Cosmetic Dermatology

Read articles about cosmetic dermatology, fillers, Botox, light therapies and other new modalities.

Fat Rebalancing: The New “Facelift”

The fat compartments of the face undergo changes and are responsible for age-related alterations in facial shape. The overlying skin responds to changes in fat in much the same way as a garment clings or sags to the body underneath.

Unfit Candidates for Cosmetic Surgery

Patients need to be able to both understand and accept the risks of surgery. It's a balance between their motivation and desire to undergo surgery and their willingness to accept the risks involved with that procedure.

Nonablative Laser and Light Therapy: An Approach to Patient and Device Selection

Nonablative laser and light therapy is a relatively novel modality for the improvement of the visual appearance of photodamaged, scarred, and injured skin. A number of different wavelengths and devices have been purported to be efficacious for the delivery of nonablative therapy.

Rejuvenation of the Lip with Injectables

As the range of soft tissue augmentation products proliferates, most will be used (with varying degrees of success) to shape and augment the lip. This review will discuss some of the factors that should be considered prior to injecting a lip with soft tissue augmentation products.

The Use of Lasers for Decorative Tattoo Removal

We present our clinical experience along with literature findings on decorative tattoo removal and the important issues practitioners should consider in the management of tattoos.

How Do I Choose a Surgeon?

Plastic surgery is a serious undertaking, and requires a lot of trust in the performing surgeon. In this video we asked plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan what patients should be looking for when choosing a plastic surgeon or a clinic.

Ideal Fat Graft Candidate

In this video plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains the ideal candidate for a fat grafting procedure. Every procedure has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s important that patients understand these factors as well as the cost and risks that they are willing to tolerate. An important video for those considering fat grafting.

The Surgical Correction of Protuberant Ears

While prominent ears are considered a sign of good fortune in the Far East, Western society looks upon prominent ears in a far less positive manner. Children with prominent ears are often the subjects of verbal and at times physical abuse by their peers, resulting in adverse psychological effects.

Update on the Botulinum Neurotoxins

The botulinum neurotoxins (BTX) are an exciting group of therapeutic agents with dramatically expanding clinical indications. The US FDA has approved BOTOX® (BTX-A, Allergan) and Myobloc™ (BTX-B, Elan Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of cervical dystonia.

The Cost of Treating Aging Face

Patients need to be able to both understand and accept the risks of surgery. It's a balance between their motivation and desire to undergo surgery and their willingness to accept the risks involved with that procedure.

Cutaneous Cleansers

The choice of facial cleanser is important for people with normal skin, as well as for those people with sensitive skin and skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and acne. Read this overview of all cleanser types for helpful recommendations.

Risks Associated with Fat Grafting

Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains the risks associated with the fat grafting procedure that patients should be aware of before undergoing the procedure. Although serious complications are rare, it’s important to be aware of the various potential risks.

How does Aging of the Face Manifest Itself?

The upper, mid, and lower face all age as we go through the decades. Dr. Bryce Cowan explains how symptoms of aging typically manifest over time.

Fractional Laser Treatment for Pigmentation and Texture Improvement

Fractional laser treatment with the 1,550nm erbium fiber laser (Fraxel® Laser, Reliant Technologies) has bridged the gap between the ablative and nonablative laser modalities used to treat the epidermal and dermal signs of skin aging.

Cosmeceuticals: A Practical Approach

The cosmeceutical industry has undergone phenomenal growth over the past decade. Acquiring a basic knowledge of the major classes of active ingredients that are found in cosmeceuticals will enable healthcare professionals to provide accurate and educational information to consumers.

Artecoll® – an injectable micro-implant for longlasting soft tissue augmentation

Never before have so many people sought our assistance to help get get rid of their wrinkles. Until recently, most biological materials presented shortcomings – resorption within months, allergic reaction, and on occasion, foreign body or granuloma formation at the site of injection.

Advances in Techniques for Endovenous Ablation of Truncal Veins

The latest techniques for endovenous occlusion, i.e., radiofrequency ablation catheters or endoluminal laser targeting water are our preferred methods for the treatment of saphenous-related varicose veins. Clinical experience with endovenous techniques in more than 1,000 patients shows a high degree of success.

Poly-L-Lactic Acid as a Facial Filler

Poly-L-lactic acid is a filler recently approved by the US FDA for the correction of facial lipoatrophy in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Currently, poly-L-lactic acid, sold under the brand name Sculptra™ (Dermik), is the only product approved by the FDA specifically for this indication.

Ablative Laser Resurfacing – Postoperative Care

Wound care after laser skin resurfacing is critical for achieving a successful result. The superficial thermal injury created by laser skin resurfacing heals more quickly and with a reduced risk of scarring under occlusion. Effective management techniques can help minimize expected negative effects.

Improved Skin Quality with Fat Grafting

Grafted fat is transferred as whole cells which are believed to contain stem cells that release cytokines and growth factors. This promotes a rejuvenative process in the surrounding skin.

