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Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism. Botulinum toxin was first used for therapeutic indications in the 1970s for the treatment of strabismus. With greater understanding of its underlying physiology and safety profile, the use of botulinum toxin has now expanded to a range of cosmetic and medical indications. We performed a systematic review of current literature on the applications of botulinum toxin on off‐label esthetic uses. Electronic databases were searched for original published studies including randomized trials, observational or cohort studies, as well as relevant case reports. To add to the body of evidence, our review summarizes and synthesizes key study characteristics, results, and level of evidence for each use case. Although the body of evidence remains weak, there is increasing support for the use of botulinum toxin in emerging off‐label esthetic uses of botulinum toxin in dermatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Patient’s retention and recall of material discussed in a medical consultation is often inadequate. OBJECTIVE To assess patient’s knowledge, anxiety, and understanding of Mohssurgery after viewing a brief educational video. METHOD A prospective, investigator-blinded, randomized controlled trial of 120 consecutive patients before the first Mohs surgery procedure. Sixty subjects viewed an instructional video and 60 subjects did not. A survey was administered to both groups, measuring knowledge, anxiety, and understanding of Mohs surgery. RESULTS The video group scored higher than the control group on the knowledge portion of the survey (median score 78% vs 56%, p<.01), but there were no differences in anxiety or understanding scores between groups. The percentage of subjects who answered each knowledge question correctly was greater in the video group than in the control group. In the subgroup of patients who had not previously had a consultation with a Mohs surgeon, the video group had higher median knowledge scores (67% vs 44%, p<.01), higher median understanding scores (8 vs 6, p=.05), and lower median visual analogue anxiety scores (4 vs 6, p = .01) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION A brief educational video increases patient’s knowledge of Mohs surgery. For patients who have not yet had a consultation with a Mohs surgeon, the video may also reduce anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis is increasingly being used world-wide to treat a variety of dermatological conditions. Medicinal cannabis is currently legalized in Canada, 31 states in America and 19 countries in Europe. The authors reviewed the literature on the pharmacology and use of cannabinoids in treating a variety of skin conditions including acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, skin cancer, pruritus, and pain. Cannabinoids have demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, anti-ageing, and antimalignancy properties by various mechanisms including interacting with the newly found endocannabinoid system of the skin thereby providing a promising alternative to traditional treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Buccal fat pad reduction. Topics include buccal fat pad (Bichat fat pad) is a tubular shaped collection of adipose tissue that occupies a prominent position in the midface; Buccal fat pad reduction has become an increasingly popular technique for midface and lower face shaping to decrease the appearance of a round face; and complications associated with buccal fat pad reduction include inadvertent damage to surrounding structures.

Pearly penile papules (PPPs) are benign, dome-shaped lesions found around the corona of the penis. Despite being asymptomatic and benign in nature, the appearance of PPPs may cause a great deal of psychological distress to both the patient and their sexual partner. While patient reassurance may be the first-line treatment, several other treatment modalities including cryotherapy, electrodessication and curettage, and laser therapy have all been used to treat PPPs in order to achieve a cosmetic outcome that satisfies the patient. Based on the evaluation of the existing literature, ablative laser therapies offer satisfactory cosmetic outcomes with good long-term results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Full-thickness skin grafts harvested from hair-bearing areas may negatively impact cosmetic outcomes if the recipient site is hairless. Intraoperative depilation of unwanted hair follicles using an electrosurgical device can permanently remove hair with a single treatment and improve overall cosmesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]