In Focus: Blurred Lines

New Program Educates Consumers on Proper Training for Providing Cosmetic In jectable Treatments

The ExpertInjector™ Program, which was created by NewBeauty magazine and recently endorsed by the American Society for Dermatology Surgery (ASDS), is designed to help consumers identify and choose an injector based on credentials. Physicians with the ExpertInjector™ designation are board-certified dermatologists, plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, or oculoplastic surgeons who have demonstrated extreme due diligence regarding patient safety, reliable results, and consumer education. ExpertInjectors™ have the training and expertise in their approved core residencies and/or through additional post-graduate medical education to make them highly qualified to perform injectable procedures that require a keen understanding of the underlying anatomy and possible complications. “Nearly any doctor can take a weekend crash course in injectables,” said Steffanie Attenberg, Vice President and Group Publisher of NewBeauty magazine, about the new program. “He or she can perform a procedure without receiving the necessary hands-on training or proper understanding of what's needed to reduce any risks and ensure the best results— a scary thought considering the growing popularity of injectable procedures in the US. That's why it's important to choose a doctor who is properly qualified to perform injectable procedures and only administers products that are FDA-approved.”

Patient response to plastic surgery Marketing efforts offers new insight

When it comes to advertising and cosmetic surgery, patients' perceptions are shaped by many factors, according to a new study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal (May 2013). To evaluate the variables, characteristics, and presentation features that make print advertisements most effectively pique the interest of individuals selecting a plastic surgeon, investigators administered an online survey to individuals with active interest in plastic surgery. Participants were presented with five different advertisements from plastic surgeons throughout the country and were asked a series of both closed- and open-ended questions to assess verity, quality, and marketability of each advertisement. The most frequent themes identified in all five ads were “Being beautiful is possible” (41 percent), “I could be beautiful” (24 percent), “Some people need surgery to be beautiful” (16 percent), and “Being beautiful is important” (14 percent). Another notable finding was that the advertisement receiving the highest overall preference rating featured no pre- or post-treatment photography, no physician photography, and a listing of the three physicians' credentials, but not a list of the services provided.

Organization promotes safe, ethical Aesthetic Procedures

Doctors for the Practice of Safe and Ethical Aesthetic Medicine is an organization dedicated to providing patients with safe, high-quality, expert physician-directed aesthetic medical treatments. The organization emphasizes the importance of physicians examining patients before the initial treatment, as well as disclosing to each patient the level of licensure of the individuals performing or supervising the procedure. To learn more about the organization or to join, visit www.safeandethicaldoctors.org.