The Hot Topics in Aesthetics Session took place on Day One of the South Beach Symposium (SBS) and was led by expert plastic surgeon, Z. Paul Lorenc, MD. He was joined by Ronda S. Farah, MD, Glynis R. Ablon, MD, and SBS co-chair, Michael H. Gold, MD.
Cosmetic Procedures and the Eyes
Dr. Lorenc started the session with a discussion on cosmetic procedures and the eyes. He spoke specifically about blepharochalasis and the use of the Agnes RF, a new device that he has begun to use in his practice. To start, Dr. Lorenc reiterated the need to have knowledge of anatomy with any procedure, including those around the eyes. Knowing anatomy leads to increased confidence in the procedure as well as the device being used. He went on to demonstrate how he treats patients with blepharochalasis with a walk-through video of one of his patients. Throughout the video, Dr. Lorenc shared his tips on best practices, before sharing some of his patients’ pre and post-images.
LGBTQ+ Patients and Aesthetics
Dr. Farah then took over with a talk on LGBTQ+ patients and aesthetics. She started by providing some background on terminology and statistical data relating to gender-diverse patients. She reminded attendees that not all patients necessarily want to appear more masculine or more feminine and to always ask them for their preferences. Dr. Farah then reviewed some of the anatomical differences that can be addressed with surgery, before looking more closely at some of the options available to patients who require hair growth or removal.
Topical Exosomes
The session on topical exosomes was covered by Dr. Ablon who began by pointing out the differences between stem cells and exosomes, before going on to explain how exosomes are obtained. She mentioned that exosomes are currently being derived from bone marrow or umbilical cord stem cells. Dr. Ablon also spoke about some of the techniques used to extract exosomes, highlighting some of the difficulties and challenges associated with these processes. Dr. Ablon then took participants through some of the components of exosomes, explaining that they can be separately engineered for skin or hair signaling, or other areas, depending on the particular target.
New Indications for Energy-Based Devices
The final topic, new indications for energy-based devices, was led by Dr. Gold. He discussed several devices including the Ultraclear laser system, which he stated can be used for all skin types, for a variety of treatments, and does not require numbing for most of them. Dr. Gold also took participants through Softwave’s Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam Technology, SUPERB™. He revealed that in January 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared this device for cellulite, adding this to its list of indications. He also introduced the new microneedling device, Reverso, highlighting its variable pulse profile as what makes it stand out from other devices, before moving on to talk about Sylfirm X, the next generation of bipolar RF microneedling, and various other energy-based devices. He ended with a closer look at Opulus, a device that also serves as a method of customized skin care.
