|
|
December 28, 2006 What's Making News In the Medical Spa Business
|
 Upcoming Conferences: Latest Advances in Cosmetic Procedures Workshop
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Marriott Newport Beach Hotel & Spa
Newport Beach, California
Learn how to make an informed decision on
which laser is best for your practice.
Attendees will be introduced to the Lumenis products in order to learn and evaluate current technology, including discussions of IPL Skin Treatments using Photorejuvenation and LightSheer Laser Hair Removal.
Meet Guest Speaker, Cheryl Whitman, CEO of Beautiful Forever Medical Spa Business Consulting at 12:00, noon as she speaks about Medical Spas and the Integration of Lasersto increase revenue and retention of patients.
*Please note: Cheryl Whitman is not a paid representative of Lumenis
Spa & Resort Expo & Conference (Reed Exhibitions)
March 4th & 5th 2007
Los Angeles Convention Center (West Hall)- Los Angeles, CA
At the Spa & Resort Expo and Medical Spa Expo you will find the complete world of products and services in the booming Spa and Medical Spa fields. It is the place where you can stay up to date on all the latest changes, newest products, improved techniques and services to offer your clients the best the industry has to offer.
This event is designed for all medical and spa professionals including dermatologists, plastic surgeons, ob/gyn's, chiropractors, dentists, massage therapists, nurses, acupuncturists, naturopaths, estheticians, and medical spa and spa owners and/or managers.
Don't miss Medical Spa expert, Cheryl Whitman, CEO of Beautiful Forever Medical Spa Business Consulting, on Sunday March 4th 9:45-10:45am, as she speaks on Instant Ways to Impact Your Bottom Line. This seminar will teach the critical success factors for earning a greater return on your investment, along with demographics, market projections and an overview of the medical spa of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
If you would like to schedule an appointment to speak with Cheryl Whitman, while she is on the West Coast, please contact our corporate office at 201-541-5405 or info@medicalspaconsultant.com
American Academy of Dermatology Association Commends New Jersey Legislature for Passing Bill To Repeal the State's Cosmetic Medical Procedures Tax
The American Academy of Dermatology Association (Academy Association) urges New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine to follow the lead of the state's legislature and sign a bill repealing the unpopular tax on cosmetic medical procedures enacted in June 2004.
The "Cosmetic Medical Procedures Gross Receipts Tax" imposes a 6 percent tax on a range of medical procedures that the state deems cosmetic, including cosmetic and dermatologic surgery, laser skin resurfacing, laser hair removal, cosmetic soft tissue fillers and injections, hair transplants, and cosmetic dentistry. The New Jersey state legislature unanimously approved a bill to repeal this tax on December 14, 2006.
"While the original intent of this tax was to fund indigent care in the state's hospital system, our understanding is that the amount of revenue generated by this tax in its first year was only a fraction of the revenue that was expected when this bill was passed," said dermatologist Stephen P. Stone, MD, FAAD, Academy Association president. "What may be happening is patients considering elective cosmetic surgery are driving to a neighboring state to undergo procedures without being taxed for it, saving hundreds of dollars."
The Academy Association believes that this tax, originally designed as a luxury tax, is most likely affecting a disproportionate number of women in lower -- and middle-income groups -- not necessarily patients with the highest incomes.
A study conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) and published in the September 2005 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that the majority of people (71 percent) considering plastic surgery in the next two years had annual household incomes of $60,000 or less. Those polled represented all regions of the United States.
"As dermatologists, we see firsthand the dramatic impact that cosmetic surgery can have on our patients' lives -- particularly the boost in self- esteem it gives those who have lived with an undesirable physical trait, such as a port-wine stain birthmark or severe acne scars," added Dr. Stone. "Our concern is that this is a tax on professional services, which unfairly targets dermatologists, plastic surgeons and other physicians who provide medical services that significantly improve patients' overall quality of life. Other physicians and professionals in New Jersey -- such as architects, engineers and attorneys -- are not being taxed for their services, so why should our profession?"
The Academy Association reports that other states have considered a similar tax on cosmetic procedures, but to date New Jersey is the only state that has imposed such a tax.
Original Source: American Academy of Dermatology
|
 Wrinkle Drug's Action Is FoundA popular injectable antiwrinkle treatment, Restylane, appears to stimulate skin cells to make natural collagen, a basic skin protein, according to a study whose findings suggest Restylane's effects may last longer than expected.Restylane, sold in the U.S. by Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp., has been thought to smooth wrinkles by physically filling space created through collagen loss and other aging processes. The study by University of Michigan Medical School researchers, in this month's Archives of Dermatology, suggests the product's temporary benefits are also caused by a biological response, which explains why injections seem to have longer-lasting results after repeated treatments.
"The article is an important one because it begins to build a scientific basis for a cosmetic procedure that has historically just been based on the end result," said David J. Leffell, professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale University School of Medicine. "I wish we could require more of this kind of data prior to product approval," said Amy Newburger, a Scarsdale, N.Y. dermatologist and consultant to the Food and Drug Administration. The study focuses on skin cells known as fibroblasts. "In the last few years, we've learned that a basic problem in aging skin caused by ultraviolet light is that the fibroblasts that make collagen down deep in the skin have collapsed and flattened on each other," said John J. Voorhees, chairman of the university's dermatology department, which has been studying the causes of aging skin for over 20 years. In a young person, the fibroblasts that make collagen are normally "stretched," Dr. Voorhees said. The study using Restylane was designed to see if the fibroblasts could be "restretched" and "that is exactly what happened," he said, noting that "the stretching caused the cells to make collagen like they did when they were young."
The initial antiwrinkle benefit of Restylane is caused by its "physical presence," but after three or four weeks, new collagen formation begins, the study showed. Dr. Voorhees said it isn't clear how long the new growth continues because the study was for only 13 weeks. The Restylane injections also inhibited the breakdown of collagen by an enzyme that acts on aging skin.
