New trends in aesthetic medicine and oculoplastic surgery
The international congress Barcelona Oculoplastics, of the IMO Miranza Group, brought together more than 400 experts from 64 countries to discuss new trends in aesthetics and oculofacial rejuvenation.
The world’s leading experts in facial plastic surgery and in occulofacial esthetic medicine have recently shared the latest trends in this medical specialty at the international congress Barcelona Oculoplastics · (B)OC, organized by the IMO Foundation and one of the most recognized internationally. Nearly 400 professionals, from 64 countries, have gathered in IMO Grupo Miranza, the venue of the event.
Barcelona Oculoplastics is one of the essential meetings for specialists in oculoplastics and ocular and facial aesthetics. This is attested to by the four previous editions, which already total nearly 1,500 attendees: “One of the issues that has focused the attention of the congressmen has been eyelid ptosis (drooping of the eyelids), with a Symposium and a Keynote Conference on this illness. In addition, Dr. Ramón Medel, a specialist at IMO Grupo Miranza and co-organizer of the congress, has operated live on a patient with this congenital disease, who has required complex surgery to prevent poor visual development, as well as aesthetic and psychological problems” Medel explains. According to the ophthalmologist, internationally recognized in the treatment of ptosis, “years ago, children with this condition required 5 or 6 surgeries, while today we can solve it with a single intervention and without visible marks thanks to a technique called frontal flap ”, a highly complex procedure that the expert introduced in Spain and that allows him to help more than 100 children each year.
Less invasive ocular and facial aesthetic techniques
During (B)OC, new eye and facial rejuvenation and aesthetic techniques have also been shown. “We have noticed an increase in demand, especially during the pandemic, since the use of a mask has focused all attention on the eye area,” explains Dr. Luz M. Vásquez, also a co-organizer of the meeting and an expert in oculoplastic and aesthetic and oculofacial rejuvenation of IMO Grupo Miranza.
Specifically, topics such as the correction of eyelid bags by blepharoplasty (the most popular facial surgery) have been addressed, through live surgeries by Vásquez herself and Dr. José R. Montes (Puerto Rico), renowned internationally.
The mini-bleph technique was also presented, consisting of a blepharoplasty performed with CO2 laser, which is undoubtedly one of the current trends. The main advantage is that this technique lasts 20 to 30 minutes, leaves no marks and recovery is usually quick.
According to Dr. Alejandra Amesty at Vissum Grupo Miranza (Alicante), “the mini-bleph technique provides the patient with the disappearance and reduction of wrinkles around the eye, a better skin texture and tone and can reduce the dark colour of bags under the eyes, reduce dyschromia and skin laxity and therefore also dermatochalasis (excess skin on the upper eyelid). The greatest benefit is that it can be performed in consultation, without the need for surgery for optimal results.”
Mucor fungus infection and Covid-19
Likewise, in the Barcelona Oculoplastics international congress, they have included a monograph by Dr. Óscar Balaguer (Barcelona), on the latest international research that links the increased incidence of a rare and serious fungal infection caused by the mucor fungus in people with Covid-19 or who have passed the disease. This is focused around the eyes or in the sinuses.
“It is a rare pathology, but one that should be known by specialists who treat the eye and facial areas, as we will probably have to deal with it at some point, especially if we work in hot and humid areas, such as India, where the incidence of this infection is concentrated, according to the research published so far,” explains the ophthalmologist.
These studies show that, since the start of the pandemic, this pathology has increased considerably in India, causing irreparable damage to the eye and nasal area and even death, with a higher incidence in patients with diabetes, transplant recipients or immunosuppressed people. Some of the treatments against COVID-19 have also favoured its development, as is the case with corticosteroids, especially among diabetics,” Balaguer highlights. In fact, since the beginning of the pandemic, the Asian country has already registered more than 30,000 cases.
According to the latest studies, this non-contagious disease features mortality rates of between 30 and 60%, which, as claimed by the specialist, could be reduced through early detection.Balaguer also explained about the mucor fungus, that “the infection can be camouflaged with symptoms similar to other pathologies, such as nasal congestion, dirty discharge, bleeding, facial or eyelid edema, vision problems, periocular pain or black lesions and scars on the eyelids, nose, mouth, etc.”
