ISSUE: Winter 2003
Cosmeceuticals & Anti-aging
Skin Lighteners & Hydroquinone
Reformulated, Surviving Bad Press, and Continuing to Move Forward
It has been a few years, but the negative buzz surrounding the active ingredient hydroquinone still surfaces in conversations about skin lightening products. Considering the fact that by 1999 so many consumers in Asian, European, and African nations had misused lighteners and initiated lawsuits due to the resulting damage, it is not surprising that these nations called for a total OTC ban of the ingredient. In the United States, skin whiteners are as popular as ever. Many companies report that they are some of their best selling products. As a rule, however, manufacturers are taking a more cautious approach when formulating products containing hydroquinone. They have also spent millions of dollars formulating products which contain non-pharmaceutical ingredients...
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Dermatology
The Laser Neck Lift
Less downtime, good results” could be the mantra of today’s cosmetic patients seeking rejuvenating surgical approaches to the aging face which offer natural results and minimize recovery time. To meet those needs, local anesthetic procedures, with a better safety profile and reduced post-operative side effects, are preferable to those requiring general anesthesia. Patients will not only accept, but will many times actually prefer incremental, low downtime improvements, choosing to undergo several smaller procedures over time rather than one large, potentially debilitating surgery...
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Laser & Light Technology
2003 Editor’s Choice Awards
AESTHETIC DEVICES
The Editor’s Choice Awards were developed to give credit to those devices which are outstanding in their treatment categories. These awards are based on survey results by Board Certified Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons who are renowned experts in laser and light-based devices. The award concept, categories and accompanying comments were developed and written respectively by David M. Cauger of Boston Aesthetics, LLC. Below you will see the ATnT Award and Honorable Mention for each Treatment Category...
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Legal Case of the Month
Regulation of Laser Use:
THE DEBATE CONTINUES STATE TO STATE
In June of 2000 several spa owners joined together to change the rules of laser use for hair removal in the State of Texas. However, lasers and pulsed light devices are considered in Texas, as in many other states, as medical devices. This is where the debate begins and perhaps ends. One faction of current laser and lightbased device users reports that hair removal has been performed by electrologists for years; it is not the practice of medicine, and lasers should have no more control and present no more risk than does traditional electrology...
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Medical Spas
Mineral Makeup
THE ANSWER TO POST MEDICAL AESTHETIC RECOVERY
Appearance has always been a problem for patients after medical aesthetic procedures. They say, in a voice of desperation, “When can I apply makeup again?” Most medical aesthetic services require a delay in time before the application of the typical makeup; and the more invasive the service, the longer the delay due to the side effects it might cause. Many patients remain confined past the necessary time because of their appearance. Then, as soon as the time has arrived which will allow makeup application, heavy camouflage makeup is often required. It is difficult to apply well and requires reapplication and monitoring throughout the day. These patients do not use it any longer than necessary and do not continue to purchase it. The answer to this dilemma is now on the market, a product called “mineral makeup.” The ingredients contained in these products are primarily natural minerals, with no unnatural colors or preservatives in their formulation...
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Men’s Aesthetic Procedures
Hair Restoration for the Modern Man:
Follicular Unit Micrografting
For the past several decades various surgical methods have been used to restore a full and healthy head of hair. Each method attempted to address the problem of hair loss by slightly different applications of the three foundation principles of surgical hair restoration: hair by full-size punch grafts, scalp reductions, and scalp lift and flap surgery. Surgical techniques have become more refined; and with advances in technology, the result of the surgical hair restoration process has improved significantly...
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Plastic Surgery
Cosmetic Surgery Practices
UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITALS EMBRACE THE PRIVATE PRACTICE SETTING
One of the more exciting trends in aesthetics is the growing number of universities which are supporting and embracing cosmetic surgery practices. University teaching hospitals, once thought of as devoting the majority of their resources to the care of only the extremely ill requiring tertiary, or even quaternary care, are now embracing the establishment of university cosmetic surgery practices...
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