Aesthetics

National report - Using lasers and other light sources in combination with traditional treatments helps clear acne faster, according to Michael H. Gold, M.D., of Gold Skin Care Center, and Advanced Aesthetics Medi Spa in Nashville, Tenn.

National report - Over recent years, the combining of various laser and other light-based therapies with existing topical treatments and systemics has become a trend in dermatologic practices - and one that's likely to continue.

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Although it remains the gold standard for skin rejuvenation, CO2 laser resurfacing is paradoxically losing favor due to drawbacks ranging from the risk of complications to increasing patient reluctance over downtime and concerns about the complications.

Like microdermabrasion, Vibraderm mechanically exfoliates the skin. The newer device, however, uses an exfoliating paddle with small, sharp blades. With high vibration frequency, the device polishes the top layer of the stratum corneum.

New Orleans - Dermatologists rarely use any facial rejuvenation procedure in a vacuum.

Irvine, Calif. - The Food and Drug Administration 's approval of the Juvederm gel (hyaluronic acid/HA, Allergan) product family could threaten Restylane's (Medicis) dominance of the dermal filler category while expanding the facial aesthetic marketplace, sources tell Dermatology Times.

Arnold W. Klein, M.D., did not like the injection technique that Collagen Corporation promoted when bovine collagen was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981. So, rather than injecting collagen in the layers, as recommended, he developed a technique whereby doctors would inject it superficially, by serial puncture, a technique he developed and is now used worldwide.

All patients in the trial had stage IV melanoma; 12, or 86 percent, had visceral metastases.

National report - Tumescent local anesthesia is an effective strategy for many skin cancer surgeries, according to Colombian investigators.

National report - When it comes to lip augmentation, safety should be the cosmetic surgeon's top priority, advises Sydney R. Coleman, M.D. And fat grafting is the best choice, because the substance offers the most safety.

Orlando - A new noninvasive body sculpting device (LipoSonix, LipoSonix, Inc.) has shown promise in preclinical and human studies, an expert says.

New York - Hyaluronic acid (HA) products' success rests on the ability of this compound to provide effective, long-lasting treatments, says an expert.

Boston - Avoiding complications from laser procedures begins with putting the equipment in the right hands, an expert says.

National report - Results of two parallel, prospective, open-label, North American studies demonstrate that treatment with the injectable filler consisting of microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) in a carboxymethylcellulose gel carrier (Radiesse, BioForm Medical) provides safe, immediate and relatively durable restoration of facial volume in patients with HIV-associated lipoatrophy.

Is there a relationship between the foaming of a cleanser and its ability to clean?

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Lasers, lights and radiofrequency energy devices have become a mainstay for nonsurgical lifting and tightening performed by cosmetic surgeons worldwide.

Vancouver, British Columbia - Dermatologists need to consider the range of characteristics to make a diagnosis of a rare or uncommon condition in children.

National report - To itch is human and to successfully treat - divine.

San Francisco - Results from several studies performed with imiquimod 5 percent cream (Aldara, 3M Pharmaceuticals) suggest that the immune response modifier may have a role as a surgical adjuvant for improving local tumor control and/or to enhance scar appearance, says James M. Spencer, M.D., M.S., clinical professor of dermatology, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

National report - Focal hyperhidrosis (or primary or idiopathic hyperhidrosis) is a common problem that affects about 3 percent of the population and has significant psychosocial implications.

Cleveland - "At Face Value," written by Dermatology Times Senior Editor Karen Donley-Hayes, appeared in the June 21, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, Vol.295, No. 23, 2701-2702). A story spurred by the essay was also published on Heathday.com, and Ms. Donley-Hayes was interviewed for the University of Kentucky's Dr. Greg Davis on Medicine program, which aired on WUKY 91.3 FM UK Public Radio.

Irvine, Calif. - A new service based here promises to bring Botox Cosmetic (botulinum toxin A, Allergan) and injectable facial fillers to patients' workplaces.

Philadelphia - Skin tone and luminosity are key indicators of age in the perception of viewers, European researchers say.

London - A hospital ethics committee will decide by mid-August whether to grant approval for a full face transplant.

Rancho Mirage, Calif. - The Asian population has a spectrumof skin types, from the porcelain white of the Japanese to thebrowner Pacific Islanders, according to Wendy E. Roberts, M.D. Sheis a dermatologist here, and assistant clinical professor ofmedicine at Loma Linda University Medical School, Loma Linda,Calif.

Berkeley, Calif. - Dermatologists can perform most cosmeticprocedures on blacks with Fitzpatrick IV-VI skin types, exceptlaser resurfacing, because the risk of scarring is too high.

In the 1990s, while chairman of dermatology at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Marta Rendon, M.D., saw the most complex cases to come through the clinic.

Hayward, Calif. - Thermage? is introducing a way forphysicians to "drive practice success."

Complications from the procedure that have sparked some debateinclude the potential for thread failure, migration, exposure,static and dynamic deformities and palpable threads.

New York - Planning and performing a surgical reconstructionafter Mohs surgery is usually a simple and straightforward task ifthe surgeon follows simple rules and uses simple techniques,according to Michael R. Shohet, M.D., director of facial plasticand reconstructive surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicinehere.