Linda Stein Gold, MD reminded attendees of challenges unique to topical therapy. This practical lecture highlighted important points that are often overlooked.
Dr. Stein Gold stressed the importance, when facing an apparent treatment failure with topical medications, to first-and-foremost confirm that patients are applying their topical prescriptions as directed. Patients sometimes lack appropriate knowledge about topical therapies prescribed and correct application instructions. Patients also have the frequent misperception that topical steroids with the highest percentage concentration are the most potent!
This could lead to application mishaps so it is important to spend ample time on patient education when it comes to topical therapy. Dr. Stein Gold concluded her presentation by providing a preview of new topicals on the horizon, including tapinarof, a natural AhR agonist currently in clinical trials for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, as well as ruxolitinib, a JAK 1/2 inhibitor developed for myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera, now being studied topically for the treatment of psoriasis, among other things.