Medical Spa MD – Angry Cosmetic Dermatologists & Plastic Surgeons!
Medical Spa MD’s plastic surgery and cosmetic dermatology forums are the scene of an unlikely brouhaha that’s more than just uncommon in medicine, it’s unheard of.
Frustrated by what a growing number of cosmetic dermatologists see as an wall of silence and infuriating lack of support from cosmetic laser and IPL manufacturers, these doctors have taken their anger public in a kind of free-for-all gang-bang that you don’t usually see from plastic surgeons. A public riot where ‘names are named’ and fingers are pointed directly at identified individuals that populate the management teams of prominent cosmetic laser and IPL companies.
At times, entire strings of emails are published detailing conversations and publicly embarrassing top executives and even plastic surgeons that act as luminary spokespeople for these companies. It’s as though the cosmetic dermatologists have decided to play hard ball.
There’s still some common sense left. Most of the physicians comments are made anonymously and the medical discussion forums that host these discussions protect the plastic surgeons who wish to remain under some level of secrecy.
Of course the sites hosting these physicians forums have some headaches of their own. Medical Spa MD has been served with a number of lawyer letters and threats for daring to air these forum discussions in public.
“We’ve received a number of nasty-grams”, says the publisher of Medical Spa MD, “but censoring public discourse between physicians is not what forums are about. The cosmetic surgeons on the site are directly responsible for what they post and commenting that their opinion is that they’re not receiving sufficient support from the cosmetic laser companies is just that, their opinion.”
The issues are increasingly complicated by the types of medical answers that the most vocal of the cosmetic surgeons are demanding, leaving the IPL and laser companies in the uncomfortable position of seeming to be ignoring their plastic surgeons as customers, or providing information for cosmetic medical treatments that could easily be considered off-label use by the FDA, creating a potential for hazardous liability claims from patients and as well as the very plastic surgeons who are demanding answers.
The topic is not likely to die down anytime soon. Information that’s disseminated on the web has a long life and it’s obvious that technology companies are taking notice. In some cases they’ve actively joined in the discussion forums and proactively address concerns of individuals as soon as they’re posted, leaving an impression of active customer support. These tactics seem to be working as the IPL and laser manufactures who are active have a much lower incidence of negative comments from plastic surgeons who see their calls for support go unheeded.
In the end it’s a money game. Many cosmetic surgeons who are looking for new IPL and laser technology are finding their way to these forums and asking their more experienced peers for advice. IPL and laser manufacturers who aren’t playing the game can’t expect to win.
Medical Spa MD is a cosmetic medical community of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Dermatologists, and Aesthetic Physicians with more than 3,500 members. Medical Spa MD offers Medical Esthetician Training and provides information on non-surgical cosmetic medical technologies and treatments.