HealthCert Blog

Why are general practitioners and skin cancer doctors ideally positioned to provide aesthetic services in their practice? The latest trends in health and skin care result in an increased demand for skin repair and rejuvenation services – and skilled practitioners. Patients with clinical skin conditions prefer to receive these services from a trusted, qualified doctor […]

In scientific literature, what spin strategies do authors use to improve or skew the interpretation of their findings? Spin – reporting that distorts the interpretation of results – is not unusual within scientific literature. A study appraised the spin strategies employed in dermatologic literature – specifically among a collection of placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trials of […]

What are the genetic, clinical and environmental factors associated with persistent atopic dermatitis in childhood?

Why is it worthwhile for general practitioners to be knowledgeable in nutrition? GP visits for chronic disease management increased substantially between 1998 and 2008. Patients presenting for the management of hypertension increased from 8.3 to 9.9 per 100 encounters; type 2 diabetes mellitus from 2.6 to 3.7; and lipid disorders from 2.5 to 3.7. In 2010, chronic […]

Methotrexate has been used both as monotherapy and as an adjunct to corticosteroids in the treatment of alopecia areata, but there is only a small amount of definitive evidence and guidelines in this setting.

The Australasian College of Dermatologists has published a position statement on isotretinoin for the treatment of acne. The statement provides evidence-based information about isotretinoin for the treatment of acne in the Australian clinical and regulatory context, and in particular, use in women of childbearing potential, other contraindications, precautions, dosage, adverse effects and mental health.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis – a form of skin inflammation that usually occurs on the scalp, face or torso, in or around areas that naturally produce an oily substance known as sebum – is a chronic disease and although there are a large number of treatments, none are curative.

Can laser therapy help to reduce the appearance of scars during wound healing? Recently, various lasers have increasingly been applied during wound healing to minimise scar formation; however, no consensus regarding treatment procedures exists. A new study assessed scar formation clinically after three non-ablative fractional laser exposures, targeting the inflammation, proliferation and remodelling wound healing phases […]

Almost half of health care workers have experienced dermatitis, according to research by the Skin & Cancer Foundation Inc. A retrospective study of health care workers assessed in Australian dermatology clinics found that 49.7 per cent had experienced allergic contact dermatitis.

The Australian Healthy Skin Consortium has published the inaugural ‘National Healthy Skin Guideline: for the Prevention, Treatment and Public Health Control of Impetigo, Scabies, Crusted Scabies and Tinea for Indigenous Populations and Communities in Australia.’ The aim of the guidelines is to help healthcare providers recognise, diagnose, treat and prevent skin infections in Indigenous communities.