25 revelations of plastic surgeons who destroy stereotypes about their work

The American edition of Buzzfeed found out from several plastic surgeons what they do and what is interesting in their life and work. It turns out that they do other operations besides liposuction and breast augmentation, and not only the rich and famous can afford these services. The rest of the secrets are in our material. 

1. No, not all of us live in palaces, wear Versace and have fun on a yacht every weekend.

This is not "Beverly Hills 90210", where we relax beautifully, wear expensive designer clothes and enjoy luxury. But yes, we do earn a lot.

2. Most of us have taken up plastic surgery to help people like themselves and feel good about themselves.

Some people have lost a lot of weight and want to have an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck to get rid of excess skin. Some women want to restore their breasts to their former appearance after pregnancy, breast-feeding or cancer. Not all operations are vital, but they can restore people's self-confidence and self-esteem.

3. We care about our appearance, it's true.

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Jun 21, 2016 at 9: 04 AM PDT

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Jun 21, 2016 at 9: 04 AM PDT

There is an opinion that plastic surgeons are very interested in how they look. It is true for many specialists. It's hard to find a fashion designer who doesn't care what he wears. Similarly, it is difficult to find an untidy, unhealthy surgeon who does not care about how others perceive him.

4. Plastic surgery is an extremely broad field that includes many more things than liposuction and breast augmentation.

When you start getting a medical education, you immediately understand how many specializations there really are. There is manual surgery, pediatric plastic surgery (for birth defects like cleft lip), cosmetic surgery, peripheral nervous system surgery, microsurgery and general plastic surgery, which includes a mixture of many of these things. Plastic surgery is much more than what people usually see in movies and TV shows.

5. This is one of the few medical specialties in which you have the right to work with people of any age and any body parts.

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Dec 6, 2016 at 10: 17 PST

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Dec 6, 2016 at 10: 17 PST

Most surgeons in other areas have restrictions on the possible patients and body parts that they are allowed to operate on. But plastic surgeons can work with anyone, including children.

6. Plastic surgeons in the United States study for at least 14 years after high school, and their residency training is especially stressful compared to other medical students.

We would like the society to better understand how much effort it takes to get a professional certification, how many years it takes to get an education and how many responsible decisions surgeons make.

7. There are two main types of specialists: some are engaged in aesthetic surgery, and others are engaged in reconstructive surgery.

Aesthetic, or cosmetic, surgery helps those who want to change something in their appearance. This includes abdominal plastic surgery, liposuction, butt lift and similar things.

Reconstructive surgery can work with birth defects, with the consequences of unsuccessful operations and accidents (car accidents, burns). Operations can be performed for other reasons related to the state of health. One of the most common indications for reconstructive surgery is damage to the face, nose and ears after skin cancer.

8.There is no single "correct" way to perform surgery in plastic surgery. It happens that the same procedure can be performed in 25 different ways.

How many different types of noses, eyes, lips and ears do you see every day? There are a huge number of different options for each procedure, and this is one of the coolest things in our work.

9. Therefore, many plastic surgeons have an artistic background behind their backs, whether it is sculpture, drawing, architecture or photography.

Some people believe that all orthopedists are former athletes or just sports fans. There is also a stereotype about plastic surgeons — as if we all understand art. Yes, most of us really have some kind of artistic hobby.

10. In some cases, you can choose a plastic surgeon yourself — just as you choose a tattoo artist.

You can look at our previous work and assess whether our ideas about beauty coincide with you — after all, the visual result of each operation depends on a particular doctor. It's like flipping through a tattoo artist's Instagram or checking his portfolio in a tattoo parlor. There is a Gallery section on our websites, and there are albums with examples of works in our offices, so people can check if this is what they are looking for.

11. Botox saves not only from wrinkles. It also helps with excessive sweating, migraines and twitching of the eyelids or eyebrows.

