According to an Italian study, younger female patients are more at risk of abnormal scarring after burn injuries. Females also face higher risk for immune-related diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, since the immune system in younger people is more active. The results of the study might help doctors improve burn patients’ scar outcomes.

Scientists have used a free electron laser at certain wavelengths to heat up fat. This results in the fat being excreted by the body without any damage to the skin. The research is being conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the process is called photothermolysis. According to the scientists, the method may be used to treat cellulite, acne and heart disease.

J. Peter Rubin, M.D., a plastic surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh, has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering (PECASE). Dr. Rubin is the first plastic surgeon to receive this award, which was in recognition of his efforts on the use of fat-derived stem cells to engineer soft tissue.

Reliant Technologies has received FDA approval for its 510(k) submission for its Fraxel repair laser system for Fractional Deep Dermal Ablation (FDDA™) treatment. The system is used for treating wrinkles, rhytides, furrows, fine lines, textural irregularities, pigmented lesions and vascular dyschromia. The Fraxel repair laser system already had clearance for ablation, coagulation and skin resurfacing.

In late January, a consumer group called Public Citizen filed a petition with the FDA requesting labeling alterations for botulinum toxins (Botox(R)) or Myobloc(R)) marketed in the U.S. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), which is the sole plastic surgery organization devoted completely to the advancement of cosmetic surgery, said that “the safety references in the petition are already satisfactorily addressed in the manufacturer labeling with detailed information and guidance, including approved indications, contraindications, warnings, drug interactions, precautions, and reported adverse event information.”

The ASAPS added that the product is “safe and efficacious,” while recommending its continued use as indicated.

STAAR Surgical Company has been given the green light from China’s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) to market its minimally invasive ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) products. The Visian Toric ICL has been approved for treating nearsightedness and astigmatism, while the Visian Hyperopic ICL, or Visian ICH, has been approved for correcting hyperopia or farsightedness. Both these products offer a more aesthetically pleasing outcome than competing technology due to their unique foldable design, which allows the placement of the lens behind the iris.