My Philosophy

As a patient, I’d want to know as much about my surgeon as possible: So it’s appropriate to open with an overview of my philosophy and how it directly affects my practice.

First and foremost, I emphasize safety, since all cosmetic surgery is elective. While cosmetic surgery is viewed by many patients as not as serious as “other surgery,” the bottom line is simple; success is achieved only by approaching surgery in the most professional manner and prioritizing issues appropriately. Each patient’s medical history must be scrutinized and every medical condition must be considered prior to surgery; evaluation of the patients’ medical history is always the first priority during the initial consultation. Once all medical issues have been addressed, then we can enthusiastically tackle your cosmetic concerns.

I apologize in advance for any delay in actually getting an appointment: I’ve been blessed with a busy schedule. I love surgery, but hate to disappoint people who do not want to wait. I try to maintain balance in my life by insuring that I have enough time to maximize excellent care for my surgical patients.

Because I want to be home with my family in the evenings, my goal is to finish my surgical schedule by mid to late afternoon. This allows me enough of a time after surgery to finish up in the office by seeing any surgical patient who needs to be seen, handle the ever-pressing administrative duties, and get home by a reasonable time. While this strategy may occasionally pose scheduling difficulties, my patients can take comfort in knowing that I show up each day refreshed, alert and ready for surgery. Although there may be a slight bottleneck to get in to see me, once a patient is seen and surgery is scheduled, there’s open communication and time available to have your needs met.

At this point in my career, surgery is second nature to me: However, for my patients, I realize that it may be the most frightening experience they’ll ever go through. I do not take any aspect of the experience for granted and never want to approach any operation as “routine.” I never forget that complications may occur with any operation, and it is my job to minimize them while maximizing the results. This balance defines the art of surgery, and it’s something all good surgeons take very seriously. If any surgeon tells you they don’t have complications, then beware! This leaves only two possible explanations: They’re either misleading you or they aren’t performing any surgery.

The consultation should never be a pressure situation: Many patients are understandably nervous, but I never lose sight of the fact that every cosmetic surgery is elective. You, the patient, are always in the driver’s seat. My job is to explain the benefits of the operation against all of the potential hazards and complications.

Surgery is a serious business, and I’ve been blessed with a successful practice and don’t feel the need to force the issue and put pressure on a patient. I tell my patients that the consultation should be compared to “walking through a buffet food line”; my job is to describe the pros and cons of each entrée so that they can make the most educated decision about what they’re “putting on their plate”! I know I’ve been successful when I can convert an unhealthy fear of the unknown into a healthy respect of the known risks.

My patients come from many sources: As the Plastic Surgery expert for News 8 @ 9/Good Morning Texas [seen weekdays from 9-10 am on WFAA-TV/Channel 8 in Dallas], I enjoy a significantly higher recognition factor than many of my peers. It’s a good deal for everyone involved: I fully realize that not all viewers interested in plastic surgery will come to our office as there are many fine surgeons in Dallas. My goal is simply to give honest information and advice about all areas of Plastic Surgery. Potential patients can determine if my communication, skills, personality and priorities might meet their needs for a surgeon. If they do not come to our office specifically, hopefully they are better informed to make an educated choice concerning their procedure and their plastic surgeon.

But the most telling and satisfying fact about where my patients come from? They walk into my office as a result of the most potent form of advertising in any business: Word of mouth. It’s always a comfort for patients to have a personal reference. I encourage those of you who come to my practice from a source other than a patient referral to feel free to openly ask to speak to my patients and spend time looking at our book of before and after photos, which speaks volumes about our success. In fact, many members of my staff have had surgery themselves and would be glad to give you first-hand information when you come in for your consultation.

I’ve instructed them to make their responses a priority and to be open and honest about the good and the bad, so that every patient can get a clear understanding about their potential surgical experience. Ask any question you like; I’m certain that the more you know about me and my practice, the more comfortable and confident you will be!

Every consultation includes a visit with one of our aestheticians who specializes in optimizing your skin itself: My primary focus remains surgery, but I’ve discovered over the years that if cosmetic surgery can be compared to art, then the better the canvas (skin), the better the final painting (surgical outcome).

Skin care as we know it today is not classically taught in medicine. As a result, skin care was not a priority in the first few years of my practice. But as I began focusing my research on laser surgery and started lecturing around the world with many of the leading skin care researchers, I discovered how excellent skin care can make a difference in every patient. Proper skin care goes hand in hand with any surgical procedure and greatly enhances results. For example, I may perform a technically excellent facelift, but if the patient has sun-damaged and weathered skin, then the result may look “operated” as the “skin age” does not match the “contour age”. On the other hand, we see many patients who aren’t ready for surgery, but would benefit greatly from skin care and/or the new non-ablative laser technology that optimizes benefits while greatly minimizing downtime. For many patients this approach buys time and even delays the need for surgery. I hope you can plan your day in order to find enough time to have a complete surgical and skin care consultation.

After the consultation is finished, photos are taken by our full time professional photographer: These photos are critical to optimizing care and evaluating progress and results. All of my patients are welcome to have a copy of their professional before and after surgery photographs if they so desire. All patients will visit my personal assistant: Kurthene’s been with me since I opened my practice 18 years ago; she does all surgical scheduling, as well as discusses pricing and payment options. After my consultation, I notify Kurthene of the proposed operative plan that has been decided upon by the patient She assembles the surgical, anesthesia, and facility fees to give you an exact price quote before you leave our offices.

I’m proud of my team: Their mix of compassion and professionalism, combined with excellent communication skills, simply cannot be underestimated in the success of my practice. It’s extremely important to me to maintain a positive and fun--yet professional--atmosphere in the office. I believe we have achieved that goal as exemplified by the extremely low employee turnover rate and the consistently positive comments we receive from our patients.

All procedures are performed in a fully accredited facility, either Dallas Day Surgery Center or Baylor University Hospital: At Dallas Day Surgery Center overnight facilities are available and an overnight stay is usually recommended in all but the most minor of surgeries in order to maximize safety and convenience A Registered Nurse is on the floor in the evening and through the night to optimize care.

I made a conscious decision and had a plan in becoming a plastic surgeon: I love the variety and the ability to operate on any part of the human body and believe that we have a unique ability to offer the complete cosmetic package of services. I have purposely and diligently trained in arguably the best and most challenging programs in the world in order to be able to provide the full breadth of cosmetic services. Such services would range from the simplest of skin care treatments, to minimal downtime, non surgical procedures, to both simple and complex laser procedures as well as the most technically demanding of surgeries . By being able to offer excellence in all of these cosmetic areas, my desire is to have a patient for life. I don’t feel obligated to “push” a certain procedure or eliminate any options because of a lack of skill or knowledge. My training has been paramount and I have “paid my dues” in order to be able to offer the full breadth of cosmetic procedures but I will recommend only what is appropriate for each specific patient based on my professional opinion as well as the patient’s desires. All treatment plans are individually designed for each patient