Plastic Surgery 2009: New Treatments on the Horizon

Botox, Liposuction Comments (1)

The current economy is certainly causing many more people to have frown lines on their faces.

While 4.7 million used the wrinkle eraser Botox in 2007 to remove some of those lines, the future looks rosy with new substances that may come into use during 2009.

Here are a few:

Reloxin: tests are going well in France on this substance which is very much like Botox. Known as Dysport, it’s used in 23 nations and does the same thing as Botox – relaxes facial nerves that cause deep wrinkling and frown lines. What’s new? It acts quicker and lasts longer than Botox which has yet another competitor in testing: PurTox.

Revance Therapeutics, Inc. is developing a gel containing the same substance as Botox and Reloxin. The difference? This substance is spread on, not injected into, the skin. (Read more about Botox competitors.)

Plastic surgeons may get an upgrade for Liposuction treatments, too.

A new type of fat removal treatment based on freezing fat cells is now undergoing testing. Known as cryolipolysis, the method involves placing a metal plate on fatty areas for five to 20 minutes and reducing the temperature…but not enough to damage skin.

U.S. studies are being held at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital.  So far, doctors have learned the method has the most effect in thick, fat areas with less effect in lean areas. The major difference? This form of liposuction would not break skin.

Yet another form of liposuction farther out on the horizon is blasting fat cells with jets of high-pressure water.

According to Walter Tork, M.D. at the World Congress on Liposuction the new technique, Water Assisted Liposuction (WAL) is faster, causes less bleeding, bruising and nerve damage. Moreover, the technique is based on the water pressure surgeries of internal organs, first used in the 1980s.

Dr. Tork claims 100  human cases of WAL under his belt.

Human Med of Schwerin, Germany, maker of WAL equipment, says it hopes to have a U.S. presence in 2009.

admin @ January 2, 2009