Archive for the ‘Injectable Products’ Category

International Plastic Surgery Statistics Reveal 2009 Trends

Thursday, August 12th, 2010 by editor2

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery recently released statistical data collected from surveys sent to more than 30,000 plastic surgeons in 25 countries that reveals global plastic surgery trends.

According to the ISAPS data, plastic surgeons in the U.S. performed more plastic surgery procedures in 2009 than surgeons from any other country, for a grand total of more than 3 million procedures.

Of these 3 million procedures, approximately 1.3 million were surgical procedures, while the other 1.7 million were non-surgical procedures.  Brazil was the only other country wherein plastic surgeons performed more non-surgical cosmetic procedures than surgical cosmetic procedures last year.

Injectable wrinkle-relaxing treatments, including Botox and Dysport, were among the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures in both the U.S. and the world in 2009 with more than 2.7 million procedures performed.  More than 1 million hyaluronic acid filler injections and laser hair removal treatments were also performed last year.

Non-surgical procedures were so popular in the U.S. last year that unlike plastic surgeons in nearly every other country included in the ISAPS statistical, U.S. plastic surgeons actually performed more non-surgical procedures than surgical procedures in 2009.

Although ISAPS statistics suggest that plastic surgeons most frequently perform non-surgical cosmetic treatments, their primary areas of expertise are generally breast surgery, body contouring, facial plastic surgery and revision surgery.

In fact, liposuction and breast augmentation were the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed worldwide in 2009, with more than 1 million of each performed by plastic surgeons.  Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, and breast reduction were also performed on more than half a million times.

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, was the third most popular surgical procedure internationally, also breaking the one million mark according to survey results, while rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, was the second most popular facial plastic surgery procedure and accounted for more than half a million of total plastic surgeries performed worldwide last year.

Because body issues like overly large or small breasts, stubborn fat deposits, excess or sagging skin and nasal deformities are common problems associated with the natural aging process that affects men and women worldwide, it comes as no surprise that procedures designed to correct these issues were among the world’s most popular cosmetic procedures in 2009.

If you’re considering plastic surgery in 2010, remember to seek an experienced, board-certified Seattle plastic surgeon for your body contouring or breast enhancement procedure.

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“Botox Bandits” Changing the Face of Cosmetic Medicine

Friday, August 6th, 2010 by editor2

In several unrelated incidents across the U.S., con-artists have reportedly stolen thousands from doctors’ offices by giving office staff false contact information and skipping out on their tab for facial rejuvenation and lip augmentation treatments.

These crimes resemble the old dine-and-dash routine, where diners eat a meal at a restaurant, then purposely leave the establishment without paying the bill, however when this kind of criminal hits a doctor’s office, the revenue loss suffered is far greater than that of your average Olive Garden.

Popular media has dubbed these criminals “Botox Bandits,” as Botox and other injectables like Restylane, Juvederm and Radiesse tend to be their treatments of choice.  Whatever you call them, these thieves are becoming a widespread problem that is changing the face of cosmetic medicine.

Physicians in Arizona, Texas, California, Florida and Nevada, and even internationally in the UK and Australia, have reported getting hit by “Botox Bandits” who had thousands in wrinkle relaxing and injectable filler treatments then fled without paying their bill.

Cosmetics crooks typically give the doctor’s office staff some sort of excuse to leave after their treatment is complete, such as needing to withdraw cash from an ATM or go out to their car to get their purse or check on a waiting child.  Other patients wishing to get out of settling their tab write bad checks, knowing they don’t have the funds to cover them.

Florida law enforcement reported catching local perpetrators of these crimes, including the highly publicized cases of Jaime Merk and Maria Chrysson, two “Botox Bandits” who got busted after stiffing area doctors for thousands in beauty treatments, spreading awareness about this issue and forcing physicians to guard against this increasingly common criminal practice.

More and more doctors are being forced to require prepayment for injectable treatments, facial rejuvenation and other services.  Many doctors also require cash, credit or debit card payment and will not accept checks for elective procedure services that are not billed through insurance.

