Thermage NXT vs Thermage TC vs Alma Accent

Thermage NXT vs Thermage TC vs Alma Accent

In principle, there's no difference in clinical outcomes bet the Thermage TC and the Thermage NXT. However practically speaking there is because of the shorter lapse time between pulses on the Thermage NXT machine that one can get better results from it than from the Thermage TC.

The effective clinical targets are to heat collagen containing dermal layer to 56-60 degree celsius AND to maintain such temp range for 1-2 mins (though my goal is 2-3 mins long). Therefore the more rapid pulse firing of the NXT device would make it easier for the treater to "get there and stay there" more efficiently. Personally, I don't have such problem using the TC device (by the way, I have both devices). When using the TC device, you want to make smaller sections on the face or abdomen or wherever then start and finish one section at a time. Make sure that within each section that any treated 3cm square per pulse is "re-pulsed" within 30-60seconds, this will ensure that any heated square will be effectively brought to the correct temp range and maintained there for those 2 mins.

One more thing you asked was about the Alma Accent, it is of the "same" monopolar RF platform technically speaking combined with bipolar RF. The difference which I see is with Thermage tips you know for sure they deliver the RF at consistent depth (2.4 mm or 4.3mm depending on the tips STC or DC). With the Alma Accent, I don't think the company has been able to provide the exact information on this thu I heard the depth was about 2.4 also but not any deeper.

More discussions about Thermage and Fraxel at Medical Spa MD.

Posted via email from Laser Treatment MD

Palomar Starlux 2940: Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing

The Newest Fractional Skin Resurfacing & Rejuvenation Technologies

Within the last few years the technologies around cosmetic Fractional Skin Rejuvenation or Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing has changed to eliminate many of the older technologies shortcomings. The erbium laser used in the Starlux is divided or 'fractionated' into many tiny micro-beams which treats only a portion of the skin (think tiny pin pricks) and leaves the surrounding skin intact and greatly improves the healing time.

These 'fractionated' treatment areas are referred to as micro-treatment zones and cause just enough injury to the layers of the dermis to trigger new collagen production and stimulate the replacement of collagen damaged by aging and sun exposure. This production of new collagen 'fills in' or 'plumps' the underlying dermal tissues and smoothes wrinkles. The surrounding, untreated skin speeds the healing process to a mere 3-4 days. Since most of the pigment cells remain intact, hypo pigmentation is effectively prevented.

Starlux 1540: Palomars New Fractional Non-Ablative Laser Resurfacing Technology

The Fraxel and Starlux 1540 are non-ablative lasers that don't actually vaporize or remove the skin. Instead, the laser instantly heats the skin, stimulating new collagen growth.

Results for skin laxity and wrinkle smoothing are less dramatic than with ablative lasers, but the benefit of reduced recovery time and reduced side effects are mean that non ablative laser treatments are often the patients first choice.

Starlux Fractional Ablative Laser Resurfacing In The Near Future

Starlux 2940 fractional ablative lasers now provide the benefits of fractional treatments (less down time and reduced complications) with ablative skin resurfacings benefits (better wrinkle removal and facial rejuvenation) offering patients the best of both worlds.

These newer fractional ablative lasers remove tissue in the micro treatment zone instead of just heating the dermis like the old Fraxel or Starlux 1540.

The benefit of this new form of fractional laser ablation is that more wrinkled, sun damaged skin is removed than with the older laser technologies, and a better cosmetic result is attained. There is some increase in recovery time with redness and pink skin for around 5-6 days. The Starlux fractional ablative lasers still require much less recovery time than the old non fractional erbium and CO2 ablative lasers which actually burned off the top layers of the dermis.

Competing Fractional Laser Technologies

Reliant (the company that makes Fraxel) has launched a new CO2 fractional laser called Repair

Lumenis: CO2 fractional ablative lasers; ActiveFX & DeepFx

Palomar: Starlux 2940 Erbium fractional ablative skin resurfacing laser. Author Resource:- Medical Spa MD is a cosmetic medical community of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Dermatologists, and Aesthetic Physicians with more than 3,500 physician members. Medical Spa MD offers wholesale Botox online and provides information on nonsurgical cosmetic medical technologies and treatments.

Posted via web from Laser Treatment MD

Solta Medical Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results

Solta Medical Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results

Provides full year 2009 revenue guidance of $95 million to $98 million

HAYWARD, Calif., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Solta Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLTM), a global leader in the medical aesthetics market, today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009. Revenue for the quarter was in-line with the preliminary forecast provided on September 28th.

