I first became interested in plastic surgery during my 3rd-year rotation in medical school. I volunteered to deliver a Grand Rounds presentation on Gaspare’ Tagliacozzi, the father of Plastic Surgery. During this time, I was mentored by Dr. Marty Robson, the chief of the plastic surgery department at Wayne State University. The entire experience got me excited about becoming a plastic surgeon.

I believe plastic surgery combines art, science, and surgical medicine. Through my profession in plastic surgery, I can improve a person’s quality of life by repairing a physical and functional deficit and reshaping or restoring facial elements. The physical changes often positively affect a person’s physical and emotional well-being. It is a wonderful thing to see.

Generally, I love performing Rhinoplasty. As far as I am concerned, the more challenging, the better. No other operation defines plastic surgery more than Rhinoplasty surgery. It is genuinely a melding of form and function. After all, what is the use of a beautiful nose if you cannot breathe? Some of my favorite cases are patients who show up at my office with a complex problem, often caused by previous surgery errors.

Oh, I don’t know. I feel the public is often too obsessed with celebrities in general. The fact that they may have had surgery is another part of the intrigue. Most celebs called out for having plastic surgery have probably only had non-surgical treatments like fillers or Botox.

Americans are very into plastic surgery, but many other countries are seeing a boom in cosmetic surgery numbers. Places like Brazil, South and Central American countries, and as far as South Korea and China are seeing an increase in plastic surgeries. But, overall, the amount of people who have plastic surgery is a small part of the population.

Regarding emphasis on physical beauty, I think there has always been a preference for perceived beauty over someone or something less attractive. This is very natural. It is almost Darwinian. Humans, and even animals, cannot help ourselves. Our initial instinct is to pick perceived beauty first. But, being human, most of us are reasonable, and we can often see past that when given the opportunity and realize beauty comes in more forms. It is more than skin deep.

That said, it does not make having plastic surgery to improve your appearance wrong—especially when it is done for the right reasons and expectations.

To even be considered for surgery, a patient has to have a disproportionate or deformed facial element that can be easily and safely improved or repaired with little risk. The patient’s complaints have to align with what I see on the examination. Also, the patient has to be of sound mind and body. I would dissuade a patient from having any procedure, surgical or not, if I felt they did not meet the criteria.

Wow! Terrific question. The best thing about my career is a never-ending quest for procedures to give better results with less downtime and fewer risks or side effects. I now have more options than I ever did before. This allows me to rejuvenate an aged face better or perform detailed contouring. As demand continues to grow, more technological advancements and surgical technique improvements will continue to be produced. It is important, though, to be skeptical. Make sure as a patient and a provider of these services to avoid jumping in the water until the temperature and quality have been vetted.

This isn’t easy because, for many years now, I have only ever seen myself as a plastic surgeon. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy myself outside of my career. If I were pressed to come up with an answer, I would consider teaching in some fashion. That’s one of my passions. I probably would still be a doctor because I can’t think of a more noble profession. Healing people in need, and teaching others to do the same, now that’s the ticket. 

I have a terrific family, an awesome wife, and two great adult kids. I spend as much time with them as I can. I also love to play tennis, music, and travel. I have been known to bang the drums in my limited spare time. I am a baseball aficionado (Go Cubs Go). I am also a deeply passionate fan of Michigan football. I realize that I may lose some of my Buckeye and Spartan patients by admitting that, but oh well. GO BLUE!

As a modest person, this is hard to answer. I asked my wife, Jackie, and I could not list her answers out of potential embarrassment. I settled on these: Compassionate, Compulsive, and Loyal. I try to be the best I can be.