Archive for category: Clinical Reviews

How to Find the Best Laser Clinics in Australia

You can find laser clinics throughout Australia. However, they are not all equal or interchangeable. Some clinics do not hold their standards high enough when it comes to safety, customer satisfaction and quality of services. You do not want to take any chances of something going wrong with any medical treatment, cosmetic or otherwise, so you need to determine the best laser clinics before you arrive at your appointment for services.

Contact the Clinic

The fastest way to determine the quality of a clinic is to book an appointment and see how you are treated throughout the initial contacts with their staff. Is the person booking the appointment professional and responsive? When you visit for a consultation do you feel comfortable that you are in good hands? Often our instincts can detect red flags indicating poor quality of service; it is just a matter of listening to that inner voice.

Word of Mouth and Firsthand Referral

In some cases, you may not realise that the services or products do not meet quality standards until you have a negative experience. The best way to avoid this is spending time researching the laser clinics in your area of Australia. Look for information on the clinic’s website, and call them up to ask questions if you cannot find all of the information you need online. If you have not been personally referred to the clinic, you may even want to ask to speak to some of their patients to hear firsthand accounts of their experience.

Indicators of Quality for an Australian Laser Clinic

The following are some of the factors you should consider when analysing the quality and trustworthiness of a laser clinic in Australia:

1. Treatment providers: Some clinics allow assistants, nurses or other staff members to administer injectable treatments like dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections and inexperienced assistants to perform other treatments including laser therapy, skin tightening, facial rejuvenation, and chemical peels. This increases your risk of something going wrong, since those staff members have not been adequately trained. Ensure that the person providing your injectables procedure is a doctor and your other treatments are performed by well trained, clinical expert with specific experience in the treatment he or she is providing.
2. Equipment: The best clinics invest in state-of-the-art laser technology certified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). These clinics have top-quality equipment and ensure that their physicians are well trained in the most advanced procedures and methods of treatment. Advanced Dermatology works in partnership with one of the world’s leading laser manufacturers Syneron and is thus always up to date with equipment.
3. Follow-Up: The price of your procedure should include a follow-up consultation. You should be given the opportunity to meet with the physician a week or two after your procedure for a post treatment follow up. This gives you the chance to ask questions, and gives the physician the opportunity to check for problems and correct any that might exist.
4. Full Disclosure: Physicians should take the time to thoroughly explain procedures and all associated risks to every patient. You should never feel rushed to commit to a procedure, and you should be given satisfactory answers to all of your questions. If it sounds like the physician or other staff members do not fully understand the procedures they offer, you should look for more qualified laser clinics Australia.

Educate Yourself First

While taking the time to consider clinics prior to setting an appointment is important, it is also important to fully understand your treatment options. Your physician should give you information about any cosmetic medical treatment they offer, but you need to show up to the initial consultation with some basic education.

For example, did you know that standard laser hair removal is different from IPL? IPL is often marketed as a more affordable hair removal option, but what many patients do not realise is that this procedure requires more treatment sessions than standard laser hair removal.

When visiting an Australian Laser Clinic, always ask your physician if they use a “true laser.” You should also ask questions regarding the equipment they use, the training they have received in laser hair removal, and how many treatment sessions should be needed to achieve your goals. This information is given after an initial examination during which the physician examines the areas of your body that you want treated.

Laser hair removal should be as safe as possible for all consumers. Advanced Dermatology has lobbied hard for stricter laws to protect consumers, and was the first clinic to comply with the new Health Department Guidelines in Queensland.

At Advanced Dermatology, we are proud of our commitment to providing the highest quality, safest and most effective laser clinic treatments in Australia. We encourage you to make an appointment to discuss your needs with our experienced clinicians and proud of a our position as a leading Australian laser clinic.

Liposuction has continued to be a widely utilised choice for removing excess fatty tissue, with several hundred thousand individuals undergoing the procedure each year. This includes individuals who have been unable to remove stubborn areas of fat despite exercise and nutrition plans, as well as those who have undergone dramatic weight loss following bariatric surgery and are looking to take a final step.

Before proceeding, it’s important that you understand how much liposuction costs, so you are not caught off guard by any numbers or figures at some point in the future. Use the following information and facts to help prepare.

How Much Does Liposuction Cost?

