Derms on Drugs
- Episodes
- 96
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 13, 2026
About the podcast
Derms on Drugs is where cutting-edge dermatology meets mediocre comedy. Each week three dermatologists – Matt Zirwas, Laura Ferris and Tim Patton – discuss, debate, and dissect the hottest topics in dermatology. It's everything you need to know to be on the cutting-edge of dermatology and it’ll be the most fun you’ve ever had while actually learning something useful. Derms on Drugs is produced by Scholars in Medicine, an online educational platform (scholarsinmedicine.com) exclusively for healthcare professionals of all levels of experience and education.
Episodes 96
The Ulcer Has Other Plans
A stubborn ulcer, a murky diagnosis, and the temptation to throw every drug at it. Dr. Ben Kaffenberger helps the Derms untangle pyoderma gangrenosum—from diagnostic traps to treatment choices and why a closed …
Show notes
A stubborn ulcer, a murky diagnosis, and the temptation to throw every drug at it. Dr. Ben Kaffenberger helps the Derms untangle pyoderma gangrenosum—from diagnostic traps to treatment choices and why a closed wound isn’t always a closed case.
Convince The Derms On Drugs: The Fast and the Urticarious
Dr. Jason Hawkes makes the case for putting speed first when choosing an advanced treatment for CSU. Remibrutinib works fast—but can he convince the Derms that fast is reason enough to put it first?
The Hills Are Alive With New Targets
The Derms stay in Vienna for round two of EADV, where zombie-cell cream meets new pathways in HS and AD—plus a JAK surprise in PPP and reassuring pregnancy data.
Better Croissants, Stranger Drugs
EADV serves up better croissants—and a packed menu of new mechanisms. The Derms dig into injectable RNA for BCC, a possible anti-scarring angle in HS, a TYK2 showdown, and an alopecia treatment that may keep …
Show notes
EADV serves up better croissants—and a packed menu of new mechanisms. The Derms dig into injectable RNA for BCC, a possible anti-scarring angle in HS, a TYK2 showdown, and an alopecia treatment that may keep working after treatment ends.
The Fast and the Urticarious
Dr. Jason Hawkes makes the case for putting speed first when choosing an advanced treatment for CSU. Remibrutinib works fast—but can he convince the Derms that fast is reason enough to put it first?
High D, Low Certainty
The Derms size up high-dose vitamin D, a head-to-head lichen planus trial, and whether contact dermatitis testing is overcalling the culprit.
Custom Shots and Drug Cocktails
The Derms question treatment monogamy: a personalized melanoma vaccine joins forces with immunotherapy, while dual therapy takes on refractory HS and AD.
AI Crosses the Prescription Line
In Utah, AI is getting its hands on the prescription pad—starting with topical acne treatment. The Derms grill Nolla’s CEO on the big questions: Who catches the misses, and is this better access or the …
Show notes
In Utah, AI is getting its hands on the prescription pad—starting with topical acne treatment. The Derms grill Nolla’s CEO on the big questions: Who catches the misses, and is this better access or the beginning of the robot takeover?
The Goldilocks Biologic
Dr. Steve Daveluy makes the case that Cosentyx is the “just right” first biologic for HS—but not every Derm is ready to move past TNFs. Durability, infection risk, IBD, and insurance all enter the argument.
Tiny Vesicles, Big Claims
Exosomes may be real science, but the marketing has sprinted miles ahead of the data. The Derms dig into their promise for burns and epidermolysis bullosa—and why that pricey cosmetic vial may not contain what it claims.
Cuts, Switches, and Eight Extra Hairs
Three papers, three practical questions: Who really needs antibiotics before derm surgery? What comes after an AD drug fails? And does taking oral minoxidil in the morning actually grow more hair—or just raise …
Show notes
Three papers, three practical questions: Who really needs antibiotics before derm surgery? What comes after an AD drug fails? And does taking oral minoxidil in the morning actually grow more hair—or just raise more eyebrows?
Blood, Sweat, and Hives
Dr. Marc Serota makes the case for targeted lab testing in CSU—but the Derms worry it may open a can of worms. The Chronic Urticaria Index gets a closer look, shotgun allergy panels get nowhere—but does he …
Show notes
Dr. Marc Serota makes the case for targeted lab testing in CSU—but the Derms worry it may open a can of worms. The Chronic Urticaria Index gets a closer look, shotgun allergy panels get nowhere—but does he convince the Derms?
Paging Dr. Telederm
After 70,000 virtual consults, Dr. Joe English knows what a photo can—and can’t—tell you. He joins the Derms to talk diagnostic curveballs, hospital saves, and bringing dermatology where there’s no …
Show notes
After 70,000 virtual consults, Dr. Joe English knows what a photo can—and can’t—tell you. He joins the Derms to talk diagnostic curveballs, hospital saves, and bringing dermatology where there’s no dermatologist in sight.
Tregs, Tape, and Tresses
Three papers, three very different reactions: a Treg-boosting AD drug that may be too clever for its own good, a Steri-Strip trick you can use tomorrow, and Rinvoq alopecia data that have the Derms calling game changer.
Don’t Wait for the Tunnels
Convince the Derms on Drugs makes its debut with Dr. Christopher Sayed making the case for earlier systemic treatment in HS. Can he convince the Derms to act before recurring lesions become tunnels, scars, and …
Show notes
Convince the Derms on Drugs makes its debut with Dr. Christopher Sayed making the case for earlier systemic treatment in HS. Can he convince the Derms to act before recurring lesions become tunnels, scars, and damage no medication can undo?
Patch Me If You Can
Patch first or treat first? The Hamann brothers join the Derms to tackle mystery dermatitis, questionable allergens, wet wraps, hand eczema—and why the answer may be hiding in your patient’s shampoo.
The Clot Thickens
Three papers, three plot twists: new HS data that underwhelm on paper, a transected melanoma that may not need a sentinel node, and a possible explanation for why JAK clot risk may depend on the disease.
The Long and Short of Male Genital Disease
Male genital disease expert Dr. Christopher Bunker joins the Derms for the penis episode no one else was brave enough to make. Lichen sclerosus, circumcision, penile cancer—and one diagnosis he says doesn’t …
Show notes
Male genital disease expert Dr. Christopher Bunker joins the Derms for the penis episode no one else was brave enough to make. Lichen sclerosus, circumcision, penile cancer—and one diagnosis he says doesn’t exist—are all on the table.
Three Sheets to Tofa
The Derms debut a shorter format with three papers and one newly dirt-cheap drug: generic tofacitinib. The safety, the risks, and the practicalities—right down to getting it for just $25 a month.
Creams, Screams, and Measles
Pediatric dermatology legend Dr. Sheila Fallon Friedlander joins the Derms to sort through the new topical “Goldilocks” problem, take the sting out of Dupixent injections, and make the case for treating …
Show notes
Pediatric dermatology legend Dr. Sheila Fallon Friedlander joins the Derms to sort through the new topical “Goldilocks” problem, take the sting out of Dupixent injections, and make the case for treating molluscum sooner. Plus, how to recognize measles—and why its most frightening complication may not appear for years.
Can We Stop Referring CSU?
The CSU rulebook is getting a rewrite, and the Derms on Drugs crew has thoughts. Dr. Jason Hawkes joins the conversation to talk new guidelines, new therapies, and why it may be time to stop sending these …
Show notes
The CSU rulebook is getting a rewrite, and the Derms on Drugs crew has thoughts. Dr. Jason Hawkes joins the conversation to talk new guidelines, new therapies, and why it may be time to stop sending these patients somewhere else.
The Gray Zone Strikes Again
This week, the DoD tackle studies that leave plenty of room for debate—from skin cancer treatment costs and melanoma risk to HS, alopecia areata, and the real-world decisions that don't always come with …
Show notes
This week, the DoD tackle studies that leave plenty of room for debate—from skin cancer treatment costs and melanoma risk to HS, alopecia areata, and the real-world decisions that don't always come with straightforward answers.
Making Nails Sexy Again
The DOD tackle longitudinal melanonychia, retronychia, nail biopsies, and other everyday nail problems—with enough practical pearls to make you rethink your next nail patient.
Clinical Controversies: Screening, Patch Testing & Physician Burnout
One paper questions melanoma screening. Another challenges patch testing. By the end, the conversation has wandered into studies on physician burnout and more, sparking exactly the kind of debate you'd expect from DoD.
