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    Freelance Blog

    We create stunningly effective design, marketing and advertising campaigns that help cosmetic medical clinics communicate and grow.

    We also outsource the tasks that real business don't have time for. Like article marketing, local PR,  Facebook and Twitter marketing that drives new patient flow, and managing your own web site. We're really good at that stuff too. Contact us.

    Friday
    May142010

    Not Exactly Laser Hair Removal...

    A clever and funny ad around the bikini line.

    And another.

    Thursday
    May132010

    Medical Spa Bold

    This add is for a Covergirl is a make-up product who makes eyelashes look thicker but would work equally well for Botox or other cosmetic procedures. The agency Grey in Buenos Aires, made this simple yet striking ad to promote its effect on the eyes. You can see 2 eyes, with thickened eyelashes and underneath a sort of toolbar where the “B” is indicated.
    Makes your eyelashes look bold

    Thursday
    May132010

    Allergan & Botox


    Allergan Q1 Profits: Botox, Dysport, Juvederm Ultra XC

    Allergan's Q1 Earnings Call: Allergan's thoughts on it's Botox and Juvederm Ultra XC growth.

    You might want to visit our Select Partner Medical Spa RX after reading this.

    First quarter sales increased year-over-year 11.2% in dollars and 6.9% in local currencies, boosted by the strong pickup in the sales of medical devices, which grew 18.4% in dollars and 13.4% in local currencies. The growth in the Medical Aesthetics businesses was even stronger outside the U.S. in all regions and across a wide range of countries, with surprisingly strong performance in Europe.

    Operating performance was strong, with non-GAAP earnings per share at $0.65, marking an increase of 18.2% versus the result for Q1 of 2009, and comfortably exceeding the Q1 expectations shared with you, the investment community, of $0.57 to $0.59.

    Earnings growth was driven by strong gross margin expansion, especially in the Medical Device segment. Careful spending in the selling, general administrative area, whilst we increased investment in R&D by 11.1% on a non-GAAP.

    Within SG&A, we however doubled our DTC expenditures versus Q1 of 2009, which of course was the low watermark for spending when the world economy was in crisis. Our plan is to continue to invest in 2010 across our brands and into the recovery of our markets.

    During the quarter, we were pleased that we continued to strengthen our R&D pipeline, supplementing our internally development programs with acquisitions and licenses. In January, we acquired Serica, a company with proprietary technology for use in tissue regeneration especially applicable to breast reconstruction, as well as the license for Ser-120 in Phase III clinical development for nocturia. Strategically, we have made good progress in building up a portfolio of urology assets.

    We also furthered our aspirations to be the leader in medical aesthetics also in Asia, by reacquiring the rights to BOTOX Cosmetic in Japan and China and expanded our footprint in fast-growing emerging markets by establishing direct operations for all of our businesses in Turkey, effective from the second quarter.

    After the out-licensing transaction with Bristol-Myers for neuropathic pain, we've increased our degree of R&D focus on our core specialty areas.

    Now I’d like to comment on our expectations for 2010. For the full year earnings outlook, we have brought up the bottom of the EPS range by $0.02 to $3.11 and have left the top end of the range at $3.15 which at the time of the last earnings call expressly excluded the costs of any healthcare reform bill in the United States. With the increase of the Medicaid rebate, extension to managed Medicaid and expansion of eligible hospitals in the so-called 340B program, we estimate that the cost of healthcare reform in 2010 will be approximately $12 million. This is now included in our outlook.

    Turning to BOTOX

    Sales growth has picked up relative to trends seen across 2009, with growth versus the first quarter of 2009 at 11.3% in dollars and at 6.6% in local currencies. Sales of $331 million were only modestly lower sequentially than Q4, which is always seasonally the highest quarter of the year. Most of this increase was due to the more economically sensitive aesthetic side of the business, as the benefits of the upper-limb spasticity FDA approval in March occurred too late in the quarter to contribute to our sales results.

    Outside the U.S., we enjoyed very strong double-digit increases across a wide range of countries, with surprisingly strong growth in several of the main European markets. These global markets are precisely where we are successfully dealing with multiple competitors.

    It would therefore seem that the market is recovering as we can measure our market share with only a short time lag. In Europe, on the aesthetic side, we’re holding share at just under 80%, as we deal with the incursions of both Merck’s, with their Zymine and Bocatua [ph] brands and Galderma with Azzalure.

