Plastic Surgery is changing quickly! You need to read this before going any further!
“So Doc, what would you do?”
I am continually asked this open-ended, carte blanche question by baby boomer female patients looking for a refreshed look. Although most are unsure of exactly what it is they want, they do know they can look better and they’re willing to pay for it. After having kids, many of these women were left with breasts that somehow didn’t make it through pregnancy without a little droop and shift in volume. And many also found themselves with tummies that simply didn’t look the same in that two piece bikini. And with the big vacation coming up, they simply needed to optimize. And still many looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the face staring back at them. While they were happy inside, their folds and hollows suggested otherwise.
So where do you start? As a plastic surgeon, my job is to figure out what results these patients are actually looking for. And so many times, my role is less of a surgeon than a mind reader, sculptor, and counselor. Many women are looking for something that was lost but want to do so in a way that will not make them feel uncomfortable or altered. Most will talk about wanting to achieve results that none of their friends can detect. But when it comes right down to it, even the most conservative client actually doesn’t want this; they want a result that looks natural but they want that handbag that no one else has and they darned well want to show it off to everyone. And after surgery or an in-office procedure, they generally do.
My first epiphany when I began practicing Plastic Surgery was the fact that I wasn’t the only one to see my patients’ results full scale. I quickly realized that their friends were privy to every nip and tuck, as well, and that these unveilings were literally being done with bravado at cocktail parties and other public gatherings. And when the light bulb went off, I made one of the most important realizations of my career: I understood that every post-op that walked out my door was literally a walking billboard of my results with a clear and stated message of what I thought was a good result. And so I had to look at the message that I wanted to send out into the local community. Achieving more optimal form was simply not going to cut it; I needed a branded look and feel that would meet my patient’s needs and, at the same time, showcase and define my abilities as a Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon.
And so when I meet a patient, the initial consultation covers multiple levels. My first goal is to listen to what each client says they want. My next goals is to figure out what it is they really want. And the second part is not always easy. Breast augmentation is usually the trickiest. Everyone one of my clients emphasize that they don’t want their breasts to look like they’ve had anything done; yet in sizing, the implants they choose are generally anything but conservative. And it doesn’t matter how seemingly conservative they are…they all seemingly want to go bigger after surgery. And so the biggest challenge I have as a surgeon is to address my patient’s needs while staying true to my own. Choosing too big an implant, no matter what the patient says, sends a clear and simple message to all of her friends that Dr. Buford likes big breasts and wants all of his patients to have big breasts. And that is simply not the case.
Breast enhancement is easily one of the most powerful ways to transform the look of a woman’s body. Too small an implant and the breasts are lost and out of proportion with her hips and buttocks; too big and they become the single object of focus when she walks into the room. When performed correctly, breast implants can transform a woman’s torso and help her achieve proportion in even the most demanding of fashions. The right size can slim a figure and restore proportion to her entire body.
And it doesn’t stop there. No other procedure has such a dramatic effect on confidence as breast enhancement. Board Certified Plastic Surgeons often remark that this seemingly simple endeavor always results in a tan. And, in a funny way, it generally does. My patients cannot wait for the next sunny vacation when they can unveil the proverbial goods and show the rest of the world that they are back in the game and they are not taking prisoners. And if you think enhancement is simply for the vain, cowardly, and weak of spirit, think again. It was only after I performed breast augmentation on a minister’s wife that I realized this seemingly simple procedure had hit the mainstream and the end goal was not about bigger breasts. It was about regaining something that was lost and doing so with bravado and the understand that clothing was never going to fit the same way again…in a good way!
Another area of focus is the face. While I no longer do face lifts or noses, over the last few years my patient population interested in addressing their facial aging has absolutely exploded. Many were looking to wipe away wrinkles from that last bad relationship or facial damage from a few too many jaunts to Miami Beach without sun block but they all wanted to achieve results without looking “done”. In this area, less is more and more can be catastrophic. While most women would choose a larger cup size, few are so cavalier about results of their fillers, injectables, or resurfacing. The face is an entirely different animal and must be treated as so. Results in this area must be tailored to a more subtle and blended “as if nothing was done” look. Yet, at the same time, the results should try and illuminate a specific feature that was previously hidden or softened by time.
In my practice, I like cheeks. Cheeks are the bridge between the eyes and the jawline. And while the eyes are the window to the soul, cheeks are the means to view them. By adding just the right volume to the cheeks, the eyes become more properly framed and shaped and the entire rest of the face softened. One procedure that I use, which I coined Deep Cheek Volumization, restores volume to the cheeks and, emphasizes the cheek hollows below while softening and smoothing transition to the eyes above. I can generally achieve these results in less than 30 minutes with minimal bruising, pain, and swelling.
Over the years as I have grown from trainee to trainer, I have gained knowledge not only about Plastic Surgery but more importantly about the way in which we all think. What we say we want is not always what we want and so the proper questions must be asked to elucidate what endpoints our patients are striving to achieve. And as I have become more adept at asking the right questions, I have been rewarded with the right answers. The perfect result is always there…it must simply be discovered.
About the Author
Dr. Gregory A. Buford is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and founding medical director of BEAUTY by BUFORD. Specializing in breast enhancement, body shaping and non-invasive facial rejuvenation, he understands just how liberating and powerful cosmetic surgery can be. Dr. Buford’s focus is on delivering individual, realistic results that allow you to achieve your personal best.
As a graduate of the Baker-Stuzin-Baker Fellowship, Dr. Buford is one of the few Colorado Plastic Surgeons to have completed formal postgraduate training in Cosmetic Surgery. He boasts a long list of accolades and accreditation’s, including features in Vogue Magazine, ABCNews.com, E!news online, RealSelf.com, Plastic Surgery Advisor, FOX television affiliates, Healthology.com and eMedicine.com. Dr. Buford is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer and expert on BOTOX Cosmetic as well as many of the top facial injectables. In addition, he is a director of the only Lumenis Training Center for Fractional Laser Resurfacing in Colorado. Because of his extensive experience in body contouring, he has participated as part of the training faculty for LipoSelection by VASER. In addition, he has been featured in Vogue magazine as a member of the Center for Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery. Because of his expertise in breast enhancement, Dr. Buford is honored to have been selected as a member of the MENTOR Worldwide Education Council as well as the LEADS Advisory Panel. And given his breadth of experience, in 2010 he was chosen as one of two Plastic Surgeons to participate in a three-city program in India focusing on Advanced Techniques in Breast Surgery.
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