The average cost for liposuction in 2013 was around $2,500 nationally. However, this only represents the actual surgeon or physician fee. It does not include the additional costs of facility fees, anaesthesia, or any required aftercare. Therefore, the true cost will be substantially higher than that original figure.

You can also expect the cost of liposuction to vary depending on several factors. First, the geographic region you are in will have an effect on how much you pay. The cost of liposuction won’t be the same in Sydney as it will be in a smaller centre.

Even more important than geographical location is the scope of the procedure being performed, and the size and number of areas on your body which are being targeted.

For instance, one patient may only be undergoing liposuction on the lower abdominal region, while another might be doing both their upper and lower abdomen, their lower back and buttocks, and their inner and outer thighs.

Some areas of the body are more inherently complex. For instance, liposuction on and around the neck and face is small in terms of body area, but more highly complex, and therefore disproportionately expensive in terms of its cost to size.

Given the added costs that aren’t included in surgeon fees, as well as the total scope of work, a more realistic average total cost is likely between $5,000 and $10,000.

Another consideration which affects price is the form of liposuction being performed. Procedures use different types of technology and equipment, and may be more or less complex, and require more or less time in comparison to one another.

Traditional liposuction is known as SAL, or suction-assisted liposuction, but newer variations include ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL), including VASER, as well as laser-assisted liposuction (LAL). Your procedure fee will depend on the type of liposuction being performed.

Insurance does not cover the cost of liposuction. This is an elective or cosmetic procedure which insurance does not deem as medically essential. Therefore, it is up to the patient to pay the bill. The good news is that many surgeons and clinics offer a variety of financing options and payment plans to ensure that their procedures are accessible to as many individuals as possible.

Other Considerations About Liposuction

With the financial cost of liposuction in mind, it is also essential that prospective patients have a realistic expectation of outcome. This procedure is not generally for patients who are still undergoing changes in their weight. It should be relatively stable, and you should be reasonably close to your ideal weight. Liposuction will not prevent you from regaining weight in the future if you have less than ideal lifestyle habits including poor nutrition or lack of exercise.

Liposuction is best reserved for individuals who are reasonably healthy, and are looking to rid themselves of specific, localised deposits of excess fatty tissue in order to look and feel their best.

As with any surgical procedure, it is never a good idea to bargain shop or opt for a surgeon based solely on price. Choose a surgeon who comes highly recommended and offers quality, experience and skill, and you will always be happier with the end results.

Rationale Skin care

Are you on the lookout for the Rationale skin care brand? We’ve been testing cosmeceuticals for decades and are in a unique position to assess products based on their scientific merit. We first started taking an interest in the Rationale skincare range in 2006, when founder Richard Parker and his team approached us with a pitch for their products – back when “Cosmeceuticals” was the new and emerging craze. The Rationale skin care philosophy was based on its “home grown” skincare appeal catering to clinics on the look for a professional range that works. I think we all knew deep down that the popular luxury skincare brands like Lancome, Estee Lauder, La Mer, Guerlain (the list goes on) were very limiting in their ability to produce real clinical outcomes; but it wasn’t until about this time that the results from professional ranges started to really impress us. And along with that was a flood of scientific evidence to prove we were right.  At the time, other brands like Rationale, Skinceuticals, Environ, Ultraceuticals, Advanced Dermatology and IS Clinical had emerged to fill the market void – produce real results and clinical improvements in the skin on measures that had not been seen before. The term “cosmeceutical-based skincare” was coming into the limelight to describe the new class of powerful science based skincare to fulfill this need.

Today Rationale makes a range that is broken down into: Hydrators, Hydravitale, Enzyme Activators, masks, and body creams. The Rationale essential six skin care line consists of PROCERAMIDE EMULSION PREPARATORY CLEANSER, CATALYST SKIN REFINING SERUM, IMMUNOLOGIST NIACINAMIDE SERUM, SUPER ANTIOXIDANT ACE REJUVENATING SERUM, PHOTODYNAMIC LIGHT ACTIVATED DAY CREAM SPF15 and DNA REACTIVATING NIGHT CREAM.

Our first assessments of the products, almost ten years ago now, were positive.  Dr’s Freilich and Leung from Advanced Dermatology conducted extensive testing for our clinical reviews.  We were particularly interested in their Niacinamide and Retinaldehyde products – whilst the chemistry and compositions were not perfect they were ground-breaking ingredients that came with some very reasonable clinical research. Now we jump to 2014 and the Rationale skincare range now consists of more than 15 products that are distributed in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the USA. These products started by being sold exclusively in medical salons but we’re now seeing them being sold online. A doctors code is required to purchase from their website, but it seems you can obtain the doctors code from other websites without even seeing a doctor.

