Blizard alumna receives BCAM Quality Research Award in aesthetic practice
Dr Juanita Parnis has received the second place award in this year's British College of Aesthetic Medicine’s (BCAM) Quality Research Award for her research on hyperbaric oxygen therapy in aesthetic practice.
Dr Juanita Parnis, alumna of the Online MSc in Aesthetic Medicine
Her paper titled "The role, safety, and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in aesthetic practice", published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology in June 2024, was written under supervision from Mr Haidar Hassan and Dr Anna Maria Fenech Magrin as part of the master thesis module of the Online MSc in Aesthetic Medicine at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London.
The paper showed conflicting evidence on how the method of action of Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can have a beneficiary effect in aesthetic practice and whether the treatment, although widely performed, is justifiable.
HBOT involves patients breathing 100 per cent oxygen in a pressurised chamber, above one atmosphere. Many centers are now promoting the use of HBOT for skin rejuvenation. However, the current indications for HBOT do not encompass aesthetic applications.
This was the first comprehensive review discussing the available evidence regarding the use of HBOT across many aesthetic clinical scenarios, including preventive, medical, and surgical settings. The aim of this evidence-based review was to assess the existing literature regarding the utilisation of HBOT in medical aesthetics and rejuvenation, evaluate its effectiveness and safety, and conduct a cost analysis.
This study forms the basis from where standardised trials could be planned, as it includes all the relevant studies about the subject up to its publication.
Commenting on her award, Dr Parnis said: "I would like to say thank you to my tutors, Mr Haidar Hassan and Dr Anna Maria Fenech Magrin, with whom I successfully published my masters thesis. Their constant support and advice made this research a great success."
More information
Research paper: "The role, safety, and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in aesthetic practice. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024 Jun; 23(6): 1940-1955."
Find out more about the Online MSc in Aesthetic Medicine at Queen Mary University of London.