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Skin Care Has Gone High TechVisia enhances the Doctor’s explanation of recommended skincare treatments March 13, 2008 While this new technology hasn’t necessarily changed what the doctor does when examining a patient’s skin, it has enhanced the doctor’s ability to most accurately explain recommended treatment to the patient, says Jeffrey R. Raval, MD, FACS, owner of Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetics in Cherry Creek North in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Raval and his medical aestheticians use Visia® Complexion Analysis to assess patient’s skin prior to launching a treatment regime. The mirror-imaging gadget makes a record of the skin and its varied conditions—from sun damage to wrinkles and spider veins to p. acnes and number of pores—and produces a printed report on the individual’s skin. Visia also calculates a comparison of one’s skin condition to a database of 5,000 patients. The software can also fast-forward the skin to show patients what theirs will look like in three to five years. “This tool isn’t necessarily used by the doctor to make a better diagnosis,” says Dr. Raval. Instead, it’s the best tool yet on the market to help show the patient first-hand the condition of their skin. Dr. Raval and his staff use the Visia reports to track a patient’s progress during treatment too. “A picture is worth 1,000 words,” Dr. Raval, who is a facial plastic surgeon, specializing in the neck up, says. Made by Canfield Scientific, Inc., Visia is what Dr. Raval describes as “the Cadillac of analysis systems.” Dr. Raval says he prefers Visia over other systems because it highlights the abnormalities on one’s skin better than other skin scanners he’s seen. Rocky Mountain Laser Clinic regularly offers free Visia scans (valued at $200) when performed with other procedures. Doctors like Dr. Raval aren’t finding that this sort of technology is changing the way they examine patients’ skin, but instead the technology and printouts are used to help explain to the patient what treatments are optimum to correct the skin’s flaws. In use since 2003, doctors and clinicians have been diagnosing skin conditions for hundreds of years without this technological advantage. Typically, the Visia report will show the detail of sun damage on a person’s skin which can be a wake-up call to a patient who hasn’t been religious about wearing sunscreen. It’s often this printed view that pushes patients to be more proactive about their skincare, making regular appointments with the aesthetician for treatments that turn back the clock. After reviewing the Visia report with a patient, Dr. Raval or a Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetic technician will recommend specific treatments to eradicate skin problems—sometimes laser treatments or facials or medical-grade cosmeceuticals and sunscreens to rejuvenate and protect the skin. Visit the Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetics’ website www.rockymountainlaser.com for monthly specials on Visia scans. Or call the clinic today at 303-985-8520 to schedule your Visia scan.
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