American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Issues Warning Against...

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) September 25, 2013

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery released an article on September 9, 2013 in which they warn consumers about the risks of buying into online promotions for non-invasive cosmetic procedures. With online promotion websites like Groupon and Living Social increasing in popularity, the society cautions against purchasing deals for procedures like Botox, laser treatments, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion. San Diego cosmetic dermatologist Kimberly J. Butterwick, MD, seconds their opinion.

“This is a great reminder to consumers everywhere that non-invasive skin care treatments are not to be taken lightly. Yes, they are safe and have proven very effective, but only when performed by a licensed, experienced medical professional,” said Dr. Butterwick, board-certified dermatologist at Goldman, Butterwick, Fitzpatrick, Groff & Fabi Cosmetic Laser Dermatology in San Diego.

The article lists several important questions that potential patients should ask about the cosmetic treatment facility, about the medical personnel supervising the procedures, about the risk of the procedures, and about the knowledge and experience of the provider before undergoing treatment. Bottom line: consumers need to do their research before buying into a bargain when it comes to any type of medical procedure.

“I understand that cost is an important factor when a patient is seeking a cosmetic treatment, but because all medical treatment involves some risk, no one can really afford to make cost the only factor. Treatments like Botox injections and chemical peels can have some pretty serious side effects when not performed properly, so you have to ask yourself if it is worth the risk to save a little money,” explained Dr. Kimberly Butterwick.

Dr. Butterwick is a world-renowned, board-certified dermatologist in San Diego who has worked with major medical companies in developing and testing some of today’s most popular skincare treatments and cosmetic procedures. Known in the dermatology community as an “expert injector,” Dr. Butterwick knows first-hand the extensive training necessary to perform successful non-invasive cosmetic treatments.

“Many people think that procedures that don’t involve incisions can be performed anywhere, such as a med-spa or salon. While many salons and spas are offering these procedures, it is not the safest option. Visit a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to ensure you receive the safest, most effective treatment,” said Dr. Butterwick of San Diego’s Cosmetic Laser Dermatology.

Having served on the board for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and current co-chair of this year’s annual meeting, Dr. Butterwick is uniquely aware of the hundreds of hours cosmetic dermatologists devote to becoming experts in their field. Dr. Butterwick has served as course director and lecturer at many regional educational workshops and is a current member of advisory boards for Allergan, Valeant and Merz, the makers of top dermal fillers Juvederm, Radiesse, Restylane and Sculptra as well as Botox Cosmetic and other neuromodulators. Aside from her unique and specialized knowledge of injectables, Dr. Butterwick is considered a leading authority on laser treatments, tumescent liposculpture and minimally invasive body contouring procedures.

For more information on non-invasive cosmetic procedures, contact Dr. Butterwick at Cosmetic Laser Dermatology by calling (858) 657-1002.

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Stem Cells From Fat Might Improve Plastic Surgery

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Using people's own stem cells from their body fat could aid in plastic surgery procedures such as post-cancer breast reconstruction, a small, preliminary study suggests.

The study, published in the Sept. 28 issue of The Lancet, looked at whether stem cells might improve the current technique of "lipofilling" -- where fat is removed via liposuction from one part of the body, purified, then injected into another area of the body.

Doctors use lipofilling in cosmetic procedures to create smoother skin or fuller lips. But it also has a range of medical uses. Fat injections can help reshape the breasts in women having reconstruction after breast cancer surgery. They can also be used in correcting facial deformities caused by an injury or congenital defect, or helping certain burn injuries heal.

The problem is that transferred fat often doesn't last, explained lead researcher Dr. Stig-Frederik Kolle.

"It's unpredictable," said Kolle, of the plastic surgery department at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark. "And you often have to repeat the procedure to get a [satisfactory] result."

So Kolle's team tested a different approach: Take stem cells from people's body fat and use them to "enrich" the fat tissue being transplanted from one body area to another. Stem cells are primitive cells that develop into more mature ones.

The researchers recruited 10 healthy volunteers who underwent liposuction to have fat taken from the abdomen. The fat was then purified and injected into the volunteers' upper arms. In one arm, the fat transplant was enriched with stem cells; the other arm received a traditional transplant.

After about four months, the researchers took MRI images of the fat transplants, then removed them. It turned out that the stem cell-enriched transplants had retained about 81 percent of their initial volume, on average -- compared with only 16 percent among the stem cell-free transplants.

Dr. J. Peter Rubin, chair of plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said the study is "very" important.

"We've known that this works in animals. What's been missing is good data on humans," said Rubin, co-author of an editorial accompanying the study.

These early results offer a "proof of principle," and need to be followed up with clinical trials of actual patients, rather than healthy volunteers, Rubin said.

One question is whether the transplanted fat will hold up over the long term, experts say. "We have no reason to believe that it won't last," Kolle said, but it still needs to be shown in studies.

And why do the added stem cells help? It's not clear, said Kolle. One possibility is that they spur the growth of small blood vessels and give the transplanted fat a better blood supply. The stem cells may also develop into mature fat cells, or send out "signals" that cause other cells -- such as fat or blood vessel cells -- to increase in number.

As for safety, Kolle and Rubin said there is a theoretical concern in using stem cell-enriched fat in women who've been treated for breast cancer. Some of the benefits of stem cells -- such as releasing "growth factors" that stimulate other cells -- could potentially feed a breast cancer recurrence.

"There's no evidence to suggest that this is true," Rubin said. But it is a possibility that everyone should be aware of, he added.

Kolle agreed. "We need to move forward carefully," he said.

Even if stem cell-enriched fat transplants prove safe and long lasting, there will be practical hurdles, since the approach would add costs and complexity. Kolle said the process of harvesting the stem cells, then growing and expanding them in cultures, is actually relatively simple -- but the facilities have to be in place.

"No, not every center will be able to do this," he said.

Still, editorial author Rubin said that new technology is needed. Breast reconstruction, he noted, has been done by the same methods for decades. It's possible, said Rubin, that stem cells could help allow some women to have reconstruction done solely via fat injections -- without the major surgery or implants used now.

The current study was funded by the Danish Cancer Society. None of the researchers reports any financial conflicts of interest. Rubin has submitted a patent application for an instrument that harvests body-fat tissue.

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Stig-Frederik Trojahn Kolle, M.D., department of plastic surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; J. Peter Rubin, M.D., chair, department of plastic surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Sept. 28, 2013, The Lancet

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