New Treatments
Xeomin® is a form of botulinum toxin that is a different brand but similar to Botox® and Dysport™, and is also used for relaxation of wrinkles causing muscles. These three brands have the same active ingredient but they differ from one another by proteins that coat the core molecule. Whereas Botox® and Dysport™ have two different coating proteins, Xeomin® does not have any protein coat.
So which of the three brands is best? There is no one answer to this. All 3 of these brands have shown a patient satisfaction of 88-95%. We have the longest experience with Botox®, which has been approved by the FDA for over 10 years.
Dysport™ was approved a few years ago and we have found that it works on some individuals better than others some of the time. There is one study that shows that Dysport™ may work a little better around the eyes than Botox®, so we will often use Botox® on the forehead and brow and Dysport™ around the eyes.
Some people don’t respond well to Botox®, Dysport™ or both. This lack of response is one of three things: 1) the response isn’t as good as we would expect from the dosage used, 2) the treatment doesn’t last as long as it should, or 3) the treatments used to work and don’t work as well as they did. For the majority of people with these three problems, we have found that Xeomin® works very well. The theory is that antibodies form against the protein coats, neutralizing the effects. Since Xeomin® doesn’t have any protein coat, there are no antibodies.
Advanced Dermatology participated in the study that led to FDA approval of Xeomin®. You also may not know that we are amongst the top 2% of practices by Botox® injection volume for cosmetic indications. The usual question people ask is, which do you think is best for me? We usually try to answer that question in your visit or consultation, as this may be different for each person. But rest assured that if you are currently happy with whatever toxin you are using, there is no reason to change. On the other hand, if you are experiencing difficulties with your botulinum toxin treatments, then Xeomin® may be a great choice for you!
CoolFit™ Coolsculpting™ Hand Piece
We are now offering a new hand piece for the Zeltiq™ fat reducing device, the CoolFit™. The hand piece is a little bit shorter, straighter and deeper than the 3 hand pieces we currently have. We are utilizing this headpiece on arms and inner thighs, two locations we have found difficult to fit with our current hand pieces.
truSculpt™ for Excess Fat and Laxity
New procedures for non-invasive removal of body fat, cellulite and reduction of laxity of body areas are increasing in number. One new device, the truSculpt™, uses different frequencies of radiofrequency to target different depths of fat. Cutera®, the company that makes the truSculpt™, has engineered a way to create deep heating that is more than superficial. Dr. Taub has a longstanding relationship with this company, since Advanced Dermatology has owned their flagship equipment, the Xeo CoolGlide, for over 10 years and has spoken at many of their meetings. They wanted Advanced Dermatology to help them in their early field clinical evaluation (the device and procedure are already FDA approved) and give them feedback on best practices. We are going to have the device for the first 6 months of the year and it may be a permanent addition, depending on our experience.