How are you feeling today?
New session urges emotional check-in treating patients with hair, scalp, and nail disorders.
S041 – Up-to-Date Treatment of Hair, Scalp, and Nail Disorders
Saturday, March 18 | 1–4 p.m.
Location: Room 271
Putting a microscope on the diagnoses and treatment of hair, scalp, and nail disorders is a dermatologist’s natural inclination. However, a close-up examination of a patient’s emotional view of the disorder and the impact it may have on their quality of life should also be one of the first steps in managing patient care.
That’s among the issues to be discussed during Saturday’s new session, “S041-Up-to-Date Treatment of Hair, Scalp, and Nail Disorders.” Although the primary focus of the session offers a practical guide for the treatment of hair, scalp, and nail disorders, session co-director Antonella Tosti, MD, said dermatologists must have a thorough understanding of how the disease affects the patient’s everyday life. Dr. Tosti is a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is joined by co-director Brian William Morrison, MD, MSc, FAAD, also a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
A more comprehensive understanding of patients and their disorders
“Disorders of hair and nails create a big impact on the quality of life of patients as they are very visible and create anxiety and depression,” Dr. Tosti said. “Although these diseases are part of dermatology training during residency, it is often not extensive, and many dermatologists are not very familiar with diagnostic procedures and new treatments.”
Progressing to the next step and applying new as well as tried-and-true treatments can likely change the course of the disease as well as the patient’s emotional well-being, she said.
New drugs provide new promise
The latest treatments, including JAK inhibitors, are effective and represent a new option for alopecia areata, Dr. Tosti said, but also show potential for other hair disorders. JAK inhibitors can also be successfully used for some inflammatory nail disorders. Additionally, there are new ways of delivering existing drugs such as minoxidil that can be used as an oral medication or as intralesional administration. Oral minoxidil has recently shown promise in accelerating nail growth rate and can be useful in treating nail disease, she said.
Covering everything from head to toe
Saturday’s session will also explore the use of platelet-rich plasma, microneedling, and intra-lesional injections.
“These are complements to medical treatment and not an alternative,” Dr. Tosti said. “This is important to be clarified to patients who often prefer procedures to treatments they have to do themselves at home. All these procedures improve treatment outcomes and are recommended in association with medical therapy.”
Finally, Dr. Tosti said Saturday’s panel will address how gender and ethnicity effect treatment of hair, scalp, and nail disorders. Some hair and nail diseases have a different frequency depending on ethnicity because of genetic factors or exposure to different triggering factors, she said. Recognizing hair type is essential for haircare recommendations. Instance evaluation of nail pigmentation requires greater attention in patients with dark phototypes. For example, melanoma of the nail is more common in this population.
Although designed to educate young physicians, the Saturday session will provide an up-to-date review of hair, scalp, and nails that all dermatologists will find of value.
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