Dr. Pravit Asawanonda, M.D. at The Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand
During last weekend’s International Congress in Aesthetic Dermatology 2012 (ICAD 2012), held in Bangkok, Thailand, Novasans had the opportunity to sit down and talk to one of Thailand’s leading dermatologists, Dr. Pravit Asawanonda, M.D. at The Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand and also presiding over this year’s scientific committee at ICAD. During our talk, Dr. Pravit shared his thoughts on current and future trends in dermatology, and why anti-aging and aesthetics have become such sought-after treatment areas in recent years.
You are working at the Dept. of Dermatology at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Are you also practicing at other hospitals in Thailand or elsewhere?
Yes, I have been practicing at Bumrungrad International Hospital for a little more than ten years.
You have a degree as Doctor of Science from Boston University, along with a Fellowship in Phototherapy & Laser at Harvard Medical School, both in the States. In your eyes, how important has your international training been for you professionally?
I would say that it has been very important for me in my practice at an international hospital here in Bangkok. As about 50% of my patients come from overseas, they feel more comfortable knowing that I have been trained and educated abroad.
50% international patients is a high number. Do you know why there are so many international patients looking for dermatology treatments in Bangkok?
When a patient is traveling to Bumrungrad from overseas for a major medical procedure, the family usually accompanies the patient. Once the family members are here, they seek treatment for minor procedures within dermatology. Bumrungrad attracts a lot of international patients from the Middle East so the majority of the patients I see come from this region.
Dr. Pravit, in your role as presiding over this year’s scientific committee, you are one of the organizers behind ICAD 2012. In your opinion, what is the purpose behind this event?
This is the fourth ICAD congress held here in Thailand. During the first two congresses, there were two main focus areas that were not intermixed; aesthetic dermatology and anti-aging and hormone. After receiving suggestions from the participants on combining the two areas, we did for the third congress. This has been very successful as we generally get a better exposure on the various areas.
During this congress, one of the main focuses has been anti-aging medicine and hormone therapy. Could you tell our readers a little more about the developments in this field?
Although not trained in anti-aging, I believe that anti-aging and hormone therapy is a very important area that a lot of dermatologists were lacking knowledge about in the past. Anti-aging was developed and viewed as a separate discipline. This notion has changed in the last years as we are seeing a growing aging population and a larger overall interest in staying healthy and vital. As once by some looked upon with a frown, it is now accepted even among the mainstream dermatologists.
Thailand is viewed to be on the forefront for aesthetic dermatology. What are the reasons behind this expansion in interest among the Thai population in these kinds of treatments?
I think what we’re seeing is a global trend, both in the consumer and the practitioner section and interest. There are however certain countries where aesthetic dermatology is more common, such as Japan and South Korea.
What trends can you pinpoint in aesthetic dermatology right now?
At present we are seeing more and more fillers and injectables. Although we are also seeing developments in terms of technology for machines, they are associated with big investments, and can sometime become out of fashion quite fast. Injectables are less complicated to use in many cases and the result obtained is generally very good. Another trend is the comprehensive approach on treatments. Today, you don’t use one individual treatment or procedure but a combination of several to obtain the best result. The approaches can include diverse methods such as diet therapy, breathing exercise, detox and light therapy.
Which are the most popular aesthetic dermatology treatments amongst your patients?
I myself only perform laser treatments. But generally speaking, injectables are very popular. Before, many patients used to come to me for hair removal, however today they are more interested in treating pigmentation, veins and wrinkles.
What are the variations in interest for aesthetic dermatology treatments in Asia vs. the Western world?
The demand is very similar be it Asian, European or Middle Eastern patients. However, as the face and body features vary between the different groups the problem areas and treatment methodology might also differ. The expertise between the regions is the same, but in Asia, there is often a limitation in terms of products on the market. In Europe, there are probably 50-60 fillers on the market, yet in Asia the range is not as big.
On a personal as well as professional level, which of all the presentations during these intense days are you most looking forward to, and which was most interesting and groundbreaking?
As the conference has just started, I’m mainly looking forward to the stem cell presentations.
If you would like to find out more about ICAD 2012, or Dr. Pravit Asawanonda and his work, please visit the following links:
Dermatology of Today – Interview with Dr. Pravit Asawanonda, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok