Sponsored By: Aesthetics Biomedical
Aesthetic meetings have forever changed, and a new normal has emerged, according to dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD, founder of Ava MD Dermatology (Santa Monica, Calif.) and SkinFive (Pacific Palisades, Calif.).
Dr. Shamban shared her recent experience as a speaker and faculty member at Perspectives: The Evolution of Aesthetics presented by Aesthetics Biomedical (Phoenix, Ariz.), a unique boutique style in-person and virtual hybrid for-mat symposium. This symposium was held at the Omni Orlando Championsgate Resort in Orlando, Fla., and was designed to be an interactive exchange of personal perspectives and conversations focusing on hot topics, the latest aesthetic trends, combination therapies, disruptive technologies and marketing strategies.
“The strength of the meeting is that it is experiential. You have a curated selection of energy-based devices, skincare and other services,” Dr. Shamban expressed. “You don’t get overwhelmed by having too many products or technologies to evaluate. It is a bit like best in show. Another strength is you can experience each of these treatments onsite. You can receive a Vivace RF (radiofrequency) microneedling treatment, a PlasmaMD treatment, or a
HydraFacial treatment. You can have your blood drawn and make your own personalized SoME Skincare. So, you can really experience technology in a way that you would not at another meeting.
”MaryAnn Guerra, Aesthetics Biomedical’s founder and chief executive officer said she loved how excited attendees were when they experienced treatments. “I also loved the feedback we received, saying that the format of our symposium was just what the industry needed – a smaller meeting, offering the ability to actually spend time with the speakers throughout the conference and to really gain an intimate knowledge of the products discussed and where the aesthetic field is going,” she stated.
Speakers focused on giving attendees information for staying ahead of the game with credible data and shared experiences. Mrs. Guerra noted the importance of reliability and trust. “As we talk to physicians and providers, we have noticed quite a bit of ‘misinformation in the market by individuals and companies trying to sell their products. At Aesthetics Biomedical, we pride ourselves on the science and data behind our products and ensuring that our practice partners have access to this information,” she emphasized. “This symposium allowed us to establish this foundation and to build on it with outstanding thought leaders in the field, not simply our KOLs and product users.”
Superior RF Microneedling
Vivace offers several vital differentiators in the RF microneedling space, according to Dr. Shamban, who presented “What Differentiates the Industry-Leading RF Microneedling Device, Vivace?”The system operates by a precision robotic arm, eliminating varying pressure from the operator’s hand. With Vivace, treatment depth is predetermined and creates a virtually pain-free experience compared to any device in providers’ offices.“I believe the engineering of the actual robotic arm is superior to other devices,” Dr. Shamban said. “You can vary from 1 MHz to 2 MHz depending on what your goal is. And you can treat a variety of conditions, skin types, skin colors and ethnicities.”Finding that Right Combination According to cosmetic dermatologist Jason Emer, MD, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., diversity was a focus of the symposium. Diversity is a concept that addresses the need to treat patients of different skin colors and ethnicities and emphasizes using diverse technologies and treatments to meet patients aesthetic expectations."
It is important to talk about using Vivace with other companies’ lasers, devices or peels because combinations are what give us better results,” Dr. Emer noted. “It is about accepting that no one technology is going to be able to improve everything the way the patient wants. Color and texture are treated one way. Skin tightening another way.”
Dr. Emer, who presented on the panel discussion “Combination Therapies,” said he often combines RF microneedling with other treatments, including his Aerify Complexion Kit. The Aerify Complexion Kit is a medical-grade,at-home peel kit and part of Dr. Emer’s Emerage Skincare line to help heal and improve results.“For people with acne scars and darker skin tones, or sensitive skin types, like Asian skin types, we’ll use the microneedling RF combined with a lighter laser or even a [more in-vasive] laser if they are ok with having some downtime,” he noted.
Monica Bonakdar, MD, a board-certified laser surgeon and aesthetic specialist in Newport Beach, Calif., also presented on the Combination Therapies panel and shared that she is a big believer in combining treatments. For example, she has long combined Vivace RF microneedling with intense pulsed light (IPL) and more recently began combining the microneedling treatment with the superficial CO2 laser.
Dr. Bonakdar shared her excitement about the treatment saying that “we get great results and are able to quickly transfer patients into our clinical spa with our aestheticians for facials and skincare.”
According to Dr. Bonakdar, facial rejuvenation is no longer a one-and-done type of treatment, and patients prefer it that way. “They would rather have treatments with no social downtime and that no one can tell they have had,”she explained.
Personalized Autologous PRP Skincare
Another win for aesthetic practices is the integration of SoME Skincare, the first Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)-based at-home skincare product.“
You would think it’s bologna, but SoME Skincare actually has science behind it,” Dr. Shamban emphasized. Science that has been confirmed by Zoe Draelos, MD, who is the platinum standard of skincare research. “It really shows beneficial effects. I’m bullish on SoME Skincare,” Dr. Shamban added.
SoME Skincare involves taking the patient’s blood, extracting the PRP, and mixing it with a cosmetically elegant base. The patient goes home with three months’ worth of skincare and a mini beauty refrigerator for storage, according to Dr. Bonakdar. Having SoME Skincare as an option has helped Dr. Bonakdar brand herself as the expert who is always looking for the best technology, regardless of the cost. “
SoME Skincare is not the skincare for everyone. It is on the pricey side of things. But it is important to be different than every other medical spa around the corner, and this has helped me to brand myself,” she said.
They’re Back
Having the option to watch meetings virtually is essential today, according to Dr. Shamban, who will attend many meetings from the comfort of her home or practice. But she plans to return, in person, to next year’s Perspectives: The Evolution of Aesthetics symposium.
Dr. Shamban wants others to know that “this type of meeting is going to be the future. Just walking through exhibit halls with your eyes glazed over, people handing you pamphlets, and music blaring is just not realistic any more.”
