The congress, which is attended by practising aesthetic GPs, dermatologists and plastic surgeons as well as those interested in pursuing aesthetic medicine, features a programme of interactive sessions and live demonstrations of aesthetic techniques by both international and local experts.
Cosmedica is organised by the industry's self-regulatory body, the South African Association of Cosmetic Doctors (SAACD), under the guardianship of Dr Anushka Reddy, course director and SAACD president and a practising aesthetic doctor and owner of the Medi-Sculpt group of clinics.
"Aesthetic medicine is driven by a groundswell of public demand for safe, non-surgical, non-invasive and zero-downtime therapies that will make people look younger and feel better about themselves. The programme introduces medical professionals to the latest and leading such therapies in a high-intensity, highly interactive and hands on fashion that imparts skills along with knowledge," explains Dr Reddy.
On Friday 5 July, it starts with pre-congress workshops that include: Botulinum Toxin Masterclass; Practice Pearls for the Aesthetic Practitioner, an extensive workshop that covers a variety of in-office procedures; Introduction to Phlebology and Spider Vein Sclerotherapy; and a Dermal Filler Masterclass.
To best cater to the varying needs and degrees of expertise of delegates, the congress programme for the next two days is divided into three tracks: the Beginner Scientific Programme; the Expert Scientific Programme and the Medi-Spa Scientific Programme. This programme runs exclusively on the last and final day of the congress.
As it did last year, the congress will feature a cadaver dissection broadcast from a local, Johannesburg-based medical school. In response to feedback from the 2012 event, the dissection will now be divided into two focal areas. The first will focus on the musculature and no-go areas for botulinum toxin treatments and the other will feature dissection of the facial planes, with international experts demonstrating correct volumetric injection techniques.
According to Dr Reddy, the teaching of safe injection techniques is a key priority of this year's congress and one that will be addressed extensively during the cadaver dissection and at the pre-congress workshops.
To allow delegates to receive hands-on training and instruction in safe injection techniques, the congress's scientific committee has appointed an international faculty to oversee these workshops, which allows delegates to inject their own patients under the guidance and supervision of the faculty.
"Perhaps the most exciting event is the launch of the 'No Scar Untreated Campaign', a worldwide initiative that the event is proud to be a part of. In the South African context, we will take a closer look at the scars of victims of violence including gun shot and stab wounds among others and will offer free fractional CO2 laser treatment on a pro bono basis to those with scars of this nature during the congress," says Dr Reddy.
These scar treatments will be administered on Friday 5 July at the Donald Gordon Hospital and the procedures will be taped and broadcast on Saturday 6 July during the Scar Symposium, which forms part of the Expert Scientific Programme. In addition, these delegates will also witness a broadcast recorded at Baragwanath Hospital of the treatment of burn victims with mature scars.
All content for the congress, which is certified for 24 CPD points, is determined and directed by a panel of scientific course directors. This includes panel chair, Prof Massimo Signorini, clinical professor of plastic surgery at Milan University, Italy; Dr Matteo Tretti Clementoni, specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Milan University, Italy; and Dr Girish Munavalli, assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, USA.
"The congress has a powerful programme line up that will be presented by the highest calibre speakers from South Africa and around the globe. The course content has been designed in such a way that doctors who are established aesthetic practitioners will derive as much benefit as much as those who are newcomers to this dynamic field of medicine," concludes Dr Reddy.
For more information, go to www.cosmedica.co.za
