State concerned about skin-care clinic

A chain of “laser center” clinics offering skin treatments has gotten crosswise with state regulators, who say the business lets unqualified employees perform potentially risky medical procedures.

The Iowa Board of Medicine says the American Laser Centers location at 1300 37th St. in West Des Moines has allowed untrained people to run lasers to remove cellulite or dark skin patches.

The board, which licenses physicians, also has sanctioned a retired general-practice doctor for letting the company list him as “medical director,” even though he had few qualifications and provided little supervision.

The board says at least one patient suffered serious burns during skin-care treatment by clinic employees.

The medical board’s executive director, Mark Bowden, said such clinics are popping up all over the country, as Americans try to look younger. The clinics face few regulations, he said, but they often wind up doing complicated procedures.

“They’re looking for a physician who will affiliate with them, essentially for marketing purposes,” he said.

Such businesses do not necessarily need a physician, he said, but if they hire one, the doctor can be held responsible for what happens to patients.

The medical board is working on a policy that will spell out the rules.

“The expectation is if you’re going to hold yourself out as a medical director, you need to know what’s going on,” he said.

American Laser Centers, based in Michigan, bills itself as “the nation’s leading provider of aesthetic services, offering Laser Hair Removal, Cellulite Reduction & Body Contouring, Skin Rejuvenation, Skin Tightening, Affirm, Botox and Dermal Filler treatments.”

Its Web site, adorned with photos of attractive women, says the company has 225 clinics nationwide. It says employees have performed 4 million treatments, overseen by “a dedicated medical advisory team.”

In Iowa, regulators say the medical oversight was insufficient. This month, the Iowa Board of Medicine sent a “cease and desist” letter to the company, saying unqualified technicians at its West Des Moines location had used lasers without appropriate physician supervision. The letter warned that if the practices continued, a court order and criminal charges could be sought.

Company officials did not respond to requests for comment.

The medical board also said it had reached a settlement with Dr. Anthony Colby of Iowa City, who served as medical director for the company’s clinics in West Des Moines, Coralville and Bettendorf. Colby agreed to pay a $5,000 fine and to stop serving as medical director for such businesses.

The board wrote that Colby, 70, a retired general-practice physician, started working for American Laser Centers in 2007. The board said Colby lacked training in skin-care procedures and in operating the clinics’ equipment. It also said that he did not visit the clinics often enough and did not ensure employees were competent to perform services.

“At least one patient suffered serious burns on her arms after receiving skin care serves, for hyper-pigmentation on her face and arms, performed by individuals under (Colby’s) supervision,” the board wrote.

Colby said he no longer works for the firm. He declined further comment.

This was the second time in a year that the board pursued such a case. Last February, it accused Dr. Kenneth Schultheis of failing to properly supervise staff at another West Des Moines skin-care business, Schooler Medical Professionals. The board said Schultheis, an emergency-room doctor by training, was unqualified to oversee dermatology services.

He denied the allegations. The case is pending.

The business’ Web site continues to list him as a “specialist.” An employee said Monday he still is the medical director.

By TONY LEYS, February 16, 2010 in DesMoinesRegister.com