted to the 2022 Dermatology Industry Taskforce on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (DiTiDE) short essay contest. Dr. Rodriguez-Bolanosi wrote about his experience working with Black women in the hair clinic.
Plus regular features, including the popular column “Vender on Psoriasis” by Hamilton, Ont. dermatologist Dr. Ron Vender
Read a recent digital edition of The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy here. To apply for a complimentary* subscription or to receive a sample copy, please email health@chronicle.org with your contact information.
The Women in Dermatology e-newsletter updates new findings concerning dermatologic issues that affect women and the female dermatologists who care for them. Read the current issue here.
Season two of the Yadav on Acne podcast with Dr. Geeta Yadav has launched. Listen to the new season here. In episode two, Dr. Yadav discusses the impact of truncal acne on the patient experience.
And if you’re looking for a web destination for all things derm, visit derm.city, “Where Dermatology Lives.” Please like, rate, review, and share it with your colleagues.