The Weather and Plastic Surgery

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As I write this, it is about 20 degrees Farenheit outside in New York City. Just to walk from my car to Yager Esthetics is brutally cold. The wind off the water that rises from 165th Street is mercilessly frozen as it stings your skin. It is still January, and so people are still not thinking about the beach and summer activities.

As I have been in practice here for 16 years now, my surgery schedule is the same as ever. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to help so many people achieve their esthetic goals. No matter how cold, even if it snows, patients find a way to make it here for surgery.

Being a busy plastic surgeon, patients have to wait for appointments to consult with me. That is why it is so frustrating when patients cancel or fail to show up for appointments because it is too cold. I try to respect my patients’ time by not double booking appointment slots, and my office calls to confirm the night before as well. This helps to insure an efficient process for both of us. It is a sign of honor.

When I have to turn patients away for visits because my schedule is full, I feel awful when I have a gap caused by the temperature. I urge you to dress in layers, bundle up, and honor your obligation to come for your appointment, whether it is a new consult or post operative visit. You can be sure I will be there.

Art, Children, and Plastic Surgery

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At first glance, any two of these things go together well, with an easily seen connection. Plastic Surgery can be very much an artistic field where creativity and esthetic vision are of primary importance, and so it would be a natural fit with art. Children and art are also a natural pairing, as those of you with children know. Even Children and Plastic Surgery can be connected by birth defects, cleft lip correction and even pinning back the ears.

When I expanded Yager Esthetics for the second time, I had a dedicated free art space for Hispanic artists created within the offices. It was a great way to expose the works to the Latin community, which makes up about 95% of my patients. Through our In House Artist Program, we have hosted several events each year for the artists to explain their works, and have sold pieces at every show to date.

Our motto is “In the Community, For the Community”, and so I thought that to further help the Hispanic population, I could reach out to the children. Growing up, I always loved art. It was a way to express myself, and exploring in that medium helped all of my studies and thought processes. I was saddened to hear that art programs were being cut in the school system. The result of my brainstorming became Pequenos Picassos.

Through Pequenos Picassos, young children from single parent low income families are invited to participate in art classes with our In House Artist. They not only learn about technique, but are exposed to a Hispanic role model. Scholarship money is awarded, and money is also donated to their schools to help restore art programs. It has been incredibly rewarding for me and the participants. The response from the community has been wonderful.

Art, children, and Plastic Surgery. Now that is a combination that works well together.

I Had a Facial

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Yes, I was on vacation and was convinced to go to the spa and have a Gentlemen’s Facial. As a Plastic surgeon with his own Medispa- the ySpa, I have only had 2 facials in my life. I had always felt that I did not have skin issues, I avoided the sun, and washed with a good low residue soap, so a facial was an unnecessary luxury that I did not need. I was wrong!

The esthetician was excellent, and attentive. The science behind the process is sound, and it was amazingly relaxing. It is incredible that a 45 minute treatment can be so reenergizing. And the results were immediately visible.

My skin felt cleaner than ever, and my complexion was drastically better. The moment I looked in the mirror, my skin just appeared healthier and more youthful. Touching it, it was so smooth and refreshed that I was blown away. Now, whether you choose to go for any kind of skin treatment after reading this is up to you, but consider the following.

I have had 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, General Surgery training, and Plastic Surgery training, and I just realized that facials are actually not just a pampering process. I will definitely go more regularly, and recommend to all my patients, man or woman, to do so as well. If you’re wanting to get a facial then check out the love and roots – Facials to see what all the fuss is about!

Come on men, embrace the modern era. Facials are in.

2013 Is Upon Us

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With the start of the new year come new year’s resolutions. What promises to make for 2013, both personal and professional? How can we make things better? What is realistic? So many questions already!
As I have stated before, I always take time off in the beginning of January to review my before and after photos from the prior year to check for quality and trends. I will do so again this weekend to search for ways to improve my results, even though my patients have been quite happy. It can be something as simple as using a different type of suture, or a better girdle, or a new scar regimen.

So, what are my resolutions? As always, to make improvements in Yager Esthetics so as to keep our position as the premier practice in cosmetic plastic surgery for the Hispanic community. We will continue to add services to meet our patients’ needs, and stay at the forefront of safety.

I will also continue to expand our community service and charitable endeavors, as we did this past year. Raising awareness of cancer in the Latin population remains a priority, as well as our educational seminars. The Y Gallery will continue to provide free art space to emerging Hispanic artists with an even higher profile.

Our Pequenos Picassos charity will work with more sponsors to provide scholarship money to the children of single mothers with low incomes, and fund art programs in the public schools that do not have them. Over $10000 was committed last year alone, and we feel we can do much more.

What will you do? Look in the mirror and do what feels right. Let’s make the world better and more beautiful inside and out.