July 6, 2010

Medical Spa, Skin Clinic & Laser Center Vocabulary

Medical Spa & Laser Clinic Vocabulary

Medical Spa & Laser Clinic Vocabulary

The Local Medical Spa, Skin Clinic & Laser Center Vocabulary?

Acupuncture – Acupuncture is a procedure that inserts tiny needles at crucial points of the body which connect with various organs to provide a way of relieving muscle, and other problems in addition to harmonizing the body’s Chi.

Algotherapy – The utilization of Algaes (either fresh or seawater) during body care, body scrubs, etc.

Anti-Aging Medicine – Anti-aging medicine is actually a medical specialization emphasizing the best wellness by means of all-inclusive preventative medical assessments in addition to diagnostic programs consisting of: life-style change, diet therapy, weight loss therapies, anti-stress solutions, mineral therapy and hormone levelling.

Aromatherapy – Any restorative use of nice essential friut as well as any other oils.

Ayurvedic Treatments – The four hundred years old Indian skin treatments utilizing therapeutic massage, that views the entire person in healing techniques.

Balneology – Talking about any restorative utilization and effects from various kinds of baths.

Biomagnetic Therapy – Over the last few generations the benefit associated with magnets has been seen as productive in a multitude of physical problems.

Botox – Botox Cosmetic is actually botulinum toxin A. It’s derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This micro-organism releases a protein that blocks the release of acetycholine and relaxes muscles. Botox (and Dysport) cosmetic are a different way of thinking in treating creases on the forehead, and in the “crows feet” zones . Botox functions due to weakening all the muscles involving facial expressions.  After the resting tones of treated muscle tissues are made weaker, the muscles is paralized and therefore the overlying dermis smooths over.

Camouflage – Makeup Concealers are usually chosen to help cover up discolorations . Camouflage cosmetic foundations tend – thicker compared to daily cosmetics so they could mix to conceal bruising or incision lines. Nearly all camouflage may be used underneath common foundation .

Cellulite Procedures – Cellulite procedure programs use advanced technology to combine subatmospheric pressure with a state -of -the -art mechanical massage to enhance your slimmer, trimmer figure and eliminate rippling effects of cellulite.

Chemical Peels – Facial chemical peels are used to reduce wrinkling, especially which which is associated with sun-damage, acne scars, other blemishes, and areas of uneven dermis pigmentation. This is achieved by either chemical (including glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid, phenol), mechanical (dermabrasion, microderm) or laser applications.

Chiropractic Spa – Too as Chiropractic procedure, a range of other procedures, such as massages, manicures and facials are available.

Collagen Injection – Injectable collagen implant works by supplementing your body’s own natural collagen support layer. The liquid injectable collagen is injected through a small needle directly through the wrinkle, skin crease, or dermis fold into the support layer just beneath the surface of the dermis. The extra support provided by the injectable collagen raises the treated area so which the wrinkle, epidermis crease, or epidermis fold disappears.

Color Therapy – Coloring therapy (also identified as chromotherapy) is based on the fact which physiologic functions to specific colors. Attached to the brain are pineal glands, that control the daily rhythms of life. When light enters through the eyes (or the skin) it travels neurological pathways to these pineal glands. Different colors give off different wavelength frequencies and these different frequencies have different effect on physical and psychological functions.

Craniosacral Therapy – Within the craniosacral system is the cerebrospinal fluid that moves in a slight but perceptible tide -like manner. Craniosacral therapists assist in facilitating change in areas of restriction where this tide -like motion is limited, confined, and immobilized. By employing a gentle light touch, this fluid becomes more rhythmic and balanced, and the central nervous system is restored. Craniosacral therapy is helpful to those with nervous disorders, insomnia, and other problems. Craniosacral therapy was originally developed in the early 1900’s by an osteopath name William G. Sutherland and later refined and promoted by Dr. John Upledger.

Cryotherapy – A treatment for age spots, cryotherapy may be a freezing process applied directly to age spots and other discolorations of the epidermis, particularly on the wrists and hands and chest.

Crymetra – Supplement filler injection produced by OMD to be able to plump lips . Unlike collagen there is virtually no need for allergic reaction testing and causes no inflammation.

Dental Spa – Aside from dental treatments, including cosmetic dentistry, a range of treatments such as massages, manicures and facials are available to ease anxieties of subjects.

Please note that “dental spa” is defined as “a facility whose dental program is run under the strict supervision of a licensed dentist. Procedures are provided which integrate both old fashioned and non -traditional dental and spa treatments” (like massages, facial, body treatments)

Derma Peel with Sodium Bicarbonate -This is the old-school Microderm treatment utilizing negative Practical Dermis Ablation action dermabrasion. Here having said that, we have decided to utilize Sodium Bicarbonate instead of Aluminum Oxide particles. Non -invasive and non -surgical, this treatment utilizes a highly controlled spray of fine crystals to remove the outer layer of epidermis and reveal the younger, tighter, and more radiant dermis underneath. Common procedures include: blackheads, whiteheads, fine lines/wrinkles, sun -damaged skin, acne prone skin, superficial age spots, and oily skin.

