Get a line on Cosmeceuticals
July 30, 2008
SANTA ANA, Calif. - Cosmeceuticals might help a woman’s skin stay young, but they’re more likely to boost drug companies’ bottom lines. Most of them also come with a guarantee — that they’ll cause pain in the pocketbook. Consumers can shell out $150 for a half-ounce of lotion recommended by an actress or by a clerk at Neiman-Marcus or Nordstrom. Seeking a doctor’s advice might be cheaper and surely would be wiser. Read more
Dr Ataii discusses preparing your skin for the summer
July 30, 2008
IAPAM faculty member, Dr. Alexander P. Ataii, MD, Medical Director of Laser Clinique discusses preparing your skin for the summer on KGTV ABC News San Diego.
As Doctors Cater to Looks, Skin Patients Wait
July 29, 2008
Dr. Donald Richey, a dermatologist in Chico, Calif., has two office telephone numbers: calls to the number for patients seeking an appointment for skin conditions like acne and psoriasis often go straight to voice mail, but a full-time staff member fields calls on the dedicated line for cosmetic patients seeking beauty treatments like Botox.
Dr. Richey has two waiting rooms. The medical patients’ waiting room is comfortable, but the lounge for cosmetic clients is luxurious, with soft music and flowers. Read more
PEAK Surgical Receives 510(k) Clearance to Market PEAK® Surgery System for Use in General Surgery
July 25, 2008
PALO ALTO, Calif. (July 24, 2008) - PEAK Surgical, Inc., a medical device company that has developed a new tissue dissection system based on a proprietary technology, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted the company 510(k) clearance to market its PEAK® Surgery System for use in general surgery. The PEAK Surgery System combines the PULSARTM Generator, which supplies pulsed plasma radiofrequency energy, with the PEAK PlasmaBladeTM 4.0, a low-temperature surgical cutting and coagulation tool. This tissue dissection system will be commercially available next month. Read more
Want A Reason to Love Your Lower Belly Fat?
July 25, 2008
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of the body, reports a Brazilian-based study in August’s Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This is the first study of its kind to examine whether fat tissues from different areas of the body vary in stem cell concentration.
“Adult stem cells, derived from our own tissues, hold strong promise for improved clinical therapies,” said J. Peter Rubin, MD, a member of the ASPS Fat Grafting Task Force who is involved in pre-clinical trial work on stem cells taken from fat. “The potential for healing and repairing injury or disease through stem cells, including conditions like breast cancer and reconstruction, heart failure, spinal injuries, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease are incredible. We may be able to more permanently and naturally get rid of pesky wrinkles or augment breasts with stem cell enriched fat in the future as well. Knowing more about the biology of stem cells will be of great value when we are ready for clinical trials in this country.”
In the study, 23 female patients having liposuction in at least four different body areas agreed to have their fat isolated for adult stem cells and analyzed to determine stem cell concentrations. The body areas that were liposuctioned were: lower abdomen, upper abdomen, inner knee, inner thigh, flank and hips.
The study results found a significant difference in stem cell concentrations in different areas of the body. A major finding was that the concentration of stem cells was greatest in the lower abdomen and inner thighs. Interestingly, stem cell concentration in the lower abdomen was five times greater than in the upper abdomen.
“The value of stem cells harvested through fat is the ready and ample supply available,” said ASPS President Richard D’Amico, MD. “Using stem cells will some day have very practical applications to the specialty of plastic surgery. That we may be able to generate new tissue or bone that can be used in many of the reconstructive and cosmetic procedures we do every day is a tremendous.”
Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have not yet developed a specific function. Not only are they capable of self renewal, stem cells can divide and produce others that become specialized cells. Scientists and doctors theorize that stem cells will be able to repair or replace damaged or diseased cells. Clinical trials researching the potential of stem cells from fat are ongoing in Europe and Asia. In the U.S., there are many investigators doing pre-clinical trial work to meet the stringent safety guidelines the FDA sets for clinical trials.
According to ASPS statistics, more than 301,000 liposuction procedures were performed in 2007.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Get rid of wrinkles
July 21, 2008
Not all of us choose to age gracefully. Instead, many women decide to get a little help along the way to stay looking younger. Botox, peels, lasers … it’s all so confusing. If you have been considering getting some sort of wrinkle treatment from dermatologist or plastic surgeon, here’s the lowdown on several common wrinkle treatments that are available today. Read more
A new wrinkle for Botox
July 21, 2008
When Sue Sullivan goes in for Botox to help with her headaches, she sometimes indulges in a few strictly cosmetic treatments, too. Sullivan, 53, of Maple Grove, pays for headache treatments out of her family’s main budget and taps her bonus for the strictly wrinkle-zapping procedures — everything from Botox and dermal fillers to laser treatments. Read more
Medical Spa Leaves Woman With Severe Tissue Damage
July 16, 2008
(CBS) Medical spas are popping up everywhere. The CBS 2 investigators have been uncovering problems and tonight, Pam Zekman reports on a chain with a controversial treatment performed at six locations.
It’s called Pure Med Spa and it was recently hit with a lawsuit alleging fraud and negligence. The suit was filed by a patient who suffered horrifying complications from a fat dissolving treatment. Read more
New Nevada regulations driving Botox costs out of patient reach
July 16, 2008
LAS VEGAS — A hepatitis C outbreak in southern Nevada has prompted the state’s governor to enact new regulations barring practitioners from administering medications from single-dose vials to multiple patients. Although investigators didn’t specifically target Botox (botulinum toxin A; Allergan, Irvine, Calif.), local cosmetic surgeons say that the rule has driven Botox costs out of reach for many patients while spotlighting long-standing confusion over Botox’s labeling. Read more
IAPAM Launches Aesthetic Medicine News Site
July 9, 2008
The International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM) AestheticMedicineNews.com website educates physicians, medical spa owners, media and the public on the latest aesthetic medical news and medical spa procedures.
Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) July 9, 2008 — With the current boom for minimally invasive anti-aging treatments, the first person many people go to is their physician. Moreover, between new State regulations and the need for industry-leading clinical education, practitioners agree that more timely and accessible information is required. Therefore, to meet this industry need, the IAPAM has launched The Aesthetic Medicine News, a one-stop web portal where medspa practitioners and patients alike can find the latest in aesthetic medicine innovations, medical spa news and much, much more. Read more
IAPAM Aesthetic Medicine Resources
