Sunscreen Recommendation Rates Low

Welcome back to my general dermatology blog. I have written in past blog posts about skin care and the benefits of regular sunscreen usage, so a recent article on new sunscreen research caught my eye. According to findings published in the September 4^th issue of JAMADermatology, physicians discussed sunscreen rates with patients during less than 1% of visits.

Researchers at the University of Wake Forest conducted their study on trends in sunscreen recommendations among physicians after recognizing that sunscreen might not be recommended as often as guidelines dictate. They worked with the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to identify patient visits to non-federal outpatient physician offices at American ambulatory care practices during which the physician recommended sunscreen. The data covered patient visits between January 1, 1989 and December 26, 2010.

The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey reported an estimated 18.30 billion patient visits nationwide during the survey time frame. Physicians mentioned sunscreen during 12.83 million patient visits, which amounts to just 0.07% of all visits, although mention of sunscreen was reported for 0.9% of patients visits in which a patient was diagnosed with skin disease. Dermatologists fared a little better, mentioning sunscreen during 1.6% of dermatology visits while being responsible for 86.4% of all sunscreen mentions in the survey time frame. The researchers also found that sunscreen was recommended most frequently to patients aged 80 or older and to white patients, while children were the least likely to receive this recommendation.

Researchers concluded that sunscreen mentions during patient visits are still too low, even with patients who have a history of skin disease. They also suggested that high incidence and morbidity of skin cancer can be greatly reduced if patients exercise sun-protective behaviors, but it is up to physicians and dermatologists to make sure patients are properly educated on these behaviors.

Find out more about the study’s findings here: http://dermatologytimes.modernmedicine.com/dermatology-times/news/sunscreen-recommendation-rates-low?contextCategoryId=116

Thank you for reading,

Sudhir Polisetty 

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Researchers Uncover Molecule Responsible for Sunburn Pain

Image courtesy of WebMD

Welcome back to my general dermatology blog. An interesting new breakthrough in sunburn research recently made waves in the scientific community. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the red skin developing from sunburn is caused by a molecule called TRPV4. This molecule, which is abundant in the skin’s epidermis, could be blocked to greatly protect against the pain caused by sunburn.

This discovery originated from a collaboration between researchers at Duke University, the University of California-San Francisco, and Rockefeller University’s Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development. Rockefeller University researchers discovered TRPV4, an ion channel shown to be involved in other pain processes, more than ten years ago.  Duke’s Wolfgang Liedtke and Rockefeller’s Elaine Fuchs recently began testing the role of TRPV4 in the epidermis by building a mouse model missing TRPV4 in the outermost layer of its skin. The mouse’s hind paws, which most closely resemble human skin, were exposed to UVB rays. According to the researchers, unlike normal mice, the mutant mice showed little tissue injury and sensitivity.

Researchers then uncovered the sequence of events in the pain pathway. They found that UVB exposure on the skin activates TRPV4, which causes an influx of calcium ions into the skin cells, which then brings in endothelin (the molecule causing pain and itching in humans), which causes TRPV4 to send additional calcium into skin cells. Finally, researchers attempted to blow the pain pathway by applying GSK205 (a compound that selectively inhibits TRPV4) to the hind paws of normal mice. After doing so, the mice were resistant to the pain-inducing and skin-disrupting effects of sunburn.

These results seem to suggest that blocking TRPV4 channels could keep the epidermis from communicating with the skin’s sensory neurons and ease pain from sunburn. Additional tests will be necessary, but TRPV4 could be a new target for treating and preventing sunburn. TRPV4 might also potentially combat chronic sun damage such as skin cancer and skin photo-aging. For now, however, make sure you are still wearing sunscreen.

View Rockefeller University’s press release here: http://newswire.rockefeller.edu/2013/08/08/researchers-find-molecule-that-causes-sunburn-pain/

Thanks for reading,

Sudhir Polisetty 

You can learn more about me on LinkedIn or read more of my dermatology blog posts on my Wordpress blog: http://sudhirpolisetty.wordpress.com/

Daily Sunscreen Could Prevent Skin Aging

Hello all! My name is Sudhir Polisetty and I am a General and Surgical Dermatologist continuously reading up on the newest breakthrough treatments and advancements concerning dermatology. I began studying dermatology at Northeast Ohio Medical University and obtained my medical degree in May of 2007. I continued my education by completing a Preliminary Medicine Internship at Summa Health Systems’ Akron City Hospital and then pursued specialized training with Wright State Dermatology. During my training I gained hands-on experience with a wide variety of complex General and Surgical Dermatology procedures.

I recently read about a new study from Australia that addressed daily sunscreen use as a method for protecting against aging skin, or photoaging. Over a four-year period, Dr. Adele Green and her colleagues at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research examined data from 903 adults under 55 years old. The researchers asked half of participants to place sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher on their hands, neck, back, arms, and face each morning and to reapply it as needed. The other half of the group could use sunscreen at their discretion. Dr. Adele Green and her colleagues measured photoaging from each participant at the beginning and end of the study by examining the skin on the back of every participant’s left hand. Following the conclusion of the four year study, researchers found no detectable changes in the skin condition of people who applied daily sunscreen. Australians in this first group were 24% less likely to show increased signs of aging than individuals in the second group who applied sunscreen at their own discretion.

This study reinforces what most dermatologists already know, with most dermatologists currently recommending that patients use sunscreen and avoid smoking in order to deter photoaging. You can also reduce skin aging over time by developing healthy sunscreen habits at a young age. As summer temperatures continue to rise, consider applying sunscreen before you step outside.

View the full article here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/03/us-sunscreen-aging-idUSBRE95215U20130603

As always thanks for reading,

Sudhir Polisetty

Learn more about me on my Expertfile profile or read my other Dermatology blog posts on my personal website: http://sudhirpolisetty.com/blog/