Indications for performing minimally invasive cosmetic surgery include obtaining outcomes comparable with those of an established widely used criterion standard. The goal for new procedures should be to deliver predictable long-term results while providing less morbidity, less downtime, and greater patient satisfaction. The results of this study indicate that the barbed suture lift was unable to accomplish these goals. This study also reflects the importance of a critical review of the ever-expanding options available to aesthetic surgeons.
A woman with no previous history of breast carcinoma presented with focal hair loss, which was presumptively diagnosed as alopecia areata. After treatment failures, a scalp biopsy was performed, which subsequently led to the diagnosis of breast carcinoma. This case illustrates the subtle course which breast cancer can take and the insidious manner in which it may present. It alerts clinicians and pathologists to the possibility of secondary causes, including malignancy, in the differential diagnosis of alopecia refractory to usual treatments.
BACKGROUND. Radiofrequency (RF) used for volumetric heating into the deep dermis has been used effectively for rejuvenation of the face. The delivery of the RF energy depends on several variables, including the electrical impedance of the underlying tissue. OBJECTIVE. To describe the effects of impedance on energy delivery into the treated site.MATERIALS AND METHODS. We report four patients who underwent treatment using the ThermaCool TC system (Thermage, Inc, Hayward, CA, USA). Five sites on each patient were selected for impedance evaluation at two treatment levels.RESULTS. Impedance levels varied only slightly between treatment levels. The impedance levels varied greatly between patients and from site to site in each patient. The impedance levels for each of the patients were greatest on the arm, followed by the forehead, cheeks, and back. CONCLUSION. Energy delivery to a treated area is directly related to the impedance of the tissue. The impedance is shown to vary by site and can be changed by manipulation of the tissue, such as by injection of local anesthesia. Alteration of the impedance may have an effect on the uniform delivery of the selected energy.
This paper is the result of the organized efforts of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery's Liposuction Practices Task Force, the primary organization providing information, research and training in liposuction. The task force commissioned the world's largest professional services firm, Arthur Andersen, to conduct an independent survey of AACS membership during the summer of 1998. The survey's focus includes liposuction practitioners, their training, practice standards, and complications. Collaborative preparation,
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