A post by Dr. Cat Begovic (@beautybydrcat) Mar 1, 2017 at 3: 00 PST

A post by Dr. Cat Begovic (@beautybydrcat) Mar 1, 2017 at 3: 00 PST

12. Liposuction is most often used on the abdomen, back and thighs.

13. We refuse about 30% of people who apply for aesthetic surgery services because their expectations are unrealistic or they want to harm their health.

We need to make sure that the patient's wishes correspond to what we can give him. Sometimes people want something fantastic, unsafe, unhealthy, or something that is not worth the risk. We will not operate on some of them, no matter how much they promise to pay.

14. No, we don't enlarge penises.

This is usually done by urologists.

15. During the operation, we can experiment a little to make sure that everything turns out perfectly, as the patient wants.

In most cases, we have a good idea of how long the procedure will last, but we usually leave a reserve of time for experiments, because we know about our perfectionism. For example, with breast augmentation, we can try implants of different sizes and shapes to see which look best and choose the perfect one.

16. Plastic surgery is not only intended for the rich and famous.

Most procedures are not exorbitantly expensive, and if you really need it, it is not difficult to save up for them. 

17. Sometimes our working day can fit consultations, operations, injections of fillers and preventive examinations.

Each day may be different from the previous one. It happens that you need to wake up early for a meeting with a patient, go to a conference, and return to the office for lunch and do breast plastic surgery, breast augmentation or rhinoplasty, and then examine a lot of patients.

One of the main advantages in the work of a plastic surgeon is the variety of interactions with different people. Sometimes I conduct a breast augmentation consultation right after helping a student whose finger is stuck in the gap between the door and the jamb.

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) on Apr 15, 2016 at 2: 10 PDT

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Apr 15, 2016 at 2: 10AM PDT

18. We often explain to people that liposuction can not replace diets and exercises, but it can give the body shape.

Most people who want to do liposuction are already in good shape — they just need help with specific areas that are hard to lose weight.

19. Some of us try not to tell others about our work.

We just don't want our friends to come to us for advice and services: it turns out to be awkward and uncomfortable. I don't want to tell people that they are bad candidates for surgery, or evaluate their bodies, risking hurting their feelings. Therefore, we tend to simply not mention our profession.

20. So, if you see us outside the doctor's office, please do not suggest to a friend, mother or mother's friend to find out what we "can do for them".

We are sometimes expected to consult "here and now", no matter where we are, but this is the last thing we want to do during a vacation, vacation with family or just leisure.

21.It is better not to bargain with plastic surgeons. In most cases, you get what you pay for.

If you try to cheat, the level of service will correspond to the payment. If the clinic offers large discounts, it is possible that they have non-certified anesthesiologists or nurses working for them. There is a risk of getting infected with something and dying, the savings are not worth it. Make sure that your plastic surgeon is a member of a professional association. You don't want to risk your life just to save a thousand dollars, do you? 

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Feb 29, 2016 at 12: 55 PM PST

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) on Feb 29, 2016 at 12: 55 PST

22. We try not to evaluate the appearance of people in everyday life, but sometimes it happens.

No, we don't go around thinking about how we want to correct the shape of that person's nose. But sometimes we think about what procedures would be useful for people. After all, this is a significant part of our life, so it can be difficult to distract from it. 

23. Some operations take up to 12 hours.

We are lucky: we usually do not have emergency operations, like other surgeons. But we can also work long hours. Some operations take a particularly long time — for example, certain types of breast plastic surgery that require transplanting other tissues.

24. At our work, you can also get emotional. Especially when you communicate with patients who have undergone a mastectomy.

Working with these women, we usually get involved in their lives for a long time — sometimes for years. Therefore, we have a special relationship with them, and in the end we keep in touch.

25. We are lucky: plastic surgery makes people happy and the level of satisfaction of our patients is extremely high.

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) Feb 14, 2017 at 9: 10 PST

A post by 740 Park Plastic Surgery (@740parkplasticsurgery) on Feb 14, 2017 at 9: 10 PST

We usually work with healthy patients who achieve the desired results. We don't often have to report bad news. Basically, we do operations that people want and that will make them more beautiful and confident.