For example, a woman who has just had a mastectomy has the right to have that breast reconstructed.



I’m sure there have been times where you’ve had to say no to a patient who wants a certain procedure done. Is it difficult to turn people away since they are coming to you for help they feel they need?

Part of a real plastic surgeon’s training is all about patient selection – choosing the right patient to operate on. As difficult as it may be, saying no to certain people is part of the job. People are sometimes overly focused on something that is [really] not a big physical problem. Some people are literally addicted to cosmetic surgery. I know it’s hard to say no, but sometimes you just have to. We saw that with Michael Jackson. Doctors didn’t want to say no to him. My creed has always been that plastic surgery shouldn’t leave you looking like plastic. If something is done well, it shouldn’t jump out and scream at you that anything was altered surgically. It should look natural.



What about plastic surgery on teenagers? Where do you stand on that issue?

A lot of the controversy is with procedures like liposuction. Instead of making a lifestyle change to help them lose weight and focus on the cause of their problem, they want a quick fix. Then there are other procedures like breast implants and collegian in the lips. But look at what these young women see everyday in magazines. They see the big breasts and the plump lips. When they see this in the media, it gives them the wrong message. It starts with parents telling their kids to be happy with who they are. At the same time, I ...