Quick update: For two weeks in mid-winter, I will be heading off to my sixth medical mission. These are the highlights of my year, as it is not only is a chance to give back and help those in dire need, but the satisfaction these missions provide is something that truly sustains my spirit and CONTINUE READING
Archive | general
Your Smoking Habits and Scheduling Cosmetic Surgery
August 19, 2010
As a physician I am well aware of the detrimental effect that habitual smoking has on the health of any individual, and when the subject comes up I’m always quick to remind my patients of how much they have to gain by giving up the habit. However, when I have a patient planning cosmetic surgery, CONTINUE READING
Your own medications and preparing for cosmetic surgery
August 16, 2010
An important subject that you should discuss with your plastic surgeon before scheduling any surgery is the type and quantity of medications you may be taking for conditions unrelated to cosmetic procedures or surgery. I make a special point of asking my patients during a preliminary consultation what medication they now take, have recently used, CONTINUE READING
Nutritional supplements and preparing for cosmetic surgery
August 14, 2010
Everybody I know takes nutritional supplements of one kind or another, and many people are not aware that the frequency and quantities of vitamins and supplements taken on a regular basis can have an adverse effect on the body while undergoing surgical procedures. Often I find that patients while having a clear understanding of drugs CONTINUE READING
How to pick a plastic surgeon: credentials, communication, compassion
August 11, 2010
Many people could use some help with thinking about how to choose a plastic surgeon. Being outside of the industry, they don’t know what to look for so they can be easily wooed by glitz and glamour that have nothing to do with the all-important doctor/patient relationship. My advice would be simple: pick your plastic CONTINUE READING
Up and at ‘em! Moderate activity right after surgery is good for you.
August 8, 2010
In the old days of surgery patients were told to stay in bed, even for days after surgery. Not any more! We now know that people who act sick after surgery (i.e. stay in bed and pamper themselves excessively) get sick after surgery. While we certainly don’t want anyone over-doing it after a delicate procedure, CONTINUE READING
Most plastic surgery cosmetic technologies have their roots in general medical treatments.
July 6, 2010
Most of my patients who benefit from Botox® Cosmetic treatments to smooth out facial creases and frown lines aren’t aware that Botox was not originally intended for this purpose. In the 1960s, while being studied as a possible germ warfare agent, several serotypes of the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum – the cause of botulism poisoning in CONTINUE READING
Use of digital imaging can help a patient see goals more clearly
June 26, 2010
The use of digital imaging in plastic surgery (that is, taking a photo and then changing it with a computer to show a patient what an example of a possible result looks like) is an area of great controversy. Proponents say that it is a useful adjunct to patient education, and opponents declare that it CONTINUE READING
What I love about Plastic Surgery: Seeing it all come together
June 21, 2010
For me, the most satisfying part of plastic surgery (and life in general) is when things come together smoothly and harmoniously. As a plastic surgeon, sometimes this moment of exhilaration will come in the operating room at the end of challenging procedure, with beautiful and balanced results. Sometimes, the best moment of my efforts is CONTINUE READING
Board Certification matters
June 19, 2010
Did you know that legally, any doctor can perform any type of surgical procedure? There’s nothing in the law that says a foot surgeon can’t change out a heart valve, or an eye doctor can’t perform a liver transplant. Therefore, our society depends on patients themselves to learn about their doctors’ credentials and to ask CONTINUE READING