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"A TURNING POINT FOR THE VISIBILITY OF SURGEONS, DOCTORS, AND COSMETIC DERMATOLOGISTS"
Dr. Jean-Jacques Deutsch is a leading figure in aesthetic medicine, both in France and internationally. A graduate and laureate of the Paris Faculty of Medicine, he brings over 40 years of expertise and is a pioneer in the global, preventive, and scientific approach to aging. He holds numerous university degrees in aesthetic medicine, aesthetic gynecology, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, and anti-aging medicine, embodying a practice that is human-centered, rigorous, and forward-thinking.
As Secretary General of the French Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SFME), President of GRAME (Research and Application Group in Aesthetic Medicine) since 1985, and co-founder of the National College of Aesthetic Medicine, he plays a key role in shaping and advancing the discipline. He also serves on the scientific boards of several national and international institutions and was appointed President of ILAMED in 2024.
Author of several books, a recognized educator, and an international speaker, Dr. Deutsch has contributed significantly to the dissemination of modern advances in aesthetic medicine. As a court-appointed expert and consultant to the French National Authority for Health, he remains a committed advocate for ethical, effective, and patient-focused aesthetic practice.
For me, the turning point toward aesthetic medicine was discovering that patients who lost weight through dieting saw their bodies—and especially their faces—age, with tissues sagging. It was absolutely necessary to find solutions. As early as 1978, unlike most of my colleagues, I adopted a slow, holistic, and preventive approach to medicine, also taking into account the psychological well-being of my patients.
From the start, I was frustrated by the lack of tools to combat the harmful effects of aging. From there, my curiosity grew without limits: I traveled the world in search of new techniques. In 1992, I attended the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Congress in San Francisco, the only body at the time focused on aesthetics. There, I discovered aesthetic revolutions involving botulinum toxin (as a muscle relaxant for overly hypertonic muscles), cross-linked hyaluronic acid (then called Hyalurane, for facial wrinkles and volume), and glycolic acid (as a superficial peel).
Currently, we cannot be fully satisfied when very expensive devices only yield 30–50% good results. Progress and innovation are urgently needed to become increasingly effective. In particular, we must go beyond mere aesthetic improvement to integrate well-designed prevention and the latest scientific knowledge on repairing damage caused by aging (loss of elastin, collagen, and supporting fat tissue, as well as muscle and bone density loss).
This collaboration between aesthetic physicians and dermatologists in preparing our congresses represents a long-standing tradition, going back to the origins of the SFME, led by Jean-Jacques Legrand, and also to GRAME, where I served as president. Dermatologists interested in aesthetics—few at first—have always participated, not only as speakers but also as educators and scientific advisors. Their expertise in skin and skin disorders has greatly helped us and saved us from many mistakes.
Aesthetic physicians, on the other hand, have been like great explorers, venturing into unknown or neglected areas. They’ve maintained that pioneering spirit, and their energy creates a fantastic synergy with the scientific rigor of dermatologists.
At the last congress, we identified patient safety as a major concern among attendees. For this reason, two entire sessions will be dedicated to managing complications in the aesthetic field. I personally oversaw this initiative, asking top experts to show humility by presenting the unexpected complications they had to face. I sincerely thank them—it will show that no one is immune, but it's essential to know how to respond effectively.
The second key focus will be on the proper use of extraordinary but expensive machines, which can deliver fabulous results when used correctly and for the right indications. Increasingly, we face the challenge of balancing effectiveness with cost—both for the physician and the patient—as well as the longevity of the results.
The third major focus is for beginners: with the multitude of techniques and devices available, what should one prioritize, how to equip a practice, and how to retain patients by ensuring their satisfaction?
As for innovations not to miss, I believe it’s vital to listen to and understand the experience of practitioners who’ve successfully combined complementary techniques and applied them wisely. We frequently face complex issues that involve multiple layers and can’t be addressed with a single procedure—think of the face’s various structures: bone, deep supporting fat, muscle, superficial fat, ligaments and SMAS, and skin.
My role as a scientific advisor is first and foremost about curiosity and active listening: I must stay up to date with all new developments and scientific publications, as well as improvements introduced by certain practitioners, in order to invite them as speakers. I attend many other congresses to identify these innovations and strong speakers.
I also listen to the needs of attendees and take into account feedback from past events or competitors.
My role then involves helping to create interesting, innovative, and balanced sessions, which are validated by my fellow advisors. I must also quickly secure the commitment of speakers for the sessions I oversee.
Once the session schedule is finalized, I assist moderators in structuring their sessions to avoid redundancy, ensure that speaking times are respected, make sure presentations meet expectations, and allow enough time for key questions.
It’s a comprehensive role involving both scientific and human aspects, and it spans many months of work.
Prejuvenation complements the concept of rejuvenation, which has been dominant until now. We know the term was coined in 2013 by American dermatologist Ken Arndt, meaning “preventing the loss of youth.” It involves encouraging patients to adopt optimized lifestyle habits and carefully designed, soft treatments.
This is clearly the ideal, but in my opinion, it’s still too early to say it is transforming aesthetic practice.
It’s true that young people are increasingly concerned about their appearance, but they often have other priorities: acne, smoking, various drug use, pollution, physical and mental stress, outdoor sports under sun and sea, heavy makeup, helmets damaging the scalp, hairstyles and dyes that permanently harm the hair!
At present, only a very small percentage of young people are truly involved in prejuvenation. But the fact that the concept exists and is spreading may help raise awareness. Hopefully, it will gain many followers, and if so, aesthetic practice will evolve accordingly.
Managing adverse effects for young aesthetic physicians can be summed up in three key pieces of advice:
