Aesthetics

Q. What is Syn-Coll? It is being touted as the new anti-agingmoisturizer ingredient.

Poly-L-lactic acid is also being used by some physicians off-labelas a volume restorer for cosmetic enhancement in non-HIV patients.

Houston - For the general dermatologist, the mainstay of safeand effective skin cancer management is dependent upon sensibleclinical judgment, says Deborah MacFarlane, M.D., associateprofessor of dermatology and plastic surgery at the University ofTexas Medical School at Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Hong Kong - Members of the Pigmentary Disorders Academy (PDA)discussed a spectrum of topical issues, finalized revisions tomanuscripts for a supplement to the Journal of the American Academyof Dermatology, and decided to undertake a global, community-basedsurvey investigating the natural history of melasma as the nextmajor project when the group convened its third annual meetinghere.

National report - As if keeping track of the expanding rosterof fillers and neurotoxins wasn't enough for dermatologists andcosmetic surgeons, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s nod towardAllergan's estimated $3.4 billion buyout of aesthetic rival Inamedinjects an anything-but-paralyzing wrinkle into what some industrypundits call a quest to deliver "total facial rejuvenation."

Padua , Italy -- Researchers at the University of Padua report that injections of a synthetic polymer may be helpful in treating some HIV patients' facial wasting associated with combination antiretroviral therapy.

Daejeon, Republic of Korea -- Scientists here say they have engineered a protein that may help hasten impaired wound healing in diabetics, whose wounds often heal slower than usual to their condition.

Cleveland ? "What if there were no topical corticosteroids? Or if a patient were unable to use them?"

Atlanta -- "Community-acquired MRSA is just exploding among the urban patient population we serve," says Henry Michael Blumberg, M.D., an epidemiologist and director of the division of infectious disease at Emory University School of Medicine.

It is an easy procedure, is reassuring to the patient, and usually only a single treatment is required. However, if necessary, the procedure can be repeated after three to six weeks.

He predicts that more long-lasting, fast-acting fillers will begin emerging in the next couple years.

The skin of the cheek and anterior neck is made up of an interconnected three-layer unit.

National report ? Rejuvenating an aging face is not just about tightening the skin's surface, and the process must be viewed in a three-dimensional, rather than a two-dimensional, manner.

San Francisco ? Integrating resurfacing procedures into one's practice demands that physicians proceed conservatively in areas ranging from negotiating learning curves to marketing new procedures, according to Seth L. Matarasso, M.D.

National report ? As the American population becomes more diverse and includes a higher percentage of people of color, cosmetic physicians will have to adjust their approaches to various treatments, but perhaps, most obviously, those treatments using lasers.

National report ? Facelifts may give a person a renewed youthful appearance, but they can also have an unpleasant side effect ? the development of noticeable, large, blue veins. Temple veins, especially, tend to become more prominent after facelift procedures.

The key to effective, natural-looking hair transplantation is to study the natural patterns of the hair.

Scottsdale, Ariz. ? Successful treatment of pigmentation and fine, fine to moderate, and deep wrinkles as well as scars is possible with various resurfacing tools including TCA chemical peels, UltraPulse (Lumenis) CO 2 resurfacing laser, Fraxel laser and manual dermabrasion.

Squared off re-excisions allow the possibility for part of the margin to be left unexamined.

There are so many changes that affect coding and reimbursement, it's not difficult to understand that some of the changes are not well-received by dermatologists. This is especially true with many new services that include costly drugs and equipment and that require a significant amount of physician time to perform.In this issue, I'll share some questions sent in by frustrated readers, their solutions to the reimbursement dilemmas, and my "You can't do that" advice.

The hairline and eyebrow must be considered when dealing with the temporal region.

Cleveland ? "What if there were no topical corticosteroids? Or if a patient were unable to use them?"

National report ? Modern goals for wart therapy are based on both lesion clearance and recurrence prevention, and achieving those objectives, especially in tough cases, usually requires a combination approach incorporating an agent that will provide antiviral and immunomodulatory activity, says Stephen K. Tyring, M.D., Ph.D.

Atlanta -- "Community-acquired MRSA is just exploding among the urban patient population we serve," says Henry Michael Blumberg, M.D., an epidemiologist and director of the division of infectious disease at Emory University School of Medicine.

With increasing reports of dermatology patients waiting for three months or longer, some dermatologists feel that industry funding could at least make a dent in the shortage of skin specialists.