9th Kuwait Dermatology Update and Laser Symposium

The ninth edition of this special dermatologic event was held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the magnificent Kuwait City on May 1–3, 2018. It was sponsored by the Ministry of Health under the patronage of His Excellency, the Honorable Dr. Basel H Al-Sabah, Minister of Health, and was organized and led by the distinguished Chairman of the Dermatology Council in Kuwait, Professor Nawaf Al-Mutairi, with the help of Program Coordinator Professor Abdel Aziz Al-Rashed (Figures 1, 2). The support and encouragement of Professor Abdulwahab Alfouzan were recognized and appreciated. The academic prowess and administrative skill of Organizing Committee member and session chair Professor Jasem Al-Shaiji, the Head of Dermatology at Al-Amiri Hospital, also merited accolades.

Figure 1

Conference Chair Professor Nawaf Al-Mutairi in center affirms success with Helmut Schoefer, Ali Al Ameer, Seemal Desai, Wojciech Baran, Leon H. Kircik, Abdulwahab Alfouzan, Nawaf Al-Mutairi, Robert A. Schwartz, Alan Fleischer, and Davinder Parsad (left to right)

Figure 2

Distinguished physicians awaiting arriving of Professor Nawaf Al.-Mutairi: Wojciech Baran, Helmut Schoefer, Seemal Desai, Robert A. Schwartz, Leon H. Kircik, and Alan Fleischer (right to left)

This conference focused on modern concepts and up-to-date technologies in dermatology. The scientific program included sessions covering modern treatment modalities for patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, allergies, vitiligo and other disorders of pigmentation and much more. International and Kuwaiti speakers delivered superb lectures and participated in practical discussions. Invited international speakers and luminaries included professors from Canada (Tarek Omar), Egypt (Ibrahim Rekaby), Germany (Helmut Schoefer), Greece (Karmiris Nikolaos, Kouna Natalia), India (Davinder Prasad), KSA (Ali Al Ameer, Mohammed Aldraibi, Abdullah Al Khalifah), Kuwait (Abdulwahab Alfouzan, Qasem Al-Saleh, Sahar Ghannam, Ghanima Al Omer, Gamal Abdul Samee), Libya (Ali El-Zurghany), Oman (Abdullah Hamood Al-Taie, Ahmed Al Wailey), Poland (Wojciech Baran), Qatar (Sharifa Al-Dosari), Spain (Antonio Campo), Republic of South Africa (Riekie Smit), Sudan (Hayder Ahmed) and the USA (Seemal Desai, Alan Fleischer, Leon H. Kircik, Robert A. Schwartz).

The first session began with an overview by Robert A. Schwartz of the history of the dermatologic laser, emphasizing the work of University of California Berkeley Professors Charles H. Townes (inventor of the maser and laser, awarded with the Nobel Prize in physics in 1964) and George C. Pimental (inventor of the chemical laser) and dermatologic laser pioneers Leon Goldman and Edmund Klein. Ali Al Ameer enlightened with a “more than skin deep” presentation. Sahar Ghannam shared her own experiences with complications after peelings and filler injections. Seemal Desai highlighted treatment approaches to melasma. During the psoriasis session, Leon H. Kircik and Wojciech Baran delineated advances in the treatment of psoriasis, showing the power of translational medicine that allowed at least nine biologic drugs. Wojciech Baran detailed data confirming stunning efficacy of IL-17 blocking drugs in patients with plaque psoriasis. He underlined the importance of the secukinumab studies showing good efficacy in the treatment of psoriasis on difficult-to-treat areas like scalp, palm and soles and nails.

New treatment modalities were also presented by Abdullah Al Khalifah, who orated on his experience with tofacitinib in the treatment of alopecia areata and Helmut Schoefer, who espoused new data on acne vulgaris treatment. Davinder Prasad gave four superb lectures on recalcitrant urticaria, melasma, the red face, and lichen planus pigmentosus. Alan Fleischer delineated itch without rash, atopic dermatitis, compliance with therapy, and chronic urticaria. Gamal Abdul Samee evinced to periocular darkness. Robert A. Schwartz highlighted food allergies, stressing the increasing incidence of allergy to meat and the new dogma of introducing peanuts early in the infant diet.

This meeting was memorable. International guests were pleased to share clinical patient assessments with Kuwaiti colleagues each morning, utilizing important affiliates of the University of Kuwait, School of Medicine. At Al-Farwaniya Hospital these clinical evaluations were led by the always gracious and knowledgeable Dr. Mohamed El-Khalawany. Accolades were rendered to Conference President and Chairman of Dermatology Council Nawaf Al-Mutairi on this 9th successive triumph!