Editor's Picks February 2021

The document reviewed several studies on different dermatological conditions. A study by Conic et al. involving 33,130 patients found that those with alopecia areata had a higher prevalence of chronic illnesses like hypertension and obesity compared to controls, suggesting a link between alopecia areata and cardiac/metabolic diseases. Fonda-Pascual et al. reported that a 308 nm-excimer lamp effectively reduced pruritus in 11 patients with notalgia paresthetica, though the study's small size was noted. Lima et al. found that pycnogenol, a systemic antioxidant, improved treatment outcomes for melasma in a study of 44 women. Lastly, Paller et al. conducted a phase 2 study on 40 children with severe atopic dermatitis, showing that dupilumab improved symptoms, with safety comparable to previous studies. Further research was recommended for all studies to confirm findings and explore additional treatment options.