Book Review: Office-Based Cosmetic Procedures and Techniques

Editor: Sorin Eremia, MD
Publisher: Cambridge University Press – 367 pages
Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram

Americans spent some $16.5 billion in 2018 on cosmetic plastic surgery and minimally-invasive procedures, according to an April 2019 report of an industry group – the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This was a four percent increase over 2017 figures. Other statistics are provided in the accompanying chart.

Of the total, $8.8 billion was spent on minimally-invasive procedures, and $7.7 billion was spent on cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. A large part of the $7.7 billion spending, or nearly 28 percent of it, was for procedures on the breast, amounting to some $2.15 billion. These were for breast augmentation (enlargement), breast lift, breast reduction, breast reduction in men, and breast implant removals (see chart).

This book is extensive in scope, with the wide range of cosmetic (and some reconstructive) surgical procedures covered in it. And, it is also intensive in treatment, with the numerous ways the practitioners in this field can help their patients look better: not only younger as millions of people desire, but also more beautiful, and even brighter.

Eighty-five specialists in cosmetic surgery, dermatology, facial plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and reconstructive surgery authored the 76 chapters of this book organized around 21sections and five Parts. They are from all over the United States (most from California) and nine other countries – Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and Romania.

We name below the titles of chapters within the sections, and the sections within the Parts:

