Photo by Eisfelder via Wikimedia Commons New research has documented a significant impact of severe atopic dermatitis (AD) on a child’s height, and that dupilumab treatment can help improve growth. The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, investigated the effect of a medication commonly used to treat AD on growth and bone biomarkers in 123 children aged six to 11 years with severe eczema. Researchers found that children who had severe AD and growth...

BMAL1 (green) and YAP1 (red) in the adult (top) and aged (bottom) epidermis. Cell nuclei appear in blue. Image courtesy the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona A new study describes a molecular mechanism that helps explain the drivers of persistent low-grade inflammation that impairs skin regeneration as humans age. Findings show that during aging, two proteins, BMAL1 and YAP, change how they work together and increase the activity of inflammatory genes in the epidermis. The work...

Robert Harmon, PhD, research assistant professor of Pathology. Photo courtesy Northwestern University Researchers have identified a mechanism that may explain why people with the genetic skin disorder Darier disease often develop symptoms years after birth and experience painful flares triggered by heat, sunlight, and psychological stress. The findings, published in Science Advances, point to oxidative stress and impaired cellular defences as central drivers of Darier disease. The study also...