Revenue for the third quarter was $17.8 million, an increase of approximately $4.7 million, or 36%, as compared to the third quarter 2008 reflecting increased revenue as a result of the acquisition of Reliant Technologies, Inc. on December 23, 2008, and partially offset by production and regulatory approval delays on new products during the third quarter.

“As we have previously disclosed, we received 510K clearance for the Fraxel re:store DUAL system in mid-October and resolved our production delays on the Thermage CPT system at the end of the third quarter. We are fulfilling back orders from customers and shipping both products,” said Stephen J. Fanning, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Solta Medical. “Our illumiNATION tour continues to bring these latest breakthroughs in Thermage and Fraxel systems directly to physicians as it makes it way from city-to-city across the U.S. and Europe. The tour has generated a very enthusiastic response to our new products by physicians, prospective patients, and the media. As a result, we are gaining momentum in the market place,” added Mr. Fanning.

Solta Medical's reported results for the third quarter of 2009 include non-cash purchase price related charges, primarily amortization of acquired intangible assets, of $1.2 million and non-cash stock based compensation charges of $0.8 million. The GAAP net loss for the quarter including these charges was $6.2 million, or $0.13 per share as compared to a net loss of $1.1 million, or $0.05 per share reported for the third quarter of 2008. The non-GAAP net loss for the quarter excluding these charges was $4.2 million, or $0.09 per share as compared to non-GAAP net income of $0.7 million, or $0.03 per share reported for the third quarter of 2008.

Financial Goals for 2009

The Company updated its financial goals for 2009 as follows:

• Revenue for the year in the range of $95 million to $98 million
• Realize up to $25 million in cost synergies as a result of the acquisition of Reliant Technologies, Inc. This represents an increase of $6 million from the originally stated goal in January 2009 of $19 million in cost synergies.
• Generate positive EBITDA for the full year 2009
• Achieve a non-GAAP gross margin in the range of 64% to 66% for the full year 2009 excluding non-cash amortization charges and non-cash purchase price related charges.
  

Non-GAAP Presentation

To supplement the condensed consolidated financial information presented on a GAAP basis, management has provided non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating income (loss), non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP net income (loss) and non-GAAP earnings (loss) per share measures that exclude the impact of purchase price related charges, severance costs, merger related costs, extraordinary loss on investments, and stock-based compensation expenses, all net of income taxes. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide investors with insight into what is used by management to conduct a more meaningful and consistent comparison of the Company's ongoing operating results and trends, compared with historical results. This presentation is also consistent with management's internal use of the measures, which it uses to measure the performance of ongoing operating results, against prior periods and against our internally developed targets. There are limitations in using these non-GAAP financial measures because they are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP financial measures. Investors and potential investors should consider non-GAAP financial measures only in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures attached to this release.

Posted via web from Laser Treatment MD

Fake Botox? Discount Medspa responds.

Discount Medspa Responds:

I just received this email from someone reporting to represent Discount Medspa:

Name: Laurie Sanders Email Address: sheryar10@hotmail.com Comments: Hi. I am the owner of the video clip for Discount Medspa that you posted. You do not have permission to use this clip and it is our intellectual property. I hired the model in the video to do the ad, and you have now used her name in the article incorrectly and said she is 'going to jail'. I am requesting that you remove the video and the article as many of your 'facts' are wrong and can be considered slander. We are located in Ontario and do not wish to share any other information with your site.

Of course they're referring to the Wired Magazine article that originally published this story and is quoted above. The video that Laurie is referring to that shows a woman performing do it yourself Botox injections is also from Wired.

You have to love people throwing that 'Slander' term around anytime they don't like what you're saying.

Sales Acceleration + Strategic Marketing

Sales Automation & Strategic Marketing. Take a look at this image contrasting convetional and irregular warfare strategies.

If you swap 'Users' for Population and 'Management' for Military, it's a pretty good analogy of the way companies sell.

Traditionally, companies have sold into management structures who have then pushed downstream into their users. Installed software companies are a great example of this. If you buy installed software you're making a big investment and taking some risk. The sales focus is on getting the management to buy or adopt. End users usually have no say in what they end up with.

Increasingly, and espectially with SaaS models, the emphasis has changed from selling to management, to selling (through adoption) to end users. The parallels to asymetirical or irregular warfare are striking.

via Nimble Theory

Medical Spa MD - Medical Assistant's can not inject Botox!

I've seen and head about medical estheticians, medical assistants and even front desk staff administering Botox injections at a laser clinic.

It's not legal, as this story on the prosicution of a medical assistant clearly shows.

