While blood work is often unnecessary to diagnose most alopecia subtypes, Dr. Leavitt did explore the association between vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in CCCA which could be an easy target for supplementation if studies examine the impact on this progressive disease course. Linda F. Stein Gold, MD went through some clinical pearls on atopic dermatitis, reporting that patients often can complain of itch even after skin lesions resolve and that failing one biologic doesn’t necessarily preclude success with another.  Shifting to skin and soft tissue infections, Dr. Tomecki recommended against antibiotics unless in a high-risk patient, severe or system, or otherwise complicated, preferring incision and drainage as first-line treatment. Further, compression stockings may prevent recurrent cellulitis.

Some new medications covered in this section were sonidegib, a hedgehog pathway inhibitor, for advanced basal cell carcinoma, nemolizumab for prurigo nodularis, and dupilumab for chronic pruritus of unknown origin all presented by Dr. Lebwohl. Aphthous stomatitis was effectively treated with vitamin B12 and apremilast in two RCTs. Dr. Green also gave us some surgical tips like using intradermal sutures for closures on the back to improve closures and when, why, and how to document appropriate undermining.