The Environmental Working Group (EWG) posted its fourth annual Sunscreen Guide for 2010, and surprisingly only 39 out of 500 beach and sport sunscreens earned a “green” rating for safety.  All 39 sunscreens contained the either zinc or titanium.

The remaining 92% of suncreens scored either a “yellow” or “red” rating due to one of the following reasons:

1. An SPF rating of 50 or more, which often give consumers a false sense of security and encourages the user to stay out in the sun longer than advised.
2. The sunscreen contains a form of vitamin A called retinyl palmitate, which FDA studies suggest may actually accelerate skin damage and cancer risk.  (Although the studies are non conclusive, for now EWG recommends vitamin A-free sunscreens).
3. The suncreen containcs oxybenzone, which is a hormone-disrupting compound that is absorbed into the skin and enters the bloodstream.
4. The sunscreen product is in the form of a spray or powder that may be harmful to breathe.

Want to see how your favorite sunscreen ranked, or view EWG’s list of recommended suncreens? Visit the website here: http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

There are a lot of people out there who suffer from psoriasis and a whole lot more who don’t understand how much misery this skin condition can cause. When you hear about itchy places on the skin, well, that just doesn’t tell the whole story. Abnormal skin cell growth is the cause of the condition, and it makes those thick, red, scaly patches that are the main characteristic of plaque psoriasis.

The fact is that psoriasis is chronic and is often associated with other serious conditions like diabetes, obesity and heart disease. About 56 million work hours are lost per year due to the misery it causes American adults. Even mild forms of the condition cause the itching and thick scaly patches that are so very uncomfortable. They can occur anywhere on the body, and are exceptionally excruciating when they arise on tender skin fold areas.

Fortunately for those suffering from psoriasis, the FDA recently approved a new treatment. Vectical™ ointment, manufactured by Galderma, is a Vitamin D3 ointment which is formulated for adults over 18 who have a mild to moderate form of psoriasis. Vectical™ contains calcitriol, a natural, active type of vitamin D3.

During the clinical trials, Vectical™ proved to be tolerated well even on those sensitive skin folds. Two, eight-week studies were performed in which Vectical™ ointment was used twice a day. Patients showed marked improvement by the second week of the study, and continued to improve throughout. Vectical™ brought much better results than the leading Vitamin D treatment to which it was being compared in the study.

Two of the problems with treating chronic conditions like psoriasis is that it requires frequent trips to the doctor and medications that can be used for long periods of time. Corticosteroids have often been used for psoriasis, but are not meant for long term use. Other Vitamin D creams have been used, but they tend to be irritating to the afore-mentioned tender skin folds. The good news is that is looks like Vectical™ is safe for the long haul. It has been used on patients with mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis for a full year, and has been very successful.

Vectical™ Ointment may cause some mild side effects—most medications do—so talk to your doctor and see if it might be a good fit for you. It’s available by prescription, and could make your life a whole lot easier.

Alas, Accutane, you are no more! Economic and legal factors have combined to force pharmaceutical company Hoffman-La Roche to announce that they are discontinuing the acne drug Accutane. This didn’t come as a surprise to dermatologists, as pharmacists have been in the habit for quite some time of filling prescriptions for Accutane with the generic equivalent isotretinoin. Unfortunately for Roche, this has had the effect of lowering their market share drastically, so that their current share is only 3%, leaving the rest of the market to the lower-priced generics Amnesteem, Sotret, and Claravis.

Dermatologists disagree in their perceptions of these generics. Some feel that they are just as good; others have said they might as well give their patients a placebo. One doctor interviewed claimed that it was necessary to prescribe higher doses of the generics, and keep patients on them longer, in order to achieve the same effect as Accutane. Patients want to pay as low a cost or co-pay as possible, and Accutane, like all branded medicines, is more expensive. Bottom line—the wallet rules.

Legal issues have also plagued Roche. Besides the millions of dollars any pharmaceutical company spends to develop, test, and market a new drug, Roche has spent millions on lawsuits defending Accutane. IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), depression, suicide and birth defects have been linked to this drug, resulting in hundreds of lawsuits and FDA warnings on labels. Similar lawsuits have been filed against manufactures of the generic isotretinoin.

With the situation Roche found themselves in–millions spent to bring the drug to market, millions spent defending themselves against lawsuits, market share down to 3%– it’s no wonder they decided to pull the plug. But what does that mean for the future, and the patients who need it?

Dermatologists are concerned that with Accutane out of the picture, the pharmaceutical companies who produce the generics will increase their prices. They have already begun to face the same legal issues as Roche. It would be a shame if this drug, a boon to many people over the years who have severe acne, was pulled off the market entirely.

On June 8, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a 12 month labeling supplement for Evolence, a collagen-based facial filler.  The labeling reflects the results of an FDA review of additional clinical data that demonstrated safety and efficacy of EVOLENCE for a period of 12 months.  EVOLENCE, collagen-based dermal filler used to correct of moderate to deep facial wrinkles and folds, is the first and only collagen dermal filler recognized to provide results through 12 months after an initial treatment. EVOLENCE, manufactured by Ortho Dermatologics, was originally introduced in the US in 2008 with a six-month duration labeling.

EVOLENCE is formulated from natural collagen to replace the body’s lost collagen, adding volume and structural support in depleted areas, to create a more naturally younger appearance. Because natural collagen is used, patients require no pre-testing. Results are immediate and visible, with minimal to no bruising or swelling. 

EVOLENCE is the first and only collagen-based dermal filler recognized in the US to provide results through 12 months after an initial treatment.

Saving up for a tummy tuck or budgeting for Botox? Well, it looks like you might need to save up a bit more - about 10% more. National news sources have been abuzz over a potential excise tax that would be imposed on elective surgeries and cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, skin fillers, teeth-whitening procedures and Botox injections.  Basically, the tax would apply to any procedure which is disallowed as deductible medical expenses under Section 213(9) of the Tax Code.  This tax was proposed by Treasury Department economic adviser Gene Sperling as part of an administration effort to help finance the trillion-dollar healthcare overhaul plan.

Although the idea was brought up in a mid-July meeting, so far it doesn’t yet appear to be a serious consideration amongst the Senate committee. Senate Finance chairman Max Baucus told reporters that the tax idea was discussed briefly, but is currently not under active consideration.

If this proposal should ever become tax law, this new tax would likely be shouldered mostly by women, since women currently make up over 90 percent of the cosmetic patient demographic in the United States.  And since many cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists offer financing options, the quest for beauty isn’t just for the rich anymore. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons approximately one third of people considering plastic surgery reported average household incomes below $30,000!!  Less than 10% reported incomes over $90,000.  Essentionally, this tax burden would be shouldered by the lower to middle class. Needless to say, a proposed excise tax on cosmetic procedures would also face serious opposition from many plastic surgeons, as it would dramatically cause a drop in patient bookings.

Let’s just hope that Congress doesn’t decide to slap a tax on beauty.