Once again I have recently run into patients seeking more cosmetic and/or corrective cosmetic surgery after having these procedures performed by ENT, Dermatology, Oral Surgery and Ophthamology physicians. Every patient was surprised to learn that their surgeon was not a board certified plastic surgeon. They were board certified alright! Certified in their own field of endeavor. When physicians advertise themselves... read more »

I have already discussed the importance of real certification for judging competence and safety. Sadly I have come to the realization that physicians are not ethically able to control themselves when it comes to self promotion for financial gains. I am in private practice precisely because I fiercely believe in being independent, but over the years incident after incident has... read more »

I recently saw a young lady for breast augmentation who at the time of her physical exam admitted to having undergone liposuction of the abdomen and flanks just one week earlier. Asking her why she did not see her surgeon for breast enlargement too, revealed the fact that he did not perform breast surgery. It turns out that he is... read more »

There are several occasions where surgeries can be combined under one procedure. The opportunity to do this depends on length of the overall OR time, health of the patient and anatomical proximity of the areas to be operated upon. Of equal importance is the infection category of the wounds created since cross contamination of one site to another should always... read more »

All invasive cosmetic procedures require preparation even so-called "weekend " surgeries. In order to effect a permanent change invasion of the tissue has to be made which results in a typical inflammatory response along with bleeding. The combination can lead to swelling, bruising and even blood collections (hematomas). As the saying goes " an ounce of prevention is worth a... read more »

Why do free consultations? Many people do not believe in a free consultation because it may attract the idle and the curious who are not "serious". Besides there is a group who feel that a free service is not worth much. While the above may all come into play, it is not so all the time. I feel that the... read more »

No matter how important good looking results may be, the most important aspect of that procedure has to be safety. Sometimes medical conditions show up just prior to surgery or they are not apparent until the last minute. If these findings can possibly compromise the results or the safety of the patient then surgery has to be postponed until the... read more »

Just this past week I was informed that the latest trend in skin products, and therefore a new breakthrough in skin care, are moisturizers with calcium. I cannot keep up with the breakneck speed that modern medical progress has acquired. It was just yesterday (literally) that the medical media darling was niacin which of course vanquished the previous favorite, copper!... read more »

There is no magic wand. Many people would like to improve their appearance or enhance their looks but want no "down time" or invasive procedures. Unfortunately the creams, lotions, non-ablative resurfacing procedures, or other "quick fix" promises either do not work at all or give very temporary improvements. In order to achieve lasting results the skin or (other tissue) has... read more »

I recently had the sad experience of a patient cancelling their anticipated and planned for surgery. The reason for changing their mind on something that they have been thinking about for a long time is an encounter with someone who had similar surgery (different surgeon) and gave negative remarks about the scarring. The sad part of this story is that... read more »