Plastic Surgery in the New Frontier

The last three decades have been a whirlwind, in terms of rapidly increasing the knowledge and access to information globally. Of course this has been spearheaded by the Internet. Plastic surgery has been a part of this rapid growth mostly due to increased patient demand, much of it fueled by the Internet and access to more information. This has also allowed plastic surgery to be more affordable now than it ever has been. Depending on how you look at it, this has been both positive and negative for patients. The positive, has been that because of the demand and affordability there are more plastic surgeons to choose from than ever before. Also, plastic surgeons have to remain on the forefront of technology and new techniques in order to provide the services patients want. The negative, has been that this demand has created a new frontier that is much like the old Wild West. This evolving untamed landscape has allowed physicians to dabble in what some feel is a lucrative cosmetic surgery market while learning their way through performing surgery one patient at a time. Any physician can perform cosmetic plastic surgery. This is especially true if it is performed within his or her office. This practice is seen most commonly with liposuction and breast augmentation. These two procedures are the most popular procedures so it is not surprising that these are the procedures most commonly performed by physicians performing cosmetic surgery.

Depending on the state, there are few regulations, if any that prevent a physician from performing these procedures within an office based surgical suite. Different versions of facelifts have been added to this mix in order to capitalize on the ever-increasing baby-boom generation. The new frontier is fueled by patients who are aggressively pursuing ways to do “something” to improve their appearance while avoiding the cost and downtime of what they may consider major surgery. Dr. Seify consults with patients and helps them to understand that the most important part of the plastic surgeons recommendation is first and foremost the right procedure and the safety of the patient. This should never be compromised in order to meet a patient’s budget or amount of time they have to recover from the procedure.

Secondary recommendations based on these factors are fine, provided the patient is prepared for the difference in expected results. Dr. Seify explains to patients that while the landscape for plastic surgery can be confusing because there are so many choices, he welcomes patient’s questions and his knowledgeable staff is available at any time to help patients make informed decisions. Patients who are considering plastic surgery are encouraged to contact Dr. Seify and schedule a consultation.