Aesthetics

SkinMedica, Carlsbad, Calif. is introducing three new products at the 63rd annual meeting.

Modern medical acupuncture can be used in conjunction with current Western treatments in dermatology to optimize patient outcome.

St. Louis, Mo. — According to a recent survey, hyperhidrosis afflicts nearly 3 percent of the U.S. population, with about half of sufferers experiencing axillary hyperhidrosis and many patients experiencing social, professional and other consequences that often go unaddressed.

National report — The impact of the Florida bogus Botox poisonings has been something of a tempest in a test tube for doctors contacted by Dermatology Times.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Members of the Pigmentary Disorders Academy (PDA) convened here last November for their second annual meeting. While still in its infancy and relatively small in size, the group has already made significant progress as they pursue their mission to optimize care of patients affected by pigmentary disorders.

Kissimmee, Fla. — Four years of data collection on the safety of office-based surgery in Florida provides compelling evidence to support conclusions that plastic surgeons and anesthesiologists are responsible for the majority of all serious complications and deaths due to cosmetic surgery.

Orlando — Cosmetic dermatology may not be the original goal of all young dermatologists going into practice, but as they become more familiar with their field, many may decide to explore the opportunities cosmetic dermatology presents.

Kissimmee, Fla. — For dermatologists contemplating whether to incorporate lasers into their practices, the answer given by James M. Spencer, M.D., M.S., is an enthusiastic "Yes."

Kissimmee, Fla. — The sale of cosmeceuticals in dermatology offices may have become commonplace, but some contention still surrounds physician involvement in selling skincare products.

By now, most practices are familiar with Medicare's Correct CodingInitiative (CCI) introduced by CMS in 1996.

Researchers have engineered two oncolytic adenoviruses that specifically target and kill melanocytic cells.

Orlando — According to Zoe Draelos, M.D., the cosmeceutical market is evolving rapidly because of new raw materials, better insight into skin physiology, and changing consumer demands.

Las Vegas — Among the latest developments in the burgeoning cosmeceutical market are data comparing active antioxidant ingredients, lines of products touting the antiaging powers of peptides and growth factor, and a new focus for the industry: the treatment of facial redness.

Newport Beach, Calif. — Among treatment options for HIV lipoatrophy, the best choices for most patients are liquid injectable silicone or the recently approved filler Sculptra (Dermik Laboratories), said Derek H. Jones, M.D., at the Pacific Dermatologic Association meeting here.

Kissimmee, Fla. — A pulsed dye laser (PDL) and intense pulsed light (IPL) source both have roles in a dermatology practice for esthetic and non-esthetic indications. But in a situation where a practice must decide between the two, an IPL is probably the preferred acquisition because it covers a broader range of targets, Vic A. Narurkar, M.D., said at the Orlando Dermatology & Cosmetic Conference here last fall.

Victoria, British Columbia — Botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan) is safe and effective to smooth facial wrinkles over long term and multiple treatments, says Alastair Carruthers, M.D.

Aruba — A number of nonablative techniques for dermal remodeling can afford improvements in skin texture, tone and elasticity, but a combination approach integrating additional noninvasive techniques, including dermal fillers, botulinum toxin type A injection, chemical peels and/or microdermabrasion, is desirable for enhancing facial rejuvenation, said Elizabeth L. Tanzi, M.D. at the Fourth Annual Caribbean Dermatology Symposium. Dr. Tanzi reviewed recent advances in nonablative rejuvenation, including the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT), radiofrequency skin tightening and photomodulation.

Stanford, Calif. — Against the numerous advances in cosmetic dermatology, chemical peels retain a valuable role as a time-proven, safe and cost-effective modality for aging skin rejuvenation and other indications, according to Cherie M. Ditre, M.D.

They used stereology, which would make it possible to uniquely identify a melanosome in a plane.

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. - David Goldberg, M.D., says that for prospective cosmetic surgery patients wishing to quickly but effectively tighten facial wrinkles, radiofrequency (RF) rejuvenation - particularly with the ThermaCool ?TC machine developed by Thermage ?, which won federal approval as a full-face treatment last July - may be the way to go.

National report — The recent Florida case of four people paralyzed by botulism after receiving massive doses of unapproved bulk botulinum toxin type A may represent the tip of the iceberg regarding bogus Botox.

New York — Interest in tumescent liposuction has expanded to a variety of new indications, including postmenopausal "lumpy" back fat deposits and as an alternative to more invasive procedures such as abdominoplasty and surgical mammoplasty, according to Naomi Lawrence, M.D.

Buenos Aires — "Controle sus lunares por una piel sana" (control your moles for a healthy skin) is a message that people throughout Argentina heard repeatedly last November, thanks to the efforts of Rebeca Rubinson, M.D., and her colleagues at the Sociedad Argentina de Dermatologia (SAD) here. Dr. Rubinson is a pediatric dermatologist affiliated with Hospital Abel Zubizarreta in Buenos Aires and the coordinator of the 2004 campaign on recognition and prevention of skin cancer.

New York City — While comprehensively covering the subject of fillers in the clinical setting at the recent meeting for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), celebrity dermatologist Fred Brandt, M.D., feels compelled to start with hyaluronic acids, saying, "I think that's the biggest revolution in fillers now."

Miami Beach, Fla. — "Make sure you really see what you're looking at." A point that might well be called the "Klein Oath" for all cosmetic procedures, was what Botox pioneer Arnold W. Klein, M.D. repeatedly emphasized as he addressed the topic "Botulinum Toxin Type A 2004: My Perspective" at the H & H Dermatology Seminar here.