Aesthetic Physician Bulletin: DIY & Illegally Imported Botox
The IAPAM has surveyed experts in the cosmetic injectable field to offer this overview for aesthetic physicians, regarding some alarming and illegal trends dealing with cosmetic injectable treatments, specifically: DIY (Do It Yourself) Botox treatments and illegally imported botulinum toxin (Dysport, Botox) product. Without a doubt, proper Botox Training is critical.
The Recent DIY Botox Trend
Recently, there have been several reports regarding DIY “botox-like” injectables, which can be purchased through the internet. A woman in Texas, Laurie D’Alleva, offered consumers a botox-like product called “Freeze,” complete with a “How-To” video, so consumers could administer the botulinum toxin themselves. “The Texas Attorney General is charging D’Alleva with several violations of state law. She could be fined up to $25,000 per violation per day of the Texas Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, and up to $20,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices act.” The red-flags regarding this internet offering range from the unrealistically low pricing, indicating the product is not FDA approved, to her complete disregard for the potential life threatening side affects that can accompany the delivery of a neurotoxin into the body by an untrained, unlicensed administrator. Read more
Consumer Cosmetic Injectable Safety Tips
We’ve all heard of DIY home repairs, but DIY Botox and laser treatments? Yes, in this economy many people are looking at cutting costs, but before you start injecting yourself with cosmetic injectables or using a laser on yourself, you need to evaluate the potential life threatening risks.
Injecting foam insulation around a drafty electrical socket is one thing, but injecting oneself with a botulinum toxin product is quite another. Consumers need to be aware that engaging in DIY laser treatments or cosmetic injectables carry with it a great deal of risk vs. reward. Consumers interested in cosmetic injectable procedures should always engage a professionally-trained physician to administer these treatments. Patients should choose doctors who have completed a comprehensive Botox Training program. Read more
Botox Training: IAPAM Announces 2010 Training Dates for Physicians
Presented by the IAPAM, the Botox & Dermal Filler Training Bootcamp and the Advanced Dermal Filler Training Program announces their dates for 2010. Through the IAPAM’s industry-leading aesthetic medicine educational programs, physicians will continue to recieve the most intensive, hands-on cosmetic injectable and Botox training available in North America.
The IAPAM has developed three different programs to train physicians in the injection of Botulinum Toxins (Botox and Dysport) and dermal fillers. Physicians with limited Botox injection experience, should first attend the IAPAM’s Aesthetic Medicine Symposium in Scottsdale, Arizona. Physicians with some Botox injection experience will then want to attend the Botox & Dermal Filler Bootcamp, where they inject over 10 live patients over the weekend in Toronto, Canada. Once a physician has 6 months of injection experience, we also have the Advanced Dermal Filler training program where they’ll have an opportunity to learn more advanced dermal filler injection techniques, including: Jaw contouring, Tear trough, Cheek Augmentation, and Advanced Lip sculpting techniques in Toronto as well. And most importantly, all of our injection training is done in a medical facility or medical spa, not in a hotel room chair. Read more
IAPAM Symposium Adds New Botox Training video to help Physicians Succeed
Physicians can now revisit the preeminent educational experience they receive while attending the IAPAM’s Aesthetic Medicine Symposium, by using the IAPAM’s 3 new clinical training DVD’s, offering focused instruction on: botox training, dermal filler training and microdermabrasion training.
