It's not unusual today for plastic surgeons and dermatologists to share a practice, nor is it uncommon for husbands and wives to practice together, but 30 years ago when Saida and Sherwood Baxt began their dermatology/plastic surgery practice they were a rare breed — virtually unique, in fact. Still, it was a move they found to be a wonderful experience for them and beneficial for their patients. It doesn't hurt when the team is a mutual admiration society, either.
Cosmetic surgery practices know that starting on time is critical to managing a high volume of patients, but many practices are discovering the rewards of opening earlier in the day. A 6:30 a.m. starting time may seem ridiculous at first glance, but it can bring many benefits to patients, staff and your bottom line.
Vienna, Austria — While it is increasingly clear that ultraviolet A radiation (UVA) defense is essential for immune protection, in the United States, unlike many other parts of the world, there is a lack of uniform standards for the assessment of UVA protectiveness of sunscreen.
New Orleans — As laser treatments continue to undergo refinement, many procedures once thought advisable only for Caucasian patients now can benefit ethnic patients as well.
New Orleans — Poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra, Dermik) appears to provide safe and long-lasting volume correction in patients with moderate-to-severe HIV-related facial lipoatrophy, said Graeme Moyle, M.D., at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology here.
New Orleans — Subcision with autologous fat transfer can safely correct surface irregularities that have been a rare complication of noninvasive radiofrequency treatment (ThermaCool ?, Thermage Corp.) without negating the tissue tightening and contouring benefits of the procedure, said Rhoda S. Narins, M.D, a New York dermasurgeon, at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology here.
Laser technology, according to Dr. Zachary, is better left in the hands of physicians and not in unregulated, under-supervised cosmetic spa environments.
Orlando — Laser and light therapy are becoming viable options for refractive acne and related scarring, says Thomas Rohrer, M.D., who prefers infrared lasers over other available devices.
Botulinum toxin is a complex protein produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum toxin type A injections can be used to treat various focal muscle spastic disorders and excessive muscle contractions such as dystonias and spasms.
New Orleans — As the number of male patients undergoing liposuction grows, experience shows that these patients' outcomes, as well as the techniques and instrumentation required to achieve them, differ from those of female patients.
New Orleans — Rather than simply plumping up the back of the hand, fat injections given there perform a host of rejuvenation functions that researchers are just beginning to understand.
Chicago — Genetically manipulated growth factors could hold the key to producing engineered tissue with vascular systems ready-made for transplantation.
Washington — Citing a new study that shows that skin disease "is more prevalent than anyone ever imagined," organizations representing dermatology have urged Congress to provide a 6 percent funding increase for research — more than three times the increase approved last year.
Aat the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, there was a coronation of sorts. The biologic agents officially ascended to the status of treatment of choice for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Several prominent dermatologists spoke on the subject and hailed these new agents as superior to old-fashioned remedies, which have now been dubbed "pre-biologics." Am I being too sensitive if I feel somewhat prehistoric when others label as pass? therapies that I use and upon which I routinely depend?
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Wound care is a significant problem to dermatologists who perform abrasive cosmetic procedures such as dermabrasion, CO2 laser treatment or chemical peeling, according to Henry H. Roenigk, M.D.
In order for laser surgery to be a successful component of a dermatology practice, Dr. Obagi encourages her colleagues to become more adept consumers.
What is the cause of seborrheic dermatitis?
National report — With the number of cosmetic procedures performed nationally rising each year, the line between dermatology and plastic surgery continues to blur as dermatologists devote more time to cosmetic procedures and plastic surgeons embrace less invasive treatments.
There is little intraoperative bleeding because of TLA's vasoconstriction effect.
Riverside, Calif. — Fifty years after the negative effects of cigarette smoke first became broadly known, doctors are still discovering the magnitude of and mechanisms behind its toxic assault on the body. Dermatologists are particularly interested in discoveries over recent years that cigarette smoke results in premature aging of the skin and decreases blood flow to wound sites, resulting in retarded granulation tissue development and remodeling during wound healing and greater scarring.
Tokyo — Growth factors offer seemingly endless potential to skin wound repair and regeneration, yet there are several questions surrounding those that are exogenously applied to acute or chronic skin wounds, according to Xiaobing Fu, M.D., professor, Wound Healing and Cell Biology Laboratory, Burns Institute, The General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China.
Potsdam, N.Y. — Researchers at Clarkson University are working on a skin substitute that they hope one day will heal and function like normal skin. As such, physicians could use it successfully to treat large burns or areas of surgical reconstruction.
New York — Mary Stine has been named executive director of the Skin Cancer Foundation.