DermaPhoresis – This combination of positive action Salt -A -Peel microdermabrasion, ultrasound technology, and a high potency AHA / Antioxidant cream removes the thickened, stretchmarks, fine lines and sun -damaged out layer of the dermis while allowing the proprietary cream to travel further into the lower layers of the epidermis.

Dermaplaning – Using quick exact actions, some sort of medical esthetician scrapes a device across the face, scraping cells on the surface.

Diode LightSheer Laser – Laser pulses for a tiny part of a second vaporizing the pigment Hair Removal disabling several hair follicles at a time to eliminate or significantly impede the hair’s regrowth. LightSheer’s special direct contact -cooling hand piece cools and protects the surrounding skin while bringing the laser energy as close as possible to the hair root.

Electrolysis – Individual hair removal is done by transmitting an electrical current into the hair root where the hair releases. This destroys the root and hair cannot regrow.

Electropigmentation – A corrective aesthetic technique that is classified as “non -surgical”. Many individuals take advantage of electropigmentation to have makeup permanently applied, most often eyeliner or lip pigmentation; a number of individuals employ elctropigmentation to fix facial asymmetries or to mask scars. The treatment used for clinical eletropigmentation is identical to tattooing. Pigments are mixed and then applied employing a series of needles. Eletropigmentation inserts the pigment just below the dermis layer of the epidermis.

Endermologie – Massages completed by a special piece of equipment, like LPG, a controlled, repeatable deep mechanical therapeutic massage device. It’s assisted by suction and two rollers to outperform manual massage, benefiting the epidermis and subcutaneous skin by promoting microcirculation. The suction improves circulation, so that the puckering (of cellulite) is eased. Consumers experience the benefit of temporarily improved body contouring and epidermis conditioning.

Microdermabrasion – A non-invasive ablation procedure, carried out to improve skin texture, tone and remove imperfections without the utilize of harsh chemicals.

IPL Fotofacial – Treatments apply to full face, neck and check utilizing pulses of intense light to resolve facial redness, flushing, pigment problems, and sun-damage. New collagen growth is stimulated to improve dermis texture, increase dermis smoothness and reduce pore size.

Glycolic Acid Chemical Peel – After preparing the skin, a glycolic acid concentration from 20% to 70% will be applied resulting in smoother, youthful appearing epidermis of more uniform coloration. Weekly facial peels for a period of about 6 weeks are typical for most individuals.

Herbology – Therapeutic utilize of herbs in treatments and diet

Homeopathy – Treating desease with tiny doses of natural -like substances.

Hydrotherapy – Referring to the therapeutic employ of water in any of its various forms: sea water, mineral water, baths, showers, underwater massage, ice, etc.

Intense Pulse Laser (IPL) – Laser treatment used to reverse and restore dermis damaged by sunlight and smoking

Iridology – A theory which hyperlinks markings in the iris of the eye to the condition of organs of the body.

Jessner Peel – A combination of lactic acid, salicylic acid and resorcinol, an exfoliating agent, Jessner is on the milder side of the medium peels. It doesn’t have the strength of the Obaji blue peel, but works in a similar manner, exfoliating and reaching into the dermis to stimulate collagen production.

Cosmetic Laser – “Light amplification stimulated by the emission of radiation”

Laser hair removal – Lasers emit a gentle beam of light that passes through the epidermis to the hair follicle where it is absorbed. The power from the laser is converted into heat which paralyzes the hair follicle while leaving surrounding dermis unharmed. This method of hair removal eliminates 60 times the hair per procedure than electrolysis.

Laser Ablation – Or laser peel, laser rejuvenation, laser surgery, is the act of utilizing carbon dioxide (CO2), erbium, pulse dye or other laser to remove wrinkles, discolorations, age spots, and sun damaged epidermis or stimulate the body’s fibroblasts to “grow” collagen to treat the wrinkle from within. The laser is passed during the treatment area to eradicate wrinkles around the eyes and mouth or anywhere there are bothersome lines, hyperpigmentation or blemishes.

Laser Vein Removal – Laser therapy is usually a safe, potent, non -surgical procedure option for the removal of spider and small varicose veins. The treatment is completed by applying the laser on the vein to be removed. Brief light pulses are delivered to the vein, causing the vessel to coagulate and subsequently be absorbed by the body.

Lymphatic Drainage – In the 1930s, a Danish doctor, Hans Vodder, noticed the connection between swollen and blocked lymph glands and colds, infections and other ailments. Since the lymph system is designed to remove bacteria and toxins from the body, he reasoned that massaging the lymph system would improve the flow of lymph and benefit the patient. Together with his wife, a massage practitioner, they developed a specific technique which massages the lymph nodes and lymph system employing light rhythmic strokes. A characteristic of lymph system massage is that strokes are always with the muscle fiber, rather than cross -fiber, because the lymph system runs in the direction of the muscle fiber.

Medical Massage – Medical massage therapy focuses on assisting the body in its natural healing processes, Very specific massage modalities like cranial sacral, myofascial, lymphatic, neuromuscular, traeger, etc. fall under the category of medical massage.

Medical Scalp Procedure – Involving scalp biopsies and medical treatment utilizing minidoxil, hormones and steroid injections.

Laser Center – A facility that presents a merger of medical practice and spa therapies.

