History of Dermatologic Surgery
A Brief Timeline History of Dermatologic Surgery
While several specialties have contributed to skin surgery and cosmetic procedures in dermatology, the major advances in these fields by dermatologic surgeons often goes overlooked. Below represents a small fraction of dermatologic surgery’s innovations and skill sets.
- 1871 — present Chemical Facial Peels including Phenol, TCA, alpha hydroxy Dr.’s Fox, Hebra, Unna, Monash, Ayres, Van Scott, Brody, Monheit
- Early 20th Century — Kromeyer introduces dermabrasion
- Early 20th Century — Suzanne Noel, a Parisian Dermatologist performs one of the first facelift and publishes her results
- 1936 — Frederic Mohs treats first skin cancer patient with his technique of chemically fixing the tissue and mapping the skin specimen under the microscope. This was the genesis of what has become known as Mohs Surgery.
- 1952 — Dr. Norman Orentreich performed the first hair transplant specifically to treat male pattern baldness.
- 1967 — American College of Mohs Surgery founded. Organization created to promote Mohs surgery and create 1-2 year Mohs surgery and reconstruction fellowships to increase the expertise of practitioners of Mohs surgery
- 1970 — American Society of Dermatologic Surgery founded. The organization created to promote all aspects of dermatologic surgery from skin cancer to cosmetic procedures in order to increase the expertise of practitioners of dermatologic surgery.
- 1978 — Tromovitch and Stegman report the fresh tissue technique for Mohs surgery which simplifies the process for removing skin cancer, Robbins, Amonette and Hanke and other Mohs surgeons popularize this technique.
- 1981 — Anderson and Parrish describe Selective Photothermolysis which forms the basis laser skin tissue interaction and the use of lasers for skin conditions.
- 1981 — Collagen approved as a dermal filler. Investigations for approval led by A. Klein and other dermatologic surgeons
- 1986 — J. Klein to describe tumescent anesthesia for liposuction. This innovation allows for liposuction to be safely performed under local anesthesia and has been adopted for other procedures from large skin cancer reconstructions to facelifts that would have been performed previously under general anesthesia.
- 1989 — J. Zitelli reports a major modification in the bilobed flap for nasal reconstruction. Important in its own right, this paper also signifies the advances and contributions that Mohs surgeons are making in regional facial reconstruction
- 1990 — J & A Carruthers first report the effect on wrinkles of Botulinum toxin—an effect they had observed as early as 1987.
- 1990’s — Advent and popularization of laser resurfacing for facial wrinkles with carbon dioxide and erbium led by Dover, Alster, Moy, Rubin, and others
- 1998 — Intense Pulsed Light treatments for facial photodamage reported by Bitter Sr & Jr.
- 2003 — Hyaluronic Acidapproved as a dermal filler. Investigations for approval led by Narins and other dermatologic surgeons
- 2004 — Fractional laser is resurfacing concept described by Manstein et at Harvard Wellman Laboratories. Fractional resurfacing for sun damage had led to less downtime and risk while still providing excellent results in the appropriate patient.
- 2008 — Cryolipolysis of fat for noninvasive body contouring first reported by Manstein et at Harvard Wellman Laboratories
