Updates in cosmetic surgery
Increased patient demand prompts dermatologists to seek out continued education.
C009 – Advanced Cosmetic Surgery That Dermatologists Can Perform
1-4 p.m. | Saturday, March 28
Mile High 2A
Increasingly, dermatologic patients are seeking minimally invasive and surgical facial rejuvenation options from board-certified skin experts. This means dermatologists must become more familiar with these kinds of procedures.
Advanced cosmetic surgery options can include upper and lower blepharoplasty, face and neck lifting, lip lifts, and liposuction of the neck and body. These are typically done in patients who wouldn’t qualify for nonsurgical procedures, such as lasers or fillers, due to advanced aging.
“Dermatologists have been pioneers of tumescent liposuction and, given their surgical background in facial reconstruction, can perform these procedures with proper knowledge of facial and body anatomy,” said Ariel Ostad, MD, FAAD, dermatologist and facial cosmetic surgeon in New York City.
Dr. Ostad is co-director of the session, C009 – Advanced Cosmetic Surgery That Dermatologists Can Perform, taking place Saturday, March 28. He said these procedures are an expected next step for dermatologists with a certain level of training.
“For those with advanced training in surgical reconstruction of Mohs defects, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures are a natural progression for dermatologists to perform with some additional proper training,” he said.
Session co-director Daniel Rivlin, MD, FAAD, a Mohs surgery specialist at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, said dermatology has changed dramatically in the last 20 to 30 years, with dermatologists increasingly performing more cosmetic procedures.
“It started with just injectables and lasers, and for people who are Mohs surgeons, a lot of the repairs they do are not really that different from facelifts,” Dr. Rivlin said. “And now dermatology is merging in many ways with what was traditionally the realm of plastic surgery. It’s becoming very common for dermatologists to perform these procedures.”
Among the other cosmetic surgeries that will be discussed in the session are buccal fat pad removal, thread lifts, and nano fat injections. Session presenter Hooman Khorasani, MD, FAAD, a quadruple board-certified surgeon in private practice at Flatiron Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery Institute in New York City, said he will go over these procedures using case-based learning with procedural videos for each technique to present a realistic, step-by-step understanding of how these procedures are performed in clinical practice.
“It is increasingly important for dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons to be knowledgeable about these procedures because patients are seeking minimally invasive and surgical facial rejuvenation options from board-certified skin experts,” Dr. Khorasani said. “Dermatologists already have a strong foundation in facial anatomy, wound healing, and aesthetics. With proper training, they are well positioned to perform these procedures safely.”
Dr. Khorasani, who is also a clinical professor at New York University Langone, said it is critical for dermatologists to educate themselves regarding these procedures as demand from patients continues to grow.
“Education in this area helps dermatologists counsel patients appropriately, recognize complications early, and maintain high standards of care,” he said. “This session is designed to be both educational and practical. It aims to demystify these advanced cosmetic techniques while reinforcing that excellent outcomes depend on sound judgment, anatomical knowledge, and experience — not just technical execution.”