Microdermabrasion – Aluminum oxide crystals are deposited on the epidermis surface under pressure, similar to mild sandblasting, and suctioned away. Dead epithelial cells on the surface of the dermis and oily plugs in pores are removed. Collagen formation is stimulated by the mild, controlled injury.

Micropigmentation – Creates “permanent makeup” by implanting pigment granules below the treatment area for aesthetic or corrective reasons. Micropigmentation resembles a tattoo, in that needles penetrate the dermis a few millimeters, depositing the pigment. Micopigmentation subjects have their eyebrows, lashes, and lips done, or combat scarring and vitiligo.

Modified Jessner – This procedure is really a true chemical peel that will dissolve multiple epidermis layers of skin. It’s designed to take care of severe sun damage and to even out the surface of the dermis. Lines and wrinkles are vastly reduced.

Myofascial Massage – This is usually a form of bodywork that is manipulative in nature and employs long, slow, stretching strokes to release tension in the fascia, the tissues structure which lines and covers nearly everything inside and around our bodies.

Myontology – This form of facial toning through microcurrents has been used for Bells Palsy given that 1970. Now this revolutionary idea is being used to tone facial and body muscles, reduce signs of wrinkles and gives you a visible lift.

Naturopathy – Natural healing prescriptions which employ plants and flowers.

Nonablative Treatments – Procedure which does not remove the dermis and as such prospects to a wound in the second layer of epidermis – the dermis. The body’s response is to generate collagen.

Nutritional Analysis – The analysis of an individual’s eating habits and dietary needs.

Oriental Medicine – Personal health analysis usually completed by feeling one’s pulse on various areas of the body, examining one’s tongue and followed by acupressure and herbal recommendations so -as -to balance one’s energy (Chi).

Oxygen Therapy – Transporting large volumes of pure oxygen into tissues, accelerating the regeneration of skin cells. Oxygen therapy increases collagen and elastin, heals microfractures and fissures, and has anti -inflammatory effect on the dermis.

Peloid Therapy – The therapeutic employ and applications of muds.

Permanent Makeup – Permanent makeup utilizes a tattooing technique to insert pigments under the dermis layer of dermis (view micropigmentation)

Photorejuvenation – Pulse of light are transmitted through a small, smooth, flat glass hand piece that is gently placed in the epidermis. This is used to smooth wrinkles and diminish the appearance of age spots, broken capillaries and rosacea.

Positive Action Salt -a -Peel – This exclusive new system builds on conventional micro peel technology by adding a variety of integrated dermis care solutions and positive pressure salt abrasion for better improvements. Extraordinary for reducing the look of stretch marks, find lines/wrinkles, acne scars, sun damaged epidermis, age spots, uneven skin tone, and merely a ingenious dermis maintenance program. This quick “lunchtime” procedure allows you to resume normal functions immediately.

Pulse Point Therapy – Re -establishes communication between bones, organs, muscles, emotions and glands to build internal harmony.

Radio Wave – Using radio -frequency energy to heat the epidermis, the new Thermacool procedure causes beneath collagen to shrink and contract, resulting in a slight “mini lift”.

Salicylic Peel – A bet hydroxyl peel. It’s self -neutralizing and has limited penetration. Similar to the Glycolic peel, the Salicylic peel promotes the exfoliation of the outer surface of the skin.

Sclerotherapy Venulectasia – is the name for bothersome surface blue veins (venules). These are often referred to as “thread veins” and are smaller than varicose veins. A stron solution (the sclerosant) is injected directly into the venules causing inflammation of the walls of the vessel. The venules disappear over a few weeks to months.

Skin Bleaching – Active bleaching agents such as kojic acid and hydroquinone sometimes combined with glycolic acid is applied directly to freckles, age spots or other dark spots.

Soft Light Facial laser hair removal – Utilizing a patented carbon cream, this laser skin peel utilizes the light of the low -powered SoftLight nd:ND:YAG laser to gently exfoliate the dermis leaving it softer, smoother, and glowing. The large carbon particles in this specially formulated cream travel beneath the upper layers of the epidermis where the laser light gently evaporates them removing the harsh sun -damaged layers. Excellent for dark spots and improvement of skin tone.

Spa Dentistry – A facility whose dental program is under strict supervision of a licensed dentist providing dental procedures that integrate old fashioned and non -traditional dental and spa treatments such as massage, skincare, hand and foot treatments and body procedures.

Sugi Therapy – Utilizing the principles of Yin Yang, Five Elements and the Twelve Meridians this unique Korean solution to healing may curb generic illnesses.

TCA – This is often a non -toxic chemical peel, used for more than 30 years. A TCA peel causes top layers of skin cells to dry up and peel off revealing fresher, more youthful looking epidermis in 5 -7 days.

Thalassotherapy – Water procedures which use seawater, seaweed, algae, and sea air, an ancient Greek therapy.

Ultrasound – Ultrasound or ultrasonography is really a medical imaging technique which utilizes high frequency sound waves and their echoes. The ultrasound machine transmits high -frequency sound pulses into your body implementing a probe. The sound waves travel into your body and hit a boundary between tissues (e.g. between fluid and soft tissue, soft tissues and bone). Many of the sound waves get reflected back to the probe, while a lot of travel on further until they reach another boundary a get reflected. The reflected waves are picked up by the probe and relayed to the machine. The machine calculates the distance from the probe to the tissues or organ (boundaries) employing the speed of sound in tissues and the time of each of the echo’s return. The machine displays the distances and intensities of the echoes on the screen, forming a two dimensional image.

