Dear Colleagues:
Welcome to the September 2021 edition of NP+PA Perspectives in Dermatology, the ongoing quarterly supplement series to The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. We have a diverse selection of content in this issue, which we hope you find applicable to your practice.
First, we present a review article by Datta et al titled “Parental Stress and Quality of Life in Chronic Childhood.” Here, the authors reviewed the available literature in an effort to better understand the relationship between parental stress and chronic dermatoses in children. While they found data to be scarce, the authors did find evidence that the psychological, physical, and financial burden of caring for a child with a chronic dermatosis can result in increased parental/caregiver stress; this may, in turn, result in decreased quality of care the parent is able to provide to the child. The authors recommend that clinicians who treat children with chronic dermatoses incorporate appropriate measures in the treatment plan to assist both parent and child in physically and mentally adjusting to a life-long dermatological condition.
Following this, in our regularly featured column, “Dermatological Conditions in Skin of Color,” Ms. Sangha provides us with some important insights in the management of keloids, a condition in that affects 15 times more dark-skinned individuals than those with white skin.
Next, the Complications in Medical Aesthetics Collaborative (CMAC) is a nonprofit organization out of the United Kingdom that was established to promote best patient outcomes through education in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of complications that can arise following aesthetic procedures. We are pleased to be publishing a series of their guidelines in upcoming issues of NP+PA Perspectives. Last issue (June 2021), we published the “Guideline for the Management Herpes Simplex 1 and Cosmetic Interventions,” which we hope you found informative. This month, CMAC offers guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of acute bacterial soft tissue infections following nonsurgical cosmetic procedures. According to the authors, while infection following nonsurgical cosmetic procedures is considered rare, the CMAC panel seeks to increase clinician awareness of the importance of thorough patient screening (including history, examination, and informed consent) before treatment, good infection control practices during treatment, and detailed aftercare instructions and appropriate post-treatment follow-up for the patient—all of which should be well-documented—to minimize risk and optimize patient outcomes in nonsurgical and surgical cosmetic procedures alike.
Following this, our Emerging Authors in Dermatology article series is designed to provide undergrad medical students with the opportunity to submit their work to a peer-reviewed, indexed journal as first authors. In this issue, we are pleased to present “Adverse Effects of COVID-19 and Face Masks: A Systematic Review,” by emerging authors Akshitha Thatiparthi, BS; Jeffrey Liu, BS; and Amylee Martin, BS; along with their mentor, Jashin J. Wu, MD.
And finally, I am honored to be featured in this issue’s Spotlight Interview, in which I discuss a topic near and dear to me—quality of care and the importance of integrating quality measures into clinical practice. I hope readers find this discussion beneficial to our continual and universal pursuit for better patient outcomes.
We hope you enjoy this issue of NP+PA Perspectives in Dermatology. As always, we welcome your submissions and your feedback.
Warm regards,
Leigh Ann Pansch
Leigh Ann Pansch, MSN, FNP-BC, DCNP
Ms. Pansch is a Certified Dermatology Nurse Practitioner practicing in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a national speaker on such topics as pediatric dermatology, melanoma, and psoriasis. She enjoys educating hundreds of high school students each year on sun safety.