This past week, I watched giant sea turtles laying eggs by the moonlight along the Carribean coast of Costa Rica and visited two different rain forests. While visiting the 2nd national park near San Jose, my tour guide told me his story of a bug bite that lead to a pimple that wouldn’t go away on his left cheek. My guide had seen many doctors and none of them knew what the spot on his cheek was, finally, when the lesion was biopsied, he was found to have leishmaniasis. I asked if he was given pentavalent antimony, the treatment I remember from dermatology residency, and he told me that he had received a series of shots, which he didn’t complete, the lesion returned, and he then went on to complete the medication course and resolve the disease. It got me to thinking about what other diseases one could get in the jungle- I was thankful that I had practically bathed in DEET throughout my vacation, avoiding any infected mosquito or fly bites- the new zika virus fresh in my mind.
I tell this story because there was no internet or cell service in the Costa Rican jungle and I had brought my computer and notes from dermatology and internal medicine residency where I read up on tropical diseases. The past can sometimes leave such an impression on us that it gets us excited about the future. I did not know that going to Costa Rica would re-introduce me to leishmaniasis and its various forms from small bumps like my tour guide had to disseminated disease affecting the internal organs. In June of 2002, I completed my Internal Medicine residency at Georgetown University Hospital and soon after became board certified in Internal Medicine. One of my favorite memories of Internal Medicine Residency was spending time with Dr. Tony Fauci at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C.- where I saw all kinds of infectious disease. Recently, I have been binge watching the TV Show, “House” about an irreverent Internal Medicine physician who only takes on the difficult cases, its been a real treat to revisit diseases and disease presentations that I had seen as a medical student and resident- thus far, “Leishmaniasis” hasn’t been one of the, “House diseases”.
At the beginning of August, Las Vegas Dermatology embarked upon something new, body contouring. We purchased a Cynosure SculpSure machine, the first 1060nm laser FDA approved for the destruction of unwanted fat in the abdomen and love handle region. In 25 minutes it is possible to remove 24% of the fat in a given area with minimal discomfort using sapphire chilled pads (around the size of an ipad) with a laser firing through the crystal pads. Results should be apparent in 12 weeks. SculpSure works by physically destroying the adipocytes or fat cells and the body clears them through the lymphatic system. The machine is meant for people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 30 (Weight in kg/Height in m2), and are having trouble losing stubborn belly fat You can calculate your BMI here.
I like to keep in good shape by running, but with the heat of the Las Vegas summer, I have been confined to exercising indoors. Nevertheless, when the SculpSure trainer arrived at our office, I lifted my shirt and asked her if I was a candidate for the treatment. All the while, in my head I was thinking, “Please say no, please say no, please say no.” She gripped the fat on my lower abdomen, rolled it between her fingers and said, “Oh yeah, we have plenty to work with here.” My first treatment happened the following week. A belt was wrapped around my waist and 4 applicator pads were placed on my lower abdomen. The machine started to work by cooling and heating for the first 4 minutes and then for the next 21 minutes the machine got to work heating the deep fat and cooling the skin. It felt like a hot and cold roller coaster for the 25 minutes I was strapped in, and I was sore for the next few days post treatment.
We will be having a SculpSure education and sign up event in September, or you can schedule a one on one consultation now if you’re ready to remove your unwanted dad bod, mommy tummy or stubborn abdominal fat today.
Something Old, Something New, The Best Project is You,
Dr. Vegas