Betty Guerra’s months-long nightmare is over.

The 45-year-old former medical assistant learned today from her attorney that the 10 felony counts against her on allegations of “unlawful practice of medicine” will be dismissed, she said.

“I always believed things would work out the right way,” she said tearfully. “I cannot be punished for something I didn’t do.”

Guerra’s July arrest sparked controversy over what medical assistants can and cannot do. Specifically, there was confusion over whether they are able to give shots.

Guerra was accused of unlawfully administering cosmetic injections, an act commonly performed by medical assistants throughout Nevada.

The state attorney general’s office did not specifically say charges against Guerra would be dropped but indicated it won’t be pursuing the case.

“The complaint against Betty Guerra submitted to the Attorney General’s Office by the Board of Medical Examiners has been contradicted by the subsequent actions by the Board,” Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said in a statement. “Therefore, it is fair for us to conclude that it would be difficult to prosecute this case beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Guerra’s attorney, Jason Weiner, said this evening that the attorney general’s office had sent him a copy of an unfiled motion dismissing the case earlier in the day. He would not be able to provide the Review-Journal with a copy of that motion until Wednesday, he said.

After Guerra’s arrest, physicians became concerned about what duties their medical assistants could perform.

Former medical board director Louis Ling said that upon reading a 30-year-old law, he concluded that the assistants could not give shots. With flu season coming on, he then attempted to draft emergency regulations that would allow them to give flu shots, but not Botox or other cosmetic injections.

However, that effort was shot down when a judge recently ruled that the board, in considering the regulations, had violated the open meeting law.

The board later reversed its position, determining that state law allows medical assistants to administer everything from flu shots to Botox. Medical assistants could give shots as long as they are under the “direct supervision” of a physician. Most health officials and doctors take that to mean the physician is on premises.

via medicalspamd.com

If you're a plastic surgeon or dermatologist running a skin clinic, laser clinic or medical spa (medspa) you might want make sure that your medical estheticans and medical assistants are well within the guidelines for their individual scope of practice.

Posted via web from Laser Treatment MD

My Family's Story Of Ovarian Cysts Infertility Risks.

By Amanda Clark

There are a number of things that you should know about ovarian cysts infertility. Infertility is most likely to occur if there are complications with ovarian cysts, and not always a result of the very first cyst you get. My family suffers from ovarian cysts, we have overcome the problems, and we have children.

Ovarian cysts are not synonymous with infertility; you can avoid complications with cysts through regular checkups with your doctor. Suffering from cysts can often by a family occurrence, just like cancer or heart conditions. When you are concerned about ovarian cysts, you should know that you are not alone.

My mother only suffered from ovarian cysts after a few miscarriages right before menopause; however, she had never had them before those incidents. Some women experience problems before having children. My sister who had many ovarian cysts, even had to have many removed, before the birth of her first child. She has had very few problems since having her children.

The only cyst I had was years ago, and it was easily removed as an outpatient procedure. I too have children, and I have had no more cysts. I make a point to always keep my checkups with the doctor. This enables the doctor to be sure I am not developing any complications with our history of ovarian cysts.

My youngest sister has never had an ovarian cyst, and she has always used oral contraceptives. Birth control, or hormone medicines, can prevent the body from developing cysts, as your body will not produce follicles.

It is important to remember that a number of families share risk factors such as cancer and heart disease, this is similar to the risk of ovarian cysts causing infertility. If you are at risk of this condition, you should visit your doctor and consider birth control pills to reduce the chance of the cysts. Keep all your appointments and you may not have any problems with ovarian cyst infertility.

About the Author:

Discover the shocking ovarian cysts infertility cure! Learn the only way to end the ovarian cysts infertility link now!

Dysport: The New Botox?

Dysport is often called the “New Botox.” However, Dypsort has actually been available in Europe for therapeutic indications since 1991 and for cosmetic applications since 2001. In April 2009, Dysport (officially known as BoNT-A/D) was approved in the United States for the “temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines.” These are the lines between your eyebrows. However, just like Botox Cosmetic, Dysport can be used “off-lable” for treatment of crow’s feet (squinting lines around your eyes), forehead wrinkles, chemical brow lifts, platysmal bands (neck bands) and sweaty palms and armpits.

The molecule in Dysport is exactly like Botox Cosmetic but is covered by a different coating, which dissociates (dissolves) at a different rate. That is why the onset of action of Dysport is thought to be faster than Botox Cosmetic since the coating comes off faster. In Botox Cosmetic Treatment the usual onset of action is 3 to 7 days where the Dysport onset of action seems to be a few days faster. The dosing is different with Dysport, so there may be some confusion when translating Botox “units” with Dysport “units.” This is why you need to see an injector who has experience specifically in Dysport injections. Also, there is a learning curve with Dysport injections, so you may not initially achieve the same results as you are used to receiving with Botox Cosmetic.

