by Dr. Anita Dormer

I remember as a medical student being told about the importance of the use of the placebo. The idea was ethically controversial but for some people, a miracle cure. What could be so wrong with making people feel good? First, do no harm. A little B12 injection monthly was a miracle for my grandmother even though she was never deficient. Besides when the placebo effect is upwards of 33%, that could build a business in large cities. Think, 1/3 of New York thinks you are greatest doctor with magical cures.

Unfortunately, physicians today have taken the medicine of anti-aging so far that the idea of “do no harm” no longer applies–especially to the pocketbook. For example, for years now, researchers having been trying to find a non-ablative laser (a laser that will not need recovery or patient downtime) that will improve wrinkles, lift faces etc. The last 10 years have we’ve seen an attempt to bring a laser or machine to market that will remove wrinkles, revise scars, get rid of cellulite and then do tummy lifts and a facelift without a knife. If this sounds unbelievable, just look at the ads in many magazines and compare them to any department store cream that promises beauty.

The medical scientific perspective is that we have not developed a non-ablative laser that will remove wrinkles. The CO2 laser is the gold standard for effectiveness but this causes downtime so no one wants this anymore-just the fast food medical version, please. And so, that’s what one gets-empty calories and no nutrition, so to speak. The best result for a non-ablative laser is about a 12% improvement. Yet, laser companies and even your doctor have other statistics. Your physician has purchased this machine for 100K or so and now sees it doesn’t work therefore it now will be in his armamentarium for anti-aging treatments for you along with the other failed machines. This is an ugly fact. After all, snake oil was about the money, not the cure.

An example of my experience is just a few weeks ago, a laser company called to see if I wanted to buy the newest laser at 165K. Apparently, all the MD’s love it and it is fantastic. Laser companies rarely give demos anymore, besides one needs 4-6 treatments to see the results but in my case they are so sure it works they will give me 2 treatments. Never buy if you don’t try in this field I have learned. I travel to the office here in Manhattan. An impressive but sterile appearing place tucked away in a non-descript building. The treating person I learn is not medically trained at all, so that’s a tip off to me immediately. He tells me that these treatments cost $1500 a piece and one needs 5-6 treatments. They offer financing, however and state this machine is the main stay of their business. In fact, he says, the most famous dermatologist in Manhattan tried it one time and Voila-she bought it. Well, that surely should impress me. The procedure was made complicated by creams and in many ways resembled the set up of a surgical suite. But when you pay $1500 for 15-30 minutes, you better at least feel you got your money’s worth. There were photos before to proved that it worked so $9000 later, you could see the changes to your face. The course of treatment is fairly sneaky as your skin swells on your face and by the time you are due for your next treatment the swelling has improved. I find it fascinating that people swear by a treatment and then 3 months after their treatment is completed there is absolutely no improvement. This is the trick, swell the face, keep the treatments going and a fake improvement is seen. Of course the 3-6 month waiting period for improvement is often quoted for the doubtful.

However, when I asked about the science of the machine the entertaining gentleman seemed to be uneducated. He said he researched lasers and this is the one that really works. The rest don’t. Ok, even if you aren’t a doctor, research is very good. I suggested the machine might be like the failed N-lite, Cool Touch, Titan, Thermage that were all the rage for 1-2 years then faded into obscurity. This recently happened to Thermage and now Fraxel is going that way as well-now being bought by another company. And so it goes in the laser markets.

Actually this laser that I was trying is a combination of two failed wavelengths; both were failed companies because the wavelength did not work as directed. So I asked why is this going to remove my skin problems. For this, he fell silent. The laser rep started stating all the prominent doctors that bought it and I happen to know they have a room full of all their old machines. In fact, why not just use two of them and not buy this new laser, since it really is the same wavelength. Brilliant, yes? Or why do this at all since it doesn’t really do what the patient’s think nor what the doctor says. That is, except for 33% of patients-then add a little hope and trust in your doctors and you have a real money maker. How do they sleep at night, one might ask?

When I retired from Pulmonary-Critical Care medicine and the resulting life I did so for many reasons. One was to be able to sleep well through the night. I guess I’ll pass on the newest miracle laser this time.

So to the 66% of you that feel like you’ve been sold snake oil and the rest of you that know if it sounds too good to be true-it usually is-you are welcome to come see me and get the honest straight story about anti-aging medicine and how it can really help you. I deal in effective treatments only-no snake oil sold here.