The study explains why Restylane seems to last longer after the first few injections, typically six to 12 months apart, dermatologists said. "To me, this is a validation of what we've seen clinically," said William P. Coleman III, clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University Health Sciences Center. The cumulative effects of collagen growth "would theoretically apply to all hyaluronic acid fillers," he added. Juvéderm, introduced by Allergan Inc. in January, is a hyaluronic acid that competes against Restylane.
But Dr. Voorhees cautioned against generalizing the findings to other substances because of their technical differences. That is also the view of June Robinson, editor of the Archives of Dermatology, published by the American Medical Association. "This is heavy science and only one brand was used," she said.
Dr. Robinson said the study "is the definitive paper that tells us how this product works." It was based on injections in 11 volunteers, aged 64 to 84, and subsequent analyses of their skin biopsies. The small number of subjects is "perfectly valid," she said, because this was a "mechanism study," not a clinical study. Dr. Robinson said she took elaborate steps to assure that the research wasn't tainted by commercial ties between Medicis, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and the researchers. "The manufacturer of the product had nothing to do with the study except to donate material for it," she said. Dr. Voorhees said Restylane was chosen because when the research began, "it was the only hyaluronic acid out there."
|
 Selecting New Treatments to Rejuvenate Your Medical Spa
Skincare treatments are being developed almost daily. To remain competitive and satisfy patients, determine which offerings will enhance your practice by asking yourself these five questions about any new treatment you're thinking of starting in your medical spa.
1. Is it effective? Ask the vendor or lab for peer-review studies and the names of dermatologists already offering the treatment. Ask these doctors for their feedback and search the Internet for anecdotal evidence.
2. Is there a market for the treatment? Find out if it is available locally, who offers it and how much it costs. Can you gain a competitive advantage by offering this treatment? Determine the number of local prospects aside from your current patients. Is the market large enough to make a profit? Or is the market niche so limited that you must charge a premium? Create a targeted marketing plan identifying the market and a communication strategy.
3. Does the treatment adhere to your practice objectives? Adding every new treatment under the sun will only complicate your operations and confuse patients. Let your passion, patient needs and revenue goals drive your choice. Don't buy the latest acne treatment if you're more interested in anti-aging and treating sun-damaged patients.
4. Will it be profitable? Be sure to consider the additional expenses in staff, overhead, training, marketing and equipment costs. Have your accountant prepare 2 years of profit/loss forecasts for the new treatment. Request a breakdown of equipment expenses from the manufacturer including training, warranties and service along with their associated costs.If the equipment can be leased, perform a lease versus buy analysis. Financial and tax advantages are obtained by leasing equipment and some vendors will allow you to trade leased equipment for newer models.
5. Could this treatment increase your liability risk? Investigate the legal implications for the treatment by asking your attorney or calling your state's health department. Does a physician have to perform the treatment or can you delegate it to a technician?
If you are still unclear, seek a medical spa consultant who can evaluate new treatments, inform you of eminent treatments and find cost effective alternatives that yield a higher profit margin.
By Cheryl Whitman
|
 Patients Report Good Results from SmartLipo
Believe it or not, liposuction is the number one cosmetic procedure done in America. There were more than 500,000 procedures performed last year.
But Medical Editor Mary Ann Childers reports there's now a big buzz about a new, less invasive way to remove fat that was just approved by the FDA last November. It's like liposuction -- but it's not major surgery.
Liz Howard, 36, worked hard to lose 47 pounds after her second pregnancy. But no amount of exercise and dieting could reduce her belly until she found a new treatment called "smart lipo."
"I think the results are amazing" she said. "I saw the fat around my abdomen disappear and the skin becomes dramatically tighter. You know, I'm ecstatic."
So is Julie Meyers. She had the procedure on her inner thighs.
"They look tighter Meyers said. It definitely looks tighter."
Smartlipo uses a small tube with laser fiber on the end. The laser melts the fat.
"The fat turns to liquid and then we just suction it out so it's removed right away." said dermatologist Bruce Katz. "It's very easily done."
The procedure is done with local anesthesia. There are no stitches.
"It's quick. It's simple [and] relatively painless," Howard said.
Heat from the laser also stimulates collagen production, which smoothes out the skin.
"The skin [shrinks] up to fit your body again," Meyers said.
The procedure can be used anywhere on the body where there's excess fat, but it works best on small areas.
"We can take away the fat and cause the skin to tighten at the same time," Katz said.
Patients see results in just a few days.
"I wasn't looking for perfection." Howard said. But I was looking for a great improvement and I got it. I think people are going to be on a wait list for years to come. I think people are really going to love it."
Smartlipo is expensive -- between $3,000 and $8,000. There can be minor bruising and swelling. It's important to have a doctor trained in the technique because lasers release energy that can burn.
Smartlipo is so new, it is not yet widely available. But doctors nationwide -- including Chicago -- are starting to do it.
Original Source: Mary Ann Childers; CBS Chicago; http://www.inboxrobot.com/news.php?fid=110535120
The PrettyCity® Skin Saver Survey
PrettyCity® surveyed 5,500 women between the ages of 18 and 45 about their skin care habits and concerns. Not surprisingly, 61% of women reported that the biggest obstacle in their quest for advanced aesthetic treatments, from photofacials to injectables, was cost. The women surveyed also reported that their second largest concern was "finding a trusted medical professional" in a sea of medspas, dermatologists, plastic surgeons and medical spa chains. According to the survey, the Top 5 Medical Spa services women are most interested in, by order of popularity are: Botox®, Laser Hair Removal, Lip Plumpers such as Restylane® and Hylaform, Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peels.
|
|
|
|