There is also some confusion about the pricing of Dysport with many reports on the Internet and advertising claiming that it is cheaper than Botox Cosmetic. There is a discrepancy in the potency of units. A “unit” of Botox is not equivalent to a “unit” of Dysport, so unit pricing is not comparable. There is a slight savings with Dysport, but it is about 5% - nothing substantial. So, do not expect to go to your plastic surgeon to achieve the same results as Botox Cosmetic for half the price. However, with competition, hopefully prices will come down. Allergan (Botox Cosmetic) is currently offering a $50 mail-in rebate for Botox Cosmetic customers and Medicis Aesthetics (Dysport) is offering a $75 mail-in rebate. With these rebates and introductory pricing, you may be able to get a better deal than your last injection.

In the end, it is great to have another minimally invasive product approved on the market which can give consistent and noticeable results with virtually no downtime and minimal risks.

via Medical Spa RX: Dysport

Posted via web from Laser Treatment MD

Do it yourself Botox: People are injecting themselves with fake Botox.

People are risking death or serious injury by using an illegal Botox equivalent without prescription, a CBD cosmetic doctor warns.

Dr Mario Soteriou, of Cosmetic Image Clinics, said self-administering the goods obtained at a new US-based online store was equivalent to playing “Russian roulette”.

He said neither the Botox equivalent nor the dermal filler sold on the website was approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, which also decrees the products must only be administered under medical prescription.

The website also sells needles and an instructional DVD to enable buyers to self-administer the do-it-yourself Botox equivalent, with the promise of wrinkle free skin.

The dermal filler is also being marketed with a DIY guide for plump lips.

Dr Soteriou, who has specialised in cosmetic medicine since 2000, said he was “severely shocked” by the shonky website.

He said injectable treatments such as Botox and dermal filler should only be administered by qualified practitioners.

“The big problem with these drugs is that we don’t know what they are made of and they can’t guarantee you safety or results,” Dr Soteriou said. “Self-administering them is essentially like making a life decision without putting any thought into it.

“I wouldn’t even advocate for doctors and nurses to be injecting themselves.

“You are also risking your own death if you have an adverse or severe allergic reaction to the drugs.”

Dr Soteriou believes the website is a “money grab” and fuels people’s desperate desires for quick-fix anti-ageing products.

“I’ve never heard of these products before and I attend a lot of medical conferences to ensure I’m up-to-date with the latest in facial rejuvenation techniques,” he said.

via Medical Spa MD: Fake Botox or not, Discount Medspa is going to jail!

Posted via web from Laser Treatment MD

Ovarian Cyst And Pregnancy : A Functional Relationship

By Amanda Clark

Having an ovarian cyst and pregnancy is quite common nowadays. This is rather strange, since cysts are technically abnormal but surprisingly true. Ovarian cysts are formed when a sac filled with blood, tissue, or fluid develops. In a pregnancy, these cysts typically have fluid in them.

There are different types of ovarian cysts. Most cysts during a pregnancy are functional. This means that they occur because of normal functions in the ovaries. Luteum and follicular cysts are the two types of functional cysts. Some women choose to use birth control to prevent this normal function.

The corpus lutuem is a main function for pregnancy. It is released from the ovaries after the egg and distributes progesterone. The corpus luteum ranges from 2cm to 6cm and dissolves naturally. It can develop into a cyst, especially when it is larger. Any symptoms it causes normally diminish by the second trimester.

The follicle holding the egg released from the ovaries can also develop into a cyst. This type of cyst is called a follicular cyst. In a pregnancy this type of cyst occurs when multiple eggs are released. The unfertilized egg may become a follicular cyst. When there are symptoms they may persist into the second trimester.

Just because they are functional doesn't mean there isn't pain. Functional cyst can grow quite large and cause problems. A ruptured cyst can mean several hours of abdominal pain. If a cyst attaches to the body it may began to twist. Twisting can also cause lots of pain and even nausea from blocked blood supply.

Some cysts develop into a serious disease called ovarian cancer. As ovarian cancer mostly affects women in menopause, it is rare in pregnancy. It should not be a worry, but many doctors will check for cancerous cysts.

About the Author:

Protect your baby - learn the link between ovarian cysts and pregnancy now! Learn the three step natural ovarian cysts and pregnancy solution today!