Dr. Nariaki Miyata is a leading expert in plastic surgery in Japan. He is an advisor to Japan Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (JSAPS). He is a plastic surgeon by trade but is also well-versed in aesthetic dermatology. In Japan, he is one of leading authorities in dermatologic lasers. He is an avid learner of mechanism of action and theory of energy-based devices and visits Korea often to communicate with Korean doctors about new devices and techniques. Recently, he published in Japan and Korea a book titled Use and Practice of Aesthetic Medical Devices. In this new series, Dr. Miyata will discuss combination treatments used in aesthetic medicine along with his own clinical experiences. He will also share his insights on recent trends, business and marketing aspects of aesthetic medicine in Japan.

 

In the last series, I discussed aesthetic trends in Japan and special expectations Japanese patients have on aesthetic procedures. I had started the series not expecting much feedback from the readers but was very surprised to see such enthusiastic responses from fellow specialists and industry leaders in Korea.

 

In this new series, I would like to discuss specific treatments and techniques that are used in my practice. I would like to cover details of the treatment techniques. I hope our readers understand that these details reflect my personal views and practices and not those of all Japanese plastic surgeons. In this article, we will take a look at treatment techniques widely used in Japan as well as my own experiences.

 

The excellent skills of Japanese doctors are often not recognized around the world because they are shy about touting their abilities abroad. Moreover, unlike Korean doctors, Japanese ones find giving talks in English a big challenge. At international medical conferences, there are a greater number of Korean presenters compared to Japanese ones.

 

This trend is particularly more pronounced in the field of non-surgical treatments. Koreans are showing off their creativity and strengthening their brand in Asia and around the world, riding on the waves of globally popular Korean culture. This spills over to the medical field as well. On the other hand, Japan is not gaining much recognition and the Japanese people are awkward when it comes to tooting their own horns. Especially, Korean medical technology has improved leaps and bounds and continues to do so. The popularity of aesthetic medicine is growing rapidly in Japan but not at the pace comparable to that in Korea. However, a great number of aesthetic procedures are being carried out for a variety of treatments. The Japanese people’s attitudes and approaches to aesthetic medicine often differ from those of Koreans.

 

By discussing what is unique about Japanese aesthetic medicine, I hope to help our readers understand more about this field in Japan. In the following articles I would also like to discuss business and marketing practices related to aesthetic medicine.

 

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I emphasize that I do not represent the opinions of all Japanese doctors. Many of them may disagree with me and are even more skilled than me. As a council member of JSAPS and Japan Association of Laser Medicine, I am only sharing what I know to be the general practices and trends in Japan. I will try to introduce various common approaches used in Japan rather than focus too much on my own personal views.

 

-To be continued