Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND: The objective of aesthetic treatments is to create a more youthful appearance. Most injectable fillers are indicated for the reduction of nasolabial folds, but the current aesthetic movement is toward volume replacement in multiple areas, known as global fillers or liquid face-lift. OBJECTIVES: To quantify the degree of perceived age reduction from multisyringe hyaluronic acid treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten women were treated with 6 to 8 mL of hyaluronic acid. Exclusion criteria were no laser for 6 months and no hyaluronic acid fillers for 6 months or semipermanent fillers for 1 year. High-resolution photographs were taken in identical lighting and position before and 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Three blinded dermatologists rated patients' ages before and after from photographs. RESULTS: The dermatologists reported an average of 6.1 to 7.3 years of reduction in apparent age at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. The patients perceived a decrease in apparent age of 7.8 and 9 years. CONCLUSION: Multisyringe injection of hyaluronic acid filler into the aging face results in a reduction of apparent age from 6.1 to 9 years after 2 to 4 weeks. Full-face correction with hyaluronic acid is an important procedure in the armamentarium of anti-aging techniques

The incidence of malignant melanoma has reached more than 62,000 people this past year alone. Much is unknown about the genetic predisposition of this cancer. The authors present a 62-year-old woman with a history of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTD), diagnosed at age five, who has also developed multiple primary cutaneous malignant melanomas since 2003. The patient presented to the authors' clinic with a pigmented lesion on the left thigh, which was increasing in size and changing color. The patient was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in situ on biopsy. As both CMTD and malignant melanoma are neural crest derived disorders, this may suggest a shared underlying genetic defect. A gene locus of particular interest is 1p36, both previously recognized in the proposed pathogenesis of CMTD and malignant melanoma (MM)

Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser skin resurfacing has been a mainstay of facial rejuvenation since its introduction in the mid 1990s. Recently, a new generation of fractional or microablative CO2 lasers has been introduced to the marketplace. According to the concept of fractional photothermolysis, these lasers ablate only a fraction of the epidermal and dermal architecture in the treatment area. An array of microscopic thermal wounds is created that ablates the epidermis and dermis within very tiny zones; adjacent to these areas, the epidermis and dermis are spared. This microablative process of laser skin resurfacing has proven safe and effective not only for facial rejuvenation, but elsewhere on the body as well. It is capable of improving wrinkles, acne scars, and other types of atrophic scars and benign pigmented lesions associated with elastotic, sun-damaged skin. Because of the areas of spared epidermis and dermis inherent in a procedure that employs fractional photothermolysis, healing is more rapid compared to fully ablative CO2 laser skin resurfacing and downtime is proportionately reduced. A series of 32 consecutive patients underwent a single laser resurfacing procedure with the a new microablative CO2 laser. All patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months and were asked to complete patient satisfaction questionnaires; a 6 month postoperative photographic evaluation by an independent physician, not involved in the treatment, was also performed. Both sets of data were graded and reported on a quartile scale. Results demonstrated greater than 50% improvement in almost all patients with those undergoing treatment for wrinkles, epidermal pigment or solar elastosis deriving the greatest change for the better (>75%)

BACKGROUND: Cellulite is an alteration of the topography of the skin that occurs in body areas where fat deposition seems to be under the influence of estrogen: mainly the hips, buttocks, thighs, and abdomen. The presence of cellulite is a significant source of patient dissatisfaction. There is currently no cure or consistently effective treatment for cellulite. OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to show that the subdermal application of the neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser combined with autologous fat transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for cellulite. METHODS: From January 2003 to December 2006, 52 female patients with Curri grade III to IV cellulite were treated with subdermal 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis combined with autologous fat transplantation. Patient assessment was collected for data analysis. After the treatment, tissue samples were obtained in some subjects in order to ascertain the histologic effects of the laser treatment. RESULTS: This treatment resulted in significant clinical improvement in cellulite. The adverse effects were mild and temporary, and the postoperative period was well tolerated. A majority of patients (84.6%) rated the results of treatment as either good or excellent. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of severe cases of cellulite (Curri grades III and IV) by a combination of 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis and autologous fat transplantation proved to be both safe and effective. In addition, subdermal laser lipolysis has the advantage of inducing neocollagenesis and stimulating postoperative skin tightening. This represents a new treatment option for the ubiquitous cellulite disorder. Although this treatment has shown promising results in this pilot study, further studies are necessary in order to draw final conclusions

The authors discuss various filling agents currently available that can be used to augment the lips, correct perioral rhytides, and enhance overall lip appearance. Fillers are compared and information provided about choosing the appropriate agent based on the needs of each patient to achieve the much coveted 'pouty' look while avoiding hypercorrection. The authors posit that the goal for the upper lip is to create a form that harmonizes with the patient's unique features, taking into account age and ethnicity; the goal for the lower lip is to create bulk, greater prominence, and projection of the vermillion

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis is a rare genetic disorder of keratinization. In childhood, patients are erythrodermic and have a compromised stratum corneum, replaced with generalized hyperkeratosis as the patients age. Treatment consists of topical emollients as well as, topical and oral retinoids. Ultraviolet (UV) light, often in combination with psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) is widely used as a therapeutic modality for a multitude of hyperproliferative disorders. Although not strictly indicated for epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, it has been utilized as experimental treatment, particularly in the days prior to retinoids. Psoralen ultraviolet A has also been implicated in the development of nonmelanoma skin cancers, especially, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Retinoids are well-known to protect against nonmelanoma skin. A patient with epidermolytic hyperkeratosis with multiple nonmelanoma skin cancers, previously treated with PUVA and long-standing oral retinoids is reported

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignancy, which often occurs as a result of ultraviolet light on sun-exposed areas. A more rare location for the presentation of BCC is the non-sun-exposed genital area, where squamous cell cancer occurs frequently in the setting of human papilloma virus and chronic inflammatory lesions (i.e., lichen sclerosus et atrophicus). Consequently, such tumors may escape detection by the dermatologist and be mistaken by the gynecologist for an inflammatory condition. A delay in diagnosis can result in wider surgical margins and potential recurrences. We present a case of BCC of the vulva with involvement of the clitoris presenting with unilateral pruritus and treated as an allergic contact dermatitis with topical corticosteroids. The patient was treated with Mohs micrographic surgery in conjunction with topical imiquimod to spare surrounding tissue