    On the therapeutic side, it seems that most of ZMM’s market share gains have been at the expense of Dysport. In the U.S., BOTOX sales growth is less buoyant, as there was no base of Dysport sales in the prior year, but it is clear that the market is growing again.

    We estimate that in the aesthetic market, Dysport had somewhere between 13% and 14% share in the first quarter. We'll be curious to see the lasting impact of the Dysport Love It or Leave It promotion after it terminates at the end of May.

    In the therapeutic market, Dysport’s share is so far negligible, given the long history and experience of BOTOX use. In Europe and the U.S., we have recently introduced a 200-unit vial, which is useful for injectors treating large muscle groups, as well as for differentiation from competition. Regarding global market share for the fourth quarter, the last quarter for which data is available, we estimate that BOTOX held 79% share in a market growing 13% year-over-year.

    Regarding the clinical program for BOTOX for chronic migraine, the clinical trial results of our PREEMPT program were published in Cephalalgia, the journal of the International Headache Society. Regarding facial aesthetics, we've experienced an even stronger rebound in sales than observed with BOTOX. Dermal filler sales grew year-over-year, a very strong 42.4% in dollars, and 34.5% in local currencies, with great growth in all operating regions of the world, with Europe again surprising on the upside.

    Juvederm & Juvederm Ultra XC

    In the U.S., we've seen huge growth in the JUVÉDERM line since the launch of JUVÉDERM Ultra XC, this is the lidocaine-containing product, in early February. Although we have gained some market share, it would seem that the market is responding strongly to the reduction in treatment pain experienced with this lidocaine-containing product and already a substantial share of the mix is attributable to JUVÉDERM Ultra XC.

    We have just initiated print advertising for JUVÉDERM XC and have a PR campaign with TV host Dayna Devon, as our spokesperson to further drive growth. In Europe, we launched new additions to the JUVÉDERM product line, JUVÉDERM Smile at the IMCAS Conference in Paris in January and JUVÉDERM Hydrate at the Anti-Aging Conference in Monaco in March. JUVÉDERM Smile was also approved in South Africa, JUVÉDERM XC in Korea and JUVÉDERM Ultra Plus in Taiwan.

    Voluma was recently launched in Brazil and also approved in Taiwan.

    Based on our analysis of the world market in Q4, which we estimate grew 12%, it is clear that global market growth has accelerated since then. Our analysis also points to JUVÉDERM market share gains in all regions of the world. Beyond superior product performance characteristics, Allergan also benefits from having full product line.

    At the end of the first quarter, Allergan's cash and cash net of debt positions totaled approximately $2 billion and $471 million, respectively. Allergan continued to maintain exceptional cash flow generation capabilities in the first quarter, with operating cash flow after capital expenditures of approximately $161 million, an increase of approximately $56 million over the first quarter of 2009.

    Fake Botox: Houston physician sentenced

    The fake Botox case in Houston comes to a close with this sentence handed down.

    A Houston, Texas physician was sentenced to five months and 15 days in federal prison and three years of supervised release for injecting patients with fake Botox, prosecutors said on Friday.

    Dr. Gayle Rothenberg is a local physician specialized in providing image enhancement services. She was also ordered to pay $98,426 in restitution to her affected patients. As a condition of supervised release, Rothenberg is prohibited from seeking reinstatement of her medical license.

    Rothenberg and her former husband, Saul Gower, a local attorney, operated The Center for Image Enhancement located at 2000 Bering Drive in Houston.

    Rothenberg ordered and administered a drug called Botulinum Toxin Type A that was labeled with the warning “FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, NOT FOR HUMAN USE.” Despite this label, Rothenberg injected more than 170 patients with the substance and represented to patients that they were receiving Botox Cosmetic, manufactured by Allergan Inc.

    Rothenberg also admitted that she advertised in brochures, magazines and websites that she specialized in treating facial wrinkles with Botox Cosmetic, even though she intentionally stopped ordering it due to the price increase in 2004 and began ordering the unapproved drug from a company named Toxin Research International because it was half the price of the other. She admitted that she did not tell her patients that they were receiving a different substance.

    Gower pleaded guilty in 2008 to misbranding of a drug while being held for sale and making false statements to an agent. He then, cooperated with agents and testified.

     

    Thursday
    Apr292010

    Facebook SEO

    It could be that Google may have a run for it's money from Facebook's new 'like' feature that Google won't be able to index since they'll be behind the Facebook firewall.

