When the Hype Exceeds Reality in BBL

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I have been a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for quite some time, being in private practice for more than 20 years. I have been doing fat transfers to the buttocks since before it was called a Brazilian Butt Lift, and continue to perform this procedure more than 150 times a year. I think I get great results, yet I hear some disappointment from patients more than with all other surgeries. Am I just not good at the surgery, or is it something else?

When I compare my results to those seen in the Plastic Surgery journals, I feel they exceed nearly all in effectiveness and fat take. That makes me confident I am doing it well. So why are some people not thrilled? I blame social media.

People watch reality tv, look at photoshopped pictures and posts, and feel that it doesn’t matter what they start with, that a good plastic surgeon can do anything. This is unfortunately not true. The amount of fat you have, the bone and muscular structure, and metabolism are all factors beyond our control. I have miraculous changes walking around who are upset that with white lycra tights, there is a slight difference from side to side, even if they started out horribly asymmetrical.

My choices are to either stop offering the procedure, or to continue to try and educate each patient as to what is possible and what is not. I am not ready to stop. Be realistic and accept a great result. Perfection is sometimes the enemy of happiness.

Physician, Magician, or Beautician?

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People, especially in this age of Social Media, expect a lot out of Plastic Surgery and cosmetic treatments.  Reality television shows a world in which everyone is perfect looking, or has someone fix it if it is not.  That sets a standard that is nearly impossible to meet.

Some people think Plastic Surgeons are Beauticians.  You tell them what you want, and they do what you ask.  They will switch it around countless times until you are happy.  This is dangerous, as although we are partners with our patients, we are not equal partners.  I (hopefully) have more experience and training in the field, and can use my knowledge to help steer you away from foolish choices.

Others think we are Magicians.  They do not care about the before pictures.  They want a miracle,  don’t care what is involved, and do not understand the limitations that they each bring to the table.  The after picture depends entirely on what we are working with.

Plastic Surgeons are actually physicians first. We take an oath to first do no harm, and consider your well being.  If we are talented, and you are willing, we can work together to make you the best version you can be safely, and understanding the risks.

Before you consider Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, really think about your expectations and the role your Plastic Surgeon plays.

New Years and Plastic Surgery

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In a few days, 2014 will be in the past.  This has been the fastest year of my life, and I never even had a feel for it.  The seasons and weather were odd, and it never really felt like it got going.  So, as always, the question becomes, what can I do to make 2015 even better at Yager Esthetics?

This past year was quite successful, in both patient care and community service. We added Exilis Elite for skin tightening, new skin care and stretchmark treatments, improved scar reduction techniques, and enhanced our spider vein and injectables practice quite a bit.

We had very successful Y Gallery art events, with a very high quality group of artists.  Many paintings were sold completely for the benefit of our Hispanic artists.  Our educational seminar series has been met with a tremendous response, and patients are acquiring the tools to make informed decisions.

So, what to do for Yager Esthetics in 2015?  We have some great live events planned, and details will follow soon.  We have hired even more Hispanic women to help the community and our practice grow together.  New technology is being evaluated now to add to the offerings for our patients, both surgical and nonsurgical.

We are expanding our social media outreach, and I still tweet daily and have an active Facebook page.  Look for videos and photos of our events, as well as copies of my live television appearances.

We are interactive, so if there are questions or suggestions of how we may serve you better, or if there are suggestions for Blog topics or seminars, contact us at info@dryager.com or call 212-543-1700 any time.

Prospero Año y Felicidad!

Twitter and Plastic Surgery

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For the last 2 years, I have been tweeting nearly every day from @DrJYager. Being new to the format, it took a while to figure out what the people want. Is it tips on skin care and anti-aging? Is it the latest new technologies and procedures in cosmetic plastic surgery? Is it special offers or events new from Yager Esthetics? I tried them all.

What I have found in my recent survey is that people just want to learn a little something about me, their potential plastic surgeon. What I like to do, what my interests are, what else I do when I am not in the office. Getting a feel for my personality seems to be what the patients like best.

I have tweeted about my musical group, music I enjoy, and concerts I have seen. I have tweeted about the weather, Latin cultural events, and movies I have recently enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy). I have let people know about restaurants and foods that I enjoy, and have told a few jokes along the way.

I do also mention important events in the office, television interviews and magazine articles when they come out, and sometimes share new products and services we offer at Yager Esthetics.

So follow me on twitter @DrJYager, and get to know your plastic surgeon a little bit better. New friends are always welcome.

