Withdrawal of investors, lawsuit hit Histogen hard

Histogen, a San Diego company that revealed promising trial with a hair regrowth product last week, is about $1 million in debt and is staying afloat on the credit cards and cash of Chief Executive Gail Naughton.

Jan. 29, the day before the company was to close a $2.4 million funding round, investors pulled out, Naughton said. As a result, Histogen was forced to lay off all of its 36 employees until it could secure new investors, she said.

Earlier that day, Histogen had been served with a patent-infringement suit filed by SkinMedica, a San Diego company that has regenerative skin care products on the market.

The suit alleges that Histogen's ReGenica product, made from growth factors and other cells that promote the activation and growth of stem cells, violates patented scientific techniques that SkinMedica bought in 2003.

The science in question was created at the now-defunct Advanced Tissue Sciences, a company that was run by Naughton, who is also dean of the College of Business Administration at San Diego State University.

When Advanced Tissue Sciences broke up, its assets, including its science, were sold.

The SkinMedica lawsuit also claims that to manufacture the ingredients for Histogen's products, employees are using trade secrets covered by patents that SkinMedica owns. In addition to the hair regrowth treatment, HistoGen has regenerative skin creams for use after microdermabrasion and laser skin therapy.

Naughton said the lawsuit was filed to stop the planned March 6 launch of the cosmetic products.

It won't stop the launch, she said. But it did prompt investors to pull out of the funding round because they did not want their money used to defend a lawsuit, she said.

Source: http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/feb/24/1b24histogen223030-withdrawal-investors-lawsuit-hi/

Youthful Essence and Microdermabrasion

Many women are desperate to stave off the effect of those advancing years. After all, we live in a youth-obsessed world. Aging is no longer respected for its advantages like wisdom and experience. Instead it is ridiculed and made fun of by those who aren’t smart enough to realize that someday they too will grow old.

One of the most effective ways to help erase the fine lines and wrinkles that spell "age" is through microdermabrasion. However, the process is confusing to many and believed to be out of reach by others. Let’s see if we can dispel both of those thinking patterns.

The purpose of microdermabrasion is to remove the surface dead skin cells and discoloration. The result is uncovering the soft, younger looking skin beneath the surface. Physicians have touted the benefits of exfoliation for decades. However, for far too long, such treatments were limited to the wealthy. It wasn’t until the late 90’s that home microdermabrasion systems became available. In the beginning, they were also expensive; out of the reach of mid to lower income individuals. Some of them also proved a bit too harsh for sensitive or delicate skin that could not take the rough crystals used to complete the process.

Full Story: http://www.examiner.com/x-1116-Norfolk-Beauty-Education-Examiner~y2009m2d12-Youthful-Essence-and-microdermabrasion

Acne Peel

Apart from peels for acne there are many other options to be considered. Alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) and Betahydroxy acids (BHAs) are two of the mildest and best formulations used in peels for acne and other skin imperfections and infections. Salicylic acid is very effective in treating acne and is included in peels. Sometimes peels treatment causes mild redness, irritation and crusting which will subside as the body adjusts to treatment. The treatment should be repeated within six weeks. If peels are done including trichloroacetic acid and phenol treatments, the results of the peels often last longer than normal peel treatments and the recovery time is also longer.

However, this includes greater risk of side effects and increased sensitivity to the sun. Peels do have certain limitations and sometimes are not effective in treating acne. Peels treatment can be combined with microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing and dermal filters to achieve results. Peel treatment is a costly treatment and is the main factor to decide for an individual. Each procedure has an underlying complexity and cost which affects the patient. Each plastic surgeon makes their time calculation and cost for the treatment of acne. Other factors which affect the cost of treatment are peel employed, location and the experience of the doctor or dermatologist.

Full Coverage: http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=node/23846

TriPollar Skin Tightening

Kingston Laser and Cosmetic Clinic, a physician-owned and supervised facility, opened 10 years ago to offer state-of-the-art medical laser and cosmetic treatments. Since then, the clinic has expanded to meet the growing demand for cosmetic procedures and to provide the most advanced treatments for all skin care needs in a relaxing and soothing environment.

A team of experienced cosmetic physicians, a trained nurse, certified medical estheticians and skin care specialists customize treatments for each individual client to achieve maximum results. Dr. Diane MacGillis, medical director, who co-owns the clinic with nurse Terrie Polywkan, has practiced medicine for 23 years and has over a decade of experience performing dermatologic cosmetic and laser procedures.

"Helping our clients look and feel confident and their very best is our goal," says Polywkan. "Through meticulous attention to detail, our experienced professionals provide the latest technology in noninvasive treatments."

Some of the most popular services at the clinic, include Botox, Restylane and Juvederm injections to smooth lines and wrinkles, laser hair removal, laser skin treatments for spider veins, spots, moles and acne as well as a variety of medical grade skin peels and microdermabrasion.

Info: http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1411905