Elevate-Derm East Conference Day 1
The Elevate-Derm East Conference kicked off with an energizing yoga session, followed by the opening of the exhibit hall and a coffee service before attendees settled into the lecture hall.
Dr. Susan Taylor from the Perelman School of Medicine started the day’s lectures with an update on Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA). She highlighted key diagnostic insights, including the dermatoscopic identification of a peripilar gray/white halo as a specific and sensitive marker for CCCA. Dr. Taylor also noted that early, subtle hair breakage at the vertex might signal the onset of CCCA.
After breakfast, Dr. Taylor returned to discuss Vitiligo in Skin of Color, emphasizing the importance of a thorough review for autoimmune comorbidities in these patients and the technique of using side-lighting to detect depigmented hair.
Next, Dr. Peter Lio addressed Challenging Inflammatory Cases, stressing the importance of recognizing an escalating flare pattern in atopic dermatitis patients as a warning sign. He also introduced the Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool—a six-question, easily scored self-assessment survey that he finds useful for tracking disease symptoms and severity, recommending the app version for patient use.
Dr. Chris Bunick concluded the morning with insights from his structural biology research, presenting a lecture on "Putting Skin Care Products Under the Microscope." He discussed benzene in certain sunscreens, how benzoyl peroxide decomposes into benzene, accelerated by heat exposure, and the potential problems with formaldehyde in certain dry shampoos.
In the afternoon, Dr. Lio delivered another talk on "An Integrative Approach to AD," sharing findings from his Chicago Integrative Eczema Center. He highlighted the benefits of coconut oil, which can reduce staph colonization by 95% when applied twice daily for four weeks. He discussed the inclusion of acupressure in his practice to alleviate the severity of the itch and disease without side effects.
Dr. Chris Bunick followed with a review of molecular differentiation in dermatologic therapeutics, explaining the structure of various molecules. He discussed topical roflumilast, now approved for atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis, with its enhanced efficacy due to stabilization in three critical areas on the PDE4 molecule. He also cautioned about potential weight gain associated with Janus kinase two inhibitors, which can interfere with postprandial signaling.
An atopic dermatitis panel with Douglas DiRuggiero, PA-C, Dr. Bunick, and Dr. Lio explored the memory component of atopic dermatitis and its implications for future treatments aiming at disease remission. The panel also considered that facial dermatitis in patients on Dupilumab might be due to seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, or topical steroid withdrawal.
Dr. Brittney Schultz wrapped up the day with two lectures on "Interesting Cases/Lessons Learned in Managing Immunobullous Disorders" and "Immunofluorescence/Immunobullous Work-up Tips & Tricks." As the director of the autoimmune blistering disease clinic at the University of Minnesota, she shared practical advice, including screening all patients with pemphigoid for mucosal involvement and evaluating new blistering eruptions in-office to exclude viral causes before starting therapy.
The day concluded with the "Let’s Sail Away" Welcome Event, where attendees mingled over craft cocktails, a live musician, and hors d’oeuvres. After a fulfilling and busy day, attendees retired for the evening, ready to tackle the next day’s sessions.