V -Beam Laser – Used to treat facial veins, leg veins, port wine stains, hermangioma, stretchmarks, scars, rosacea and warts.

Vein Removal Sclerotherapy -, a tiny needle is used to inject the skin with a medication that results in collapsing the veins, which are then reabsorbed. Veins is usually treated early, avoiding complications.

Vitamin Therapy – Vitamin therapy is the employ of specific vitamins in amounts that could be equal to or considerably greater than the endorsed daily allowance of RDA.

You’ll here all of these at you local medical center or laser clinic.

May 13, 2010

Medical Spa MD

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Medical Spa MD <MedicalSpaMD@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, May 13, 2010 at 2:26 AM
Subject: Medical Spa MD
To: medicalspamd@gmail.com

<a href="http://medicalspamd.com/the-blog/" title="(http://medicalspamd.com/the-blog/)” target=”_blank” style=”color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-size: 22px; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;”>Medical Spa MD


Allergan Q1 Profits: Botox, Dysport, Juvederm Ultra XC

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:24 AM PDT

Allergan's Q1 Earnings Call: Allergan's thoughts on it's Botox and Juvederm Ultra XC growth.

You might want to visit our Select Partner Medical Spa RX after reading this.

First quarter sales increased year-over-year 11.2% in dollars and 6.9% in local currencies, boosted by the strong pickup in the sales of medical devices, which grew 18.4% in dollars and 13.4% in local currencies. The growth in the Medical Aesthetics businesses was even stronger outside the U.S. in all regions and across a wide range of countries, with surprisingly strong performance in Europe.

Operating performance was strong, with non-GAAP earnings per share at $0.65, marking an increase of 18.2% versus the result for Q1 of 2009, and comfortably exceeding the Q1 expectations shared with you, the investment community, of $0.57 to $0.59.

Earnings growth was driven by strong gross margin expansion, especially in the Medical Device segment. Careful spending in the selling, general administrative area, whilst we increased investment in R&D by 11.1% on a non-GAAP.

Within SG&A, we however doubled our DTC expenditures versus Q1 of 2009, which of course was the low watermark for spending when the world economy was in crisis. Our plan is to continue to invest in 2010 across our brands and into the recovery of our markets.

During the quarter, we were pleased that we continued to strengthen our R&D pipeline, supplementing our internally development programs with acquisitions and licenses. In January, we acquired Serica, a company with proprietary technology for use in tissue regeneration especially applicable to breast reconstruction, as well as the license for Ser-120 in Phase III clinical development for nocturia. Strategically, we have made good progress in building up a portfolio of urology assets.

We also furthered our aspirations to be the leader in medical aesthetics also in Asia, by reacquiring the rights to BOTOX Cosmetic in Japan and China and expanded our footprint in fast-growing emerging markets by establishing direct operations for all of our businesses in Turkey, effective from the second quarter.

After the out-licensing transaction with Bristol-Myers for neuropathic pain, we've increased our degree of R&D focus on our core specialty areas.

Now I’d like to comment on our expectations for 2010. For the full year earnings outlook, we have brought up the bottom of the EPS range by $0.02 to $3.11 and have left the top end of the range at $3.15 which at the time of the last earnings call expressly excluded the costs of any healthcare reform bill in the United States. With the increase of the Medicaid rebate, extension to managed Medicaid and expansion of eligible hospitals in the so-called 340B program, we estimate that the cost of healthcare reform in 2010 will be approximately $12 million. This is now included in our outlook.

Turning to BOTOX

Sales growth has picked up relative to trends seen across 2009, with growth versus the first quarter of 2009 at 11.3% in dollars and at 6.6% in local currencies. Sales of $331 million were only modestly lower sequentially than Q4, which is always seasonally the highest quarter of the year. Most of this increase was due to the more economically sensitive aesthetic side of the business, as the benefits of the upper-limb spasticity FDA approval in March occurred too late in the quarter to contribute to our sales results.

Outside the U.S., we enjoyed very strong double-digit increases across a wide range of countries, with surprisingly strong growth in several of the main European markets. These global markets are precisely where we are successfully dealing with multiple competitors.

It would therefore seem that the market is recovering as we can measure our market share with only a short time lag. In Europe, on the aesthetic side, we’re holding share at just under 80%, as we deal with the incursions of both Merck’s, with their Zymine and Bocatua [ph] brands and Galderma with Azzalure.

On the therapeutic side, it seems that most of ZMM’s market share gains have been at the expense of Dysport. In the U.S., BOTOX sales growth is less buoyant, as there was no base of Dysport sales in the prior year, but it is clear that the market is growing again.

We estimate that in the aesthetic market, Dysport had somewhere between 13% and 14% share in the first quarter. We'll be curious to see the lasting impact of the Dysport Love It or Leave It promotion after it terminates at the end of May.

In the therapeutic market, Dysport’s share is so far negligible, given the long history and experience of BOTOX use. In Europe and the U.S., we have recently introduced a 200-unit vial, which is useful for injectors treating large muscle groups, as well as for differentiation from competition. Regarding global market share for the fourth quarter, the last quarter for which data is available, we estimate that BOTOX held 79% share in a market growing 13% year-over-year.