    From CNN:

    As Google rose to become the barometer of all that's worthy on the Web, publishers rushed to change their sites to appease the Google god. "Search Engine Optimization" became a massive industry; a multitude of SEO consultants sprung up, offering to tweak your Web site to better fit Google's measure of the Web.

    What if Facebook Likes take off? Or to use the proper jargon: What if the Open Graph becomes the measure of the Web? Will publishers change their sites to appease our new overlord?

    I'm already seeing it: Thousands of sites are adding Facebook's version of semantic data in preference to the open standards as Facebook becomes the new kingmaker. In the week since launch, more than 50,000 Web sites have added Facebook's "social plug-ins." All of which will make it blissfully easy for Facebook to organize the Web:

    Facebook Optimization may be the new website SEO.

    Open Web advocates have reason to be concerned. Privacy experts are also raising red flags. No doubt they'll find an ally in Google: Without access to the stitches that bind Web pages together, the search engine could falter.

    Let's hope that this engenders more competion and privacy, not less.

    Monday
    Apr192010

    Website Review From Medical Spa MD

    Here's a website review from Medical Spa MD.

    This is going to be a regular production from Medical Spa MD and just in time too. The majority of plastic surgeons and dermatologists web sites are a mess. There are some exceptions of course but most of them are completely static an have no real social aspects or anthing that generates a community. We'll publlish these videos with our comentary as the come out.

    Thursday
    Apr082010

    NYC Headshot Photographer

    Take a look at the work of this terrific headshot photographer in NYC.

    Chia Messina's been shooting actors headshot and has expanded into advertising and lifestyle photography. 

    About two months we had a conversation with Chia around social media, blogging and the like. Chia already had a site, Twitter account and a Twitpic feed. Unfortunately her site was in Flash wich posed some nasty problems around adding or changing content and wasn't filling her website SEO needs at all.

    So, we put together a headshot blog that could reallys showcase her photography and let actors who might be potential clients to read a few posts and build up a comfort level before picking up the phone and making a call.

    On the plus side she's a damn good photographer. That give her ready access to the kind of images that the rest of us can only dream about and have to buy from iStock.

    Tuesday
    Apr062010

    Safer Plastic Surgery

    Safeguards For Your Simple Cosmetic Medical Treatment

    The days are gone when plastic surgery was only for the rich and famous as well as being something that you had to hide under the floor boards. Now, it’s appreciated and even in vogue to get plastic surgery. Individuals do it for many factors - to help feel good about themselves, to get rid of some form of medical problem, or just to shed weight expediently. What ever the reason why, it is critical for you to agree to common health and safety procedures since even though it’s cosmetic, any hazards are certainly not. So until you consent to alter your physical appearance, here is just what you need to do:

    Locate a licensed surgeon: The most beneficial thing to consider in plastic surgery isn't the fee; it’s precisely how knowledgeable your surgeon is. You’re getting this since you would like to enhance your physical appearance, and it is solely having a highly regarded and proven physician that can you make sure that the outcomes are as anticipated. So even should you are required to fork out a lot more, pick a physician who is certified and capable to do aesthetic surgery as well as someone that has experience within the specific surgery that you're interested by.

    Insist on a comfortable office: Cosmetic surgery is like every medical procedure in that you'll be under the effect of anesthesia and you'll go through blood loss. Consequently, just in case anything at all goes wrong, it is ideal to have your surgical treatments conducted at a hospital at which crisis care can be obtained over a 24x7 basis. But if the procedure will be scheduled at a private aesthetic surgical practice, find out about healthcare services which are near by and where you possibly can get urgent care .

    Stick to guidelines: And finally, it is very important to stay within your doctor’s guidance before and following the treatment. You could have to stop smoking cigarettes and/or stop specific drugs (if you’re on prescription medications). Additionally, after the procedure is conducted, you might be in a reasonable amount of discomfort, but seek advice from your physician before you decide to commence taking painkillers by yourself. It may very well be a while before you begin witnessing benefits, notably with liposuction and other surgical treatments performed on the facial skin, so you must be patient. You may also be required to undertake physiotherapy in some cases, so check with a medical expert in order to give you all the information prior to deciding to sign on the dotted line.

    It may very well be cosmetic, but the perils exist simply because it’s surgery in the end. But if you ever take on the essential safeguards plus stick to recommendations, there’s no need to worry about aesthetic surgery.

    By-line: The guest article is written by Teresa Jackson, she writes on online nurse practitioner school.

