For those of us passionate about dermatology and aesthetics the
pleasant month of March rolls in every year with a promise of a special treat — The Annual International
JeddaDerm Conference; a unique platform that invites dermatologists from across
the globe to come together and celebrate the advances and excellence in the
fields of derma-aesthetics. And all this scientific razzle-dazzle happens on
our very own home ground —
Jeddah. Keeping up with the tradition this year, starting 3rd
of March, pioneer dermatologists and honored scientific minds from the local as
well as international institutes congregated under the oh-so-familiar roof of the
Jeddah Hilton hotel. The exhibition and conference halls came alive with
buzzing workshops and discussions about botox, hyaluronic acid and cutting edge
treatment options in dermatology as well as antiaging medicine.
This year’s four-day conference was planned and executed
with an astute vision to share the latest practices and innovations in the
field of dermatology and aesthetic medicine. I am sure all the aesthetic
enthusiasts who didn’t get a chance to attend are eager to know what’re the top
of the line treatments and procedures that 2014 has to offer to beauty connoisseurs
visiting cosmetic practices. Here are my condensed impressions and highlights:
Facial Rejuvenation
Procedures:
Whether it’s toxin type A or B, Botox remains the uncontested king
of the aesthetic world even in 2014. Though — *Drum
Roll* some competition is beginning to stir the market, it’s time you
all got acquainted with Iovera — an innovative and safe gizmo, incorporating “cold” (cryo) based
science to relax the upper face wrinkles, as an alternative to injecting the
toxin. This new technology has started to create quiet a buzz among cosmetic
practitioners and this buzz from here onwards is only going to get louder and
louder, as more and more toxin phobic clients will begin to ask for a touch of
Frotox. Another exciting plus about Iovera is that it gives instant results unlike
botox injections; where you have to wait for 2 weeks to see the wrinkles disappear.
People who don’t appreciate the completely frozen look and prefer natural
results, and those who don’t want to be stereotyped with the stigma of being
botox addicts are the perfect candidates for an Iovera treatment.
Plain and simple! Fillers Are and Will remain the life and blood
of any aesthetic practice. Being readily available, giving instant results, and
almost next to nil side effects in expert-hands, are some of the advantages
that make hyaluronic acid the first choice in any non-surgical facial rejuvenation/volumization
treatment plan. The popularity and demand of hyaluronic acid has driven the
market into serious competition frenzy. Now we are seeing a surge in new brands
popping up from every nook and corner of the world, eager to be injected. It’s
vital here that we take a step back and look at the situation objectively, as all
Hyaluronic acids are not created equal: monophasic, homogeneous, visco-elastic,
malleably plastic and Safe with very low content of BDDE (Butanedioldiglicidyl
ether) are some of the features that distinguish crème de la crème from the run
of the mill Wanna-be’s. ANTEIS Merz Modélis, Fortélis, Esthélis Soft Esthélis
Basic, Mesolis and of course JUVÉDERM® range with lidocaine Volbella®, Voluma®,
Ultra™ and Ultra Plus™ happen to be the aesthetic crowd and my personal favorites.
In non-hylaluronic choices RADIESSE® (Calcium Hydroxy Apetite
) and Ellansé (Polycaprolactone)
have proven themselves to be safe, effective and longer lasting choices, hence they
are equally popular with most aesthetic injectors.
Medical Rhinoplasty
using fillers and botox to reshape the nose has become a very popular and well-accepted
treatment, bringing self-esteem and joy to many surgery scared beauty suppliants.
Mini Facelifts using Threads have also become increasingly
popular among people who are looking for contour revision and lifting, but with
a minimal downtime. Using mini threads to achieve a facelift is a revolutionary
anti-wrinkle and skin tightening technique that at first took Korea by storm
for its safe, fast and effective results. Performed by over 2000 clinics in
Korea, it later gained popularity in Japan and other parts of Asia. Now the
over whelming success of mini threads in Asia is spreading over to Europe, USA as
well as Middle East. The featured threads during this JeddaDerm were Silhouette Lift™ and
AsyThread (PDO)
from Mesotech.
