Department of Dermatology News

May 22, 2022

The Sun Bus, an educational initiative run by the Colorado Melanoma Foundation (CMF), has provided more than 3,500 free skin-cancer screenings throughout the central and southwestern United States to date. The bus also allows healthcare professionals to spread awareness of melanoma risks and correct popular misconceptions in the community. Tamara Terzian, PhD, of the Department of Dermatology, serves as executive director of the Sun Bus project.

Apr 12, 2022

Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disorder, causes either sudden diffuse hair loss or circular bald patches of the scalp. Long before the "slapping incident" at the 2022 Oscars raised public awareness of the disorder, faculty in the Department of Dermatology were researching treatments for AA. Currently, ongoing studies by Drs. Dunnick, Norris, and Wallace are demonstrating the effectiveness of JAK inhibitors as a treatment for this condition.

Mar 28, 2022

A new study presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology found that the majority of TikTok content related to dermatology and skin of color originates with social-media influencers and estheticians, not board-certified dermatologists. The study, led by our own Dr. Robert P. Dellavalle, not only raises concerns but also highlights opportunities for dermatologists to share evidence-based information with online communities.

Feb 18, 2022

CU Medicine Dermatology, our department's clinic at the edge of the Anschutz Medical Campus, is meeting the needs of underserved groups in the Denver/Aurora community, including Medicaid patients, patients of color, and transgender individuals preparing for surgery.

Feb 14, 2022

“A success rate of 73% is very good,” said lead author Cory A. Dunnick, professor of dermatology and director of clinical trials. No serious adverse events occurred, and adverse events of any kind were limited, the researchers found.

Feb 4, 2022

At the Denver Native American Heritage Pow Wow in November 2021, Dr. Lucinda Kohn administered surveys for her research study on the relationship between American Indian and Native Alaskan access to dermatology care, quality of life, and skin health. For more details, see page 2 of the February 2022 newsletter from the Center for Children's Surgery.

Jul 6, 2021

Depending on your skin type, problems could range from simply an unpleasant odor to fungal infections, according to Whitney High, professor of dermatology at University of Colorado School of Medicine. That's why changing out of sweaty clothes as soon as possible is crucial.

May 31, 2021

Two of our faculty members were recognized in the May 2021 newsletter for the Center for Children's Surgery: Carla Torres-Zegarra, MD, for hosting the "Pediatras en Línea" podcast; and Emily Gurnee, MD,for winning a Weston Career Development Award from the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance and Society for Pediatric Dermatology. See page 2 of the newsletter for details.

May 28, 2021

The clinic is the only place in Colorado where transgender patients can have electrolysis done and have it covered by insurance. Word is starting to spread in the transgender community, because there is currently a long wait list of patients.

May 26, 2021

Dr. Carla Torres-Zegarra is proud to announce that the "Pediatras En Línea" (PEL) Podcast went live on 5/26/21. Dr. Torres-Zegarra has already recorded nearly a dozen interviews with a variety of pediatric experts across Latin America and from Children’s Hospital Colorado, anticipating even broader success and engagement compared to Charting Pediatrics. The Podcast team is excited to be first to market a Podcast to provide timely pediatric medical education to Spanish-speaking providers and expand the reach and exposure of their pediatric expertise from Children’s Colorado that encompasses diverse voices.

Jul 17, 2020

The Melanoma Research Foundation is honored to award this year's Excellence in Prevention Award at the 2020 Denver Virtual Gala to Dr. Robert Dellavalle of Denver VA Medical Center. Dr. Dellavalle leads a prominent research laboratory focused on skin disease prevention and evidence-based dermatology that was the first to summarize global indoor UV tanning age restriction laws, measure compliance with tanning age restrictions, and to call for a tax on UV tanning. He is an amazing melanoma awareness advocate and MRF supporter. Please enjoy this "Meet the Honoree" session with Dr. Dellavalle to learn more about him, his active research in melanoma prevention and care and the Denver Virtual Gala!

Oct 7, 2019

The podcast Dermosphere recently reviewed the article "Spray sunscreen: characterizing application area density and implications for sun protection," co-authored by three of our faculty members: Drs. Robert Dellavalle, Cory Dunnick, and Jeremy Hugh​. The article was recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology​.

Jul 27, 2018

You might have noticed some comically high-SPF sunscreens lining drugstore shelves. According to Theresa Pacheco of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, “SPF 15 is good. SPF 30 is better.” Anything higher, she says, doesn’t make much of a difference. An SPF 15 sunscreen will block about 93 percent of UVB rays, compared to 97 percent for SPF 30 and 98 percent for SPF 50.

Apr 16, 2018

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded $3.8 million to a consortium working to develop stem cell-based therapies for patients with inherited skin diseases such as epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and for wound care. “We are very excited to receive such a strong endorsement from the US Department of Defense,” said Ganna Bilousova, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and member of the consortium. “It is extremely difficult to advance any type of novel therapies into the clinic without the benefit of compelling government interest and support.”​

Apr 9, 2018

On Buddy Check9 Day, Robert Dellavalle from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Neil Box talk about skin cancer. Dellavalle: “One of the things that we’re excited about is a camera that can show hidden UV damage.”​

Sep 11, 2017

Chronic contact dermatitis often is tied to hidden allergens found in shampoos, soaps, and body washes, according to Cory Dunnick, MD.