The IAPAM’s Aesthetic Medicine Symposium has long offered physicians a competitive advantage through its comprehensive, hands-on, “immersion” into the field of aesthetic medicine. The IAPAM Symposium is the only program which gives physicians an opportunity to learn from two board certified dermatologists, who are true experts of the skin and cosmetic injectables. In order to ensure doctors learn the best injection techniques, the botox training is done in a medical practice, not in a hotel room chair. In addition, the symposium does not allow exhibitors, giving physicians more time for education. Read more
IAPAM Announces 2010 Dates for Aesthetic Medicine Symposiums Showcasing Botox Training
Physicians continue to seek out comprehensive aesthetic medicine training programs, that include instruction in the most ‘in-demand’ aesthetic procedures, including training in Botox, laser training, medical microdermabrasion training, chemical peel training and medical weight management programming. To meet this educational need, the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM) offers the most up-to date, hands-on, enduring medspa training program in the industry. Today, the IAPAM announces the continuation of the internationally respected Aesthetic Medicine Symposium series in 2010. Read more
IAPAM Enhances its Symposiums with the Addition of a Medical Weight Loss
Building on the success of its physician-lead Aesthetic Medicine Symposiums, the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM) has now added a medical weight management component to its renowned educational series. This new program will teach physicians how to incorporate a medical weight loss program into their practice or medical spa, and will include the latest research on medically supervised weight loss strategies like utilizing appetite suppressants, hormone replacement therapy, and hCG. Read more
IAPAM Endorses Comprehensive Aesthetic Training
The MedSpa industry in the United States has experienced a growth rate of 133% in the past five years. Moreover, “as the current economic environment continues, the myriad of minimally invasive and less expensive procedures offered at Medical Spas, including Wellness Centers and Anti-Aging Clinics is expected to continue to garner more and more of the aesthetic medicine market,” comments Jeff Russell, Executive Director for the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM). To capitalize on this profitable field of medicine, more physicians and non-physicians are launching offerings into the Medical Spa market, by opening separate facilities or turning parts of their existing practices into medispa treatment areas. Read more
The “Lipstick Effect” in Aesthetic Medicine: The 2008 ASAPS statistics support the notion that in tough economic times, small aesthetic luxuries are in demand
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The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery’s (ASAPS) recently released report, 2008 Statistics on Cosmetic Surgery, outlines that 8,491,861 non-surgical procedures were done in 2008. However, this is a reduction of 11.7% over last year, and interestingly the only three growth non-surgical procedures were Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiance) injections which was up 3%, chemical peels which were up 2.9% and laser skin resurfacing which had increased by 12%.
Las Vegas, Nevada (www.AestheticMedicineNews.com) March 18, 2009 — Jeff Russell, Executive Director of the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM) comments that, “it is expected to see a downward trend in non-surgical procedures because many of these procedures are not being done in a plastic surgeon’s offices. These statistics are compiled from a survey of members of the ASAPS, however, many of these offerings are being preformed by professionals outside the membership of the ASAPS.” Russell further reminds us that , “not all these procedures are being performed by physicians. Since the public can get many of these procedures in both medical spas and physicians’ offices, and some of these treatments like mircodermabrasion and chemical peels may be delivered by non-medical professionals in a non-ASAPS member medical spa.” Indeed, the ASAPS supports this analysis. Among the 894 Board Certified physicians surveyed, the ASAPS found that “over fifty-three percent of cosmetic procedures in 2008 were performed in office-based facilities; 26 percent in freestanding surgicenters; and 19 percent in hospitals,” states the 2008 ASAPS report. Read more
The Latest Trend: The Use of Caffeine in Aesthetics
From our double shot, extra hot, non-fat vanilla lattes to new under eye anti-puffiness serums, a jolt of caffeine has alluring qualities in making our lives more endurable. However, while there is significant study into many of the benefits of ingested caffeine, the jury is still out on the long-lasting benefits of this “miracle” ingredient, when topically applied as a part of an anti-aging regiment.
Las Vegas, Nevada (www.AestheticMedicineNews.com) February 26, 2009 — The benefits from the oral intake of caffeine in the many beverages in which it is found: teas, coffee, sodas etc. has long been the subject of study in the medical and pharmaceutical arenas. Many studies have concluded that: whether working as a powerful antioxidant within the body, as an active ingredient in the prevention of Parkinson’s disease or gallstones, or as a possible inhibitor in the development of certain cancers, moderate consumption of caffeine is generally accepted to do a healthy body more good than harm. Read more
Board Certification in Aesthetic Medicine Lacking
There has been great discussion regarding the Board Certification of Aesthetic Medicine. Currently the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) does not offer a board certification in Aesthetic Medicine. The ABMS currently states that “antiaging is not a medical specialty,” and therefore no association or organization can officially be offering “board certification” in aesthetic medicine at this time. Read more
