JMIR Dermatology

Thus far, considerable research has been focused on classifying a lesion as benign or malignant. However, there is a requirement for quick depth estimation of a lesion for the accurate clinical staging of the lesion. The lesion could be malignant and quickly grow beneath the skin. While biopsy slides provide clear information on lesion depth, it is an emerging domain to find quick and noninvasive methods to estimate depth, particularly based on 2D images.

In the United States, the financial burden of prescription medications has increased exponentially over time. Recently, Mark Cuban founded the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (CostPlus) to help address prescription medication unaffordability. To assess the efficacy of this new pharmaceutical model within dermatology, we conducted an observational cost study of common dermatologic drugs between CostPlus and GoodRx in the New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago metropolitan areas. The average cost of 15 common dermatology medications was $17.00 through CostPlus compared to $31.21 through GoodRx (P<0.001). The cost on GoodRx when isolating for the cheapest price available was $21.24 (P=0.026). Our results indicate that CostPlus has the potential to improve the financial burden of prescription medications within dermatology and should be further explored.

Student-run dermatology clinics hold the potential to significantly advance skin-related health equity, and a comprehensive analysis of these clinics may inform strategies for optimizing program effectiveness.

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study aims to characterize the worldwide prevalence and morbidity of major diseases, while PatientsLikeMe (PLM) is an online community providing patient-generated insights into lived experiences; for dermatologic conditions, quantitative comparisons of GBD and PLM data revealed expected demographic differences but also notable correlations, highlighting their potential as complementary data sources elucidating unmet patient needs and priorities.

Pigmentary disorders have been implicated in causing psychosocial turmoil in patients because it can cause some degree of cosmetic disfigurement. Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) presents as ashy dermatosis-like eruption on sun exposed areas, particularly on the head, neck and earlobes. On the other hand, vitiligo is a chronic disorder appearing as depigmented patches on the skin. A 61-year-old male with Fitzpatrick skin phototype (SPT) IV presented to us initially with lichen planus pigmentosus, but who eventually developed vitiligo. The patient was treated with low dose oral isotretinoin for the LPP and topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment for both LPP and vitiligo with good clinical outcome. Only 1 case of segmental vitiligo and zosteriform LPP in a 22-year-old Indian lady has been previously reported in the English-language literature. An autoimmune etiology which cause melanocytorrhagy may be a plausible hypothesis for the co-existence of these 2 conditions.

This study investigates the application of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence tool, in providing information on skin toxicities associated with cancer treatments. The study utilized 40 questions, split between patient-oriented and oncologist-oriented, to assess the accuracy and comprehensiveness of ChatGPT's responses. Three oncodermatology specialists from a New York tertiary academic institution evaluated the responses, which showed high accuracy and comprehensiveness. However, the reading level of the responses was at the college level, potentially limiting their accessibility to patients. The study highlighted that while ChatGPT can serve as a valuable resource for clinicians, its use for patient education requires careful consideration due to the complex nature of the information provided. There were also some concerns about the need for evidence-based and up-to-date clinical recommendations. Despite these challenges, ChatGPT demonstrates potential as a supplementary tool for oncologists and dermatologists in managing and educating about cancer treatment-related skin toxicities.

The use of third party applications such as Figure 1 was found to be utilized predominately by non-dermatologist medical personnel for collaboration in medical decision making of dermatologic conditions with other providers. This discovery calls to attention the need for more readily resources for non-dermatologist health care providers when faced with skin related conditions, added benefit of trained dermatologists as adversaries to such medical application platforms, and recognition for when additional consultation or referral to trained dermatologists for more complex cases is deemed appropriate.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions (CSII) are the current standard treatment devices for type 1 diabetes (T1D) management. With a high prevalence of T1D beginning in pediatrics and carrying into adulthood, insufficient glycemic control leads to poor patient outcomes. Dermatologic complications such as contact dermatitis, lipodystrophies, and inflammatory lesions are among those associated with CGM and CSII, which reduce glycemic control and patient compliance.

September 01, 2023, marked the loss of iconic singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett after a lengthy battle with lymphoma precipitating from Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Given Buffett’s prominent status, media coverage of his death was extensive.

TikTok's social media platform can educate users about dermatology, but this longitudinal analysis of Skin of Color (SoC)-related TikTok hashtags from 2021 to 2022 suggests that non-dermatologist influencers continue to dominate content creation, highlighting the need for more participation from board-certified dermatologists to actively counter misinformation and address potential disparities in SoC healthcare.

Teledermoscopy has demonstrated benefits such as decreased costs and enhanced access to dermatology care for skin cancer detection. However, the heterogeneity among teledermoscopy studies hinders the systematic reviews’ synopsis of diagnostic outcomes, impeding trust and adoption in general practice and limiting overall health care benefits.

Limited data exist on the motivations and expectations of participants when enrolling in dermatology clinical trials, including melanoma early detection trials. Understanding participant motivators for research engagement has been identified as a prioritized area for trial methodology research.