Carlson Laser Aesthetics in Michigan has leveraged wonderful local media coverage of their practice and services. 

Nisha McKenzie, PA met with two hosts on Wood-TV's eightWest show and presented her patient who had a Pearl laser skin treatment two weeks prior.  Nisha discussed the procedure while setting appropriate expectations, showed video of the Pearl Laser procedure, detailed her practice's other services and mentioned current specials.



This segment was a great opportunity for Nisha to highlight her clinic's aesthetic laser procedures and drive new patients to her practice.  Great job!

I just read a very interesting article by Brent Foster in Practical Dermatology.  It's entitled "Nonverbal Communication in the Patient Consultation".

Brent recommends using the clues patients provide to help you during a consultation; i.e. are they uncomfortable, interested, undecided with what you are explaining or proposing?

Perhaps you are discussing laser hair removal but they just learned about vascular treatments or they are concerned about pigmented lesions and they want to change the subject?  See if these visual clues can help you with more successful consultations - with better closure rates!

You can read Brent's article here.

Pigmentation Revisited

By: Peter T. Pugliese, MD

 

Estheticians are faced with problems of pigmentation every day. Some clients want to be lighter, some darker; some have white spots, dark pigmented spots, freckles or melasma. It is difficult to know what to do for most of these clients without having a good foundation in the science of pigmentation.

Pigmented lesions are formed because of genetics, heredity, hormones, sun exposure, medications and certain disease processes. It is important that the treatment provider assess how many of these factors influence the formation of the pigmented lesions before starting a skin care treatment.

Skin-lightening Challenges

Laser based technology has become a part of skin care treatment plan to address pigmented lesions.  Many treatment providers with use a combination of topical agents, chemical peels, Laser Genesis and LimeLight facial in skin rejuvenation and the reduction of pigmented lesions.




"Skin-Lightening Challenges" by By: Zoe Diana Draelos, MD

Cutera offers monthly webinars on a variety of clinical education and practice marketing tips. 

Today's webinar is hosted by David A. Engleman, MD FACC who will discuss the latest advances and advanced techniques for treating leg veins with sclerotherapy and using lasers - specifically the Cutera CoolGlide 1064 nm long-pulsed, high powered laser. 

Do you find treating leg veins or any kind of laser vascular treatment to be tricky?  Please watch this webinar.  For your convenience, it will be recorded and available to view on-demand in Cutera webinar archive. 

I'll be your host today; hope to see you online!

A very important element of the patient consultation and skin care treatment plan are uniform photos of the treatment area. Patients often forget how much hair they had before starting Laser Hair removal. Pictures help to identify changes in pigment. This is important when performing a Limelight facial for pigmented lesions or Laser Hair removal. Pictures really are worth a thousand words.

Photography for Cosmetic Dermatologists

Having a simple protocol for patient photography is essential. This means taking steps to standardize not only the method of taking representative photographs, but also of storing/cataloging them for efficient retrieval for presentations and patient use.

The key to this is to simplify the process and make the number of photos required for each patient uniform.


Source: Skin & Aging
 

The use and delegation of Laser based technology differs from state to state. Treatment providers are required to know the state laws that govern the use of Laser and Light based technology. Some states mandate that the physician be physically present and supervise procedures such as Laser Hair removal and vascular treatments. While other states mandate that the physician can delegate Laser based treatments to staff that have recieved adequate training. The physician is not required to be physically present when the Laser Hair removal or vein treatment is performed.

USE OF LASERS/DELEGATION OF MEDICAL FUNCTIONS REGULATION BY STATE

Last Updated: 7/1/2008

Acne Treatment Guide

Any signs of acne should be treated as soon as possible. The longer acne is left to progress without treatment, the higher the possibility of scarring. Acne treatment primarily depends on the type of acne and its severity. Your dermatologist can best prescribe the appropriate treatment for your acne but it pays for you to be knowledgeable about this skin condition. Here are some of the common procedures in treating acne.

Acne Skin Guide


Infrared technology of aesthetic laser systems can be used to treat textural issues from acne. However, it is very important to control the breakouts prior to starting any treatment.  Laser Genesis is effective to help decrease the redness and improve textural issues of mild acne scars.

Aesthetic procedures for skin rejuvenation are at the top of Aesthetic Medicine trends for 2009

Top Aesthetic Medicine Trends for 2009

Minimally-invasive anti-aging procedures will continue to secure the majority of the aesthetic medical procedures’ market over more invasive, expensive surgical offerings.

