Plastic Surgery Practice July 2014
Like Father, Like Son
Joel Schlessinger, MD, a dermatologist in Omaha, Neb, and his son, Daniel, joined forces to create FixMySkin healing balms. The idea was born in 2007 when Daniel, then 12, used lip balm to soothe his cracked fingertips. The rest is history.
FixMySkin salves help treat several common, but vexing skin problems such as chapped lips, psoriasis, and eczema. The balms contain 1% hydrocortisone to reduce inflammation and shea butter and maize to add moisture. The .15-ounce lip balm retails for $8, the .25-ounce jar of body balm retails for $10, and the .5-ounce larger-sized body balm stick retails for $12.
For more information, call (402) 697-6586 or visit www.fixmyskin.com
Closing in on Melanoma
Making a melanoma diagnosis is not always a slam-dunk. In fact, each year, more than 210,000 biopsies are classified as “indeterminate,” but Myriad Genetics Inc’s myPath™ Melanoma test can take the guesswork out of this equation, according to research presented at the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.
“There are cases where the microscope isn’t enough,” Loren Clarke, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Myriad Genetic Laboratories, tells Plastic Surgery Practice.
In the study of 211 melanomas and 226 nevi, the test differentiated malignant melanoma from benign skin lesions with a 90% sensitivity and a 91% specificity.
Going forward, the new test may help identify specific melanoma-causing mutations such as BRAF. “The first goal is diagnosing melanoma, but in the future, there may be a prognostic angle,” Clarke says.
For more information, visit www.isthismelanoma.com or www.myriadpro.com/melanoma
Playing for Keeps
Implantech’s new Temporal Shell implant may offer a more permanent fix for sunken temples than soft-tissue fillers and fat grafting. Made of pliable silicone, the new implant is thicker on the bottom and thinner on the top so it blends seamlessly. It comes in two sizes, and it can be trimmed to fit. “They are superior to fat and other injectable fillers for temporal hollows because they are permanent and feel soft like muscle or fat tissue,” implant designer Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD, a plastic surgeon in Indianapolis, tells Plastic Surgery Practice. For more information, call (800) 733-0833 or visit www.implantech.com
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
LightSheer® INFINITY™ and LightSheer® DESIRE™ are the latest laser hair removal systems from Lumenis Ltd. Laser hair removal remains a hot category in aesthetics. Last year. 1.1 million people in the United States underwent laser hair removal, according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Both new devices employ a customized vacuum to stretch the skin for a more efficient energy delivery and a much faster treatment time, according to the Israel-based company. What’s more, the ChillTip™ handpiece continuously cools, reducing any treatment-related pain and discomfort. Both the INFINITY and DESIRE feature an 805-nm wavelength for all skin types. INFINITY also has a 1,060-nm wavelength, which is better suited for darker skin.
For additional information, visit www.lumenis.com
Have a hot product that must be on PSP’s radar? Contact Amy Di Leo at [email protected].
Original citation for this article: Hot stuff. Plastic Surgery Practice. 2014;(7),32.
