A decade has passed since the FDA prohibited the use of injectable silicon for cosmetic purposes after complaints were made that leaking silicone breast implants caused a variety of autoimmune ailments, and that the migration of silicone in facial cosmetic use caused granulomas and permanent swelling.
Paris - New technologies for evaluating physical and biochemical aspects of chronic wounds are being looked at for their potential to enhance assessment of tissue repair and the management needs of a given wound, Marco Romanelli, M.D., Ph.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.
San Diego - Low-level (wattage) lasers hold great promise for accelerating wound healing, Douglas Dedo, M.D., said at the American Academy of Facial and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery meeting.
Paris - Some drugs can play a role in the management of ulcers due to venous insufficiency, but surgical and physical interventions remain the mainstays for treating the chronic wounds, Mieke Flour, M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.
New York-The pharmacologic use of growth factors already FDA approved and useful in treating recalcitrant diabetic leg ulcers shows promise as an off-label therapy for other wounds that heal slowly, Chris Arpey, M.D., associate director of dermatologic surgery, University of Iowa, said.
Chicago - Early results from a pilot study suggest pretreatment with a topical melanin-containing solution might allow effective laser-assisted removal of non- or lightly pigmented hair, Elizabeth A. Tanzi, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
Chicago - Experience using botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Botox Cosmetic) over the past few years has taught dermatologists that its utility is not equivalent across its range of potential applications, Richard G. Glogau, M.D., said.
Now that many of us have been online for a number of years, we are getting as many as 200 e-mails a day from friends, family, business associates, and spanners.
Zoe Diana Draelos, M.D., clinical associate professor, department of dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and William P. Coleman III, M.D., editor, Journal of Dermatologic Surgery, discuss advances in dermatologic surgery.
Paris - Follicular unit hair transplantation using the frontal forelock concept followed by oral finasteride (Propecia) treatment can be a useful approach for achieving excellent final cosmetic results after a single transplantation session in men with androgenetic alopecia, said Ki-Hoon Song, M.D., at the World Congress of Dermatology.
Marlton, N.J. - Results from a national survey of dermatologic surgeons support the conclusion that liposuction performed with a conservative approach using local anesthesia and with removal of smaller volumes of fat is a very safe procedure, Naomi Lawrence, M.D., said.
Bethesda, Md. - Tazarotene 0.1 percent cream (Avage) is a significant advance in retinoid treatment for photodamaged skin, Emil A. Tanghetti, M.D., said.
Paris - Used clinically since 1999, the long-pulse Nd:YAG lasers effectively and safely treat pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) in skin types IV, V, VI, according to a study presented by E. Victor Ross, M.D., staff physician at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego.
Paris - Researchers investigating the effect of acitretin (Soriatane) on the development of keratotic skin lesions and squamous and basal cell carcinomas on renal transplant patients have found the retinoid is effective.
Agents may find effectiveness by acting as nuclear hormone receptor ligandsPhysician: Kund Kragballe, M.D.
Paris - Botulinum toxin for cosmetic treatment is outstandingly safe, but it is a potent therapy and deserves respect, Alastair Carruthers, M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.
Atlanta - A radiofrequency device for aesthetic and therapeutic applications has the potential to revolutionize cosmetic surgery, but pain control measures must be a high priority for the device to be used at an effective fluence, said Richard E. Fitzpatrick, M.D., of Dermatology Associates/Cosmetic Laser Associates of San Diego County.
Chicago -- Prescription and nonprescription forms of vitamin cosmeceuticals are gaining in popularity among patients. While research is lacking in this unregulated industry, available studies and experience seem to indicate that some vitamin ingredients show more benefit than others, Zoe Diana Draelos, M.D., said at the International Symposium on Aging Skin.
New Orleans - Restoring the primary structural arcs of the face through facial fat rebuilding is a more effective alternative to conventional cosmetic surgery of the aging face, Lisa M. Donofrio, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Atlanta - Treatment of leg veins and telangiectasias with a 1064nm Nd:YAG laser is slightly more comfortable using an instrument featuring dynamic cooling compared with one having contact cooling, but either type of system is a good choice for safe and effective vessel clearance in patients with light as well as darker skin types, Leyda Bowes, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.
New Orleans - Liposuction is an effective technique for breast reduction with advantages over surgical mammoplasty, Daniel Lanzer, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Columbia, S.C. - Two well-established cosmetic surgery practices in South Carolina are offering discounted cosmetic procedures to the 1.2 million members of Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, the state's largest managed care plan. The discounts will average about 20 percent for eight common procedures. Botulinum toxin (Botox) treatment, for instance, will cost $175 for one area after the discount.
San Diego - FotoFacial and FotoBody techniques produce consistent, predictable, and visible improvement in the appearance of the skin, with virtually no downtime, Patrick Bitter Jr., M.D., said at the Cosmetic Dermatology Seminar.
Paris -- Results from a series of animal studies demonstrate the efficacy of a new, low-concentration, low-pH zinc/iron solution for stimulating epithelization of partial thickness and second-degree burn wounds, reported researchers from the department of dermatology and cutaneous surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami.
Paris - Early clinical experience indicates that stem cell treatment may be a valuable intervention for promoting wound healing when conventional approaches, including advanced modalities, fail, Evangelos Badiavas, Ph.D., M.D., said at the World Congress of Dermatology.
