Using Neuromodulators for Salivary, Eccrine, and Apocrine Gland Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Sialorrhea, hyperhidrosis, bromhidrosis, and chromhidrosis are common glandular disorders that substantially impact patients' health and quality of life. Botulinum toxin can safely and temporarily decrease gland secretions by targeting the parasympathetic cholinergic neurons, resulting in diminished saliva and sweat production. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to describe the applications of neuromodulators for the treatment of salivary, eccrine, and apocrine glands. METHODS: PubMed was searched from inception to February 1, 2024 using search terms "neurotoxin," "botulinum toxin," "sialorrhea," "hyperhidrosis," "bromhidrosis," and "chromhidrosis." RESULTS: Incobotulinumtoxin A and Rimabotulinumtoxin B are approved by the FDA for the treatment of sialorrhea. Onabotulinumtoxin A is the only FDA-approved botulinum toxin for axillary hyperhidrosis and is used off-label for hyperhidrosis of nonaxillary sites, bromhidrosis, and chromhidrosis. Compared to botulinum toxin serotype A, serotype B has been associated with more immunogenicity, which may have implications for patients requiring long-term treatment for chronic glandular disorders. CONCLUSION: Neuromodulators are safe and effective for the noninvasive treatment of excess gland activity and can improve patients' quality of life. While substantial literature supports botulinum toxin treatments for hyperhidrosis, further studies are needed to characterize standard dosing and administration techniques for sialorrhea, bromhidrosis, and chromhidrosis.

Impact of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Cosmetic Procedures on Consumers.

BACKGROUND: Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising is a prominent type of health care communication. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the impact of DTC advertisements on consumer opinion. METHODS: A total of 203 participants were recruited from dermatology clinics at an urban academic center. Participants viewed 2 cosmetically oriented DTC advertisements, and prequestionnaires and postquestionnaires were administered to assess consumer opinion. RESULTS: Postquestionnaire data highlight a 18.8% and 24.6% increase in participants reporting using commercials as an information source (p < .001) and seeking out additional medical knowledge (p < .001), respectively. After watching the advertisements, there was a 14.4% increase in participants who believed advertisements facilitate better discussions between patients and physicians (p < .001) and a 33% increase in patients reporting they would discuss the procedures with their doctors (p < .001). Of the participants, 60% believed the advertisements did not provide enough information about the possible risks of the product and 39.4% believed a physician was not required to perform cosmetic procedures. CONCLUSION: Direct-to-consumer advertisements instill meaningful information to patients and promote patient-physician communication. They also seem to exaggerate the benefits while making the procedures seem simple and without risks, suggesting trained medical professionals are not needed for administration.

Characteristics of keratinocyte carcinomas in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites: A retrospective 5-year study.

BACKGROUND: Hispanics are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. Few studies have characterized the patterns of keratinocyte carcinoma presentation in Hispanics. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to compare the clinical and histologic characteristics of keratinocyte carcinomas in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A five-year retrospective chart review was conducted at a single academic center to identify all histologically-confirmed cases of keratinocyte carcinomas. Tumor characteristics were then compared between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. RESULTS: A total of 197 tumors were identified of which 76% occurred in non-Hispanic whites and 24% in Hispanics. Tumor diameter was not larger and histologic subtype was not more aggressive in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites. Age of diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma was younger among Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Hispanics were not more likely to present with more high-risk keratinocyte carcinomas compared to non-Hispanic whites in terms of tumor diameter, differentiation and subtype.

Sexual dimorphism and transgender medicine: appealing to a viewer's sense of beauty.

Sexual dimorphism - the phenotypic structural differences between male and female faces - has been shown to be an important universal component of beauty. This concept plays a key role in facial feminization surgery (FFS), which consists of contouring and reshaping features of the skull itself to alter the foundation of the face. FFS has been shown to improve quality of life among transgender women and therefore an understanding of the procedure and the concept of sexual dimorphism is key for plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and other healthcare providers.

Appearance-based vs health-based sun protective messages: A randomized, double-blind controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Appearance-based messages have shown promise in improving sun protection habits among Caucasians but have scarcely been investigated in Hispanic populations. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of appearance-based vs health-based messages in an ethnic patient population, where hyperpigmentation disorders are prevalent and often cosmetically concerning. METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven patients were randomized to receive images of (a) skin cancer, (b) hyperpigmentation, or (c) wrinkles. Analysis of variance tests for repeated measures were used to estimate the effects of the different stimuli on participants' knowledge and intention to sun protect. RESULTS: Appearance-based interventions were more effective in improving intentions to sun protect among both Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites (P < 0.05). They were furthermore more effective among younger patient populations (≤40 years old) and patients who thought that a tanned appearance is attractive (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Appearance-based photos of sun damage were more effective than health-based messages among Hispanics, younger patient populations, and those who find tanned appearances to be attractive.

Differential Expression of the Activator Protein 1 Transcription Factor Regulates Interleukin-1ß Induction of Interleukin 6 in the Developing Enterocyte.

The innate immune response is characterized by activation of transcription factors, nuclear factor kappa B and activator protein-1 and their downstream targets, the pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 1ß and interleukin 6. Normal development of this response in the intestine is critical to survival of the human neonate and delays can cause the onset of devastating inflammatory diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis. Previous studies have addressed the role of nuclear factor kappa B in the development of the innate immune response in the enterocyte, however despite its central role in the control of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, little is known on the role of Activator Protein 1 in this response in the enterocyte. Here we show that the canonical Activator Protein 1 members, cJun and cFos and their upstream kinases JNK and p38 play an essential role in the regulation of interleukin 6 in the immature enterocyte. Our data supports a model whereby the cFos/cJun heterodimer and the more potent cJun homodimer downstream of JNK are replaced by less efficient JunD containing dimers, contributing to the decreased responsiveness to interleukin 1ß and decreased interleukin 6 secretion observed in the mature enterocyte. The tissue specific expression of JunB in colonocytes and colon derived tissues together with its ability to repress Interleukin-1ß induction of an Interleukin-6 gene reporter in the NCM-460 colonocyte suggests that induction of JunB containing dimers may offer an attractive therapeutic strategy for the control of IL-6 secretion during inflammatory episodes in this area of the intestine.