Aesthetics

Chicago — With the marketing push manufacturers are putting behind cosmeceutical products, patients need dermatologists to help them separate helpful innovations from hype.

Bethesda, Md. — A variety of funding opportunities are available for research into improving the processes of wound healing. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is supporting clinical research that is interdisciplinary, multi-phased and translational — going from bench to bedside.

Vienna, Austria — In a continuation of a decade-long debate, the importance of the immunoprotection factor (IPF) and its role in sun protection is again central among the world's photobiological research community who advocate revising the current sun protection factor (SPF) rationale with the reality of its ineffectiveness.

National report — More than a year into reviewing its sun protection guidelines, the American Cancer Society is now pondering the possible impact of new information about vitamin D.

One doctor wasn't sure what his legal status would be if it were known that he did use imported medications in his office.

Chicago — Dermatology Times has received a Gold Triangle Award from the American Academy of Dermatology for its September, 2004 supplement, "The medical, emotional and financial impact of psoriasis."

The current focus on cosmetic dermatology has spurred interest among dermatology residents and practicing dermatologists about how to master this growing subspecialty.

National report -- Medical-device developers and manufacturers Thermage Inc. and Syneron have reached an agreement that resolves lawsuits claiming that Syneron infringed certain patents held by Thermage and that Thermage infringed a patent held by Syneron.

National report -- A survey conducted among female and male executives reveals that more than 25 percent of women respondents and 20 percent of the males would consider cosmetic surgery as a means by which to improve their career aspirations.

San Antonio - A small study suggests that cold air anesthesia in combination with lidocaine outperforms lidocaine alone in patients receiving Restylane (hyaluronic acid, Q-Med) and Botox (botulinum toxin A, Allergan) injections.

New Orleans — Hyaluronic acid is a satisfactory alternative for correction of tear trough deformity in a diverse cross section of people, and an excellent choice for tear trough volume restoration in select candidates. The best candidate is a younger person who has thicker skin and minimal to moderate volume loss, according to New York City cosmetic surgeon Haideh Hirmand, M.D., plastic surgery clinical assistant professor of surgery, Cornell Medical College.

National Report - Pooled results from two phase 3 clinical trials demonstrate the efficacy and safety of an investigational acne treatment combining clindamycin and tretinoin in a hydrogel base (Velac, Connetics), James J. Leyden, M.D., reported at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

San Diego — For cosmetic facial problems, Botox (botulinum toxin A, Allergan) is no longer a stand-alone, one-size-fits-all treatment. Increasingly, doctors are modifying doses based on individual patient needs and combining Botox with soft tissue fillers.

Dallas - Most patients with moderate to severe psoriasis are best treated with a combination of topical, phototherapy and/or systemic agents that can be used in a variety of sequences, says Alan Menter, M.D., chairman, division of dermatology, Baylor University Medical Center.

National report — A variety of options are available to treat HIV facial lipoatrophy, but, currently, off-label use of highly purified, medical grade 1000-centistoke silicone oil (Silikon 1000, Alcon Laboratories) as a permanent filler material seems to best fulfill the need for persistent, safe, cost-effective and natural-appearing correction, said Derek H. Jones, M.D., at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

National report — Among topical medications for treating mild-to-moderate acne, antibiotics are the most cost-effective therapy for inflammatory acne while retinoids are the most cost-effective for clearing non-inflammatory lesions, according to the results of a pharmacoeconomic evaluation reported by Stefan Weiss, M.D., at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

New Orleans — While treatment of acne with lasers and light sources is here to stay, phototherapy for acne is still an evolving field, and further research is needed to optimize outcomes, according to David J. Goldberg, M.D., J.D., who spoke at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

San Antonio - A small study suggests that cold air anesthesia in combination with lidocaine outperforms lidocaine alone in patients receiving Restylane (hyaluronic acid, Q-Med) and Botox (botulinum toxin A, Allergan) injections.

Vancouver, British Columbia - Alastair and Jean Carruthers, M.D., pioneers in the use of Botox in cosmetic procedures, are once again championing a technique involving Botox used adjunctively with other therapies to rejuvenate aging faces.

San Diego — Dermatologists have to take into account the gender of a patient if they are going to perform hair transplantation, says a Netherlands-based dermatologist.

Las Vegas — New uses for laser technology involve devices for resurfacing and LED treatments aimed at improving photodamage and acute sunburn.

Regardless of the etiology of the hair loss, Dr. Westfried says, electrotherapy delivered by the ETG device stops continued hair loss and, in more than 50 percent of people, fosters additional hair growth.

Chances are that cost-effective chemical peels will always be at the front of the dermatologist's facial rejuvenation bag of tricks. But these peels should no longer be viewed in a vacuum, according to Harold J. Brody, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology, Emory University, Atlanta.

San Diego — While the viability of the Nd:YAG laser has made nonablative resurfacing a real alternative for many cosmetic surgeons, physicians today are realizing the necessity of supplementing this treatment with a variety of other devices to address diverse conditions.

At days 10 and 30, all patients showed at least 30 percent to 50 percent improvement in skin texture and the severity of periorbital rhytides.

New Orleans — Hyaluronic acid is a satisfactory alternative for correction of tear trough deformity in a diverse cross section of people, and an excellent choice for tear trough volume restoration in select candidates. The best candidate is a younger person who has thicker skin and minimal to moderate volume loss, according to New York City cosmetic surgeon Haideh Hirmand, M.D., plastic surgery clinical assistant professor of surgery, Cornell Medical College.

National report — An intraoral infraorbital block with diphenhydramine 5.9 mg/cc is a safe and effective method for providing local anesthesia in patients undergoing correction of nasolabial folds and lip augmentation using the hyaluronic acid-based fillers. This method has advantages compared to the use of lidocaine, says Jennifer C. Cather, M.D.

New Orleans — Myths and misconceptions distort the truth about retinoids and lead to underuse, says Nia Terezakis, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans and a clinical associate professor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

The mouse is the first animal model that recapitulates both the histologic and immunologic characteristics of human psoriasis.

National report — With the hope of presenting practical advice that can be applied clinically to female patients by dermatologists across the country, five experts brought forward issues that regularly require attention — including one therapy that may forever change leg vein therapy by an invasive approach once thought not possible in the office setting.