New Products and Pharmacological Developments

UVBioTek Launches POLY Go Portable LED Light Therapy

UVBioTek’s new line of hand-held LED therapy products support their newest brand, POLY LED Light Therapy. Named “POLY Go,” the mobile devices use multiple wavelengths to cater to those with acne, fine-line wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, under-eye bags, collagen depletion issues, and even pain, swelling, and redness. POLY Go, like the clinical and spa version POLY, offers the option to change light heads to address several conditions for a variety of needs. UVBioTek also teamed up TIMIT Solutions to build a custom application to assist users in utilizing POLY Go, available for iOS and Android users. Mypolyled.com

Cutera Launches truSculpt iD

Cutera has introduced truSculpt iD, a new treatment enabling personalized body sculpting in as little as 15 minutes. A non-surgical body sculpting system, truSculpt iD uses monopolar radiofrequency technology to selectively target fat and therapeutically heat it until fat cells are slowly excreted through the body naturally. With enhanced efficiency, providers are able to treat more patients and boost ROI as a result. The body shaping and skin tightening market is expected to expand by 14.5 percent year-over-year. Cutera.com

Nestlé Skin Health and Maruho Release ‘Itch Tracker’ APP for Apple Watch

Maruho Co., Ltd. and Nestlé Skin Health S.A. announced that Maruho has acquired exclusive rights in Japan for itch measurement application “Itch Tracker” for Apple Watch, which has been developed to collect data on scratching during sleep. The launch of Itch Tracker is the first collaboration for innovation initiatives between Maruho’s Future Design Department and Nestlé Skin Health’s global network of innovation, SHIELD.

Itch Tracker is the first application to measure and visualize itching. Nestlé Skin Health developed Itch Tracker using ResearchKit, an open source framework for medical research introduced by Apple. Wearing the Apple Watch, users can start the Itch Tracker app before sleep to measure scratching behavior during sleep and in order to evaluate itching objectively.

Maruho and Nestlé Skin Health collaborated in the renewal of Itch Tracker as a general-purpose application that can be used by anyone who is troubled by itchy skin. Additions such as a check function over time, etc., were added in addition to overall improvements making Itch Tracker more user-friendly. nestleskinhealth.com

Therapeutics Focus: Infections

AAD: How to Treat Cuts, AvoiD Infection

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has issued tips to help patients safely treat cuts for improved healing and infection prevention, along with a video demonstration.

Laura K. Ferris, MD, PhD, FAAD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, recommends the following tips you can share with patients for how to treat a minor cut:

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Wash the cut to prevent infection using cool or lukewarm water and a mild soap or cleanser to gently remove dirt or debris.
3. Stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the cut using a clean washcloth or gauze. Maintain pressure for one to two minutes or until bleeding stops.
4. Apply petroleum jelly to help keep the wound moist for faster healing—it should be applied continuously until the cut heals. Do not apply topical antibiotics.
5. Cover the cut with a sterile bandage to protect it and prevent it from reopening. The bandage should be changed daily, and the cut covered until it heals.
6. Consider taking over-the-counter pain medication. Acetaminophen can help relieve painful cuts.
7. Make sure tetanus vaccination is up to date if a cut is from a dirty or rusty object. If unsure, patients should contact their primary care doctor.

WATCH NOW: MANAGING PLANTAR WARTS

In a recent episode of Ask an Expert, Steven Cohen, MD, MPH spoke with host Adam Friedman, MD about difficulties and offered tips for managing plantar warts. He stresses the importance of anesthesia as part of treatment. Watch now for insights on standards of care as well as newer techniques and products that may offer benefit.

These tips are demonstrated in “How to Treat Minor Cuts,” a video posted to the AAD website and YouTube channel. A new video in the series posts to the AAD website and YouTube channel each month.

New MOBILE APP TO HELP PATIENTS ADHERE TO TREATMENT WITH JUBLIA

Ortho Dermatologics has launched the JubliApp mobile app designed to help encourage patients to adhere to treatment with Jublia (efinaconazole 10% topical solution), a topical azole used to treat fungal infections of the toenails.

JubliApp was designed to help patients reach their treatment goals through their daily administration of Jublia. The app offers treatment reminders, efficacy tracking, and a game to keep patients engaged while the daily application is drying, helping to make the 48-week long therapy less intimidating.

JubliApp also has several other key features to keep patients on track with their treatment, including:

• Reminding patients on a daily basis to apply the treatment and notifying them on a monthly basis when they will need to refill their prescription
• Taking and comparing side-by-side photos of toenails to track results over time; patients can also share the photos with their doctor to monitor progress
• Identifying which toenails have been affected
• Ensuring patients allow the daily treatment the time needed to dry by encouraging them to play the Mission Plu-Toe game after application—then notifying them when drying time is up
• Sharing weekly progress reports, which track whether the patient applied the daily treatment, played the game, or took a photo of the affected toenails

“Since we only see patients a handful of times a year, it’s often difficult to ensure they are being adherent to a long-course treatment like Jublia,” said Tracey Vlahovic, DPM, Professor, Department of Podiatric Medicine at Temple University. “By giving patients the ability to send physicians their progress photos at the touch of a button, we’re able to give them real-time guidance to provide their best chance for complete clearance.”

The app is available in the App Store or Google Play.

Are More Hospitals Requiring Flu Shots for Healthcare Workers?

A national survey study suggests the proportion of hospitals, both Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA hospitals, requiring flu shots for healthcare workers grew from 37.1 percent in 2013 to 61.4 percent in 2017, although the increase was driven primarily by non-VA hospitals and overall many hospitals still lack such a mandate.

The survey results where published in JAMA Network Open. The authors concluded, “Despite a substantial increase in mandates among non-VA hospitals, we found that many non-VA hospitals and nearly all VA hospitals are still not currently mandating influenza vaccinations for HCP. In addition to implementing other well-described strategies to increase vaccination rates, health care organizations should consider mandating influenza vaccinations while appropriately weighing and managing the moral, ethical, and legal implications.”

— JAMA Network Open. 2018;1(2):e180143.