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Houston, Texas

2002

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New Laser Treatment for Acne Featured on CBS News
KHOU-TV, Nov, 2002 HOUSTON 11 News

A chronic acne condition can affect self-esteem, confidence, personality and social life. Until now, topical medications and antibiotics have been the primary treatment. But a new FDA-approved laser treatment is a welcome alternative.

Falguna Mehta has been battling acne since she was a teenager. It used to come and go with her menstrual cycle. But in the last two years it has become worse. "Well, I don't like acne on my face," Mehta said. "It has dark spots. It looks ugly. I want to get rid of them." Mrs. Mehta tried topical medications and antibiotics but she saw no improvement.

Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged. Each follicle contains sebaceous glands that secrete oil to lubricate your skin. When you produce sebum and dead cells faster than they can exit from the pore, the two solidify as a white cheesy plug.

Dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman performed the new laser treatment on Mrs. Mehta's skin. "The laser works by shrinking the sebaceous gland or the oil gland beneath the top layer of skin," Dr. Friedman said. "And by doing so it prevents future breakouts."

After applying a topical anesthetic which stays on the skin for about an hour, the laser treatment begins. Houston attorney Katherine Kingman had the treatment a month ago for acne that covered her face. She is pleased with the results. "It's definitely the best I've looked since I've had acne problems," Kingman said.

The research studies for the laser treatment were performed on patients with severe back acne. Their acne remained in remission for six months. The new laser treatments for acne cost about $300 per treatment. Four treatments are recommended.

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NBC Interview Showcases Laser Treatment for Acne Scarring
Featuring Dr. Friedman
Aug 2002 NBC

There's still no fountain of youth to stop wrinkles. But the newest advances in laser treatment can significantly diminish fine lines around the eyes and mouth. Dermatologists use a combination of several laser treatments to effectively and safely remove the fine wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

At age fifty, Lydia Harlacher has noticed her lipstick bled because of the fine wrinkles around her mouth, and she didn't like the way her eye make-up looked. "It was caked and it's like ridges in here, so that's what I primarily wanted to improve," said Harlacher, who decided to try the laser treatment.

Her skin was prepared for the laser treatment with a microdermabrasion. This technique exfoliates the skin, removing all make-up and allows the laser light to penetrate better.

Within 15 minutes, Harlacher heads for a Smoothbeam laser treatment. The laser emits a cool spray just before the laser pulse. The laser penetrates beneath the top layer of the skin to stimulate the patient's own collagen production. Collagen is a connective tissue of the skin that gives it a smooth appearance.

"It feels warm and it's a little tingly sensation, it feels like a rubber band," said Harlacher.

Then Dr. Paul Friedman, a surgical dermatologist, used the q-switched YAG laser. "We've found by getting different depths of penetration with each laser we get additional benefits," said Dr. Friedman.

Right after the treatment the skin is red, but it subsides quickly. "It feels more plump. It feels like the way it was when I was in maybe my thirties," Harlacher said.

Dermatologists recommend three to five laser treatments to see improvement. Each treatment costs about $350.

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CBS Interview Showcases Laser Rejuvenation
Featuring Dr. Friedman
June 2002 KHOU.com

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KHOU Interview Showcases Birthmark Treatment
Featuring Dr. Friedman
May 2002 KHOU.com

A new laser removes birthmarks without leaving a scar. First comes a cool spray, a fraction of a second later there's a laser pulse.

A birthmark is a proliferation of blood vessels beneath the skin. Not long ago, people born with birthmarks on their face had to live with them into adulthood. But now the latest advances in laser therapy enable infants as well as adults to have these removed permanently.

Babies born today with what is called a port wine birthmark, a dark reddish splotch, can have them removed starting at three weeks of age. The birthmark treatment usually requires a series of treatment sessions with the laser.

Michael Steffano was born with a birthmark forty years ago. He's had to live with it until now. Steffano says when he was in his late 20s and early 30s it really started to darken and enlarge. On this day, Steffano will start to have his removed.

First an anesthetic cream is applied and he waits about thirty minutes. Laser treatment isn't new but is being refined and this latest advance is called the pulsed-dye laser.

As the procedure begins, a cool spray is emitted milliseconds before the laser pulse. As Dr. Paul Friedman explains, "That decreases the pain associated with the laser treatment and allows us to use high energies so we get more effective clearing of the birthmark with each treatment."

