Electrologists will gather in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hotel on October 9-11, 2009 for the largest annual gathering of electrology professionals from all over the USA, Europe and Asia: The American Electrology Association (AEA) Annual Convention and Exhibitor’s Showcase. This year, the convention focuses on a subject of great importance to both practitioners and patients: getting the attention of physicians.
People seek electrolysis as a solution for excess hair growth simply because they find it unsightly or embarrassing. Professional electrologists, however, understand that hair does not suddenly appear without reason. They make a priority of educating themselves in the underlying causes of hair growth. Because of this, they are often the first ones to realize that the problem is not merely cosmetic. Their client needs a doctor.
Unfortunately, electrologists have a difficult time establishing relationships with physicians. The idea that electrology practitioners are not really part of the medical community makes it hard for an electrologist who identifies a serious problem to act as an effective advocate for their client. They can recommend that their client see a doctor, but after that, the patient is on their own.
For Karen Moskowitz, the decision to seek electrolysis for a sudden growth of chin hair was more important than she thought. "At the initial consultation, my electrologist told me that she would treat me only if I visited an endocrinologist," said Moskowitz. "Thank goodness she did. It turned out that I had a huge fibroid tumor. If my electrologist had not realized something was wrong, I would never have thought to see a doctor about some facial hair. Thanks to her, they caught it early and I still have my ovaries."
According to Sharon Ortiz, President of AEA, stories like Moskowitz's are quite common. "We make a point of keeping up to date about conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, hormonal imbalances and other causes of hair growth. When we feel that a client needs medical treatment, we want to help them get that treatment. It's difficult for us to smooth the way if medical professionals don't take us seriously. Every electrologist should have an established working relationship with at least one endocrinologist, one gynecologist and one dermatologist."
As an important step toward building the bridge between electrology and medicine, the convention keynote speaker this year is Lesly S. Davidson, MD; a dermatologist from Mt. Pleasant, SC. Dr. Davidson will discuss how to develop and expand the relationship with physicians and gain their confidence so that electrologists can better serve clients like Karen Moskowitz.
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