Regarding the clinical program for BOTOX for chronic migraine, the clinical trial results of our PREEMPT program were published in Cephalalgia, the journal of the International Headache Society. Regarding facial aesthetics, we've experienced an even stronger rebound in sales than observed with BOTOX. Dermal filler sales grew year-over-year, a very strong 42.4% in dollars, and 34.5% in local currencies, with great growth in all operating regions of the world, with Europe again surprising on the upside.

Juvederm & Juvederm Ultra XC

In the U.S., we've seen huge growth in the JUVÉDERM line since the launch of JUVÉDERM Ultra XC, this is the lidocaine-containing product, in early February. Although we have gained some market share, it would seem that the market is responding strongly to the reduction in treatment pain experienced with this lidocaine-containing product and already a substantial share of the mix is attributable to JUVÉDERM Ultra XC.

We have just initiated print advertising for JUVÉDERM XC and have a PR campaign with TV host Dayna Devon, as our spokesperson to further drive growth. In Europe, we launched new additions to the JUVÉDERM product line, JUVÉDERM Smile at the IMCAS Conference in Paris in January and JUVÉDERM Hydrate at the Anti-Aging Conference in Monaco in March. JUVÉDERM Smile was also approved in South Africa, JUVÉDERM XC in Korea and JUVÉDERM Ultra Plus in Taiwan.

Voluma was recently launched in Brazil and also approved in Taiwan.

Based on our analysis of the world market in Q4, which we estimate grew 12%, it is clear that global market growth has accelerated since then. Our analysis also points to JUVÉDERM market share gains in all regions of the world. Beyond superior product performance characteristics, Allergan also benefits from having full product line.

At the end of the first quarter, Allergan's cash and cash net of debt positions totaled approximately $2 billion and $471 million, respectively. Allergan continued to maintain exceptional cash flow generation capabilities in the first quarter, with operating cash flow after capital expenditures of approximately $161 million, an increase of approximately $56 million over the first quarter of 2009.

Fake Botox: Houston physician sentenced

Posted: 12 May 2010 07:42 AM PDT

The fake Botox case in Houston comes to a close with this sentence handed down.

A Houston, Texas physician was sentenced to five months and 15 days in federal prison and three years of supervised release for injecting patients with fake Botox, prosecutors said on Friday.

Dr. Gayle Rothenberg is a local physician specialized in providing image enhancement services. She was also ordered to pay $98,426 in restitution to her affected patients. As a condition of supervised release, Rothenberg is prohibited from seeking reinstatement of her medical license.

Rothenberg and her former husband, Saul Gower, a local attorney, operated The Center for Image Enhancement located at 2000 Bering Drive in Houston.

Rothenberg ordered and administered a drug called Botulinum Toxin Type A that was labeled with the warning “FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, NOT FOR HUMAN USE.” Despite this label, Rothenberg injected more than 170 patients with the substance and represented to patients that they were receiving Botox Cosmetic, manufactured by Allergan Inc.

Rothenberg also admitted that she advertised in brochures, magazines and websites that she specialized in treating facial wrinkles with Botox Cosmetic, even though she intentionally stopped ordering it due to the price increase in 2004 and began ordering the unapproved drug from a company named Toxin Research International because it was half the price of the other. She admitted that she did not tell her patients that they were receiving a different substance.

Gower pleaded guilty in 2008 to misbranding of a drug while being held for sale and making false statements to an agent. He then, cooperated with agents and testified against his ex-wife in exchange for a sentence of 4 years’ probation.

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April 20, 2010

Are Some Doctors Selling Fake Botox To Their Patients?

The Houston physician, Dr. Gayle Rothenberg was sentenced to 5 ½ months in Federal prison last month for treating men and women with some counterfeited injectable never recognized by the Food and Drug Administration for use.

Apparently Rothenberg treated around one hundred seventy patients utilizing fake Botox. As per testimony, Rothenberg ceased using Botox Cosmetic following a new cost increase in January 04 and started off buying that bogus stuff that was fifty percent of the cost even though being aware it was not designed for human utilization .

In 2004, as a number of people became paralyzed at the hands of that phony junk, the FDA’s input has contributed to 31 arrests as well as 29 convictions of people marketing and advertising the false Botox. In addition to her prison sentence, former doctor Rothenberg will need to pay off more than $98,000 in restitution to clientele and may not reinstate her revoked Texas medical license.

The circumstance of Gayle Rothenberg is not any different than the example of Laurie D’Alleva, the other fine resident of Tx charged with selling fake Botox. Thus far this instance has yet to be prosecuted .

The prevalent similarities between the two are that both of these people appeared to be inspired by greed to risk individuals for economic gain. Laurie’s scenario is particularly intriguing to me based on opinions posted on Medical Spa MD. Here is an individual that appears to be deemed by her clientele as a “business person” who was performing “good service” for consumers which believed that Botox Cosmetic had been too expensive due to the fact greedy MDs were charging too much for their Botox. Even while Laurie seems to be viewed by many as some nurturing individual helping to make Botox reasonable to the public, public discourse about Dr. Rothenberg is somewhat the reverse. Responses such as “5-1/2 months? Justice is not only blind, it’s stupid. (and maybe corrupt) “ and “That sentence is not even one day of confinement for every defrauded patient!.” I think the same option as the above several remarks, but precisely why is public sentiment different with these two con-artists? Could it be due to the fact one may be a MD and one is not?