The laser selectively targets the damaged blood vessels and spares normal tissue. While all birthmarks can't be removed, Dr. Friedman nonetheless calls it a "very exciting time" in the laser field, with a lot of new technology that allows doctors to treat a variety of conditions safely.

Incidentally, the latest advance in laser therapy is also effective on a variety of other conditions including scars, facial and leg veins, and rosacea. An excellent Internet resource for information and support for birthmarks and other vascular malformations is Birthmarks.com.

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Skin Cancer Prevention Month Raises Sun-Sense in Houston
April 2002

The statistics are startling. Each year, approximately one million people in the United States will be diagnosed with skin cancer. One in every five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime, and the disease now accounts for 50 percent of all cancers in this country.

What most people don't realize is that, despite new treatment procedures, these statistics are increasing. Cases of melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, more than tripled among Caucasians between 1980 and 2002. One person now dies of melanoma every hour.

Shocking, isn't it? Especially because skin cancer can be prevented. May has been designated as National Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month by the American Academy of Dermatology. And on May 4th, numerous hospitals and medical clinics throughout the city of Houston (as well as in all other major cities throughout the country) will host free skin cancer screenings in support of this national observance.

Houston dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman is serving as the program director and committee chairman for the 2002 Houston Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Campaign.

Although the statistics are staggering, there is some good news: nearly all skin cancers are curable if detected early, Friedman said.

Basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma are almost 100 percent curable if diagnosed and treated in time. If neglected, certain forms of skin cancers can be deadly, Friedman warned.

Everyone should perform self skin examinations regularly, Friedman recommended. Become familiar with your body and after a while you'll be able to notice subtle changes if they occur.

In order to spring into the summer sun with a safe start, Houstonians are encouraged to attend one of the many free skin cancer screenings available May 4th. Screening sites include:

  • Northeast Regional Cancer Center
  • Houston Northwest Medical Center
  • Memorial Herman Hospital Woodlands
  • Memorial Herman Northwest Hospital
  • M.D. Anderson
  • Memorial Herman Hospital Memorial City
  • Memorial Herman Southwest Hospital
  • Memorial Herman Fort Bend Hospital
  • Bayshore Medical Center
  • UTMB, Galveston
  • Deke Slayton Cancer Center, Webster

Friedman is the director of laser surgery at DermSurgery Laser Center, a private practice in the Texas Medical Center specializing in dermatologic surgery, including state-of-the-art laser procedures, treatment of skin cancer and many types of skin surgeries. He also specializes in Mohs Micrographic Surgery, one of the most effective treatments for skin cancer.

For more information about Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, call (800)ASC-2345 or go to www.aad.org.

Houston Doctor Wins National Award
Jan 2002

Houston physician Paul M. Friedman, M.D. was named as one of three winners of the first-ever national Investigators Writing Competition of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS).

The prestigious award was presented recently at the Annual Business Meeting of the ASDS in Dallas, where Friedman also presented his paper, "3D In-vivo Optical Skin Imaging for Topographical Quantitative Assessment of Nonablative Laser Technology," to more than 200 hundred dermatologic physicians from throughout the United States.

His paper highlighted a state-of-the-art laser that delivers laser light deep into the skin to stimulate collagen remodeling for the treatment of wrinkles, sun damage and acne scarring with faster healing than with traditional laser therapy. Friedman helped to develop a model to study the effects of nonablative laser technology on the skin, which is now used to test developing technology in this field.

The inaugural Young Investigators Writing Competition offered residents and recent graduates an opportunity to submit articles for publication in Dermatologic Surgery, a forum showcasing today's most expansive and in-depth coverage of skin surgery and skin cancer. Friedman's work will be featured in the March issue of the magazine.

A $1,000 grant also was presented to the ASDS Cutting Edge Research Program on behalf of Friedman. This program awards $100,000 annually to foster basic and clinical research projects to stimulate technology transfer from the laboratory to dermatologic surgery practice.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Friedman trained at the prestigious Laser & Skin Surgery of New York, and served as the Chief Resident of the Department of Dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine. He is currently the Director of Laser Surgery with DermSurgery Laser Center in Houston. Located in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, DermSurgery Laser Center is a private practice specializing in dermatologic surgery, including state-of-the-art laser procedures, treatment of skin cancer and many types of skin surgeries. Led by renowned physicians Dr. Leonard H. Goldberg and Dr. Paul M. Friedman, DermSurgery Laser Center is a leader in comprehensive dermatologic surgical care. To find out more about DermSurgery and Laser Center, call (713)791-9966 or go to www.friedmanmd.net