NEWS — FEBRUARY 2005
AESTHETIC MEDICINE & DERMATOLOGY
Recent News...
American Society of Plastic Surgeons' Survey Findings
In a press release issued by U.S. Newswire, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASAP; Arlington Heights IL) summarized their findings from a recent online survey. A total of 1,065 men participated. The results showed that approximately 75% of men "approved of cosmetic plastic surgery for themselves or others", while 11% did not approve, and 15% did not report their opinion.
ASPS statistics also identify some other interesting cosmetic surgery trends from 2003:
Approximately 311,000 men chose to undergo cosmetic surgery procedures in 2003, demonstrating a 14% gain over 2002 levels. The number of men who had "minimally invasive" procedures more than doubled to reach 922,000 in 2003.
When asked about preferred procedures, approximately 25% of the male respondents chose liposuction. while 22% indicated laser hair removal. Nearly 12% would select nose reshaping.
Most survey participants (57%) cited cost as the greatest barrier to having cosmetic surgery, while 13% worried about what other people would think. Fear was another concern (12%), along with with not knowing enough about the procedures (10%).
American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
Arlington Heights IL
www.plasticsurgery.org
888.475.2784 Phone
Botox Procedure Precautions & Recommendations
A recent article from HealthDayNews provides an overview of Botox Procedure Consumer Tips from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS; Rolling Meadows IL):
• Ask if the office is equipped to handle medical emergencies
• Be well informed ahead of time about benefits and risks and request additional information from the physician
• Confirm that the physician is qualified to perform cosmetic surgery procedures
• Take precautions -- avoid alcohol before the appointment and maintain an upright body position for several hours after the procedure is completed
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS)
Rolling Meadows IL
www.asds-net.org
847.956.0900 Phone
British Plastic Surgery Statistics
An article published by DeHavilland Information Services features various 2004 cosmetic surgery statistics compiled by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS; London, England). In 2004, a total of 16,367 procedures were performed, demonstrating a 65% increase over 2003 levels. In contrast to the ASPS statistics cited above, cosmetic surgery in the United Kingdom is mostly performed on women (92%).
In 2004, the leading procedure was breast augmentation (3,731), followed by breast reduction (2,417) and eyelid surgery (1,993). There were also 1,511 face or neck lifts performed during the year, as well as 1,465 tummy tucks.
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
London England UK
www.baaps.org.uk
44.02.07.831.5161 Phone
From January...
Canadian Association Of Aesthetic Medicine Meeting...
In mid-December, highlights of the inaugural meeting of the Canadian Association Of Aesthetic Medicine (CAAM) were published in The Medical Post. With attendance by 60 physicians, the meeting included a keynote presentation on legal issues in Aesthetic Medicine. Several awards from the College Of Family Physicians Of Canada (CFPC) were presented to individuals in recognition of their contributions to family medicine (excellence, future leadership, and research articles).
Lumenis Reports Strong Sales Of Laser Systems...
Combining three technologies within a multi-application platform, the Lumenis One system from Lumenis Ltd. (Yokneam, Israel) demonstrated strong sales during 2004. Since commercial introduction in May, the Company sold 150 systems through December 27th, 2004 generating $22.0 million in revenues. Lumenis One was launched in Europe in mid-November at the European Academy Of Dermatology And Venereology meeting.
The intense pulse light (IPL) technology provides skin photorejuvenation and treatment for pigmented and vascular lesions, while the LightSheer diode laser enables hair removal. The Multi-Spot Nd:YAG module is used for leg vein and deep vascular lesion treatments. The System also features optimal pulse technology (OPL), as well as ease-of-use with custom settings, an "intuitive touch-screen interface", and various presets. More information about both Lumenis laser systems is available from BioSpace.com.
On January 3rd, Lumenis Ltd. received clearance from the U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA; Rockville MD) for the Opus Duo dental laser. The Er:YAG laser system provides a precise and safe method for contact cutting of bone tissue during oral surgery and periodontal procedures.
Recent Assessments of Reliant's Fraxel Laser...
As reported in the San Diego Union-Tribune in mid-December, the Fraxel laser from Reliant Technologies (San Diego CA) is a popular and effective tool that several dermatologists are excited about. The equipment was approved by the FDA in July 2001 and has been installed in more than 40 dermatology/plastic surgery offices in the United States. The Fraxel laser offers treatment for a range of conditions, from removing the crepe texture of aging skin to treating spots and wrinkles on the chest, hands, or neck.
Retail Acne Medications Are Effective...
According to the December 2004 issue of The Lancet, over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide cream provides noticeable improvement of mild to moderate acne. Despite the lower cost, benzoyl peroxide offers results that patients reported to be comparable to prescription antibiotics in cream or pill form. Researchers provided benzoyl peroxide or antibiotics to a total of 131 patients with mild to moderate acne. Improvement was rated by patients using photographs that were taken at the beginning of the 18-week study that allowed them to compare overall appearance and the number of lesions.
