Science backs vitamin treatment for pediatric eczema
One of many “pearls” from 2023 Innovation Academy session.
Pediatric eczema can be miserable for kids and parents alike, but new studies suggest a compounded formulation of topical vitamin B12 may be helpful in treating it.
That was one of the pearls presented by Peter Lio, MD, FAAD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, at the Aug. 12 AAD Innovation Academy session, “PO38 – Innovative Pearls.” Kenneth J. Tomecki, MD, FAAD, was the session director.
Dr. Lio, one of several speakers in the session, said that two well-done trials have supported the use of topical B12 as a treatment option (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.05866.x and doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0497).
“I find it particularly helpful for maintenance,” Dr. Lio said of the B12 treatment. “After cooling things down with a prescription anti-inflammatory such as a steroid, the topical vitamin B12 can help prevent flares and minimize steroid exposure in some patients. The compounding recipe that I have used is based on the papers, though it is a simpler compounded formulation.”
James Grichnik, MD, PhD, FAAD, professor and chair of the department of dermatology and cutaneous surgery at the University of South Florida in Tampa, offered these pearls for melanoma treatment:
- High-risk melanoma patients need to be followed, rather than having mole-removal surgery right away.
- Confocal microscopy is incredibly useful for lentigo maligna diagnosis and treatment.
- Neo-adjuvant therapy is very effective in melanoma prescriptions.
- Genetics can help with melanoma diagnosis and may also help identify immunologic issues and tumor recurrence.
Attendees at the session also gained valuable “Pearls from the Bayou” from Erin Boh, MD, PhD, FAAD, professor of dermatology at Tulane University; “Mexican Pearls: Travelers Maladies” from Jose Dario Martinez, MD, IFAAD, professor of internal medicine and dermatology and chief of internal medicine clinics at University Hospital UANL in Monterrey, Mexico; “Curried Pearls” from San Diego-based dermatologist Neal Bhatia, MD, FAAD; and “Surgical Pearls” from Alok Vij, MD, FAAD, director of the dermatology residency program at the Cleveland Clinic.
