Exciting News from the Fall Derm Surgery Meeting

It’s almost been a month since my Derm Surgery meeting and I am LATE telling you about it. It was one of the best! Unfortunately, it started out with discussions on how to handle the complications of treatments by the non dermatology trained but led into new or improved procedures that detoured me from my blog writing time.

First, the Fractionated CO2 laser continues to be exciting and seems to provide the improvement we saw in the past with the old CO2 laser BUT several repeat treatments are needed for the trade of four recovery days instead of two weeks. The infection/scarring risks are definitely less.

I learned a new modification of an old standard chemical peel which is showing some tightening in one of the hardest areas, the skin under the eyes. I will try this on myself over Thanksgiving but more later on that.

There is a new hand piece for our Silkpeel microdermabrasion unit. It is specifically going after what is in the pore whether it is acne induced, aging induced or just the result of big pores that like to hang on to oil, skin cells, old makeup, etc. Pam, our aesthetician, tells me the nice word is “congestion”. The Silkpeel machine is also infusing a “clarifying” solution with salacidic acid at the same time and vacuuming up all the debride.

Finally, something for white hair or “peach fuzz”. There is a combination procedure of using a special instrument to gently remove the peach fuzz followed by a chemical peel and then a dry ice skin “cocktail” at the end. A chemical peel technique that results in light/white hair removal. WOW!

Those of you who know me know that I am busy studying these treatments “five ways to Sunday” before I am comfortable providing them to my patients but I am excited! It is going to be a fun early 2011. Whether it is bitter cold or the sun doesn’t shine, we will have skin treats so our skin can bloom with the tulips and the roses.