Upfront payment may be a bit off-putting to some, but given the recent crime wave, understanding and cooperation will not only help doctors protect their businesses from fraud and revenue loss, it will also foster a more trusting relationship between patients and their partners in beauty.

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Injectable Fillers and Wrinkle Relaxers Headed From Europe to the U.S. Market

Monday, July 19th, 2010 by editor2

Several injectable fillers and two wrinkle relaxers may crossover from Europe to the U.S. marketplace within the next year, as many undergo clinical trials and seek FDA approval.

These new injectables not only offer patients more choices for wrinkle reduction, volume restoration and facial rejuvenation, but also more competitive pricing and better results afforded by innovation and better technology.

New Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Many of the new injectable fillers headed for the U.S. are composed of hyaluronic acid gel, including Belotero by Merz, a hyaluronic acid (HA) filler similar to Juvederm offered in three concentrations—soft, basic and intense.

Belotero has already been filed with the FDA and is purported to provide an improved level of tissue integration that causes fewer incidences of lumps and bumps than other hyaluronic acid fillers.

New additions to the Juvederm and Restylane families of injectable HA fillers may be headed to the U.S. as well.

Juvederm Hydrate and Restylane Vital are thinner hyaluronic acid filler formulations are used for treating areas that have been historically difficult to correct with fillers, such as the back of the hands, décolleté and neck, and both purportedly offer wrinkle prevention by boosting skin hydration and elasticity.

Unlike Juvederm Hydrate, Restylane Vital offers a specialized automatic injection pen that regulates product injection volume and speed for more precise results.

Thicker hyaluronic acid filler formulations Juvederm Voluma and Restylane SubQ are designed to add volume to large areas of the face, such as the chin and cheeks.  SubQ is also reportedly used for buttock and breast augmentation.

Innovative injectables: Beyond HA fillers

In addition to the new hyaluronic acid fillers poised to enter the U.S. marketplace, injectable fillers composed of other materials may also soon be available.

Novabel, the first injectable filler composed of spherical, flexible structures called Geleons formed from marine algae extract, reportedly makes cosmetic injections virtually painless and also improves skin elasticity.  The composition of Novabel is also said to make injection easier and reduce swelling, making it ideal for adding volume to thin-skinned facial areas, such as the eyelids and tear troughs.

Derma Veil, a pure collagen stimulator made of polylactic and polyglycolic acids (PLGA), is another new non-HA filler that may make its way to the U.S.  If approved, Derma Veil would be use primarily for facial volume restoration and compete directly with Sculptra Aesthetic.

New botulinum type A injectables

Two new botulinum type A neurotoxins, Xeomin and PurTox, may join Botox and Dysport to become part of the arsenal of wrinkle relaxing injectables available in the U.S.  In fact, PurTox has already completed clinical trials and may be closing in on FDA approval.

PurTox and Xeomin are purported to offer theoretical benefits over Botox and Dysport, such as faster, longer-lasting results and decreased possibility of allergic reaction and development of blocking antibodies.  These benefits have not yet been proven, however and likely will not be explored until further testing is completed.

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New Restylane Formula Includes Anesthetic

Friday, May 7th, 2010 by copywriter

More and more dermal fillers are entering the market with lidocaine. Fillers like Restylane-L, Perlane-L and Juvederm Ultra XC are now prepared with anesthetic to improve patient comfort as much as possible.

The addition of 0.3 percent lidocaine in Restylane-L means that wrinkle correction is just as effective, but treatment is more tolerable.  The traditional pain management techniques utilized by your surgeon are still in practice, but it doesn’t hurt (no pun intended) to have some extra help. In clinical studies of Restylane-L, 71 percent of the 60 participants reported less pain after injection into the nasolabial fold than with Restylane alone.

The new Restylane-L contains the same patented, stabilized hyaluronic acid gel that has been used in regular Restylane for years.  As you may know, HA is a natural component of the tissue, serving as a skin hydrator, cell protector and volumizer.

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Posted in Facial Rejuvenation, Injectable Products | No Comments »