On my own, I find it relatively unacceptable that the buying price of Botox has doubled since its introduction. I was really excited as soon as Dysport became available due to the fact I imagined that Dysport should be 50 percent the price and might drive the price of Botox downward so extra patients can afford it. Sadly, that hasn’t been the situation. While MDs and medical spas must pay much more for Botox, and so do the clients. These kinds of raising prices allow persons like D’alleva and Dr. Rothenberg to find shady Botox they can buy at a more cost-effective price in order to create a larger profit while sacrificing patient safety. d’Alleva’s “botox” price was probably pennies on the dollar, while a doctor’s cost for Botox can be now at $600 for each container.

Eventually a different business selling Botox may come along, secure Food and Drug Administration endorsement and push the price of Botox to a affordable price for physicians to be able to order for their patients. Till then, brace for more Laurie d’Allevas and Rothenberg’s to come along.

First posted on Medical Spa MD: The Price Of Fake Botox

April 16, 2010

Medical Spa Website SEO

If you are new to “link building”, it really isn’t as hard as it seems.

Basically, link building is just a link from another website back to your own medical spa or laser clinic. The more back links your site has, the higher it will rank on the major search engines.

Link building can be very time consuming, but the FrontDesk SEO tool can really help you go out there and find the sites you should be listed on. This saves you a tremendous amount of time.

Because you will be resubmitting the same text over and over again, make yourself a document that you can keep all of your submission text on. This should include your Page Title, your website’s URL address, a brief description of your practice, and important keywords. Website submissions also ask for a name of the submitter and email address. I would suggest setting up a email address with Google or Yahoo, one that you only use for submissions, this way your personal email won’t become inundated with confirmation and/or spam emails as a result of your submissions.

There are several types of link building methods you can do. Some are just basic data submissions, and some are blog and article submissions. I will describe the differences amongst the major link building methods:

Article Submission

There are directories on the web designed just for submitting articles and some for writing blogs. When you submit something you wrote about your practice or even a particular therapy you offer, you can attach hyperlinks to keywords in your article that direct the reader back to your website. Some quality sites are Squidoo, Hubpages, Blogger, and Wordpress.com. Let me show you how this works with just one line taken from a blog I wrote on my own blogpost:

“It’s your body and you do have to be careful of who you choose to perform your laser lipo procedure. While no physician can have a 100% satisfaction rate, don’t be afraid to ask questions about how long a physician has been performing these procedures, who they trained with, how many procedures do they perform a month, and also if they have any satisfied patients you can chat with. Also, it’s important to ask to see a before and after photo book with their patients, and not someone else’s.”

By choosing a keyword you think your reader would be interested in, you can immediately direct them right to that page on your website with the hyperlinks.

Google considers a “Yahoo Directory” link as a quality back link. Unfortunately, they charge an annual fee of $300. It may be worth submitting to; however, there is no guarantee from Yahoo Directory that your site will be accepted.

Directory Submission

DMOZ is a directory worth submitting your site to. DMOZ is an Open Directory Project (ODP) mainly known as DMOZ which stands for “directory.mozilla.org” and is owned by Netscape. While DMOZ can substantially increase your SEO ranking, it’s tough to receive their approval and the entire process could take months. If you are fortunate enough to receive their approval, many smaller directories use the DMOZ directory categories so if you can become listed with DMOZ this would mean you would also become listed on many other web directories as well.
There are other major directories you can submit to such as the BOTW (Best Of The Web) directory ($99/year or $299/permanent).

Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking is changing in it’s effectiveness all the time. In social bookmarking websites, users save links publicly (not personally on their own computers) to web pages that they want to store and/or share with others. Usually, these bookmarks are shared within an individual “group” someone may subscribe to (such as “Laser Hair Removal”). You can add descriptions to your bookmarks in the form of metadata, or meta tags, so that other users can understand what the content is of your bookmark without having to download it beforehand. Different types of “descriptions” can include comments or even reader’s votes (favorable or not – like on YouTube or Digg). Again, great SEO software makes this process relatively easy.

Blog Commenting

MedicalSpaMD is a blog and, like most blogs, it is highly susceptible to spammers like we have all seen and Jeff so diligently tries to eliminate on a daily basis as it can be a true nuisance for people like us who use this site as a valuable tool for your practices.

If you want to find blogs to participate in and comment on, try to find quality blogs that are related to what you do as a profession. Again, website SEO can help with this. And when you add your comments, try to make them content-relative because not only do your comments add value to the blogpost in general, they also have greater chance of staying on the blogpost with a link back to your website.

Press Releases

Press Releases have worked well for me, and I’m not too proud to say that I didn’t write the ones that really worked. There are a lot of good and bad example press releases out there and I am no exception. Writing a quality press release is an art and, frankly, I don’t have the talent for them and pay someone else to do it. Let me give you an example of my own good and bad press release experiences.

While this press release still continues to give my website hits, all it is is words: Paula’s Bad Example

Now look at the one I paid for. It includes a photo, links and even video: Paula’s Good Example

If writing a good press release including videos and back links is not your forte, then it’s worth it to farm it out. Just writing a good press release is half the battle. Submitting it to the right press release agencies that will index it effectively for you is the other half.

Social Media Sites

Social Media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube work very well by providing quality and relevant back links to your site that all the major search engines love.

So, this is back linking in a nutshell and we can really go deeper into the categories, but I fear you will become bored or even glassy-eyed if you’re not a geek like me. So if you don’t have someone out there performing these activities for you and you really are serious about your web presence, you really might want to take a look at FrontDesk SEO and see what it can do for you. Just remember, building links doesn’t increase your website’s internet presence overnight. It does take some time, like my good friend Jeff keeps reminding me! In a world of available “instant results”, it’s hard to be patient sometimes!

April 7, 2010

Safer Plastic Surgery

Safeguards For Your Simple Cosmetic Medical Treatment

The days are gone when plastic surgery was only for the rich and famous as well as being something that you had to hide under the floor boards. Now, it’s appreciated and even in vogue to get plastic surgery. Individuals do it for many factors – to help feel good about themselves, to get rid of some form of medical problem, or just to shed weight expediently. What ever the reason why, it is critical for you to agree to common health and safety procedures since even though it’s cosmetic, any hazards are certainly not. So until you consent to alter your physical appearance, here is just what you need to do:

Locate a licensed surgeon: The most beneficial thing to consider in plastic surgery isn't the fee; it’s precisely how knowledgeable your surgeon is. You’re getting this since you would like to enhance your physical appearance, and it is solely having a highly regarded and proven physician that can you make sure that the outcomes are as anticipated. So even should you are required to fork out a lot more, pick a physician who is certified and capable to do aesthetic surgery as well as someone that has experience within the specific surgery that you're interested by.

Insist on a comfortable office: Cosmetic surgery is like every medical procedure in that you'll be under the effect of anesthesia and you'll go through blood loss. Consequently, just in case anything at all goes wrong, it is ideal to have your surgical treatments conducted at a hospital at which crisis care can be obtained over a 24×7 basis. But if the procedure will be scheduled at a private aesthetic surgical practice, find out about healthcare services which are near by and where you possibly can get urgent care .

Stick to guidelines: And finally, it is very important to stay within your doctor’s guidance before and following the treatment. You could have to stop smoking cigarettes and/or stop specific drugs (if you’re on prescription medications). Additionally, after the procedure is conducted, you might be in a reasonable amount of discomfort, but seek advice from your physician before you decide to commence taking painkillers by yourself. It may very well be a while before you begin witnessing benefits, notably with liposuction and other surgical treatments performed on the facial skin, so you must be patient. You may also be required to undertake physiotherapy in some cases, so check with a medical expert in order to give you all the information prior to deciding to sign on the dotted line.

It may very well be cosmetic, but the perils exist simply because it’s surgery in the end. But if you ever take on the essential safeguards plus stick to recommendations, there’s no need to worry about aesthetic surgery.

By-line: The guest article is written by Teresa Jackson, she writes on online nurse practitioner school.

March 25, 2010

Wholesale Botox From Canada

Wholesale Botox from Canada is becoming increasingly sought after as a provider to medical professionals operating laser clinics and laser clinics in both Canada as well as America.

The reason is easy. Cost. Wholesale Botox from Canada is only about 40% of the cost of Botox purchases through pharmacies in America.

So let’s take a look at what Botox is and why it’s a favorite treatment in laser clinics, skin clinics, and laser clinics.

 So, what is Botox?

Botox is the brand name of a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. In large amounts, this toxin can cause botulism, which you most likely associate with food poisoning. Despite the fact that one from the a lot of serious complications of botulism is paralysis, scientists have discovered a way to use it to human advantage. Small, diluted amounts could be directly injected into specific muscles causing controlled weakening from the muscles.

The Food and Drug Administration approved such usage in the late 1980s upon the discovery that Botox could stop ailments like blepharospasm (uncontrolled blinking) and strabismus (lazy eye). Cosmetic physicians have been using Botox for years to successfully treat wrinkles and facial creases. In April 2002, Botox gained Food approval for treatment of moderate-to-severe frown lines between the eyebrows – called glabellar lines. Nevertheless, Botox is often used ‘off label’ for other areas from the face as competently.

How Does Botox Work?

Botox blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles. The injected muscle can no longer contract, which causes the wrinkles to relax and soften.

It is a lot of often used on forehead lines, crow’s feet (lines around the eye) and frown lines. Wrinkles caused by sun damage and gravity will not respond to Botox.

How Is usually a Botox Treatment Performed?

The treatment takes only a few minutes and no anesthesia is required. Botox is injected with a fine needle into specific muscles with only minor discomfort. It generally takes three to seven days to take full effect and it is best to avoid alcohol at least one week prior to procedure. Aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications should be stopped two weeks before procedure as correctly in order to reduce bruising.

How Long Does a Botox Injection Last?

The effects from Botox will last four to six months. As muscle action gradually returns, the lines and wrinkles begin to re-appear and wrinkles need to be re-treated. The lines and wrinkles often appear less severe with time because the muscles are being trained to relax.

What Are the Side Effects of Botox?

Temporary bruising is the nearly all common side effect. Headaches, which resolve in 24-48 hours, can occur, but this is rare. A small percentage of patients may develop eyelid drooping. This usually resolves in three weeks. This development is usually caused by migration from the Botox and for this reason, you shouldn’t rub the treated area for 12 hours after injection or lay down for three to four hours. There have been no allergies associated with Botox to date.

Who Should Not Receive Botox Injection?

Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a neurological disease should not use Botox. Since Botox doesn’t work for all wrinkles, a consultation with a doctor is recommended.

Will My Insurance Spend For My Botox?

Insurance coverage varies for Botox injections, depending largely on the healthcare necessity of your condition. Botox is not generally covered by insurance when utilized for cosmetic purposes. Check with your insurance carrier for coverage details.

Is wholesale Botox from Canda different?

The short answer is no, all Botox is made to the same standards in the same production plant. There’s no difference in the Botox from Canada, and Botox from other places. The longer answer is that Botox that is not intended for sale specifically in the US is not technicaly ‘FDA approved’.

March 17, 2010

Do It Yourself & Outsource SEO From Frontdesk

New announcement from Medical Spa MD.

Frontdesk SEO is Medical Spa MD’s newest Select Partner.

View the announcement here.

Frontdesk offers do-it-yourself SEO software that lets you use your front desk staff to market your business. (They offer outsource SEO as well.) You can start for as little as $59 a month which is killer.

If you haven’t already, run a free SEO report on your website and see where you rank according to the major search engines.

This is the same system that we use at Medical Spa MD to keep our #1 rankings in all of the major search engines and I can’t say enough about the back end and how easy it is to use and works eaqually well for any business or web site. And, if you want to kick it up a notch, the have outsourcing options that use their SEO experts to do the work.

February 10, 2010

Zerona Lasers

There’s a fantastic post on Zerona lasers here.

December 31, 2009

Breast Augmentation + Liposuction: Venezuelans commonly borrow for plastic surgery.

Venezuelans commonly borrow for plastic surgery.

In the subway you can see ads for clinics that offer credit for plastic surgery, Thermage, Fraxel, laser hair removal, breast augmentation, laser treatments and Botox treatments, and that women who work use their vacation bonuses and borrow from their work savings accounts. The cosmetic surgery and medical spa industry will make sure that cosmetic work remains within reach to ensure a steady flow of income.

plastic surgery marketing & advertising

THE NEED TO BE BEAUTIFUL

Despite the hefty price tag, the choice to get plastic surgery, Botox, or laser treaments is not considered a luxury for some Venezuelans.

“We need to be beautiful,” said Patino.

Competition among women, by far the biggest consumers of plastic surgery in Venezuela, to look their best is fierce, and social pressure to get work done is high.

“Socially, there is a lot of demand, especially from men, to have a good body,” said Prem Pratita, a 27-year-old who had a breast augmentation a few weeks ago.

In this image-conscious country, famous for beauty queens who win record numbers of international pageant titles, the idea of getting cosmetic surgery is instilled at a young age.

Patino recalls how, as a child, her mother and aunt dreamt of surgery to get rid of wrinkles. Now, with a child of her own, the subject is already on the table.

“I told my husband, ‘Look honey, if she has your nose, she’s going to get plastic surgery,’” said Patino.

Some young women even describe moving up a few cup sizes through plastic surgery as a rite of passage.

“It’s a transformation from being a girl to being a woman,” said Pratita, who said she was one of the last in her circle of friends to have the procedure.

“Everybody has a breast augmentation. Three or four of every seven women have one,” said plastic surgeon Angel Pena, who likens his surgery to body decoration practiced for centuries.

“By nature, human beings have the desire to look better … this desire is timeless and it’s a desire that doesn’t depend on your economic situation … it’s not that frivolous.”

Miss Argentia dies after Brazilian Buttlift.

Plastic surgery marketing in Argentina is booming, with medical spa advertising a common experience for Argentine women. Plastic surgery advertising is seen as putting tremendous pressure on wome to have proceedures like liposuction, breast augmentation, and Brazilian Buttlifts.

The result is sometimes a tragedy, like the death of Solance Magnano, a former Miss Argentina.

From a news story.

38-year-old former Miss Argentina Solange Magnano died after complications arising from plastic surgery on her buttocks.

Solange Magnano, the 1994 winner and a mother of 8-year-old twins, died of pulmonary embolism Sunday three days after having a gluteoplasty, a procedure that involves placing implants to enhance firmness. News of her death shocked her fans. The cause of her death was under investigation, the authorities said. Officials said the injected liquid went into her lungs and brain.    

In the past half decade, the number of people seeking plastic surgery in Argentina has soared by 60 percent, to around 50,000. Estimates say that 1 in 30 Argentines has gone under the knife, making plastic surgeons in Argentina some of the most experienced on the globe, attracting large number of medical tourists.

Medical tourism in Argentina has seen a huge jump over the past decade, and is projected to be a 100 billion dollar global industry by 2010, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a U.S. research center focused on trends in the health care system.

What a tremendous waste. Perhaps the worst quote of the story is that the ‘injected liquid went into her lungs and brain’.