PART I – Anatomy of the Aging Process
Chapter 1 – Anatomy and the Aging Changes of the Face and Neck
PART II – Anesthesia and Sedation for office Cosmetic Procedures
Chapter 2 – Local Anesthetics
Chapter 3 – The Concept of Tumescent Anesthesia
Chapter 4 – Nerve Blocks
Chapter 5 – Topical Anesthesia
PART III – Fillers and Neurotoxins
Section 1 – Introduction
Chapter 6 – Fillers – Past, Present, and Future
Chapter 7 – Hyaluronic Acid Fillers : How Structure Affects function
Section 2 – Restylane, Juvederm, and Puragen Families of Nonanimal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
Chapter 8 – Restylane General Concepts
Chapter 9 – The Restylane Family of Fillers: Canadian Experience
Chapter 10 – The Juvederm Family of Fillers
Chapter 11 – Puragen: A New Dermal Filler
Chapter 12 – Puragen: The Asian Experience
Section 3 – Collagen Fillers
Chapter 13 – Review of Collagen Fillers
Chapter 14 – Human and Bovine Collagen-Based Fillers
Chapter 15 – Porcine Collagen: Evolence
Section 4 – Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse)
Chapter 16 – Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse): A Facial Plastic Surgeon’s Approach
Chapter 17 – Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse): A Dermasurgeon’s Approach
Chapter 18 – Calcium Hydroxylapatite for Hand Volume Restoration
Section 5 – Long-Lasting Fillers
Chapter 19 – Long-Lasting Fillers: How Structure Affects Function
Chapter 20 – Acrylic Particle-Based Fillers: Artefill
Chapter 21 – Poly-L-Lactic Acid Fillers
Chapter 22 – Poly-L-Lactic Acid (Sculptra) For Hand Volume Restoration
Chapter 23 – BioAlkamide
Chapter 24 – Silicone
Section 6 – Autologous Fat Transfer
Chapter 25 – Autologous fat Transfer: An Introduction
Chapter 26 – Small-Volume Fat Transfer
Chapter 27 – Larger-Volume Fat Transfer
Chapter 28 – Fami technique and Fat Transfer for Hand rejuvenation
Chapter 29 – Adding Volume to the Aging Face: Fat-Grafting Versus Fillers and Implants in Europe
Section 7 – Choosing a Filler
Chapter 30 – Fillers: How We Do It
Chapter 31 – Choosing a Filler
Chapter 32 – Filler Complications
Section 8 – Neurotoxins
Chapter 33 – Neurotoxins: Past, Present, and Future
Chapter 34 – Botox: How We Do It
Chapter 35 – Cosmetic Botox – How We Do it
Chapter 36 – Botox: Beyond the Basics
Chapter 37 – Botox for Hyperhydrosis
Chapter 38 – Dysport
Chapter 39 – Neurotoxin Alternative; Radio Frequency Corrougator Denervation
Section 9 – Fillers and Neurotoxins in Asia and South America
Chapter 40 – Fillers and Neurotoxins in Asia
Chapter 41 – Fillers and Neurotoxins in South America
PART IV – Cosmetic Applications of Light, Radiofrequency, Ultrasound Energy
Section 1 – Vascular Applications: Lasers and Broadband Light Devices
Chapter 42 – Treatment of Telengiectasia, Poikiloderma, and Face and Leg Veins
Chapter 43 – Vascular Lasers
Section 2 – Fully Ablative Tissue (CO2, ER:YAG, Plasma)
Chapter 44 – Overview of CO2 and ER:YAG Lasers and Plasma Devices
Chapter 45 – Contemporary Laser CO2 Laser Resurfacing
Chapter 46 – ER: YAG
Chapter 47 –Plasma Skin Rejuvenation
Section 3 – Nonablative Laser Tissue Remodeling
Chapter 48 – Nonablative Laser Tissue Remodeling
Section 4 – Broadband Light Devices
Overview of Broadband Light Devices
Chapter 50 – Titan – Inducing Dermal Contraction
Chapter 51 – Sciton Broadband Light and ER:YAG Micropeel Combination
Chapter 52 – Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy for Facial Rejuvenation/Acne
Section 5 – Radiofrequency
Chapter 53 – Thermage for Face and Body
Chapter 54 – Lumenis Aluma Skin Tightening System
Chapter 55 – Ellman Radiofrequency Device for Skin Tightening
Chapter 56 – Alma Accent Dual Radiofrequency Device for Tissue Contouring
Chapter 57 – Combined Light and Bipolar Radiofrequency
Section 6 – Fractional Lasers
Chapter 58 – Fractional Lasers – General Concepts
Chapter 59 – Palomar Lux 1,540-NM Fractional Laser
Chapter 60 – Fraxel 1,550-NM Laser (Fraxel Restore)
Chapter 61 – 1,440-NM Fractional Laser Cynosure Affirm
Chapter 62 – Sciton ER:YAG 2,940-NM Fractional Laser
Chapter 63 – Alma Pixel ER;YAG Fractional Laser
Chapter 64 – Fractionated CO2 Laser
Section 7 – Other Photorejuvenation Devices
Chapter 65 – LED Photorejuvenation Devices
Chapter 66- Photopneumatic Therapy
Section 8 – Hair Removal and Acne: Laser and Light Treatments
Chapter 67 – Hair Removal laser and Broadband Light Devices
Chapter 68 – Acne and Acne Scars: Laser and Light Treatments
Section 9 – Fat and Cellulite Reduction
Chapter 69 – Fat and Cellulite Reduction: General Principles
Section 10 – Ultrasonoic Fat Reduction Devices
Chapter 70 – Ultrashaped Focused Ultrasound Fat Reduction Device
Chapter 71 – Liposonic Ultrasound Device for Body Sculpting
PART V – Other Procedures
Section 1 – Suture Suspension Lifts
Chapter 72 – Suture Suspension Lifts: An Overview
Chapter 73 – Silhouette Sutures
Section 2 – Peels and Microdermabrasions
Chapter 74 – Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion
Chapter 75 – Peeling Techniques from Europe
Section 3 – Mesotherapy: Injection Lipolysis
Chapter 76 – Mesotherapy: Injection Lipolysis

In reviewing this book, I discovered many types of procedures that I did not know existed, to enhance the looks of people. I knew about Botox, chemical peels, collagen, dermabrasions, fat transfers, fillers (e.g. hyaluronic acid fillers) and neurotoxins.

But I was certainly unaware totally, of things like broadband light devices, the Fami technique, injection lipolysis, mesotherapy, nonablative laser tissue remodeling, photo rejuvenation techniques, photopneumatic therapy, suture suspension lifts, ultrasonic fat reduction devices, and vascular lasers.

It is not just knowing that such methods and techniques to help people look better exist, but also studying them that makes this book a very valuable one to have.

Much effort has been undertaken by the editor Dr. Sorin Eremia, who collected and expertly organized the contributions of so many experts in countries in Asia, Central America, Europe, North America, and South America. This must also have been a massive undertaking. But it is the collective effort of so many contributors who authored the chapters of this book that makes it a highly important resource, and congratulations are in order to all of them. .

Editor:

Sorin Eremia, MD is Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cosmetic Surgery Unit in the Division of Dermatology at the University of California in Los Angeles.