Guest Post - Lessons Learned

November will be my two year anniversary of having facial work done.  It was one of the best decision I have ever made.  That is not to say that I did not have concerns.  I looked for almost five years before finding a Doctor that I liked, trusted and was comfortable.  Since that day Dr. Mardirossian, has become a friend as well as business associate.  He has the best followup skill I have ever encountered and his conservative approach head off many problems. Below is an article he wrote that talks about his approach.  It comes from his heart.

I want to mention again that I will be at the Southern Comfort Convention (SCC) next week with Dr.  Mardirossian.  Please drop in at our booth and attend our FFS / Age Reassignment surgery (ARS) presentation on Thursday afternoon.  

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By Vartan Mardirossian

Throughout the years of my career as a facial plastic surgeon there are essentially two types of patient that I have encountered. The first type: the luckily more predominant one, are the patients whose exterior appearance has not caught up with their interior perception of themselves. These are 95% of my patients - they feel that their nose is too big for what they would like, that their jawline is too wide or that their cheeks are too sunken compared to the inner image of themselves. These patients, for the most part, are happy after the procedure as they observe their facial features, now transform to match what their idea of their own appearance was. These are the good ones. The other type is the patient who desires a facial plastic surgery procedure without the clear understanding of what the “much desired” final result will be. After all of the consultations and hours of detailed explanations are done and after the procedure(s) are completed, these patients remain unhappy - largely because they have not caught up with their new appearance. Their own idea of themselves has not yet matched what they have desired and what they have received. This is a “dangerous” group of patients as this mismatch may potentially cause serious emotional distress. But are there ways to avoid the second group from getting surgery or from getting it too prematurely? Is extensive pre-op counseling enough?

There are many reasons why patients come to us looking for facial plastic procedures and most of them have valid and reasonable reasons for it. I often say that my role is basically the one of a mitigator: I often have to “mitigate” between what the patient thinks they are going to be looking best and what would really look aesthetically pleasing for the people around them; I have to often reconcile what their needs are and what they have in mind; but most of all, my role is helping them achieve the result they want while keeping them safe and happy. I believe that facial plastic surgery is an investment in your own self, more than a luxury good expense. That is what makes it so special and different from the other things we want to have. It is something that stays with you and even more, becomes a part of you. Facial plastic procedures should be carefully weighed and “filtered” before proceeding. Here are some of the reasons that raise a red flag in my evaluation:

1. To look like a celebrity
    Celebrities rise and fall sometimes within a year. Your face stays with you all your life. Why not enhance its own unique beauty? Why do you want to be someone else? Understanding the answer may start from inside-out…
2. To fight depression
   Plastic surgery may increase self-confidence but should not be the only pillar upon which confidence is built. Once the depression is gone, then improving your appearance may "bolster" your victory.
3. To please your significant other
   A big red flag there! If they love you they will love you the way you are. Why did they fall in love in the first place?
4. To get a job
   This is a tricky one but it all depends on the job. Many patients want plastic surgery to look younger and to keep their current job.
5. To get revenge or make jealous
   This is a spin-off of #3. If a story is over it is over. As they say in my country: "God closes one door and opens hundreds more.”

Of course there are many other “red flags” and situations that may undermine the good patient-physician relationship. To filter these out it is important to see the patient through a human lens even before we start talking about the intervention they would like. Because I deeply believe that to be a good facial plastic surgeon, someone should first be a good physician and even before that, a good person. 

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Call Palm Beach Plastics FFS Surgeon for a Free Consultation SKYPE, Phone Consultation or in office.

There will also be free private consultations at SCC Saturday.  Just come by our booth and schedule time with Dr. Mardirossian.

Link for Common Facial Feminization Surgical Procedures