Digital Edition

Skin Care

BoNT-A for Skin Disease

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A growing body of research suggests that botulinum toxins have value for medical dermatology patients.
Byline: 
By Linda W. Lewis
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BoNTA for Skin Disease

Botox (Allergan, www.botoxcosmetic.com) was first approved in 1989 to treat two medical conditions involving muscle spasm (blepharospasm and strabismus), but since its approval to treat glabellar lines in 2002, it has become much more widely known as a cosmetic drug. That may soon change as more and more research points to the efficacy of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) in treating a wide range of skin diseases and conditions.

It's Your Line

Deck: 
Private label products are a natural fit for physicians who want to expand their brands.
Byline: 
By Cheryl Whitman
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Private Label Skin Care

Branding and marketing are key components to building a successful medical aesthetics practice. An investment in a private label, physician-branded skincare line that carries your logo is a logical extension of your practice’s offerings. You can choose the products and ingredients that you feel are most effective. Patients will need to purchase the products directly from your practice, which helps to build loyalty and provides more opportunities to cross-sell services. Additionally, private label products can offer a more attractive profit margin than branded lines.

The Evolution of IPL

Deck: 
Advances in engineering are making IPL devices safer, more consistent and easier to use.
Byline: 
By Inga Hansen
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The Evolution of IPL

Intense pulsed light piqued the interest of many in the medical aesthetic community when it was first introduced 20 years ago. Its inclusion of multiple spectra of light delivered using laser-based technologies suggested the ability to treat multiple indications in one system. Unfortunately, the original Photoderm quickly fell out of favor.

Looking High and Low

Deck: 
SkinMedica teams with the MGH Cutaneous Biology Research Center to search for natural extracts that can safely and effectively modulate melanin production and deposition.
Byline: 
By Linda W. Lewis
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Looking High and Low

“It’s a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack,” says David Fisher, MD, PhD, chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Dermatology and director of the MGH Cutaneous Biology Research Center, in reference to the collaboration agreement his department recently signed with SkinMedica (skinmedica.com). The research group will be evaluating tens of thousands of natural extracts. “We are actually seeking at least two agents: one that can safely and effectively lighten unwanted pigmentation and one that can safely darken light skin,” he says.

Skimming the Surface

Deck: 
The gentle exfoliating powers of microdermabrasion make it a popular treatment tool for estheticians working with medical cosmetic patients.
Byline: 
By Inga Hansen
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Skimming the Surface

When microdermabrasion first came to the United States more than 20 years ago, there were several early adopters and a long line of skeptics. As with most new technologies, many questioned whether it was a passing fad or a valuable new tool worthy of its substantial price tag. More than two decades later, microdermabrasion devices have become a staple in esthetic and medical aesthetic treatment rooms, thanks to their proven ability to rejuvenate dull skin and stimulate collagen as well as their strong safety profile for all skin types.

Acid A-Peel

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Dermatologists, estheticians and formulators discuss the latest trends in chemical peels.
Byline: 
By Linda W. Lewis
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Acid A-Peel

Discovery of the rejuvenating effects of lactic acid on skin predates modern medicine. Chemical peels were not created in laboratories after years of research. They were developed in boudoirs and salons, and were embraced by dermatologists and plastic surgeons much later. Fortunately, we are now seeing more clinical trials using these well-known acids, and scientists are beginning to understand more about how chemexfoliation agents stimulate skin rejuvenation.

Body Language

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Skincare formulations have moved beyond the face to provide more targeted care for the entire body.
Byline: 
By Tracy Morin
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In recent years, skincare formulators and medical aesthetic facilities alike have seen body care move from an afterthought to a main event. As patient awareness of off-face treatment options expands, so too does the desire for targeted homecare products specifically formulated for the chest, hands and body. “Skin care is becoming more popular and more targeted—now you see more care for the hands, face, neck, heels, elbows and the backs of arms,” says Tatiana Kononov, director of research and development for Revision Skincare (revisionskincare.com).

Beyond the Face

Deck: 
Aesthetic practitioners share insights into their most popular and successful combination treatments for the décolleté, hands, arms and legs.
Byline: 
By Linda W. Lewis
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Botox is not the only aesthetic procedure patients ask for by name these days. And the face is not the only area of aesthetic concern. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons around the world are finding a raft of recipes for younger-looking skin all over the body. Ingredients include skincare topicals and injectables mixed with energy treatments from laser, radiofrequency (RF) and ultrasound devices. Many are now packaging combination procedures for the neck, décolleté, arms and legs, along with liquid facelifts and body contouring specials.

Skin Care Researchers Seek Natural Extracts To Regulate Pigmentation

Deck: 
SkinMedica teams with the MGH Cutaneous Biology Research Center to search for natural extracts that can safely and effectively modulate melanin production and deposition.
Main Image: 
Skin Care Researchers Seek Natural Extracts To Regulate Pigmentation

“It’s a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack,” says David Fisher, MD, PhD, chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Dermatology and director of the MGH Cutaneous Biology Research Center, in reference to the collaboration agreement his department recently signed with SkinMedica (www.skinmedica.com). The research group will be evaluating tens of thousands of natural extracts. “We are actually seeking at least two agents: one that can safely and effectively lighten unwanted pigmentation and one that can safely darken light skin,” he says.

Belotero Balance

Deck: 
Merz’ Belotero receives FDA approval and brings new benefits to the dermal filler market.
Byline: 
By Linda W. Lewis
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Belotero Balance

A new hyaluronic acid filler, Belotero Balance (Merz Aesthetics, www.merz.com), hit the market earlier this year. Is it really something new or just another HA-based product with a different name? Should you add it to the dozen or so FDA-approved products already in your clinic?

Our research says it’s definitely worth a look for two reasons.

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