The public will choose these less expensive and less risky procedures over surgeries. People generally desire to look 10 years younger, and minimally-invasive procedures can achieve this desired outcome. “During hard economic times, men and women look to non-invasive cosmetic treatments such as Botox Cosmetic, Dermal Fillers and Skin Rejuvenation as a means to feel and look better about themselves physically and emotionally,” says Dr. Alexander Ataii of Laser Clinque in San Diego.

Source: International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine

www.IAPAM.com

Survey: Women View Cosmetic Procedures As Measure of Success

Women appear to believe cosmetic procedures can give them the edge in an increasingly competitive workplace. 

Source: February 11, 2009 Healthy Aging.

Women consider laser based technology, chemical peels and advanced skin care very important part of the "dress of success".  Laser Genesis can be used on all ages and skin types to improve tone, texture and poor size. Limelight can treat pigmented lesions anywhere on the body and provide a vascular treatment to the face, neck and chest. 

Treatment of Minor Burns


Cooling of the burn wound: the ideal temperature of the coolant.


Laser based infrared technology in advanced skin care can result in complications. Complications with Laser based technology can result when someone does not understand light/heat - tissue interaction, poor technique and inadequate cooling. Burn injuries can happen with vascular treatments, Laser hair reduction and the treatment of pigmented lesions. A treatment provider should never perform a treatment that may result in an adverse event that they can not recognize and properly treat.
Proper and timely treatment of a burn injury is key to minimize such adverse events as scarring and pigmentary issues.

It is very important to NEVER ICE a burn.

**Renee Lierly, R.N. has worked Burn Intensive care for 7 yrs and continues to work in a verified burn unit in the San Francisco/Bay area.

Melasma is often diffifult to treat and usually requires a multimodality skin care treatment plan. The treatment of Melasma may require a combination of laser based technology such as Laser Genesis, chemical peels, sun protection and skin care products over several months in order to diminish the appearance of the pigmented lesions.

Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)  is a possible transient side effect of laser based technology, chemical peels, skin rejuvenation or trauma.  Sun exposure, genetic predisposition, hormones and inflammation are just a few of the contributing factors in the formation of pigmented lesions in skin types III-VI.  Properly identifying clients at risk of developing PIH is key to developing a skincare treatment plan with "prevention" as the primary focus.


Topical Treatments for Melasma

Topical Treatments for Melasma and Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation

C.B. Lynde; J.N. Kraft, MD; C.W. Lynde, MD, FRCPC
Author Information

Laser Revision of Scars

Laser based technology has been used in the Laser revision of scars. Laser Genesis is often a part of an advanced skin care treatment plan to induce collagen remodeling during the healing phase of the scar.

Limelight may be used to treat pigmented lesions. Sunscreens are helpful to prevent the formation of pigmented lesions. It is preferable to avoid sun exposure when performing skin rejuvenation treatments, Laser hair removal or vascular treatments.

Sunscreens and Photoprotection

Encouraging photoprotection is the leading preventative health strategy used by physicians involved in skin care. Although sun avoidance is most desirable, outdoor occupations and lifestyles make total avoidance impossible for many individuals.

Author: Stanley B Levy, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Skin care treatment options for Cherry Hemangiomas may include shave excision, electrocautery or laser based technology. Cutera Nd:YAG 1064nm Laser is very effective for treatment as well as the Acutip500 (500nm - 635nm).

Cherry hemangiomas are the most common cutaneous vascular proliferations. They are often widespread and appear as tiny cherry red papules or macules.

Involvement of cherry hemangiomas is limited to the skin. These benign lesions are formed by a proliferation of dilated venules.

Cherry Hemangioma

Author: Clarence William Brown Jr, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Director of Mohs Micrographic and Dermatological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center

A skin care treatment plan for the management of Rosacea must first start with assessing the clinical signs and symptoms. Laser based technology is often part of advanced skin care for the managment of Rosacea symtoms of redness. Laser Genesis is very effective at treating the diffuse redness. LimeLight may also be used to treat the diffuse redness but also to provide a vein treatment of facial telangiectasia.


Rosacea is a common condition characterized by symptoms of facial flushing and a spectrum of clinical signs, including erythema, telangiectasia, coarseness of skin, and an inflammatory papulopustular eruption resembling acne.

Rosacea

Before the initiation of therapy, the triggering factors that exacerbate the patient's rosacea should be identified and avoided if possible. These factors may be unique to each individual patient.


Treatment and Medication

Author: Agnieszka Kupiec-Banasikowska, MD, Consulting Staff, Division of Dermatology, Georgetown University Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Mana Ogholikhan, MD, Staff Physician, Division of Dermatology, Georgetown University Hospital; Ravi Ratnavel, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Stoke Mandeville, Thames Valley Nuffield, Paddocks Hospitals, UK