“We wanted to stay away from giant tomes…so instead we wrote the Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology series with individual volumes that focus on the practical aspects of each procedure.” – Dr. Murad Alam
In the area of fillers, there’s been a gradual evolution from just trying to fill in one specific line, or one indented scar, to really looking at the entire face and where they need to pumped up. It’s a holistic approach. I think we’re moving beyond the trees and looking more at the forest, which requires a different set of techniques. There are also improvements in post-operative times. We’ve historically called these filler procedures lunchtime procedures. But people routinely got quite badly bruised and they really weren’t comfortable going back to work, or to social engagements. Now we have cannulas that we can inject in such a manner that we don’t need sharp needles, which puncture vessels, so we are able to minimize bruising.
We’ve been trying to make these procedures maximally effectively and safe for patients. There are a lot of refinements in making sure they don’t bruise, or become too red, that it’s not too painful, that they get the right filler from all of the fillers that are available, and that we don’t just fix one line, but that we fix everything. The goal with these procedures is to make patients look and feel as good as they can.
The reason for the interest in this particular series has been the rapid evolution in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures that has come about in the last ten years or so in dermatology. It has really created a need for books that are up-to-date and practical to help people learn how to do procedures step-by-step, safely and effectively. In particular with this series, we wanted to stay away from giant tomes that cover everything from basic science to clinical applications and include every single procedure, so instead we wrote the Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology series with individual volumes that focus on the practical aspects of each procedure. The series includes volumes on everything from neurotoxins, botulinum toxins, soft tissue augmentation, chemical peels, liposuction, to even more invasive procedures, such as facelifts, as well as very novel procedures like body-contouring, and skin tightening and lifting. I’ve been very active with a couple of volumes, like Treatment of Leg Veins and Non-Surgical Skin Tightening and Lifting, for which I was author and editor. But, for all of them Dr. Jeffrey Dover and I have been very hands-on because we’re really trying to make sure that we have a systematic message and theme that carries through all of the books.
All of volumes come with videos, which are tied into specific chapters and narrated by experts. Even if you read a clear description of a procedure there’s still a lot of ambiguity as to exactly how you hold a needle, and how far you push, and what it should look like when it’s in action. So, the video takes a lot of that mystery out and you can see people who are expert injectors, for instance, doing the procedure and you can model your own behavior on them. It’s also nice to hear tips about refining the procedure, which make more sense when they’re heard in the context of observing the procedure.
Biography
Dr. Murad Alam is a professor of dermatology, otolaryngology, and surgery, and chief of the Section of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. As author of more than 100 publications, a member of several editorial boards, and editor of 20 books, he is recognized as a leading authority in the field. He is an editor of the Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology series – Non-Surgical Skin Tightening and Lifting and Treatment of Leg Veins.
Dr. Alam completed both his undergraduate and medical degrees at Yale University, and his residency at Columbia University. He held fellowships in laser and cosmetic surgery at SkinCare Physicians/Harvard Medical School in Boston, and Mohs micrographic surgery at DermSurgery Associates/Baylor in Houston. He has received research funding from the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and the Skin Cancer Foundation for his research in the field.
He is a member of the board of directors of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and is an advisor to the AMA-CPT Committee that oversees definitions for surgical procedures for the U.S. Committed to philanthropy, he has served as president of the Blade and Light Society, an organization of volunteer surgeons.
Related Authors: Jeffrey S. Dover, MD; Alastair Carruthers, MA; Jean Carruthers, MD; George Hruza, MD