    Tuesday
    Mar302010

    Outsource SEO Software

    Search engine optimization is more than half the battle in marketing your website and getting the incremental traffic increases that come along with it.. search engine marketing expert organization (sempo) defines SEO as the process of editing a website's articles and code in order to improve awareness within one or a lot more search engines. different techniques are used by a website administrator to help increase their rankings in natural listings by making it 'easy' for search engines to be able to identify what the site's about, and decide how 'valuable' the content is to someone who's searching for information on that topic. SEO activities can also be divided into two broadly designated categories: on-site (SEO) and off-site (SEM).

    Some of the modifications you'll want to look at using DIY SEO software might include:

     * Editing html titles, h1 tags, and information to include search phrases that describe your item or service to the search engine and its readers.
     * Writing keyword-rich meta data to truthfully reflect the material that is visible to the search engine and its readers.
     * Changing and optimizing your alt attribute tags for all of your images.
     * Including quality anchor text in you hyperlinks (anchortext is the words or phrases used to link to a page)
     * Editing site architecture or internal linking structure to raise usability for readers that enter through search engines.
     * Delete duplicate contentand check for broken links/page errors - duplicate content and crawling errors can affect your ability to rank well in search engines.
     * Creating a clean sitemap.

    Off-site SEO (search engine marketing) includes activities outside of what occurs on your site to help boost your search engine rankings. these techniques typically take time and effort, and off-site SEO is an ongoing process. some of these search engine marketing activities include:

     * Distributing your sites feed to applicable no cost and compensated directories
     * Soliciting links from affiliated websites
     * Social book marks
     * Article and press release advertising and marketing
     * Promoting through social networks
     * Becoming an dynamic discussion board member
     * Commenting In different pertinent web sites (laser clinic or medical spa blogs if you're a plastic surgeon for example.)

    You'll be executing a quite a bit of link building.

    So,how does a search engine 'rank' a site and decide what order to list them in? essentially, links are the "currency" belonging to the web. each link acts as a 'vote' for a site, as far as the search engine sees it. now, it should be said right away that even more links doesn't necessarily equal better ranking. the reigning cliche here is "quality over quantity."

    You'll hear a lot when it comes to search engine marketing and link building, but often keep in mind that it takes time. some things to aim for when building link popularity for SEM:

     * High pagerank
     * Sites/pages that are extremely applicable to your webpage or the page being linked to
     * Quality anchor text that is relevant and/or contains keywords
     * Few other links

    Using this 'voting' system, there are Lots of ways to campaign for a vote, and you won't at all times have command over the niche sites that link to you, the anchor text used or where your hyperlink is placed. the best links reside on high pagerank sites and are surrounded by appropriate content, have few Hyperlinks on the web page and use appropriate anchor text. each search engine counts these types of 'votes' differently, and consequently, your position might never be identical from one search engine to another.

    And that's not all. A link can have more value depending on the pagerank of a site, the number of links on that page, and whether or not the content is related. a link from ibm.com or amazon.com will carry much even more weight than some unknown site that doesn't have any 'authority'. 1 link among 5 will carry more heft than 1 link among 100. A link to a 'save the turtles' site from a blog post about the turtle life cycle will give more weight than the Identical hyperlink from a 'going green' blog.

    What you should learn about website recognition in respect to outsource SEO search engine marketing is that more, higher quality links will begin to bring up your clout in the serps; thus giving you more coverage, greater traffic, more prospects and more revenue!

    Wednesday
    Mar242010

    Wholesale Botox From Canada

    Wholesale Botox from Canada is becoming increasingly sought after as a provider to medical professionals operating laser clinics and laser clinics in both Canada as well as America.

    The reason is easy. Cost. Wholesale Botox from Canada is only about 40% of the cost of Botox purchases through pharmacies in America.

    So let's take a look at what Botox is and why it's a favorite treatment in laser clinics, skin clinics, and laser clinics.

     So, what is Botox?

    Botox is the brand name of a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. In large amounts, this toxin can cause botulism, which you most likely associate with food poisoning. Despite the fact that one from the a lot of serious complications of botulism is paralysis, scientists have discovered a way to use it to human advantage. Small, diluted amounts could be directly injected into specific muscles causing controlled weakening from the muscles.