Fat Grafting vs Synthetic Fillers

Synthetic fillers like hyaluronic acid are now incredibly popular to restore lost volume, like fat grafting. In this video we will compare the upsides and downsides of each procedure.

DaxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm (Daxxify™): A Comprehensive Overview

DAXI's innovative biochemical composition, replacing HSA with the peptide RTP004, enhances its efficacy, safety, and duration, potentially using less core neurotoxin, positioning it as a groundbreaking botulinum toxin A (BoNTA) for dynamic facial lines treatment.

Soft Tissue Augmentation with Silicone

Adatosil® is a viscous silicone oil which was granted FDA approval in 1994. This designation removes the legal obstacles to usage for soft tissue augmentation. However, physicians are advised to exercise discretion when using this product.

The Process of Fat Grafting

We ask plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan about what patients should expect on the day of the surgical procedure.

Chemical Peels

With so many new peel preparations on the market today, the dermatologist must ask himself basic questions concerning the products. The most important question is directed to the medical literature rather than the advertising or marketing campaign so common among marketdriven cosmetic products.

Botox, Injectable Filler, and Cosmetic Surgery to Treat Aging Face

What cosmetic procedures might be useful for a given patient? The two key principles of aging of the face are volume loss and tissue malposition. There are many elements changing simultaneously, so it's very rare that there is an effective singular procedure that can act as a fix all solution.

An Algorithm for the Reconstruction of Complex Facial Defects

Dermatologic surgeons are often faced with the repair of complex facial defects following Mohs micrographic surgery. While the size or absence of critical tissue layers may be daunting, the reconstruction of these complex defects follow similar principles to those for the closure of smaller, simpler defects.

Current Review of the Alpha-hydroxy Acids

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are naturally occurring organic carboxylic acids such as glycolic acid, a natural constituent of sugar cane juice and lactic acid, found in sour milk and tomato juice. Topical formulations incorporating these acids are now frequently used or prescribed by dermatologists.

Face-Lifting: An Overview

Numerous adaptations of face-lift techniques have been devised, and each surgical approach has its own risks and benefits, as well as proponents and detractors. All of the conventionally accepted techniques achieve removal of redundant skin.

Ciclopirox Nail Lacquer Topical Solution 8%

Ciclopirox nail lacquer 8% (Penlac, Aventis Pharma) was approved by the US FDA in December 1999, as a component of a comprehensive management program, for use in immunocompetent patients who have mild to moderate onychomycosis of the fingers and toes without lunula involvement due to Trichophyton rubrum.

Twelve Technical Strategies to the Perfect Surgical Scar

Achieving an excellent surgical result while managing disease can be a daunting task when the basic surgical principles we were all taught have been lost to time and the perpetuation of poor surgical habits that were adopted from others. Here are strategies that can help to improve your scar outcomes.

Blepharoplasty: Laser or Cold Steel?

Blepharoplasty of the upper and/or lower eyelids can restore a youthful appearance to the aging face. This is a minimally invasive procedure that can be accomplished with little bleeding and a small incision.

Advantages of Cosmetic Surgery when Treating Aging Face

What are the advantages of cosmetic surgery over soft procedures like Botox and dermal fillers? The main advantage is that cosmetic surgery allows for a more profound and long lasting correction that's not possible with other treatment options.

Treatment Options for Facial Aging

Can you reverse the aging process? Dr. Bryce Cowan gives us the truth about aging, cosmetic surgery, and the difference between non-invasive procedures like Botox/fillers vs cosmetic surgery.

Male Aesthetics

Men are a fast growing segment of the aesthetic industry. This article discusses important gender differences in facial anatomy and behavior that are relevant, as well as the requirement for different injection techniques when using dermal fillers and Botulinum toxins.

Markers of Facial Aging

Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains the two primary processes that affect facial aging simultaneously - volume loss, and malposition.

Clinical Use of RESTYLANE®

There is no ideal filler, nor will there be a single product that can satisfy all requirements. However, RESTYLANE®, a non-animal, stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA, Medicis), is a very versatile augmenting agent. It has been in clinical use for 8 years and experience has shown it to be close to the ideal filler in many respects.

Lustra®, Lustra-AF® and Alustra™

Hydroquinone has been successfully used to treat hyperpigmentation for many years. Recently, new formulations containing hydroquinone have become available, including Lustra® and Lustra-AF®. These products also contain glycolic acid 2%, an active antioxidant system, and moisturizers.

Patient Research: How Would Patients Choose Their Surgeon?

Patients need to be able to both understand and accept the risks of surgery. It's a balance between their motivation and desire to undergo surgery and their willingness to accept the risks involved with that procedure.

Plasma Skin Regeneration Technology

Plasma skin regeneration technology uses energy delivered from plasma rather than light or radiofrequency. Plasma skin regeneration technology can be used at varying energies for different depths of effect, from superficial epidermal sloughing to deeper dermal heating.

Popular in COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY