https://medicalxpress.com/dermatology-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Dermatology A new study has identified a molecular guardian that keeps skin cells from forgetting what they are and transforming into aggressive, migratory killers. By stabilizing a master genetic switch, this protein shield prevents common skin tumors from undergoing a dangerous metamorphosis and spreading to the lungs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-biological-shield-skin-cancer-cells.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:40:04 EDT news695551616 While it was previously thought that keratinocytes (skin cells) were only passive conductors that allow the rabies virus to pass through, novel research reveals that these cells play a much more active role. The findings of a new study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (JID), provide direct evidence that keratinocytes can support viral replication and transmit the rabies virus to neurons. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-skin-cells-rabies-invade-nerves.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:10:01 EDT news695477521 A natural compound made by Australian bees to seal their hives may help stop scarring in human skin after surgery, injury and burns, according to University of the Sunshine Coast researchers. The scientists say the laboratory finding has "immense potential" for future applications in people with scarring ranging from shallow and cosmetic to deep and debilitating, known as hypertrophic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-australian-bee-scar-compound-scars.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:40:04 EDT news695461023 Health care registry data can show early risk patterns for melanoma skin cancer, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg. Using AI, it is possible to identify small groups within the population that have a significantly higher risk of developing melanoma within five years. The work is published in the journal Acta Dermato-Venereologica. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ai-melanoma-patterns-million-adults.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:20:03 EDT news695456273 Instead of applying ointment and attaching a bandage, a "smart patch that regulates treatment intensity on its own just by being attached" has appeared. A research team has developed a "self-regulating OLED wound healing patch" that combines light and drugs to pull up the wound recovery speed by about twice. It is expected to develop into an intelligent treatment technology where light regulates drug release according to the patient's condition in the future. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-smart-oled-patch-automate-drug.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:40:03 EDT news695305461 Injectable peptides are the new anti-aging trend sweeping the beauty industry. These compounds are promoted on social media as tools for skin repair, collagen production and "cellular rejuvenation." They are widely available online from overseas sellers, despite many peptides being unregulated in Australia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-peptides-antiaging-trend-evidence-theyre.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:00:04 EDT news694950542 Scientists have long known that our skin is home to vast communities of bacteria, fungi and viruses. But knowing which microbes are present only tells part of the story. What matters just as much is which microbes are active, what genes they switch on, and how they interact with one another on the skin. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-hidden-skin-microbe-revealed-real.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:40:02 EDT news695041309 Keratin is the fibrous, waterproof protein that builds everything from our hair and nails to a rhino's horn. However, a tiny glitch in it can have problematic outcomes. A new study has found that changes in a keratin gene called KRT16 can lead to a rare condition known as pachyonychia congenita (PC). This disorder affects the skin, nails, and the lining of the mouth, and often causes painful, thick patches of skin—especially on the hands and feet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-skin-protein-k16-inflammation-stressed.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:20:03 EDT news695037258 A hair growth product is being recalled because it could pose a serious risk to kids. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-hair-growth-product-recalled-child.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:00:01 EDT news694950833 There's very little parents can do to prevent their kids from developing eczema, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Research hasn't shown that common tactics like special diets, skipping baths, breastfeeding and probiotic supplements can help children avoid eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, researchers report in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-good-ways-childhood-eczema-treatment.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:40:01 EDT news694944153 It is well known that students who prepare in advance perform better in exams. Now, it appears that the skin can do the same. Rather than scrambling to repair itself only after injury occurs, a Korean research team has demonstrated that preconditioning a subset of skin cells into a "ready state" enables the tissue to initiate rapid and effective healing immediately upon injury. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-skin-pre-priming-cells-regeneration.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:10 EDT news694946221 Amlitelimab, a fully human non-T cell depleting monoclonal antibody that selectively targets OX40-ligand (OX40L), is safe and effective, with potentially progressive efficacy over time, for patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), according to the results of three phase 3 studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, held from March 27 to 31 in Denver. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-aad-subcutaneous-amlitelimab-aids-atopic.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:50:01 EDT news694876215 A study among more than 100,000 Queensland residents has revealed that while the incidence of developing second primary invasive cutaneous melanomas increased from the 1980s through the early 2000s, the rising trend has now begun to plateau. The reassuring findings of the new study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (JID) can be mainly attributed to the cumulative impact of long-running sun safety campaigns in Australia combined with increased surveillance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-primary-invasive-melanoma-queensland-plateau.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:10:06 EDT news694431661 Research behind the skin cancer prevention campaign "If You Could See UV" has found that evoking fear of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure—through a visually striking metaphor—helped motivate young adults to protect their skin. By visualizing UV as something immediate and ever-present, the campaign aimed to prompt young adults to think and feel differently about everyday sun exposure, and to take practical steps to protect themselves. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-sun-safety-ad-visuals-messaging.html Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:10:01 EDT news694707651 Folks with severe plaque psoriasis often have to choose between convenient pills that don't work very well or highly effective injections that come with the hassle of needles. That trade-off may soon change. New clinical trial data suggests a once-daily pill called zasocitinib may provide the clear skin once only expected from shots. