An inside interview with LocateADoc.com
What is your charity organization of choice and why?
The Smile Train helps thousands of children born with cleft lip and cleft palate in a variety of Third World countries. Smile Train provides free plastic surgery that dramatically improves these children's lives. Given my twin interests in
plastic surgery and songwriting, we have held a CD release party for Illusions( a CD of rock and pop songs I have written), that raised thousands of dollars to benefit Smile Train.
What makes your specialties the right fields of medicine for you?
Although I have always been drawn to science and anatomy, my first love is art and sculpture. Plastic surgery enables me to combine my medical knowledge and artistic abilities to help people. My background in sculpture makes it a uniquely challenging and interesting field.
Finish this sentence: If I weren't a doctor I would be___.
A professional wood and marble sculptor or a professional songwriter. I have been sculpting for about 25 years and used sales and commisioned pieces to help finance my education. I have played piano and written music for even longer. My CD, released in October 2006, features songs that I have performed on television and in live venues.
Can you tell us in your own words what you consider a perfect outcome of a surgical procedure?
Successful cosmetic and reconstructive procedures frequently improve the patient's body image and self-confidence. Although 90 to 95% of patients describe themselves as happy with their surgical results, I personally
do not believe that there is any such thing as a "perfect" result. All of us are imperfect before surgery, and all of us
are imperfect afterwards. However, a great deal of improvement generally can be obtained, and the results are
rewarding both for me and for my patients.
What is your favorite procedure to perform and why?
I enjoy doing breast and body contouring procedures, and these are the most frequently requested procedures in my practice. This probably relates to my background in sculpture and the fact that these procedures require more
artistry than most. I perform about 120 breast augmentations annually and large numbers of breast lifts,
reductions, liposuctions, and tummy tucks.
