On the Scene

Out and about in the specialty

Clinic by Dr Mayoni second site opening, London

On May 15, aesthetic practitioner Dr Mayoni Gooneratne opened her second clinic, based in Crystal Palace in South London. Dr Gooneratne, who opened her flagship clinic in south London in 2016, celebrated the official opening of her second clinic with a launch event for family, friends and colleagues. During the interactive event, there were live demonstrations of the Obagi Medical skin systems, including the Blue Radiance peel, as well as different treatments that will be offered in the clinic. Dr Gooneratne also discussed her plans for her new concepts titled Skinfit, MindFit, BodyFit; which are holistic treatment packages for the skin, mind and body. Those who attended were offered a limited number of free consultations, as well as discounts and vouchers for future treatments.

BMLA Conference, London

The annual British Medical Laser Association (BMLA) conference took place from May 8-10 at the Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Heathrow, London, designed for medical and aesthetic laser enthusiasts. The two-day event featured dedicated sessions for skin laser treatments, photodynamic therapy and biophotonics, the use of lasers in surgery, lasers in dentistry and a session dedicated for nurses and therapists. Following this, the BMLA then launched its latest guidelines, designed to act as a reference to all individuals or organisations creating laser or IPL treatment protocols. Speakers throughout the event included laser clinical nurse specialist Natalie Allen, consultant dermatologist Dr Firas Al-Niaimi, clinical director at Lynton Samantha Hills and independent nurse prescriber Andrew Rankin, amongst many others. Dr Vishal Madan, president of the BMLA and consultant dermatologist commented on the event, “It was, yet again, a fantastic conference for anyone interested in medical lasers as the event offered a unique blend of science and medicine all with a high level of academic rigor so often missing from other forums.” Delegates were also able to meet aesthetic businesses at a small exhibition, which included Candela, SkinCeuticals and in Venus Concept, amongst others. Dr Tom Lister, consultant clinical scientist and laser protection advisor added, “This year was a considerable success. Particular highlights included the launch of the BMLA treatment guidelines, a debate session covering contraindications to treatment, a multitude of experts talking on lasers in dentistry and many exciting advances in laser treatments, laser safety and photodynamic therapy.”

Candela Vascular Day, Amsterdam

Practitioners met at the Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra Department of Dermatology in the Netherlands on May 18 to learn about the latest developments in laser technologies for vascular conditions from device manufacturer, Candela. Delegates were welcomed by Hamish McNair, director of clinical education EMEA at Candela, before Perry Tomasetti, senior director of medical aesthetics for global business unit at Candela, then enlightened delegates on Candela’s journey from its early beginnings in pulsed dye laser (PDL) technology in 1970 to present, with the launch of its newest technology, the Vbeam Prima PDL and Nd:YAG platform. Dermatologist Dr Albert Wolkerstorfer, from the Netherlands, followed with a presentation on vascular indications, showcasing the types of results that can be achieved using lasers on capillary malformations such as port wine stains (PWS), highlighting the importance of treating patients as early as possible. UK-based consultant dermatologist Dr Firas Al-Niaimi, who was the first to use the new Vbeam Prima in Europe, focused his presentation on his experiences using the device. He said, “What excites me is the versatility and the choices I can provide to my patients with having the Vbeam Prima. One of the key mistakes that practitioners make is to rely on a standard set of parameters to treat patients with the same pathological condition, as there are huge varieties between patients.” The vascular theme continued with dermatologist Professor Peter Bjerring from Denmark exploring the use of IPL technology for effective treatment. Following lunch, Dr Al-Niaimi and Dr Wolkerstorfer provided a literature review presentation, highlighting studies around laser efficacy for certain conditions and discussed and debated their findings with the audience. Speakers then invited delegates to view the Vbeam Prima and Ellipse devices, and explained the mechanisms behind their use in practice. A round table discussion then followed, where audience members were engaged in discussions around the efficacy and use of PDL, IPL and Nd:YAG, as well as CO2 lasers. Tim Stevens, product manager for EMEA at Candela, said the event was a huge success. “We got great feedback from our customers and one of the best things about it was that we had a really good forum for discussion with some of the greatest minds about vascular issues and applications of our new and existing technologies. It was also the first time we have ever parallel presented both the Vbeam Prima and the Nordlys Ellipse IPL together so physicians can really think about what platform is best for their practice and patients,” he concluded.