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pill-plaque-psoriasis-treatment.html Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:30:03 EDT news694337401 In a consensus statement published online March 25 in JAMA Dermatology, internationally agreed-upon severity criteria are presented for vitiligo. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-international-severity-criteria-vitiligo.html Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:30:03 EDT news694354686 Fibrosis is the body's way of patching up damage—a bit like fixing a pothole. When skin is cut or a muscle is injured, fibroblast cells rush in to make fibronectin and collagen, which are two major extracellular matrix proteins in tissue. They pull the wound edges together and build a temporary scaffold to let tissue heal. Once the job is done, the body slowly removes the extra fibers and the tissue softens again. This type of normal wound healing is essential. However, problems arise when fibroblasts do not stop making fibers. Instead of healing and calming, the tissue becomes thicker, stiffer, and less able to work. This long-term, uncontrolled scarring is called pathological fibrosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-uncontrolled-scarring-reveals-cell-sensor.html Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:40:02 EDT news694354584 For adults with dermatomyositis, brepocitinib, an oral tyrosine kinase 2/Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, demonstrates significant benefits at a 30-mg dose compared with placebo, according to a study published online March 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, held from March 27 to 31 in Denver. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-aad-significant-benefits-brepocitinib-mg.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:10:07 EDT news694274982 Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer that is typically removed surgically. Now, researchers publishing in ACS Nano report they have developed a potential noninvasive treatment for melanoma in the form of a stretchy, heat-activated patch similar to a bandage. When activated, the patch releases copper ions that kill the underlying cancer cells and prevent them from spreading. In tests with mice, the researchers say the patch reduced melanoma lesions without damaging surrounding tissue. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-skin-patch-melanoma-cells-surgery.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:20:05 EDT news694262881 For patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA), those with cutaneous psoriasis (PsC) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have an increased risk for complications, according to a study published online March 22 in the Journal of Arthroplasty. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-patients-psoriasis-elevated-complications-total.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:20:01 EDT news694183051 Chronic wounds affect approximately 2% of the population in developed countries. Existing treatments are expensive and may cause side effects. In his doctoral thesis, Amal D. Premarathna shows that a promising alternative to synthetic wound care treatments may come from nature—namely, algae. Some beneficial algae species are also found in Estonia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-algae-derived-sugars-anti-inflammatory.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:10:01 EDT news694101836 Collagen supplements have become one of the bestselling products in the wellness industry, promising everything from smoother skin to stronger joints. But do they actually work? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-collagen-supplements-skin-joints-large.html Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:00:04 EDT news693580890 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Johnson & Johnson's Icotyde (icotrokinra), an interleukin-23 (IL-23) receptor antagonist, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-fda-icotyde-moderate-severe-plaque.html Wed, 25 Mar 2026 19:50:01 EDT news693652692 Using computational modeling, a research team has developed a novel peptide (MLPH) that promotes hair growth without the side effects of existing drugs. This achievement, accomplished through a joint research project led by Prof. Young Kwan Sung and Dr. Mihee Kwak from Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, is regarded as opening a new horizon for next-generation hair loss therapeutics that are safe for both men and women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-hair-loss-therapeutic-agent-safe.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:50:01 EDT news693575041 Mount Sinai researchers have published the first organ-wide human skin spatial atlas from across the body. It provides an unprecedentedly detailed view of healthy human skin, revealing cellular composition and functional mechanisms of skin from more than a dozen unique sites on the body, including the scalp and sole. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-spatial-atlas-reveals-unique-cell.html Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:20:01 EDT news693499441 Scientists have identified the transporter protein that allows essential fats in the bloodstream to enter the skin, reshaping understanding of how the skin maintains its protective barrier. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-scientists-uncover-key-lipid-skin.html Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:16:33 EDT news693486961 Skin, our largest organ, acts as a protective barrier against pathogens that try to invade our bodies while constantly monitoring for potential threats. In the skin's outermost layer, the epidermis, reside keratinocytes, cells that detect danger and actively orchestrate the body's immune response. How these cells perform this task in a localized manner and then communicate the message with the entire immune system had been a mystery, but now a team of researchers from China has uncovered the signaling pathway. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-scientists-skin-alarm-pathway-links.html Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:20:04 EDT news693479936 No matter the size or severity, wounds on human skin are difficult to monitor while they heal. Biopsies disrupt the wound site and are too invasive for routine, repeated monitoring, and most medical imaging devices that could do the job are large, expensive, and booked up with more pressing diagnostics. Clinicians typically resort to visual inspection or quick measurements of the wound's size over time. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-ai-powered-imaging-tracks-wound.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:20:05 EDT news693230641 The mystery of how stress exacerbates atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, may be closer to being understood. A new study published in the journal Science has identified a specific nerve pathway that helps explain the link. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-stress-pathway-reveals-nervous-contributes.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:00:02 EDT news693221723 Injections of botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, could be an effective and well-tolerated option for treating debilitating complications caused by reduced blood flow to the fingers, such as acute digital ischemia (which makes the fingers very painful, cold and sometimes white or bluish), digital ulcers (open wounds that heal poorly), and gangrene, according to a study recently published in JAMA Dermatology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-botox-therapeutic-approach-finger-ulcers.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:20:01 EDT news693221281