J Drugs Dermatol
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Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in the world. It is typically slow growing and usually effectively managed with surgery. However, BCCs in some patients are unsuitable for surgery or the patient may prefer a nonsurgical treatment. ⋯ These therapies are generally associated with somewhat lower clearance rates and/or higher recurrence rates than surgery or radiotherapy, although they may be suitable in patients with low-risk BCCs when surgery or radiotherapy are impractical or less appropriate. An appealing feature of PDT is excellent cosmesis, but PDT is not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and regimens are not well standardized. Vismodegib is a first-in-class hedgehog pathway inhibitor and recent addition to the armamentarium for the treatment of advanced BCC.
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Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a common skin cancer and its incidence is on the rise worldwide. Clinical presentation and histologic examination are used for diagnosis and to stratify BCCs as either low- or high-risk for recurrence or development of advanced disease. ⋯ BCC is most often managed with a surgical approach, but not all tumors and patients are suitable for surgery. Vismodegib is a recently approved first-in-class hedgehog pathway inhibitor that has expanded options for patients who have locally advanced or metastatic BCC.
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Pain is a common patient complaint with dermatologic laser procedures and effective pain management is important for the comfort and satisfaction of patients undergoing these procedures. Many topical anaesthetics are available as options to decrease the pain associated with these procedures, although not all have the same degree of safety. An FDA-approved lidocaine and tetracaine topical anesthetic cream [Pliaglis®, liodocaine and tetracaine 7%/7% cream (LT cream), Galderma Laboratories LP, Fort Worth, TX] is safe and effective when used with common laser therapies such as ablative and nonablative laser resurfacing, laser hair removal, laser treatment of vascular lesions, and laser tattoo removal. LT cream should be considered by dermatologists when choosing a topical anesthetic for laser dermatologic procedures.
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Dyschromia is one of the most common dermatological concerns in patients with darker skin.1 Disorders of hyperpigmentation, including postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, melasma, solar lentigines, and miscellaneous causes of facial hyperpigmentation, are the most frequently treated dyschromias and can have a considerable psychosocial impact. Given the high prevalence of hyperpigmentation and the considerable demand for an even complexion, newer treatment options for hyperpigmentation are of growing interest among consumers, manufacturers, and dermatologists. Blinded, controlled studies demonstrating skin lightening effects in soy, niacinamide, n-acetylglucosamine, licorice extract, arbutin, vitamin c, kojic acid, emblica extract, lignin peroxidase, and glutathione have led to the development of a growing list of non-prescription skin care products that can be incorporated (mostly as adjuncts) in the management of hyperpigmentation.