Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Although getting surgery overseas is nothing new, I have recently heard an increasing number of comments by patients and colleagues about patients seeking plastic surgery overseas or in foreign lands. What disturbs me is the reason for seeking surgery abroad.

In the past, this was primarily motivated by individuals searching for a level of expertise or procedures not offered here in the United States. For example, when the Lap Band procedure was new to the United States, a few of my patients sought a qualified surgeon in Mexico who had performed hundreds of the surgeries.

However, it appears that there is a growing trend and interest in promoting surgery overseas purely on an economic basis. I STRONGLY discourage individuals for several reasons and advise patients to:

1. Pick a surgeon based on personal or professional references
2. Choose a facility on it's track record and standing in the community
3. Select a location where recovery and follow-up visits are convenient
4. Have a plan in the event of a complication. Inquire as to management of complications both short and long-term. Will you have a physician or surgeon in your neighborhood who can be available to treat these?
5. Be prepared to remain in the vicinity of the surgeon to render adequate post-operative care
6. Take into account your as well as your companion's travel expenses
7. Consider a preparatory unplanned visit to the facility prior to scheduling surgery
8. Ask to speak to former patients
9. Ask about materials used and the standards to which they are held i.e. FDA review or the use of human derived materials as well as their sources and testing
10. Ask if the surgeon/facility covered by Malpractice Insurance? Are public documents available regarding the surgeon's malpractice history?
11. Will your health insurance cover medical care rendered outside the United States in the event of medical complications?

These are only a few of the issues involved but which need to be addressed when initially contemplating plastic or cosmetic surgery overseas or in foreign lands.

Although, I am familiar with successful surgery performed outside the United States, a patient of mine told me an admonitory tale about her hair stylist. Being in the cosmetic industry, this hair care professional thought herself to be well informed about her options in plastic surgery. Not having alot of money, she eventually chose to have liposuction performed in Mexico. In the course of her surgery, her bowel was perforated. The good news is she survived but not after having to remain in Mexico for over a month to receive medical care (not covered by her insurance). She has returned to the United States where she has undergone several more surgical procedures. Needless to say, this could happen anywhere but having to remain in a foreign land (with treatment by unknown physicians away from your friends and family) is alot to risk in order to save some money.

To view a slide show of one women's medical tourism journey chronicled in an MsNBC report, click the following link below:

One Women's Plastic Surgery Experience in Mexico: a slideshow

Choose wisely. Beware and Be aware. Know your risks and your options.

Labels: complications, foreign, Medical tourism, mexico, overseas, surgery

Labels: Botox, brand safety, cosmetics, injectables, minimally invasive, non-surgical

For some time, there has been an interest in the use of injections to “melt fat”. These techniques generally fall under the category of procedures called Mesotherapy.

As an aside, mesotherapy literally translates “treat the middle.” The Greek word “mesos” is interpreted as “middle” in contrast to ecto (outside) or endo- (inside) and refers to the developmental origin of body parts. Our fat is formed from the fetal mesoderm. Muscle and bone are also considered mesodermal tissues.

Mesotherapy has shown an meteoric rise as people become more interested in less invasive procedures to achieve their beauty goals. While popular in South America and France for many years, mesotherapy only recently received attention in America. The American Society for Aesthetic Surgery (ASAPS) Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank 2006 Statistics recorded nearly 28,000 mesotherapy procedures up nearly six fold from 2005. This compares to over 400,000 liposuction procedures performed during the same period by the Board Certified Plastic Surgeons surveyed in this report.

The risks and benefits of current liposuction techniques are well known. However, in an attempt to more clearly understand the risks of Mesotherapy procedures, the research division of ASAPs known as the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF) will initiate a clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of one of the more popular injection lipolysis (“fat-melting” literally fat breaking) treatments. Many agents, either alone or in special formulated blends, have been utilized to breakdown fat; the most common commercial product is called “Lipodissolve”. There are no widely accepted standardized injection protocols or regimens. Those that exist have not been scientifically validated

In the meantime, it is our society’s recommendation to proceed with caution. “As the leading educational and research organization in cosmetic plastic surgery, ASAPS encourages open-mindedness in regard to new treatment modalities, but also urges caution.” Patients who choose to undergo mesotherapy must first understand that they are assuming the unknown consequences and long-term effects of an unproven treatment that lacks adequate validation of safety and clinical effectiveness," says Dr. Fodor. "Today, the only proven method for eliminating unwanted fat cells is lipoplasty, a procedure that has a long and successful track record for both safety and effectiveness."
In my own personal experience, I have seen at least 3 patients who have undergone the procedure here and in France without seeing any significant benefits and who have elected to proceed with liposuction. Based on my personal experience, I have advised patients to avoid mesotherapy for now.

If you are interested in your cosmetic surgery options in Chicago and the surrounding areas of Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Wisconsin, please call or email to schedule your initial consultation with Cosmetic Surgeon Otto J. Placik, M.D.

Labels: Fat melt, Lipodissolve, Lipolysis, Mesotherapy

Labels: Top Doc Awards Honors Guides Ranking Recognition

A Miami based Plastic Surgery Center known as “The Picasso Clinic” prominently promoted itself via advertisements and infomercials as employing board-certified physicians. However, a recent investigation of the clinic resulted in the arrest of a pair of individuals who are accused of practicing plastic surgery without a license. One male was neither board-certified in plastic surgery nor in general surgery; he simply held a medical license. The female was neither board-certified nor did she possess a medical license. Despite this, both are charged with performing major cosmetic surgery procedures at the clinic. For more information on this story please click here.

Buyer Beware! Inform and Protect Yourself.

Here's how you can research the qualifications of physicians who are to perform your plastic surgery:

MEDICAL LICENSE: Look up and confirm their licenses. In Illinois this is recorded by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. They will also inform you about any disciplinary actions taken against the physician. Simply go to the website:
1. Go to https://www.idfpr.com/dpr/licenselookup/default.asp
2. Select “Doctor-Physician” from the Profession drop down box.
3. Type in and enter your physician’s last name.
4. You will be notified about the doctor is licensed and disciplinary actions taken.

BOARD CERTIFIED: Verify if your physician is board certified and confirm if they are Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Just because your doctor is board-certified as an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, does not necessarily make him qualified to perform a face lift. Simply go to the American Board of Medical Specialties website:
1. Go to www.abms.org
2. Click on “Is Your Doctor Certified” in the left had column.
3. Register on https://www.abms.org/WC/login.aspx to obtain a login ID/password
4. Once your login ID has been sent to you, go back to: https://www.abms.org/WC/login.aspx
5. Enter your email address and password. Press login.
6. Under Physician Search: Enter physician’s information and press search.
7. You will be shown the physicians name and board certification.

MEMBER OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION: To confirm if your plastic surgeon is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons:
1. Go to http://www1.plasticsurgery.org/ebusiness4/PatientConsumers/findasurgeon.aspx
2. Enter the physicians name.

You will be pleased to know that Dr. Placik is licensed in both California and Illinois with no disciplinary actions taken. He is board certified and had recently completed a re-certification process with a 96% pass rate in order to assure that he remains knowledgeable with up to date Plastic Surgery information. He is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as well as the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and numerous other professional societies. He eagerly contributes to plastic surgery research and education.

For more information on plastic surgery or to schedule a consultation, If you would like to learn more about Dr. Placik’s credentials, please call or email Otto J. Placik, M.D. serving patients in Chicago and the surrounding areas of Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Wisconsin.

Labels: Board Certified, Disciplinary Action, Medical License, Qualified, Training

The Consumers' Research Council of America has recognized Dr. Placik as one of America's Top Plastic Surgeons!