Just like many of you, my day is scheduled from morning to night and I am lucky if I can grab a bite to eat in between patients. It’s a real challenge to carve out time for professional development (and lunch). That’s why I appreciate the annual conferences hosted by the professional organizations. I can block out that time months in advance knowing that I will come back with new ideas.  

The American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery (ASLMS) is on my must attend list year after year. It’s probably the best in the world for exchanging ideas and real science in the world of aesthetics, and not just marketing hype.

This year was no different. The 2014 meeting held in Phoenix, AZ was full of ideas. So many ideas that I wish I had a longer flight home to research them all.

When I returned my staff asked “What was the highlight”? The truth is there were so many highlights. I came home with so many pearls of wisdom about so many different areas of practice. I’d like to share a few of them with you.

Privacy Laws    
This year brings changes in HIPAA privacy and security rules. There are new rules addressing the sale of protected health information for marketing and fund raising purposes. There are new rules surrounding business associates that you contract with. There are also new waves of audits to ensure compliance. The meeting was a call to action to get my staff prepared for the new guidelines.
Under Eye Bags
For those of you not familiar with Neotensil, I suggest you take a look. It is a new film-like substance, made by a hair care line Living Proof, which reduces the appearance of undereye bags. It’s sold through physicians’ offices, but applied by the patient at home.  
Injectable Filler Technique
Take that extra care, that extra wipe step, with Voluma and other facial fillers. When injecting fillers in the hollows of the lateral orbit, think microcannulas with a lateral point temple zygomatic point of entry.  And on those crow’s feet, think of almost individual dosing per severity of lines at those two to three lateral orbit injection points. I also learned about pre-injection disinfecting wipe pads that combine clorhexidine with isopropyl alcohol.
Acne Suppression
There was a lot of buzz about keeping acne at bay using combinations of both short pulsed and long pulsed YAG lasers. It seems a paradox, but patients did better long term when they did laser acne treatments after finishing a course of antibiotics.  For patients with unresponsive rosacea pustular acne, think SIBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and order a lactulose breath test screen.  
Bruising
For that post treatment unintended or inconvenient bruise, think of speeding up its disappearing act with an IPL treatment about 2 days after.  
Tattoo Removal
Here is a tip for tattoo removal for those of you not yet into Picosecond lasers. Treat the area through a hydrocolloid dressing, such as Second Skin.  
Noninvasive Fat Removal
There was a ton of chatter, all of it exciting, about noninvasive fat removal. The players are CoolSculpting,  Liposonix and the newest kid on the block, Vanquish.

Some of the above ideas are reality for me. We added Vanquish to our list of noninvasive fat removal a few months back. It’s a great fit for our practice and patients. Other ideas may not be a fit. But that’s the beauty of the meeting. With so many new products and protocols shared in one space, you are bound to come back with ideas to push your practice forward.