Continuously increasing life
expectancy and growing expectations in an attractive appearance have induced an
unprecedented surge in the demand of dermatosurgery and aesthetic dermatology. Aesthetic
dermatology has meanwhile become the fastest growing part of dermatology due to
an growing interest in both patients and dermatologists. According to the
American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of cosmetic
procedures has increased from 2.7 million in 1997 to 10.2 million in 2008.
Botulinum injections,
application of fillers and laser hair removal are among the most common
cosmetic procedures. Apart from demographic changes and consumer expectations, the
rising number of cosmetic procedures also results from growing affluence and
technological advances that also provide improved safety and less side-effects
for the patients.
Numerous innovative therapeutic
approaches are now being used in addition or instead of conventional surgical
procedures in the treatment of skin diseases.
Positive outcomes of these therapeutic measures
also involve the patients’ quality of life, as seen, for example, in the
treatment of acne scarring with silicone injections, which may improve
patients’ self-esteem, social life, and employment chances.
Aesthetic dermatology, however, also needs to
deal with a high number of psychological disturbances among dermatology
patients. Depression is seen in 30 per cent of general dermatological patients.
According to recent studies, 12 per cent of general dermatological patients
suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, the prevalence in persons seeking
cosmetic botulinum is 23 per cent, and in patients seeking laser therapy between
30-40 per cent.
