Cosmetic Dermatology

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

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.

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.

Recovery Time After Fat Grafting Procedure

Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains what expectations patients should have in terms of recovery time. Can patients go right back to work the next day, or run a marathon?

Cosmeceuticals: A Panel Discussion About Educating the Public

The panelists for cosmeceuticals at Dermatology Update 2008 included 4 dermatologists: Jeffrey Dover, MD, Charles Lynde, MD, Catherine Zip, MD, and Jason Rivers, MD, who discussed cosmeceuticals and the role they play in current dermatology practice.

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.

Moisturizers: What They Are And How They Work

Moisturizers are widely used in various dermatologic and cosmetic skin therapies. Different classes of moisturizers are based on their mechanism of action, including occlusives, humectants, emollients and protein rejuvenators.

The Cost of a Fat Grafting Procedure

What is the cost of fat grafting compared to injectable fillers? Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains that it depends on the timeline, the patient’s age, and what they are looking for. Fat grafting is initially more expensive compared to fillers, but has greater longevity by a wide margin.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Limited Breast Reduction by Liposuction

We describe a method for liposuction reduction of female breasts that is safe, efficacious, and associated with high levels of patient satisfaction. Liposuction for breast reduction in women is an appropriate addition to the array of liposuction procedures available to the dermatologic surgeon.

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.

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.

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.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Current Applications in Dermatology

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous serum containing high concentrations of platelets and growth factors. PRP continues to evolve as an important treatment modality with many applications in dermatology, particularly in the areas of hair restoration, skin rejuvenation, acne scars, dermal augmentation, and striae distensae.

Blepharoplasty: Indications, Outcomes, and Patient Counseling

A telltale sign of the aging face is upper eyelid skin redundancy and lower eyelid bags. These changes can contribute to a “tired” appearance. Upper and lower blepharoplasty procedures can correct these processes. By removing skin and muscle, an upper eyelid blepharoplasty can give the eye a larger appearance.

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.

Combining Chin-Jowl Implants With Local Anesthesia Facial Rejuvenation

Mandibular implantation is an outpatient procedure that can be used in combination with other minimally invasive cosmetic interventions. Specifically, silastic chin implants can help create a strong chin and smooth the jawline in carefully selected patients.

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.

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.

Debunking Common Misconceptions about Aging Process

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.

Understanding Facial Aging: Non-Linear Aging Process

Why is it that some people (other people!) seem to age slower? It's not fair! Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains the complexities and factors that affect the timeline of aging, in the first part of the Science of Facial Aging series.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fat Grafting: What is it?

What is fat grafting? Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains this important rejuvenating options that is used both in restorative surgery (after a trauma) and for cosmetic purposes.

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.

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.

Face Aging: Decade by Decade

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.

What to Expect After a Fat Grafting Procedure

In this video Dr. Bryce Cowan explains what the patient should expect after a fat grafting treatment in terms of results, as well as the side-effects that patients can expect following the procedure.

Who Would be the Ideal Candidate for Cosmetic Surgery to treat Aging Face

The ideal candidate depends on the specific treatment, but in general terms, we are looking at a patient who is a healthy, non-smoker, does not have high blood pressure, does not require anti-coagulants, is in their late 40s or early 50s, where the impact of the surgery is highest.

Dermal Fillers: Ever-Expanding Options For Esthetic Use

Aesthetic volume rejuvenation with dermal fillers continues to be a popular procedure that is sought by a growing number of patients who seek the rounder softer contours attributable to a more youthful appearance. This article will focus on the most popular, time tested, and innovative fillers available today.

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.

Markers of Facial Aging

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

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.

Fat Grafting and Volume Loss of the Face

At what age do we start losing volume in the face, and in what areas? Plastic surgeon Dr. Bryce Cowan explains the process of volume loss with age, and how it affects the overall appearance of the face, and how fat grafting can help combat these changes.

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