This is a brief review of a study recently published by a group of Chinese researchers (see references here).

The study evaluated the efficacy and side effects of the Lumenis One™ IPL device for epilation (hair removal) in Chinese patients. Eighteen Chinese women with Fitzpatrick skin types III-V and black hair were treated four times at 4 to 6-week intervals on the axillae (arm pits) and the upper lip.

The energy density for treatment (fluence) ranged from 14 to 22 J/cm2 with filters for 640-755-nm wavelength and 3.5-7 ms pulse duration.

Hair reduction was assessed at baseline, immediately before each treatment session, and at 4 weeks after the fourth treatment. Patient’s satisfaction on a 5-point scale was also evaluated.

Results
The average hair reduction for all sites was 49.9% after one session, 58.6% after two sessions, 79.3% after three sessions, and 83.8% after four sessions. The hair reduction of 44.1%, 52.1%, 81.1%, and 86.0% were achieved after each treatment for axillae, with 65.1%, 75.7%, 74.6%, and 78.0% for upper lip.

Patients got more satisfaction after four sessions (score 3.1) than that after two sessions (2.0). In both the assessments, upper lip appeared to show a better response than axillae after two IPL treatments, which reversed after four treatments.

No significant complications or adverse events were reported, and the study concluded that the IPL device provides a safe and effective means of hair removal for Chinese patients.

There are very inspiring articles in Cosmetic Surgery Times about the use of current Internet technologies, which allow some physicians to stay on the edge, effectively market their practice and blog about it.

Read the article about physician’s online presence and another one about social networking.

Marketing of any private medical practice, and in particular of a fee-for-service aesthetic clinic has become more important than ever given the current state of the economy.

Online marketing has proven to be the most effective, measurable and sustainable type of marketing offering the highest rate of return on the investment. It is also the most overlooked and underestimated type of marketing among doctors.

Last week, Solta Medical presented a study by Steve Weiner, MD at the annual American Academy for Dermatology meeting. The presentation sparked a few discussions among doctors who have had some experience with the “new Fraxel”.

Fraxel Re:pair is a “non-invasive” laser treatment used for the reduction of fine to moderate wrinkles on the face, neck and chest. “As a plastic surgeon I’ve found this to be the best treatment on the market to date and I don’t anticipate anything will replace it for many years,” said Weiner. Some may argue that Dr. Weiner’s opinion is biased since he did the study on the Solta’s buck and featured his patients at several nationwide webinars promoting Solta’s lasers. However, Weiner’s research clearly shows the advantages of his technique, which are very valuable for many physicians.

How does Fraxel Re:pair compare to a traditional face lift?

A face-lift is a surgical procedure under general anaesthesia performed by a plastic surgeon, often in a specialized outpatient center or a hospital. The Fraxel Re:pair is considered to be a non-invasive treatment with the use of CO2 laser technology, which can be done by physicians of different specialties and in a doctor’s office. Results are expected to last up to 10 years. For most patients only one treatment is required, for deeper wrinkles two may be necessary, according to Weiner.

The laser effectively removes portions the epidermis and heats the dermis to tighten the skin and help with collagen elasticity, referred to as resurfacing. As with other laser treatment the new skin is exposed and wound care is necessary. This is the part where one may question the definition of a non-invasive treatment. After the Fraxel treatment the patient goes home with dressings on the face. The dressings need to be changed every 3-4 hours and you have to stay indoors for 5-7 days. Most patients would arguably call this pretty invasive.

The Fraxel Re:pair seems to work very well on mildly deep wrinkles, acne scars and brown spots, caused by the sun exposure. With some extra skill and experiens a doctor can work with Asians and Hispanics. Smokers and individuals with heavily tanned, pigmented or very dark skin types are not good candidates for this treatment.

The cost for Fraxel Re:pair ranges from $1,300 to $6,300, approximately 1/3 the cost for a surgical face lift which can cost more than $10,000.

LaserOffers comment

Our medical panel agrees that leaving the issue of cost differential aside, for the vast majority of patients the CO2 fractional treatment with Fraxel will work just as well, if not better than the surgical face-lift. The additional benefit is that the laser actually improves the skin texture, whereas the lift merely stretches the skin.