Aesthetics

Waikoloa, HI - Bexarotene 1 percent gel (Targretin) is a useful alternative modality for the treatment of mycosis fungoides, said Joan Guitart, M.D., at the annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar.

Houston - Treatment of localized hyperhidrosis can be very gratifying for both affected patients and the physician, according to Ramsey F. Markus, M.D.

Moderator: What cosmetic dermatology issues are you most often encounteringin your practice today?

Growing numbers of patients are turning to cosmetic dermatology to combatthe ravaging effects of excessive sun exposure on the skin. The topicalretinoids have an important role as complements to the cosmetic proceduresused to treat photoaging. Two well-known dermatologists, Mary Lupo, MD,and Emil Tanghetti, MD, recently participated in a teleconference to discussthe benefits of the topical retinoids, used as both pretreatment and posttreatmentto these procedures and to accelerate wound healing in photodamaged skin.

Baltimore -- Developing an algorithm for using non-ablative lasers and light sources will enable effective and efficient treatment of patients who present for skin rejuvenation, said Robert A. Weiss, M.D.

Munster, Ind. - Gray's Anatomy and Hollinhead's Anatomy for the Surgeons have been physicians' resources for decades, but new research being done may redefine some of the basics doctors have taken for granted.

Washington, D.C. - A unique, new technology in the form of laser-mediated photodynamic therapy offers advantages for skin rejuvenation not seen from other non-ablative or ablative technologies, according to Roy G. Geronemus, M.D., director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.

Washington, D.C. -- When it comes to complications from laser resurfacing, prevention is the best medicine. For patients, this means picking the most qualified doctor available. For doctors, it's sometimes a matter of knowing your limitations.

Philadelphia - Of all the cosmetic procedures that make hands appear younger, sclerotherapy delivers the most dramatic, long-lasting results, according to Lee Schulman, M.D., a phlebologist at Schulman Vein and Laser Center in New York City.

Washington - As dermatologists accumulate knowledge about the injection of botulinum toxin Type A, the safer the procedure is becoming, according to Alastair Carruthers, M.D.

Washington, D.C. - Despite the growing popularity of new modalities, the CO2 laser remains the gold standard for tissue tightening and contraction of the skin, said Sue Ellen Cox, M.D. However, the choice of therapy largely depends on the age and mindset of the patient, she added.

Q How much life insurance coverage is recommended for a physician who has a family?

Recently I gave a talk about the use of Botox for pain at Memorial University in Newfoundland. Wonderful facility - but the screen was positioned directly over my head, making it almost impossible for me use my laser pointer. It was then that I realized my PowerPoint presentations are put together in ways that greatly reduce or eliminate the need for a laser pointer - and at the same time make my presentations more effective and easier for the audience to follow. I put down my laser pointer and did fine without that high-tech crutch.

Summit, NJ - A long-pulse 532-nm frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser (DioLite Laser, Iridex) offers another safe and effective alternative for nonablative facial skin rejuvenation in appropriately selected patients, according to the results of a randomized, split-face clinical trial conducted by Paul J. Carniol, M.D.

Philadelphia - Citing a paucity of reliable information on how much blood loss occurs during liposuction surgery, a Seattle-area cosmetic surgeon has devised a statistical model for predicting blood loss. Furthermore, the data from the ongoing study confirms that blood loss is related to factors other than just the total volume of aspirate.

Washington - Today's photoepilation is as individualized as the patient being treated, and it is up to the dermatologist to determine the appropriate laser system for each case, according to Elizabeth L. Tanzi, M.D.

Las Vegas - Dermatologists can look forward to an explosion in available filler materials for soft tissue augmentation, said Rhoda S. Narins, M.D., at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

San Francisco - With a host of fillers and ablative techniques available to dermatologists, clinicians should exercise a variety of options to meet the short-term and long-term goals of their patients who want to treat their aging skin.

Tucker, Ga. - Three mechanisms are purported to induce cutaneous malignancies: initiating events, promotional effects, and effects on the immune system, according to Kathleen J. Smith, M.D., from Quest Diagnostics.

Washington, D.C. - Hair transplants can appear very natural now that they can be performed using micrografts and natural follicular grouping that occurs in the scalp, according to Marc R. Avram, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Washington, D.C. - With a handful of new options expected to receive FDA approval within a year, the field of tissue augmentation stands poised to undergo a seismic shift. "The bottom line is, tissue augmentation is about to change dramatically," said Mariano E. Busso, M.D. He is clinical professor in the University of Miami's department of dermatology, chief of dermatology at Mercy Hospital, also in Miami, Fla., and a private practitioner who is board-certified in dermatology.

Washington -- When it comes to photoprotection, people expect too much from sunscreens.

Washington, D.C. - Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus may spring to mind first when atopic dermatitis is diagnosed, but it turns out that these topical immunomodulators are also effective for a host of previously difficult-to-treat diseases. Granuloma faciale, Hailey Hailey disease, hand and foot eczema and chromic actinic dermatitis are among the lengthy list of conditions these work well for, according to Mark Lebwohl, M.D., Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine.

Washington D.C.- New concepts in the management of ulcerations as well as new treatments and dressings have emerged, Mark D. P. Davis, M.D., said.

Las Vegas -- New options for the treatment of actinic keratoses allow dermatologists to tailor therapy according to patient needs and the lesion characteristics, said Roger I. Ceilley, M.D., at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

A recent two-year study in Florida indicated that patients were 10 times more likely to suffer complications, even death, if their surgery was performed in an office settingrather than an ambulatory surgical center.

San Diego - Tissue glues and sealants can reduce recovery time by as much as 10 days, according to Neal R. Reisman, M.D. "In surgical procedures from facelifts to mastectomies, using some form of a tissue glue or a sealant saves as much as a week to 10 days of recovery," said Dr. Reisman, clinical associate professor, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine.

Las Vegas - As consumer interest escalates in wrinkle-reducing cosmetics with antioxidants, precautions should be taken to minimize adverse events caused by cosmeceuticals.

New Orleans - The cosmetically engaged dermatologist has to pay attention to trends in botulinum use, according to Jean Carruthers, M.D. Dr. Carruthers and her husband, Alistair, introduced the neurotoxin for treatment of frown lines at the 1991 meeting of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons. The society embraced the born-again toxin and now, peering into 2004, predicts that it will prick through new frontiers. These include: enhancing upper lip fullness, treating enlarged masseter muscles, contouring the mandible area of the lower face, and eliminating multiple benign cystic lesions of the face.

The long-term effects of injecting acryl facial-filler materials into the face that often cannot be removed without surgical intervention is an issue that deserves serious consideration by physicians and patients. Injecting foreign bodies under the skin can have potential adverse side effects. Some steps can be taken to avoid their presentation.