Matthew C. Camp

The Quality of Internet Advertising in Aesthetic Surgery: An In-Depth Analysis

BACKGROUND The aesthetic market is a growing business, as evidenced by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reporting an increase of 147% in the number of cosmetic procedures performed by members since 1997. This market is consumer-oriented, relying heavily on advertising for survival amid the increasing provider competition. OBJECTIVES The authors evaluate trends, ethics, and efficacy of Internet advertising in aesthetic surgery. METHODS Medical cosmetic providers in Southern California and their Web sites were catalogued through sales lists from manufacturers (Medicis and Allergan) and combined with advertised providers of surgical treatments. Using the ASAPS/American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and American Medical Association Codes of Ethics as guidelines, scores were assigned to each Web site and evaluated with the providers board certification. A geographical analysis determined whether the presence of high numbers of competitors had an impact on the adherence to ethical guidelines for advertising. To examine patient preferences in physician advertising, a survey was conducted online. RESULTS Board-certified plastic surgeons showed the highest total ethical scores, followed by otolaryngologists, oromaxillofacial surgeons, and ophthalmologists. No decrement in the quality of the advertising was found in densely competitive environments. A consistent correlation was found between superior compliance with ethical guidelines and board certification in plastic surgery. The patient preference survey of 208 individuals demonstrated their desire for a well-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon to perform their cosmetic procedures. CONCLUSIONS Although plastic surgeons demonstrate greater overall compliance with the ASAPS/ASPS Advertising Code of Ethics, they can continue to improve. With the large variety of cosmetic physicians offering the same procedures, maintaining open, honest, and forthright communication with the public is essential.

A quantitative analysis of periorbital aging with three-dimensional surface imaging

BACKGROUND Studies of facial aging up to the present have largely been observational and subjective. This study applies state-of-the-art facial imaging and three-dimensional computer modelling to measure changes in the aging female face. The markers of facial aging discussed here go beyond descriptive accounts by individual practitioners and are presented as quantitative measurements of the volume change in the aging periorbital region. METHODS Three-dimensional image data sets were acquired of 42 mother-daughter matched pairs (83 individuals). Overall similarity of the faces of the mother-daughter pair were confirmed using best fit analyses prior to further processing of the data. The changes in facial structure secondary to aging were measured using volumetric comparisons of periorbital tissues in the daughter and mother. The age range of the individuals imaged range from 15 to 91 years. RESULTS A consistent pattern of volume difference and regression of soft tissues associated with the medial canthus nasojugal groove was demonstrated in the aged individual of each pair. The volume difference associated with the tear trough ranged from 0.02cc to 1.27cc with median values of 0.38cc and 0.42cc. Volume differences in the adjacent periorbital tissues are also measured. CONCLUSIONS Imaging clearly shows a consistent pattern of atrophy and regression of soft tissues associated with the medial canthus and nasojugal groove. Histogram depth analysis of the soft tissue shows greatest atrophy in the medial canthal region and soft tissues caudal to the lower lid. Volumetric analysis of the atrophy of these tissues is a useful adjunct in the accurate rejuvenation of the periorbital region.

The battle for hearts and minds: who is communicating most effectively with the cosmetic marketplace?

BACKGROUND Cosmetic surgery, historically the purview of plastic surgeons, has in recent years seen an influx of practitioners from other fields of training. Many of these new providers are savvy in marketing and public relations and are beginning to control a surprisingly large amount of cosmetic patient care. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to measure the amount of traffic being attracted to the Web sites of individual practitioners and organizations vying for cosmetic patients. This study investigates the trends of the past 12 months and identifies changes of special concern to plastic surgeons. METHODS The Web sites of 1307 cosmetic providers were monitored over a years time. The Web activity of two million individuals whose computers were loaded with a self-reporting software package was recorded and analyzed. The Web sites were analyzed according to the specialty training of the site owner and total unique visits per month were tallied for the most prominent specialties. The dominant Web sites were closely scrutinized and the Web optimization strategies of each were also examined. RESULTS There is a tremendous amount of Web activity surrounding cosmetic procedures and the amount of traffic on the most popular sites is continuing to grow. Also, a large sum of money is being expended to channel Web traffic, with sums in the thousands of dollars being spent daily by top Web sites. Overall in the past year, the private Web sites of plastic surgeons have increased their reach by 10%, growing from 200,000 to approximately 220,000 unique visitors monthly. Plastic surgery remains the specialty with the largest number of Web visitors per month. However, when combined, the private Web sites of all other providers of aesthetic services have significantly outpaced plastic surgerys growth. The traffic going to non-plastic surgeons has grown by 50% (200,000 visitors per month in September 2008 to 300,000 visitors monthly in September 2009). CONCLUSIONS For providers of aesthetic services, communication with the public is of utmost importance. The Web has become the single most important information resource for consumers because of easy access. Plastic surgeons are facing significant competition for the attention of potential patients, with increasingly sophisticated Web sites and listing services being set up by independent parties. It is important for plastic surgeons to become familiar with the available Internet tools for communication with potential patients and to aggressively utilize these tools for effective practice building.

