The mayor stressed the importance of this congress being held for the first time in Málaga and highlighted the strength of our city as a destination for professional assemblies

The meeting, which will take place between 20 and 22 February, will have a significant international presence and will feature the 'Working Clinic' project aimed at perfecting treatments

17/09/2013.- Over 1,000 Aesthetic Medicine specialists will meet between 20 and 22 February in Málaga for the 29th National Congress of the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SEME), as announced today during the presentation of this gathering by Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Málaga, and the president of the SEME and the Organizing Committee, Dr. Petra Vega.

"The objectives of the conference are to present, analyze and discuss the latest developments appearing in the medical field, serve as a meeting point for sharing the various experiences of the medical sector and, above all, to provide attendees with useful tools that they can incorporate into their clinical practice to improve the quality of care, "according to Vega.

The congress will feature more than 150 international speakers who will participate in the 10 scientific sessions, 10 workshops and 15 training workshops that make up the conference program. SEME is a non-profit, scientific organization founded in 1984, and the eldest in this sector with over 800 associate physicians throughout Spain. The institution has been officially recognized by the International Union of Societies of Aesthetic Medicine (UIME) and is the only Spanish organization of this medical specialty integrated into European and international organizations.

The mayor, Francisco de la Torre, stressed the importance of this conference –traditionally held in Madrid and Barcelona– being held for the first time in Málaga, as a demonstration of the city's strength as a destination for national and international professional meetings.

In this way, De la Torre recalled the importance of Málaga positioning itself among the country's major destinations in this sector thanks to the growth of its infrastructure, its cultural facilities, museums and the construction of new hotels, all of which have made the city a particularly well-prepared destination for congresses.

In addition, the Mayor stressed that the city has been home to most major national conferences, and urged professionals to submit candidacies so that Málaga might host more major international meetings.

De la Torre has also highlighted the work of professionals in the medical and health sector in boosting the city's economy, bearing in mind the expenditure of these congressmen on accommodation, restaurants or shopping. This type of visitor is also very beneficial to Málaga, given the interest they show in cultural tourism.

Moreover, the president of the local congress committee, Dr. M ª Carmen López-Marín, highlighted the international nature of this meeting, with the participation of over 200 experts from around the world (20% of all attendees). "The SEME Congress is acquiring a significant international character, added López-Marín, and every year, more professionals from other countries take part. This year, Aesthetic Medicine societies from Belgium and Georgia will be invited. Belgium is the only European country that has recognized aesthetic medicine as a medical specialty and Georgia is developing and expanding, taking the Spanish model as an example "

Dr. López-Marín also stressed that a "Working Clinic" will be installed in the Congress, where attendees work directly with real patients. "This will allow us to refine our techniques and treatments.

The "Working Clinic" is scheduled to run throughout the conference and is certainly something unique and innovative in an Aesthetic Medicine Congress, "said the president of the local committee.

For her part, Dr. Petra Vega said that numerous interesting details on new technologies and techniques hat provide increasingly reliable results and emphasise the safety of the treatments would be presented at the Congress.

However, "one of the most important developments does not refer to techniques or apparatus. It refers to the new trend in aesthetic medicine to address treatments from a global concept, treating not only a particular area, but also adjacent ones. In the last edition, attendees highly appreciated this practical approach", said the president of the organizing committee.

Vega added that "aesthetic medicine has become the medicine of health and wellbeing. The aesthetic doctor goes beyond preventing the facial and bodily deterioration caused by the passage of time, climatic aggression and stress. The aesthetic physician treats the person as a whole, according to their emotional and physical and aesthetic balance, seeking, through improving the patient's appearance, and by delaying aging, the prevention of skin, circulatory, cardiac, endocrine diseases and trauma of any kind".