About 0.5% of patients who undergo neuromodulator injections produce antibodies that neutralize botulinum toxin, rendering the treatment ineffective, according to a study published last year in the journal Toxins. Factors in Botox resistance include excessive use, incorrect dosing and improper injection techniques. Experts suggest getting neuromodulator injections only from board-certified plastic surgeons or dermatologists, not overusing treatments and trying a different product if one doesn't work.

A jury in Cook County, Ill., awarded $66.2 million to the family of a 39-year-old woman who died in 2019 after experiencing internal bleeding during liposuction. The court found plastic surgeon Ayoub Sayeg negligent for not recognizing and treating the patient's condition, and the verdict might prompt a state investigation into Sayeg, who is still practicing.

Generative AI is increasingly being used in medical research for tasks such as literature reviews and data analysis, but experts advise caution because of a lack of references and potential inaccuracies. "The real problem right now is to assume that the information delivered by ChatGPT is correct given that the information is so well-written, [but] that's not always the case," said facial plastic surgeon Corey Maas. Research professor Gary Franklin suggests being as specific as possible when using generative AI, and Maas says PubMed is still the gold standard for accurate background research.

Women older than 60 who undergo post-mastectomy reconstruction are more likely than younger women to experience infection, flap necrosis and seroma, and they tend to be less satisfied with cosmetic outcomes, according to a study from in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. However, researchers also found that older patients tend to adjust better psychologically than younger patients after reconstruction.

Surgeons outperformed other hospital staff in a buzz wire dexterity game, but they also swore the most while playing, researchers reported in The BMJ's annual Christmas edition. Researchers found that 84% of surgeons completed the game within five minutes, compared with 57% of physicians, 54% of nurses and 51% of nonclinical staff, but surgeons swore 50% of the time during the game, compared with 25% for physicians and 30% for nurses. "[S]urgeons' propensity for swearing might be a coping mechanism for high-pressure situations to help them maintain skill despite stress," researchers wrote.

The CDC has approved ICD-10 codes for central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia and frontal fibrosing alopecia, validating the conditions as distinct medical diagnoses. The new codes, L66.81 and L66.12.1, enhance diagnostic accuracy, standardize treatment and may improve insurance coverage, says Itisha Jefferson, one of the co-founders of the Scarring Alopecia Foundation's medical student program.

Allergic contact dermatitis prevalence is stable at around 20% as new allergens emerge in everyday products such as cosmetics, toys, paints, electronics and cleaning products, dermatologist Angele Soria said in a presentation at the Dermatology Days of Paris conference. Isothiazolinone preservatives, acrylates and their derivatives, essential oils and epoxy resins are notable allergens.