and joined the MJH Life Sciences team in April 2021. She graduated from Kent State University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Linda used to work as a creative writer for 

 and was a technical writer/regulatory specialist/purchasing agent at GM Industrial before coming on to the team. She enjoys reading, traveling, and learning new perspectives. You can reach her at 

Linda Stocum, Assistant Editor

This week in aesthetics, we discuss tips to hiring practice staff, Dustin Portela, DO, reviews the best skincare products he tried in 2021, and we highlight different muscle toning and sculpting devices to analyze their effectiveness.

An expert details the ways to gain and retain new practice staff.

Pointers with Dr Portela: The End of the Year Product Review

In this week’s Pointers with Dr Portela, the 208SkinDoc lists his favorite skincare products that he used this year.

Toning and strength technologies work, according to investigators, but many in cosmetic medicine question the procedures' efficacy in their field.

Articles

This week in aesthetics, we highlight toning and strength technologies, our weekly “Pointers with Dr Portela”, and more. 

This Week in Aesthetics: December 27-31

This week in aesthetics, Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, explores scalp health, Dustin Portela, DO, reviews sleep devices and explores their connection to skin health and Will Kirby, DO, FAOCD, interviews with Emily Kaye Perbellini, MSN, FNP-Ca, about the aesthetics industry.

In this month's Cosmetic Conundrums column, Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, explores scalp flaking causes and treatments.

Pointers with Dr Portela: Can Sleep Devices Help Your Skin?

In this week’s Pointers with Dr Portela, the 208SkinDoc goes into the science behind sleep and skin while also review 3 different sleep improvement devices.

Meet the Aesthetic Expert with Dr. Will Kirby: Emily Kaye Perbellini, MSN, FNP-C

In this month’s “Meet the Aesthetic Expert” column, Will Kirby, DO, FAOCD, talks with Emily Kaye Perbellini, MSN, FNP-Ca, board-certified family nurse practitioner specializing in aesthetic dermatology. They discuss how to avoid burnout, challenging patient populations, and the role allied healthcare professionals in aesthetics.

This week in aesthetics, we highlight our monthly "Meet the Aesthetic Expert,"  our weekly “Pointers with Dr Portela”, and more. 

This Week in Aesthetics: December 20-24

 discovers how to treat under-eye wrinkles. 

 explains the benefits of turmeric for skin care. 

Are Omicron Symptoms Different From Other COVID-19 Variants?

How to Treat Under-Eye Wrinkles, According to Skincare Experts

I Tried PRF Fillers for My 30th Birthday—Here’s What I Wish I’d Known First

What's the Deal With DMDM — and Why Is TikTok So Concerned?

This week, consumer magazines highlight under-eye wrinkles, PRF Fillers, and more. 

How to Treat Under-Eye Wrinkles

This week in aesthetics, a study investigates how consistent skin care helps dry skin, we do a deep dive on acne content on Instagram, and Dustin Portela, DO, answers common acne scar questions.

Study: Consistent Skin Care Helps Dry Skin

Research aimed to understand how using daily skin care such as a mild cleanser and moisturizer impacts skin health.

Pointers with Dr Portela: Common Questions on Acne Scarring

In this week’s Pointers with Dr Portela, the 208SkinDoc answers viewer questions about acne scarring including how to distinguish between acne scars and inflammatory pigment change.

A Deep Dive on Instagram Based Acne Content

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 

investigated Instagram’s content on acne and its quality.

This week in aesthetics, we highlight Instagram's acne content, our weekly “Pointers with Dr Portela”, and more. 

This Week in Aesthetics: December 6-10

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

 has a goal of characterizing the information available on Instagram for acne.1

The authors looked for the “top” Instagram posts by searching through the tag #acne. From there, the posts were analyzed based on the source and content it contained. If a post was not in English, was a duplicate, or was unrelated it was excluded. Overall, 900 posts were assessed and 439 were included in the data set.

There were 258 posts generated by influencers, 97 were created by retailers, and nondermatologist providers posted 67 of them. Dermatologists were responsible for 17 posts, accounting for less than 4% of the included content in the top Instagram posts.

There were 124 separate ingredients were mentioned as potential acne treatments. The ingredients with the most mentions were:

Of the 439 posts, 254 recommended at least 1 specific intervention, and among these posts only 11% referenced a treatment with grade A evidence based on American Academy of Dermatology guidelines, according to the article.

“By its nature, Instagram is a social media platform with constantly evolving content and this study is limited as it represents only a snapshot in time,” the authors wrote. “Regardless, it is clear that there is a vast amount of content readily available to patients on this platform.”

The authors further explained that the content is heterogeneous in its messaging and quality and there is a need for dermatologists to promote high-quality evidence-based treatments for acne on Instagram.

1. Ward SC, Rojek NW. 25513 Insta-sham?: A snapshot of Instagram-based acne content. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2021;85(3):AB7. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2021.06.054

A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology investigated Instagram’s content on acne and its quality.

A randomized, investigator-blinded study recently published in the 

 evaluated 52 patients with moderate to severe dry skin to determine how a daily skin care routine of a mild cleanser and moisturizer impacts skin health and quality-of-life (QoL).1 While it is known that moisturizing skin care products can have beneficial effects on dry skin, the role of a daily skin care routine is understudied, according to authors.

Of the 52 patients included in the trial, 39 used mild cleanser and moisturizer twice daily for 2 weeks and the other 13 patients used mild cleanser without moisturizer. The total clinical score (TSC) which included erythema, scale and fissures, Visual Dryness Score (VDS), and subjective itch-related quality-of-life (ItchyQoL) data were collected.

There was significantly more improvement in TCS and VDS in the treatment group vs control after 2 weeks. Also, in the 3 components of IthcyQoL, symptoms, functioning, and emotions, the treatment group demonstrated a greater improvement compared to the control group. More than 80% of the patients in the treatment group also agreed that the regimen led to a decrease in both dryness and itch while improving the skin texture.

Overall, a consistent skin care regimen should be an integral component of management of dry skin, the authors concluded.

1. Kim S, Ly BK, Ha JH, et al. A consistent skin care regimen leads to objective and subjective improvements in dry human skin: investigator-blinded randomized clinical trial. 

 2020;0(0):1-6. doi:10.1080/09546634.2020.1751037