What If the Biopsy Picked the Biologic?
Dermatologist William Damsky, MD, joins the DoD crew to explore immune biomarkers, treatment prediction, and whether precision dermatology is finally ready for prime time.
Don't Blame the Canary
Burnout isn't just about long hours. From moral distress to prior authorizations and system barriers, this week's conversation with Dr. Lisa Swanson explores what's really wearing physicians down—and why …
Show notes
Burnout isn't just about long hours. From moral distress to prior authorizations and system barriers, this week's conversation with Dr. Lisa Swanson explores what's really wearing physicians down—and why resilience alone won't fix it.
Bad Ideas, Good Outcomes, and Thin Melanomas
Thin melanomas that behave badly, a surprisingly intriguing role for oxybutynin in HS, and a reminder that some of dermatology’s most trusted assumptions deserve a second look. This week’s 6-pack is all about …
Show notes
Thin melanomas that behave badly, a surprisingly intriguing role for oxybutynin in HS, and a reminder that some of dermatology’s most trusted assumptions deserve a second look. This week’s 6-pack is all about the exceptions that force us to rethink the rules.
When Psoriasis Pretends to Be Eczema (And Other Problems)
The diagnoses get messy, the treatment decisions get interesting, and the DoD crew has opinions. From a major scabies study to a practical overlap-disease pearl, this week's episode is full of reminders that …
Show notes
The diagnoses get messy, the treatment decisions get interesting, and the DoD crew has opinions. From a major scabies study to a practical overlap-disease pearl, this week's episode is full of reminders that dermatology is rarely as straightforward as it seems.
French Bathhouses, Vitiligo Hacks & the Myth of the ‘Cure’
An emerging infection out of France, a surprisingly clever vitiligo combo, and a spirited debate about whether medicine has ever actually cured anything. Just another normal week on Derms on Drugs.
Rewind: Melanoma Meltdowns, Biosimilar Betrayals, and the Eczema Enigma Exposed!
Melanoma, Anxiety, and Depression Links; Biosimilars vs Humira; Air Pollution and Atopic Dermatitis – Have We Finally Figured Out Why Eczema Is So Common and much, much more… Which patients are the most …
Show notes
Melanoma, Anxiety, and Depression Links; Biosimilars vs Humira; Air Pollution and Atopic Dermatitis – Have We Finally Figured Out Why Eczema Is So Common and much, much more…
- Which patients are the most affected by anxiety and depression after a melanoma diagnosis and what can we do about it?
- Patients who are switched onto a biosimilar do “worse” than patients who start one as their first therapy – why?
- We finally got eczema answers. Turns out that air pollution, both indoor and outdoor, is the cause of the atopic dermatitis epidemic that started in the 1970s and is why eczema is more common in urban areas.
- Ian Myles explains how he proved that air pollution is the driving force behind atopic dermatitis and helps our team understand what it all means
- Plus: Predictors of acne relapse after isotretinoin, dupilumab prevents cancer, how well does tralokinumab work in dupilumab "failures," ferulic acid for rosacea, cysteamine vs hydroquinone for melasma, and the best way to treat digital mucous cysts
Guest: Ian A. Myles, MD, Mph
Dr. Myles, Principal Investigator, Epithelial Therapeutics Unit, graduated with a B.S. in biology from Colorado State University in 2001 and then obtained an M.D. from the University of Colorado in 2005. He completed an internal medicine residency at The Ohio State University prior to beginning fellowship training in allergy and clinical immunology at NIH. He worked under the mentorship of Dr. Sandip Datta investigating the mechanistic details of susceptibility to S. aureus skin infections. In 2011, Dr. Myles became a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. LCDR Myles has supported several USPHS missions, from the Ebola virus vaccine trial in West Africa to congressional Gold Medal Ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol. In 2013, he was awarded a position as an assistant clinical investigator in the NIAID Transition Program in Clinical Research. Dr. Myles received his M.P.H. from George Washington University in 2016. In 2018, Dr. Myles became the head of the newly formed Epithelial Therapeutics Unit to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a topical, live bacterial treatment for atopic dermatitis (eczema). He is currently a participant in the Lasker Clinical Research Scholars and Distinguished Scholars programs.
These are the latest 40 of 96 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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