Botox injections accounted for almost 3 million of the 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed in the United States in 2007, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Botox injections topped the list of the most frequently performed nonsurgical treatments for cosmetic purposes.Women accounted for 91 percent of all cosmetic surgeries in 2007. Men had nearly 1.1 million cosmetic procedures – 9 percent of the 11.7 million procedures. The number of cosmetic procedures for men increased 17 percent from 2006.Americans spent $13.2 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2007.Nonsurgical procedures made up 82 percent of the total amount of cosmetic procedures performed in 2007.The business prognosis for the cosmetic industry is as clear as an Ivory complexion: good to excellent. And new technology has fueled the surge in nonsurgical cosmetic procedures.Microdermabrasion; laser facial resurfacing; the contour thread lift, where threads are used to lift and redistribute facial skin; and monopolar radiofrequency technology, which uses infrared light to tighten the skin, are examples of noninvasive cosmetic procedures. The costs compared to surgical procedures are considerably lower, and the recovery time is shorter.”Many more people are opting for minimally invasive treatments,” said Dr. Eugene Conte of Advanced Dermatology of Ohio Inc. With more than 25 years as a dermatologist, Conte is a Fellow of the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. He has been practicing in Dayton since 1983.”Twenty years ago, there were more people going to plastic surgeons,” he said. “Today, there are fewer face lifts due to the alternatives to surgery, and many people are putting off face lifts until later in life.”Conte said the No. 1 reason that people come in to his office, whether they’re 20, 40 or 50 years old, is skin damage and pre-cancerous skin lesions “influenced 100 percent by the sun.”Eighty-percent of sun damage occurs before age 20, he said. The effect is a breakdown of collagen, the foundation of the skin.”Part of the sun-related problem is the rate at which people tan,” Conte said. “Take a person who lives in the Midwest – it’s gray in the winter, and many people head to Florida or Mexico to find sun … they’re looking for that quick tan.”While some visit tanning beds before their vacation, which Conte said is better than getting a “blistering burn” on the beach; they continue to go to the tanning bed when they return. Conte likened the prolonged use of tanning beds to a science experiment. “If I wanted to create skin cancer in lab rats, I’d stick them in a tanning booth,” he said.Today, people understand the consequences of soaking up too much sun, and the next generation is proactive about their skin care, Conte said. “People age 39 or 40 are not waiting to take care of things,” he said. “They’re coming in now, as they turn 40 and denote changes.”But in the 1950s and 1960s, there were no warnings about the consequences of tanning.”All those baby boomers who sat in the sun, used baby oil and a piece of foil to catch the best of the rays are paying for it now, and many of them want to get rid of it now,” Conte said. “They want immediate gratification.”The demands of the post World War II generation have swayed American industries for centuries. If they want immediate cosmetic results, technology companies will most likely bend over backwards to produce new tools to improve treatment procedures.Take Fraxel laser technology, a product of Reliant Technologies. According to information on Reliant’s Web site, older laser technology treats the skin with high power levels and macroscopic spot sizes, often causing damage to healthy skin. Fraxel technology “produces thousands of tiny treatment zones (MicroThermal Zones or MTZs) on the skin.” Those “MTZs penetrate deep into the dermis and eliminate old epidermal pigmented cells. For every MTZ the laser targets and treats … it leaves the surrounding tissue unaffected and intact.”The “fractional” treatment controls the amount of thermal injury to the skin and promotes faster healing.Conte is trained in Fraxel laser technology.”Fraxel produces thousands of tiny columns – imagine looking at a pixilated digital picture,” he said. “The laser treatment is done by a fractioned device that can do four or five things … taking care of multiple problems all together … a full face treatment.”Using Fraxel laser technology, Conte said he makes “about eight or 10 passes over the skin,” as opposed to older laser technology that treats the skin with a couple of passes.Fraxel technology is applied over the course of four to five treatments monthly or every six weeks. The patient is treated in the morning and back at work in the afternoon, he said. The procedure is generally used to treat age-related problems like fine lines and brown spots.The Federal Drug Administration approved Fraxel technology within the last two years, Conte said. “And it’s totally cosmetic.”On average, the treatment costs $1,000 each session, but Conte said the costs are usually based on packages. Four treatments would cost $3,500.”It won’t erase (problems) 100 percent, but the results are markedly better,” he said. “The tone and texture of the skin is greatly improved and the vast majority likes it because of the lack of down time.”Despite new technology, Conte said some people still require a face-lift, and they are referred to plastic surgeons.Knowing what procedure works best for individual results requires a thorough cosmetic consultation, he said. And medical problems come first. “I don’t proceed with cosmetic dermatology until I’ve treated the pre-cancer or medical issues,” he said.Healthy skin also requires a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. “I talk to my patients about smoking and diet and using sun screen,” Conte said.The most important thing to remember about cosmetic treatment, he said, is “get the right information and make the right decision on the procedure that works best for you.”