On the plus side it’s been tremendously fast growth for a company with some very humble beginnings. Founded by Richard Parker, a non-medical professional who claims to have begun his work by teaching himself about cosmetic science at the library, we are impressed.

When looking for a skincare brands it’s essential that you do your research in order to align the brand’s claims and promises with your own needs. We’ve made a lot of progress in the field of Dermatological science over the last ten years and Advanced Dermatology is in a unique position to asses brands like Rationale skin care for their merits and not just marketing hype.

Have you had an experience with Rationale that you would like to share? If so please post your comments about it below.

*All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Rationale and Rationale Skincare are trademarks of Rationale Skincare. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Solta Medical is an aesthetics devices company involved in the research, manufacture, and marketing of various laser, ultrasound, and radiofrequency machines to get rid of acne, wrinkles, and facilitate permanent hair removal. The company was founded in 1996, and was originally known as Thermage, Inc., the namesake of its first product. Since then, Solta Medical has developed a variety of devices, like Fraxel Restore, a non-ablative laser to treat large surface areas; Thermage NXT, an upgraded version of the first model; and Clear and Brilliant, a laser technology to stimulate collagen production and provide laser skin resurfacing. In addition to developing products, the company has also completed a number of acquisitions with such companies as Aesthera Corporation and Liposonix. Because of an expanding portfolio, the company changed its original name, Thermage, to Solta Medical, to place all brands under one umbrella and prevent consumer confusion.

Clear and Brilliant

One of Solta Medical’s best-known products is the Clear and Brilliant laser. According to the company, this device was created for gentler procedures that could be conducted on a regular basis. This is in contrast to more traditional laser facial procedures that are often followed by several days of swelling and pain at the treatment site. Solta Medical further suggests that treatments with this device are similar to a spa visit, and do not cause significant pain or discomfort during the procedure.

To leverage a more relaxed image for this device, the company positioned the Clear and Brilliant laser as a treatment for younger people, as opposed to a solution for skin tightening or to get rid of wrinkles. This could possibly have been a move by Solta Medical to take some of the stigma away from laser treatments being perceived as a corrective procedure for older individuals, and to differentiate themselves from competitor devices like Lumenis, Candela Laser, and Syneron.

However, although Clear and Brilliant is marketed as a gentler alternative, a significant number of counter indications make it prohibitive for many people. For example, this Solta Medical device is not recommended for those with melasma, scleroderma, or patients who have used retinoid cream within the two preceding weeks. The number of counter indications for the Clear and Brilliant laser is large, so avoid being dishonest with your physician if you choose this procedure, as permanent problems could occur if she doesn’t have your complete medical history.

Solta Medical’s Thermage

Thermage is Solta Medical’s flagship product and was its first push into the aesthetics devices market. Unlike Clear and Brilliant laser, Thermage utilizes radiofrequency waves to heat up collagen in the dermis which helps tighten skin. Collagen fibers are what give skin elasticity, but they tend to deteriorate with age. This Solta Medical device helps stimulate the natural collagen production in the body and slow the aging process. Thermage is most commonly used to treat wrinkles and sagging skin.

Fraxel Laser

The Fraxel laser in another device marketed by Solta Medical and focuses on treatment of the dermis and the epidermis at the same time. This fractional laser works in two different aspects; first, it can resurface top layers of skin to remove adult acne scars and pigmentation issues; second, the laser penetrates deep into the dermis to heat up collagen fibers and stimulate production of this protein.

Solta Medical suggests that this treatment may need to be repeated up to five times to see good results, with several weeks in between treatment. This is because the Fraxel laser causes micro damage in the skin, and you will need time to heal. However, because this Solta Medical laser is strong, it is important to find an experienced physician to perform the procedure in order to avoid potential skin damage.

Isolaz

Isolaz is a treatment designed to get rid of acne by destroying bacteria inside pores and loosening skin for better acne medication absorption. The device works by first suctioning small areas of skin into a small vacuum tip, and then shooting broadband light waves into the pores, eliminating bacteria. This Solta Medical device then loosens pores to help topical acne products penetrate deeper into the skin.