The UAE News report by Abdul Basit: The 4th edition of Annual Dermatology Conference, which concluded in Dubai on Saturday, discussed several important topics in the dermatology domain, especially in the wake of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The three-day annual conference witnessed the participation of more than 200 specialist doctors from 10 countries including the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, the US, Germany and India. Top pharmaceutical companies also showcased their latest products at the event.
The conference was also attended by Dr. Muna Al Marwi, Vice President of the Emirates Society of Dermatology, and Dr. Fatima Al Braiki, General Secretary of the Society.
The conference discussed many important topics in the dermatology sector, especially in light of the Corona pandemic.
Addressing the conference, Dr. Anwar Al Hammadi, Head of the Dermatology Division in UAE and Chairman of the Conference, said: “The conference has turned into a crucial international platform to discuss developments, innovations and new treatments in skin diseases that affect millions of people across the world each day”. Al Hammadi disclosed that the latest research indicates rapid strides in developing new treatments for skin diseases, confirmed by the pharmaceutical companies participating in the conference.
During the conference sessions, 30 industry experts from the UAE and other countries discussed dealing with and treating Psoriasis, a skin disorder that causes skin cells to multiply up to 10 times faster than normal thereby making the skin build up into bumpy red patches covered with white scales, and Eczema, a condition that causes inflamed, itchy, cracked, and rough skin. They also debated about the remote treatments and the noticeable changes to skin due to coronaviruses like rashes, blisters and hair loss. The UAE in general and Dubai in particular, provided all the elements of success for the conference.
Dr. Khadija Al-Jafri, Consultant Dermatologist and Head of the Scientific Committee of the in Dubai Dermatology Association, said the conference contributed towards the exchange of information and experiences among the doctors, especially in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on the skin such as the presence of bumps, redness in the skin and red blood spots. They learned about the unconventional treatments to control the human body’s immune system.
Dr. Jawaher Al Naqbi, a Consultant of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention who chaired a couple of the Conference sessions, said the continuation of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the conference participants discussing and exchanging experiences in providing treatment services to the patients through various means and creating awareness and educating the new patients.
Dr. Ashraf Reda, a Consultant Dermatologist at Mediclinic Welcare Hospital Dubai, during the conference, gave a lecture on treatments to psoriasis patients with biological therapy, an advanced technology treatment without any side-effects done through injections (four per year). He claimed modern treatment technology has contributed to the elimination of psoriasis by up to 90 per cent, which led to an improvement in the psychological state of the patients.
Dr. Dany Touma, former president of the Association of Dermatologists in Lebanon, said that during the conference, he talked about the treatment and removal of scars by laser and the effects of wounds, especially with regard to the injured in Beirut blast and the techniques used to treat wounds, especially after traffic accidents.
Dr. Touma touched on the importance of removing scars on the face and visible areas to restore the health of the skin to its natural shape, and then restore self-confidence to the patient in preparation for his return to social and daily life.
He added that the Beirut explosion accident resulted in the injury of about six thousand people, half of whom had skin deformities due to flying glass and iron. This required several sessions for each patient using lasers and all other techniques so that the injured would return to his normal state before the accident.
