Mobile Edition
Print
Get the Mag
Weekly Updates[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Use of at-home aesthetic devices could prove to be a double-edged sword: If they fail to work, potential patients will assume that in-office devices also won't work, according to Dr. David J. Goldberg.
The fact is that at-home devices will never be as effective as those wielded by dermatologists in their offices, he said. The Food and Drug Administration grants 510(k) clearance for over-the-counter or at-home devices based on safety, with minimal emphasis on efficacy, while approval of office-based devices strongly emphasizes both safety and efficacy, explained Dr. Goldberg, clinical professor of dermatology and director of laser research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
However, when at-home devices show some level of effectiveness, patients may become inclined to seek out a dermatologist if they want greater results, said Dr. Goldberg, who disclosed that he has received a research grant from the manufacturer of the Silk'n at-home hair removal device (Home Skinovations Ltd.).
Other aesthetic dermatologists echoed Dr. Goldberg's assessment.
"I don't think that any of us are afraid we're going to go out of business," said Dr. Patricia K. Farris, clinical assistant professor at Tulane University School of Medicine. At-home devices that are proven to be safe and effective could be a nice complement to services performed in the office and an appropriate addition to dermatology practice-dispensed products, added Dr. Farris, who practices cosmetic and general dermatology in Metairie, La.
The growth in the number and the success of at-home cosmetic devices reflects the growth of cosmetic dermatology in general. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates that last year patients in the U.S. spent over $417 million on laser hair removal and over $222 million on intense pulsed light (IPL) laser treatment in the physician's office.
The most recent home-device product to emerge is a laser for the treatment of periorbital wrinkles. The device, which was developed by Palomar Medical Technologies and Johnson & Johnson, received 510(k) over-the-counter clearance from the Food and Drug Administration last month, according to a statement from Palomar. At press time, the companies had not announced the device's name or when it would be on the market.
It joins a small, but growing suite of devices being marketed to U.S. consumers for hair removal, hair growth, acne treatment, and skin cleansing. Prices vary widely, with some devices available for under $200 and others selling for around $1,000.
Other dermatologists are embracing at-home devices as a type of line extension for their practices.
Dr. Michael H. Gold, who practices cosmetic, medical, and surgical dermatology in Nashville, Tenn., said that when appropriate, he recommends at-home devices as adjuncts to treatment. He has assessed and selected a few products with good safety and efficacy profiles and sells them to patients. He pointed out, however, that he is careful to ensure that patients receive instructions about the safe operation of the devices before they begin using them.
Dr. Gold said that many of the devices have built-in safety features, but he still has concerns. He and his staff spend time educating patients about the products, but he said that he is doubtful that happens when consumers purchase the products at retail stores. Dr. Gold disclosed that he is a consultant for the companies that market the skin cleansing device Clarisonic (Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Inc.), the acne treatment device Tanda (Pharos Life Corp.), and the Silk'n home hair removal device.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Even dermatologists who don't sell at-home devices in their offices should try to keep abreast of the latest literature so they can advise patients about which products work, Dr. Farris recommended. "We have to, as dermatologists, be mindful that our patients are also consumers," she said.
These at-home products are likely to be the way of the future, provided they take hold with consumers and are priced to move in the stalled economy, she added.
FEED