Pain Perception

Pain is both real and perceived. Everyone's response is based on biophysics and emotion. Emotion can of course play a big or small role depending on our psychological state of mind. Nonetheless the majority of our pain is based on very real biophysical and biochemical events. To simplify this event lets pretend that out nerve endings that carry pain sensation... read more »

Laser Treatment of Skin Texture

The best way to summarize the aging of the skin is to state that our skin texture worsens. Everyone wishes to improve the texture of their skin which includes fine wrinkles, scars, tone and the roughness that appears with time. The texture of our skin can start changing early; it can begin even in our thirties. Now with the advent... read more »

Laser Treatment of Sun Damaged Skin

There is a new treatment available in the continued effort to rejuvenate skin. Broadband light is a new innovative technology that can be used to treat sun damaged skin with resultant age spots (brown in color) and red spots of the face, arms, neck and chest. Using the appropriate wavelength filter a wide range of skin conditions can effectively treated.... read more »

Post-Op Domino Effect

People always wonder why areas of injury or surgery hurt more so many hours after activity has stopped or when they are just plain resting at night and not moving at all. The reason for this all too true phenomenon is the fact that the site of surgery has extra vessels (to provide the cells that will clean up the... read more »

Not Fade Away

Some words in our English language have taken on a meaning of their own, not reflecting the original intent, but rather a wish for quality that completely changes the communication . Such a word is "fade". As a plastic surgeon, who cares for as well as creates scars, I explain to patients that their wounds re-model and mature over time... read more »

The Tom Brady Debacle

Apparently a great deal of space, ink and blame has been devoted by the media on Tom Brady's knee surgery and resultant complications. The fault finding is aimed at physicians that did their best to help another person. Their well meaning intentions as well as expertise unfortunately did not produce the expected result. This is due to a well known... read more »

We are supposed to be Symmetrical, aren’t we?

To the ancient Greeks, and in some schools of art, symmetry is equivalent to beauty. This maxim however does not truly relate to human beings. We are relatively balanced but on closer examination there are many differences from one side of our body to the other. This refers to our feet, hands, arms, legs, as well as trunk and face.... read more »

A Secret of Plastic Surgeons

I just saw yet another patient with an open wound and instructions to keep the area dry with clean gauze. I will now reveal to you a long kept secret that will probably expel me from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Just Joking. We, as plastic surgeons, have always viewed ourselves as teachers not just technicians, and therefore have... read more »

Impulse buy

I have experienced many occasions where potential patients book surgery on their very first visit with me. While I feel slightly flattered by this event, I feel that a time out is usually worthwhile in order to digest the consultation and brochure information. Almost invariably booking surgery on the initial visit results in postponement or cancellation when the person has... read more »

Who is a “Cosmetic Surgeon”?

Once again another example of bad and unsafe cosmetic surgery presented itself in my office. We, as real plastic surgeons, are asked to "fix" other people's mistakes and, as is the usual case, the patient and plastic surgeon are "behind the eight ball". Results and life would be better if people were educated to seek consultation with a BOARD CERTIFIED... read more »