Non-Surgical Face Lifting:
Utilizing the combination of different aesthetic techniques is
the ultimate way we can change the shape and appearance of any aging or an
unappealing face. We can address skin texture imperfections, wrinkles, volume
loss or contour problems in a stepwise fashion over time to slowly transforming
any face. If we Look at the yearly aesthetic procedures data and graphs published
by aesthetics and plastic surgery societies during the last few years, it
becomes apparent that the trends have visibly shifted from surgical to
non-surgical. These days less and less number of people are willing to go under
the knife, as multiple non-surgical yet effective choices are available to transform,
tighten, tone, contour and lift any wrinkled sagging face to a youthful desirable
visage and all this is being made possible without taking a leave of absence
from daily social and work engagements.
Antiaging Creams
& Topicals:
Cosmecutical enriched with Growth Factors might be the future
of antiaging and wound healing. These tiny peptide fragments along with other
biologically active molecules are being incorporated into creams, lotions and
gels to reverse effects of time, promote collagen and elastin synthesis as well
as epidermal remodeling. Stay tuned as you are bound to hear more about these
new-class of miracle unguents.
Body Contouring
Procedures:
Keeping up with the non-surgical trends, when we look at
current body contouring choices available in the market, radiofrequency,
cryotherapy, and ultrasound based technologies are the only proven choices that
deliver quantifiable results with enough scientific evidence supporting their
claims. Some of the technologies featured during this year’s JeddaDerm
included:
Liposonix from Solta technologies, is a high
intensity focused ultrasound device that helps to melt away fat in your body. The
treated fat tissue is later removed through the body's natural healing and
elimination process, leaving you with a thinner, more contoured silhouette. No
downtime fast results!
Accent from Alma Lasers, utilizes radiofrequency
and ultrasound technologies to contour and lift body, face, and neck. I have a
first hand experience using this machine for few years now and I tell you, “I
am a satisfied customer”.
Obalon is the latest non-surgical and reversible way
to expedite weight loss. It involves you swallowing a capsule attached to a
tube, which is then inflated into a balloon. Once you have lost the desired weight
the balloon is removed and you maintain your weight there onwards, by adopting
a healthy lifestyle eating smartly and exercising regularly.
Lasers &
Antiaging Technologies:
Fractional Lasers (Erbium-Glass, Thallium, Erbium-Yag and CO2) have proven themselves to be efficient and safe devices to treat scars, wrinkles and skin imperfections. In expert hands they deliver great results with very little down time and minimal side effects. Fractionated technology has changed the way skin rejuvenation and resurfacing is done, and Carbon Dioxide (10,000nm) fractionated lasers have become the new gold standard of skin resurfacing. ECO2 from Lutronics is my fractionated contraption of choice for treating acne scars and skin rejuvenation.
Scarlet is another miracle of technology
incorporating radiofrequency mechanics to promote skin tightening. It delivers
heat under the skin through a bunch of needles piercing through the skin. The
skin gets tightened from underneath without any surface side effects, allowing you
to return to your daily life immediately post procedure with no redness, discoloration,
or swelling.
Hair removal for darker skin types with Diode Laser coupled with radiofrequency-in-motion
technology came very well recommended during this years laser talks. But of
course Alexandrite and Nd-Yag Lasers are here to stay as well.
Iovera or Frotox as some like to call it, incorporating
temporary cold induced Wallerian degeneration of nerves to soften the forehead
wrinkles in my opinion is the biggest innovation of 2014. I am currently
recruiting people who are interested in trying this new technology first hand. If
you want brag rights, “I am one of the pioneers who experienced Frotox in
Jeddah”; come and see me at Al Tababah Clinic.
That my lovelies pretty much covers the: who, what, when and
the best of the best of aesthetic treatment options presently available in our
cosmo-sphere, that JeddaDerm reinforced, refreshed and ingeminated for our
aesthetic awareness.
One last truism though, JeddaDerm with it’s eighth
congregation this year has earned its rightful merit as a bonafied belvedere
for derma meetings and exchanges, where major league scientists love to get
together and share their knowledge and work experiences, setting bar of
evolution towards evidence-based medicine. This yearly scholastic tradition of
celebrating local and international derma-aesthetic excellence is a truly
sparkling jewel in the cap of Jeddah’s scientific circles. I congratulate the
founding fathers of JeddaDerm Dr. Ali A. Al-Raddadi, Dr. Mohammad Qari, Dr.
Sameer Zimmo, and Dr. Magdi R. Abdulghani on yet another spectacular success.
Take care and love the
skin you live in!
No comments:
Post a Comment