    The Food and Drug Administration approved such usage in the late 1980s upon the discovery that Botox could stop ailments like blepharospasm (uncontrolled blinking) and strabismus (lazy eye). Cosmetic physicians have been using Botox for years to successfully treat wrinkles and facial creases. In April 2002, Botox gained Food approval for treatment of moderate-to-severe frown lines between the eyebrows - called glabellar lines. Nevertheless, Botox is often used 'off label' for other areas from the face as competently.

    How Does Botox Work?

    Botox blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles. The injected muscle can no longer contract, which causes the wrinkles to relax and soften.

    It is a lot of often used on forehead lines, crow's feet (lines around the eye) and frown lines. Wrinkles caused by sun damage and gravity will not respond to Botox.

    How Is usually a Botox Treatment Performed?

    The treatment takes only a few minutes and no anesthesia is required. Botox is injected with a fine needle into specific muscles with only minor discomfort. It generally takes three to seven days to take full effect and it is best to avoid alcohol at least one week prior to procedure. Aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications should be stopped two weeks before procedure as correctly in order to reduce bruising.

    How Long Does a Botox Injection Last?

    The effects from Botox will last four to six months. As muscle action gradually returns, the lines and wrinkles begin to re-appear and wrinkles need to be re-treated. The lines and wrinkles often appear less severe with time because the muscles are being trained to relax.

    What Are the Side Effects of Botox?

    Temporary bruising is the nearly all common side effect. Headaches, which resolve in 24-48 hours, can occur, but this is rare. A small percentage of patients may develop eyelid drooping. This usually resolves in three weeks. This development is usually caused by migration from the Botox and for this reason, you shouldn't rub the treated area for 12 hours after injection or lay down for three to four hours. There have been no allergies associated with Botox to date.

    Who Should Not Receive Botox Injection?

    Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a neurological disease should not use Botox. Since Botox doesn't work for all wrinkles, a consultation with a doctor is recommended.

    Will My Insurance Spend For My Botox?

    Insurance coverage varies for Botox injections, depending largely on the healthcare necessity of your condition. Botox is not generally covered by insurance when utilized for cosmetic purposes. Check with your insurance carrier for coverage details.

    Is wholesale Botox from Canda different?

    The short answer is no, all Botox is made to the same standards in the same production plant. There's no difference in the Botox from Canada, and Botox from other places. The longer answer is that Botox that is not intended for sale specifically in the US is not technicaly 'FDA approved'.

    Thursday
    Mar182010

    British nurses - We're not sex objects!

    Oooh-matron

    Nurses across Europe are tired of being seen as sex objects. Last week, it was Dutch nurses who launched an ad campaign reminding people that they don't offer sex as part of patient care. Now, it's English nurses who are upset by a bus company that's been advertising its route to the hospital by showing a sexy nurse and the line, "Oooh matron!" The ad has been appearing on the back of Diamond Bus Company vehicles. One nurse tells the Worcester paper that it "devalues the nursing profession. Nurses object to the trivialization and gratuitous sexualization of nursing, not least because it can risk fueling a mistaken impression of nurses among some people."



    Tuesday
    Mar162010

    Do It Yourself & Outsource SEO From Frontdesk

    New announcement from Medical Spa MD.

    Frontdesk SEO is Medical Spa MD's newest Select Partner.

    View the announcement here.

    Frontdesk offers do-it-yourself SEO software that lets you use your front desk staff to market your business. (They offer outsource SEO as well.) You can start for as little as $59 a month which is killer.

    If you haven't already, run a free SEO report on your website and see where you rank according to the major search engines.

    This is the same system that we use at Medical Spa MD to keep our #1 rankings in all of the major search engines and I can't say enough about the back end and how easy it is to use and works eaqually well for any business or web site. And, if you want to kick it up a notch, the have outsourcing options that use their SEO experts to do the work.

    Tuesday
    Mar162010

    Frontdesk SEO

    New announcement from Medical Spa MD.

    Frontdesk SEO is Medical Spa MD's newest Select Partner.

    View the announcement here.

    Frontdesk offers do-it-yourself SEO software that lets you use your front desk staff to market your business. (They offer outsource SEO as well.) You can start for as little as $59 a month which is killer.

    If you haven't already, run a free SEO report on your website and see where you rank according to the major search engines.

    This is the same system that we use at Medical Spa MD to keep our #1 rankings in all of the major search engines and I can't say enough about the back end and how easy it is to use and works eaqually well for any business or web site. And, if you want to kick it up a notch, the have outsourcing options that use their SEO experts to do the work.