Miss RDUS 2013

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As some of you will recall, I was a judge for Ms RDUS 2012 and it was a wonderful experience. The lovely Chantel Martinez took the crown and it was a terrific event. How time flies.

The opening reception occurred this past Sunday, and the 32 finalists will make this a difficult year to select just one. Even on a brutally hot day in an outdoor venue, Ganesha, on W.204th , all of the girls were professional and beautiful.
While I am not a judge this year, Yager Esthetics is a sponsor of the event, as I feel very strongly about supporting my Hispanic community. The dedication of time and preparation needed to even be considered for the pageant makes each girl special.

I encourage each of you to follow the competition and even come to the finals in Symphony Space this year. Maybe someone from your favorite city will win. It is sure to be a fun time.

Social Media and Plastic Surgery

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Social media has become an important communication tool for Yager Esthetics as well as many other practices. As my practice has evolved from its opening in 1997, I have found that the majority of the referrals still come from my existing patients, but I have seen a tremendous increase in patients from the internet.

While I do not participate in Facebook for my personal life, I have found it helpful for my practice and patients. It gives a little more connection to what we do at Yager Esthetics. In a little more than a year or so, we have created a following with minimal efforts. We will concentrate a little more on this in 2013.

My weekly blog has been going without fail for about 2 years now, and my patients seem to enjoy these little insights into my writing style and thoughts. If you are reading this, please comment and let us know how to make it better, or if there are topics you would like me to comment on.

Twitter is also a very exciting part of my plans for the year to come. We usually tweet at least daily, but I promise to use my mobile app to help keep my followers entertained and informed for the future. The format is fun to work in. Then there is Instagram – another platform which I don’t use to it’s full potential. I know a lot of people and businesses use an organic instagram growth service to boost their followers, so that is something I may look into.

I look forward to connecting on a more personal level (social media wise that is) with all of you. I want you to feel a part of what we have been building for over 15 years. So please follow me, like me, read my blog and mention me. I need all the Facebook friends I can get!

Smart Phone Apps I Would Like For Plastic Surgery

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All of my patients seem to have the iphone or some other high tech device to not only make phone calls and text and surf the web, but to utilize apps. Apps, or applications as they are known, allow the device holder to do many things. Some are gps based, helping with directions. Some are games to pass the time. Others can recognize music, or help you find cheap gas. But what can apps do for my patients?
How about an app to check if your doctor is truly a board certified plastic surgeon? ASPS, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons should hop on this, so I might see fewer patients for second opinions who did not know the training of their doctors.
Another helpful app would be a FAQ app for after surgery, where my patients could search questions about nonemergent things after surgery, such as what to do for constipation or itching. Although they are all included in the post operative instruction sheets I provide, we still get calls.
Another great app would be the supportive friend app, which would offer words of encouragement and positivity during the swollen and bruised times. So often, a jealous spouse or coworker will say mean things to a vulnerable patient during healing. This delays the healing process, and can undermine gains made in improving self esteem.
Please let me know if you have seen any apps helpful for my patients, or suggest some for me to create. Just smart phone us.

Social Media and Plastic Surgery

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Social Media and Plastic SurgeryI have to admit, I have never been into social media. I do not go on Facebook as often, do not spend hours tweeting and following people on Twitter, and do not even utilize Youtube as much as I should. My practice, Yager Esthetics, is very active on all of these fronts. Why? Because it is a way to reach out and connect with a new generation of patients.

When I founded Yager Esthetics in 1997, social media wasn’t even a blip on the radar. I was busy building a practice and taking care of the Hispanic community and did not give it a second thought. As my practice expanded and grew, more patients were interested in connecting with me and what I did. We expanded the website, www.dryager.com, and then I started blogging every week.

Last year, we started our Facebook page for Yager Esthetics, as well as a Youtube channel and a Twitter account, (drjyager & yspany). The response has been good, and we are now going to offer more to our followers and those who like us. One of our clients told us that we should consider setting up an Instagram page next. We could share pictures of some plastic surgeries we’ve done that day, which might drive more business in. She also told us that there are ways to get more instagram followers for free which is good to know. The more followers, the more professional the business appears to the public. Perhaps that’s the next thing we’ll look into to advertise our business. We are even aware of companies that can help businesses manage their social media reach, for example, a company similar to SidesMedia specializes in helping businesses manage their social media growth and audience engagement.

We have not even begun to tap the power of this outreach, and I look forward to creating something special that lives up to the high standards that we have created with our Yspa Medi Spa and Plastic Surgery and Laser Centers.

So, visit our Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, and check out the videos on Youtube. I promise to be more Social this year!