The importance of a gender-sensitive approach in dermatology
New research into medical and cultural considerations in the dermatologic care for female patients, and a discussion of the importance of mentorship in dermatology education (1460 words, 7 minutes)
Good morning and welcome to the first edition of the Women in Dermatology e-newsletter from Chronicle Companies. We are delighted to have you join us. Every two weeks, this publication will provide you with updates on new findings regarding dermatologic issues that affect women and the female dermatologists who care for them. We welcome your feedback and opinions, so let us know if you have any comments, observations or suggestions. You can email them to us at health@chronicle.org
Mentorship can profoundly impact a mentee's success while also providing a sense of fulfillment for the mentor. For women in the medical field, mentorship can be crucial to their career development and success.
In this episode of the American Medical Association's Moving Medicine video and podcast released on Sept. 30, Dr. Alexa Kimball talks about her mission to close gaps for women in medicine through mentorship, sponsorship and leadership. She is president and CEO of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
“When you look at the proportion of women who are chairs, the proportion in the C-suite, the proportion who are professors, we have not kept up with what you would expect, given the demographics and age of women in the medical field,” she said. “There is clearly work to be done. Still to this day, there are times when I am the only woman in the room and that should have changed by now.”
“A sponsorship and mentorship are quite different, and you can do both at the same time. Sponsorship, of course, is about matching opportunities to people. It is about putting people forward. That is a very important thing and why you need to be out there a little bit to meet people because otherwise, you do not know them enough to sponsor them. You need to have incoming information to do that effectively,” Dr. Kimball said. “For me, mentoring is about helping people think through their own goals. I think there is always a risk of inserting your own goals instead of letting them articulate their own. The first step is to help mentees figure out who they want to be and, then it is about helping them figure out how to get there.”
Dr. Kimball adds that there may be sponsorship along the way, but, in the end, it is about connecting young professionals with a pathway that gets them to reach their goals.
During the episode, Dr. Kimball also discussed how Covid-19 may have delivered some positive lessons for female physicians.
“I really encourage women and families and everyone to think about the good things that the pandemic has taught us about how to organize our work and our lives to make [things] more efficient. We also have to make sure that we keep the barrier between the two so that they don't completely blend into each other, which I think is a risk,” she said.
The takeaway…
Dr. Kimball emphasizes the importance of mentorship to help close more gaps for women in medicine. She says that while many things have changed for women since she started practicing dermatology more than 20 years ago, there is still a long way to go.
From the literature on Women in Dermatology
Frontal fibrosing alopecia may develop earlier and progress faster in Black women
According to a retrospective analysis published in the British Journal of Dermatology, Black women with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) may have an earlier onset and develop the condition more rapidly than White women.
The study included Black and White women with FFA who were treated at a university dermatology department from 2007 to 2018 and 19 additional Black patients treated at a clinical research centre from 2010 to 2020. A total of 140 patients were included; 118 were White, and 22 were Black.
The researchers found that Black patients had a higher prevalence of itching (50%) than White patients (5%). Additionally, they found that Black women were less likely to have perifollicular hyperkeratosis/scale than White women. Facial hyperpigmentation also occurred significantly more frequently in Black women (57%) compared to White women (3%). One of the study’s limitations was the small sample of Black patients.
The impact of gender in mentor-mentee success: Results from the Women's Dermatologic Society Mentorship Survey
This paper presents the results of a study that analyzed the impact of gender on the mentor-mentee relationship for both official and spontaneous mentorships through a voluntary survey from the mentee's perspective. The survey included 13 questions looking at official and spontaneous mentorships, the role of gender, and success in the dermatology field.
According to the survey’s results, spontaneous mentors may provide a more significant benefit than officially designated mentors. Overall, while there was no statistical difference between female same-gender mentorships and gender-dissimilar relationships, some respondents noted that same-gender mentorships could benefit from similar interests and experiences in life.
How dermatologists can provide culturally sensitive care for Muslim women
Graduates and students of Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB) in Michigan are leading efforts to make dermatologists more aware of special considerations that are needed when treating Muslim women wearing hijabs.
Fourth-year medical student Rafey Rehman and OUWB alumna Dr. Fatima Fahs were two of the co-authors of a report titled “The Etiquettes of Hijab: Recommendations to Improve Care in Dermatology Clinics,” which was published in early August in the British Journal of Dermatology.
The report provides recommendations on delivering culturally sensitive health care to provide the best care for patients.
Treatment challenges in adult female acne
A group of researchers from Brazil conducted a study to determine the current treatment challenges in adult female acne. According to the study’s abstract, while acne is more prevalent in teenagers, the number of women over 25 years of age with facial acne has increased.
The investigators conducted a comprehensive literature search regarding adult female acne on PubMed up to January 2021. They synthesized data about pathogenesis, differences compared to acne vulgaris, and treatment focusing on the management challenges and perspectives in these patients.
The authors conclude that the pathogenesis of facial acne is similar to acne vulgaris. Still, additional factors trigger and aggravate the condition, including high levels of stress, sleep deprivation, picking habits, sensitive skin, pollution, and diet.
VIDEO: Female Hair Loss and Treatment
Dr. Sarita Singh, consultant dermatologist at The Medical Chambers Kensington London, U.K., talks about female hair loss and potential treatments. Dr. Singh’s commitment to helping women with hair loss comes from personal experience, after dealing with alopecia areata and struggling to find the right treatment.
Restylane turns 25
Galderma marked the 25th anniversary of Restylane on Sept. 30, 2021. The stabilized hyaluronic acid filler was first launched in Europe in 1996 and granted approval by Health Canada in 1999.
Restylane has grown and expanded its product line over the last 25 years. In 2015 the brand launched the Optimal Balance Technology or OBT line of soft gels used in facial areas to support dynamic expressions. “I am incredibly proud to be celebrating the Restylane 25th anniversary. Worldwide, and in Canada for the last 22 years, this brand has undoubtedly changed the lives of millions by helping them look and feel great,” said Wendy Adams, general manager of Galderma Canada.
Coming Up in Women in Derm
On Oct. 27, the Women’s Dermatologic Society presents Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Panel Discussion
The next two weeks
Oct. 15 is the International Day of Rural Women
Oct. 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Oct. 21 is Spirit Day
Something to think about in the week ahead
“If I said, “Eat less salt because you will have a lower risk for stroke or high blood pressure,” they [patients] were not entirely motivated to change behaviour. However, when I said, “Eat less salt because you’ll have less eye puffiness,” they were much more likely to listen. Having done both internal medicine and dermatology, I find that I have much better access to my patient’s overall health and well-being more consistently when I focus on them through their skin issues.”
–Dr. Doris Day, MD, FAAD, New York City.
Looking ahead
The 7th Annual Skin Spectrum Summit, the conference to advance dermatologic care for skin of colour patients, has confirmed the support of several new and returning dermatology partners. The Summit, Canada’s leading ethnodermatology medical conference for physicians, will be held virtually on Nov. 4 and 6, 2021. Click here to register.
The conference secretariat is pleased to be working with Pfizer Canada Inc., L’Oréal Canada and AbbVie, as well as Amgen Canada Inc., Arcutis Biotherapeutics, LEO Pharma Inc., Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc., Proctor & Gamble Canada, Sanofi Genzyme Canada Inc., ERFA Canada 2012 Inc., Molnlycke Health Care, Perfuse Medtec Inc., Sun Pharma Canada Inc., and Vivier Therapeutics.
Skin Spectrum Weekly will bring you more news on faculty and topics for this year’s Summit as the date draws closer.
Find more information on the 2021 and previous Summits at SkinSpectrum.ca