Canary in a coal mine: does the plastic surgery market predict the american economy?

Background: Economic tools have been used in the past to predict the trends in plastic surgery procedures. Since 1992, U.S. cosmetic surgery volumes have increased overall, but the exact relationship between economic downturns and procedural volumes remains elusive. If an economic predicting role can be established from plastic surgery indicators, this could prove to be a very powerful tool. Methods: A rolling 3-month revenue average of an eight–plastic surgeon practice and various economic indicators were plotted and compared. An investigation of the U.S. procedural volumes was performed from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons statistics between 1996 and 2008. The correlations of different economic variables with plastic surgery volumes were evaluated. Lastly, search term frequencies were examined from 2004 to July of 2009 to study potential patient interest in major plastic surgery procedures. Results: The self-payment revenue of the plastic surgery group consistently proved indicative of the market trends approximately 1 month in advance. The Standard and Poors 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, and Standard and Poors Retail Index demonstrated a very close relationship with the income of our plastic surgery group. The frequency of Internet search terms showed a constant level of interest in the patient population despite economic downturns. Conclusions: The data demonstrate that examining plastic surgery revenue can be a useful tool to analyze and possibly predict trends, as it is driven by a market and shows a close correlation to many leading economic indicators. The persisting and increasing interest in plastic surgery suggests hope for a recovering and successful market in the near future.

A 5-Year Study of Aesthetic Surgery Providers in Southern California.

METHODS: A 70,860 square mile area encompassing the Los Angeles and San Diego megalopolis was studied. Providers of minimally invasive aesthetic procedures in the Southern California area were catalogued using the sales from the manufacturers of hyaluronic acid fillers. Liposuction treatments were used as a marker of invasive aesthetic procedures; corresponding providers of liposuction were compiled from various websites and internet search engines. The board certification and training background of each provider was detailed. A five-year trend was studied using data comparisons from August 2009 and August 2014.

Changes in facial shape with age: an analysis with three-dimensional imaging

The appearance of the aged face has traditionally been attributed to soft tissue changes with surgical treatments targeting ptosis of skin, SMAS, and fat. However, true facial aging is recognized as a combination of soft tissue and skeletal changes, which continue to be integrated into a model for facial aging. With a greater understanding of these changes, techniques in facial rejuvenation will continue to evolve. Three-dimensional imaging technology was used in this study. Measurements correlating with mid- and lower-face changes were compared for each three-dimensional facial image of 31 mother–daughter matched controls. Each mother image was superimposed on the corresponding daughter, using registration of the upper face to visualize mid-face differences between pairs. Also, measurements of women in four age groups were compared using a one-way ANOVA. The ratios of Po-A:Po-N were significantly greater in daughters in comparison to their mothers (p = 0.0073), with the majority of mother subjects showing a more acute Po-N-A angle (p < 0.042). An investigation between age groups exhibited significant difference between the youngest (18–29) and oldest (60+) groups for Po-A:Po-N length ratio, Po-B:Po-N length ratio, Po-N-A angle, and Po-N-B angle. Differences between the 30–44 and 60+ age groups were also significant for the Po-A:Po-N and Po-B:Po-N length ratios. The results from this study suggest a posterior movement of the mid and lower face with age. This multi-factorial process makes facial rejuvenation more complex than initially perceived, and recognizing it will facilitate better rejuvenation strategies in the future.