ISSUE: Jan/Feb 2005
Anti-aging & Wellness
New Product Helps Take The Sting Out of Mesotherapy
MESODERM TECHNOLOGY REPLACES TRADITIONAL NEEDLES
For doctors who perform mesotherapy, an overwhelmingly common criticism from patients is the volume of needle pricks used to microinject medications into the mesoderm. This is such a large concern, in fact, that patients are often intimidated by the process simply because of it. A new product already catching on in Europe and trying to break into the North American market is called MesoDerm, a new form of "high-tech needle." And while it looks nothing like a needle, it does deliver medications into the mesoderm in large volumes through a science called electroporation. Electroporation is the process of using electrical pulses to trick the body into briefly...
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Dermatology
Expanding the Uses of Topical Photodynamic Therapy
CLINICAL STUDIES & RECENT IMPROVEMENTS
In the United States, Aminolevulinic Acid - Photodynamic Therapy (ALA PDT) has FDA clearance for the treatment of non-hyperkeratotic actinic keratoses (AKs) of the face and scalp with the blue light source. ALA-PDT has expanded off-label uses, mainly treating the parameters of photorejuvenation with or without AKs and for the treatment of moderate to severe inflammatory acne vulgaris, sebaceous gland hyperplasia, and hidradenitis supporitiva. In Europe, ALA-PDT still remains a treatment primarily for superficial non-melanoma skin cancers. In its simplest form, ALA-PDT is a treatment modality which uses a photosensitizer, an appropriate light source, and oxygen to selectively destroy a targeted cell. The photosensitizer, given exogenously or formed endogenously, is retained by certain cells, including actinically damaged skin cells, superficial skin cancer cells, and sebaceous glands of the skin. By activating the photosensitizer with an appropriate wavelength of light, selective destruction of the target is achieved. 5-Aminolevulinic acid, the most common drug used in topical PDT, occurs naturally in cells as an intermediate product formed during the body’s...
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Laser & Light Technology
Emerging Nd:YAG Treatment Techniques
CANDELA’S GENTLEYAG
Previously I offered my comments on the versatility of the Nd:YAG wavelength when I reviewed Candela’s GentleYAG® laser (Aesthetic Trends & Technologies, Volume 3, Issue 2, April 2004 Analytical Report) last year.
I again visited Candela’s Headquarters on November 10th to listen to Candela’s perspectives on a new treatment modality for their GentleYAG product – non-ablative collagen synthesis.
The long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG was originally developed to facilitate hair removal for darker skin types. The subsequent growth in popularity of Nd:YAG lasers was based not only on its efficacy treating ethnic skin, but also on its impressive vascular treatment capabilities. Given its low melanin absorption coefficient relative to its high hemoglobin absorption coefficient, the high-powered Nd:YAG laser offers practitioners an aggressive wavelength to treat unwanted blood vessels with minimal side effects such as purpura, hypopigmentation, and hyperpigmentation. It is becoming clear that the 1064 Nd:YAG is the preferable frequency for leg veins <1.5mm and more than capable of treating most facial telangectasias.
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Legal Case of the Month
HIPAA Compliant E-Mail
THE LEGALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRONIC-MAIL USAGE
Concerns over patient privacy in the medical industry led the government to draft standards for protecting and disclosing patient information. In 1996, the government adopted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act imposed a sweeping set of rules and regulations upon firms in the medical, insurance, hospital, healthcare, and a number of related industries. Aesthetic physicians clearly are required to comply with HIPAA when communicating patient information by e-mail. What should these physicians know about HIPAA compliant e-mail? This article will present a case study which will illustrate what is needed in whatever e-mail service these physicians use…
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Medical Spas
Complementary Therapies – Part II
LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE
The tools for “therapeutic” beauty therapy expand daily as old therapies are rediscovered and/or improved upon and provide spas with a provocative menu of treatments along with the traditional ones. In fact these therapies, once the exclusive domain of the destination spas in Europe, have now become indispensable tools, and moreover can be combined with other therapies for optimum effect, or “synergism.” Lymphatic Drainage Therapy (LDT) can be counted amongst them and can be considered as one of the most essential. To understand this phenomenon, let us examine the role of the lymphatic system and its effect on our organisms. Once an infectious germ or other foreign agent penetrates the body’s outer defenses of skin and mutualistic flora and infiltrates the bloodstream and deep tissues, several actions come into play. Every “antigen,” as foreign agents in the body are known, has a protein marker on its cell membrane which identifies…
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Men’s Aesthetic Procedures
Trends in Men’s Skin Care & Medical Spa Treatments
AN INCREASING DEMAND BRINGS CHANGES TO THE MARKET
Women are the biggest players in the skin care market. As the skin care and medical spa industries continue to grow, women are able to receive new and better treatments to improve the quality of their skin and reduce the signs of aging. What about men? Until recently, men have been almost an afterthought for skin care companies, many repackaging their products for women or changing the fragrance to appeal to the few men who were brave enough to buy the products. But men do have specialized skin care needs. It’s clear by the number of men purchasing products in the past two years alone that it is a market…
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Plastic Surgery
Varicose and Spider Veins
THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS AND TREATMENTS
Unsightly varicose veins and spiders affect approximately 20% of the population in the United States alone. Although this affects mostly women, about 15-20% of the patients are male. Many women are hesitant to wear skirts or bathing suits because of their unsightly veins and spiders. There is also a significant medical concern in these patients which costs our health care industry about $2 billion a year. Among these problems are formation of phlebitis, bleeding, and ulcers. Most patients also suffer from pain, night cramps, swelling, and restless legs. Causes of varicose veins and spiders are pregnancy and heredity; however, standing for long periods of time, weight, and hormones can worsen the varicosities. What to do about these veins has been a challenge for several decades. The ideal treatment should be almost risk free, painless, safe, and not require any major anesthesia or recovery time. It is critical that vein treatment addresses all the responsible leaks which cause the veins and spiders in the leg. The end result has to be an almost perfect leg. Is there such an approach available?
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