Aesthetics

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.

Patricia K. Farris, M.D., likes the mix that dermatology offers: traditional clinical work, new-fangled cosmetic options and marketing opportunities for services and products.

The act of taxing a single group of patients who are seeking cosmetic surgery simply because they are easy targets is unfair, injudicious, potentially sexist and wrong.

New Orleans — The biggest mistake most dermatologists make when they decide to start a cosmetic dermatology practice is trying to jump into things too fast. That's the message Joel Schlessinger, M.D., a successful cosmetic dermatologist from Omaha, Neb., likes to share with his colleagues who are considering that move.

San Diego — Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a common complaint among skin of color patients and one that is important to manage effectively because it can be a source of significant psychosocial distress, said Patricia Dunwell, M.D., at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS).

New Orleans — Botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Botox Cosmetic; Allergan) can be used safely and effectively in a range of doses to simultaneously treat a spectrum of upper facial rhytids in adult women, although use of a higher dose affords benefits for improved magnitude and durability of response without compromising safety, according to the results of a dose-comparison study presented by Alastair Carruthers, M.D., and Jean Carruthers, M.D., at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

New Orleans — Initial clinical experience indicates injectable poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra) can be used safely and effectively to achieve natural-appearing restoration of facial volume and contour in patients with age-related facial lipodystrophy, said Douglas Key, M.D., at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) here.

Boston — Although, for many patients, hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers have become the treatment of choice in the United States, Gary D. Monheit, M.D., says many questions remain: Can Hylaform (Inamed), Restylane (Q-Med) and Juvederm (LEA Derm) be improved to achieve more than a three- to six-month longevity? How will the fillers compare after more extensive head-to-head testing? And where will HA products ultimately fit in an armamentarium ranging from bovine collagen to polylactic acid?

New York — A limited population of abdominoplasty patients who also desire breast augmentation can have the procedures performed together without scars on or around the breast.

New Orleans — A striking array of new, non-invasive cosmetic laser treatments and devices has been developed recently to help dermatologists rejuvenate skin and improve appearance. From class 2 products that treat cellulite to a variety of radiofrequency devices, the many options may leave physicians wondering which one to choose.

In terms of rejuvenation, the combination of Restylane for the lower face and Botox for the upper face is the gold standard.

When making decisions about credentialing third-party payers, find out the best ones from local physicians.