Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Dr. Timothy KatzenMy greatest achievement:

My greatest achievement has been the maintenance of a stable marriage and wonderful family.  My wife and I have been happily married for over 20 years and we have two wonderful daughters. Together, we have navigated the brutal schedules of general surgery and plastic surgery residences and battled the hardships of starting my private plastic surgery practice in Beverly Hills.

The future of my field is:

The future of plastic surgery is less and less invasive surgery. In the future, there will be minimal to no incisions. Currently, there is great excitement about a technology called radio frequency. In the future, I believe there will be genetic sequencing to minimize or illuminate fat, end obesity, and reverse skin aging.

The biggest misconception about my field is:

The biggest misconceptions about plastic surgery is that it is easy to become a plastic surgeon and that plastic surgery procedures are easy to perform and the results are always 100% perfect. To become a plastic surgeon it takes four years of college, four years of medical school, and in my case, 10 years of residency and fellowships. Also, you must remember, it’s not just attending classes and residences, it’s actually being extremely competitive and qualified to be accepted into these residencies and fellowships. Plastic surgery is heavily dependent on artistic skill. Therefore, even though it may look easy to some,  plastic surgery actually requires many years of experience. In addition, plastic surgery results can be highly variable with multiple factors interfering with the results. Results depend on your plastic surgeon’s skill, patient’s healing, and multiple other variable factors.

My most requested procedures are:

By far,  the most requested plastic surgery procedure nationwide is liposuction. 360 Circumferential Body Lift, Arm Lift, Thigh Lift, Silicone Injection Removal (Buttock).

What surgical advancements are you most excited about?

Less and less invasive procedures are the wave of the future. Currently, radiofrequency is the latest hot topic. Using radio waves, fat is melted and skin is tightened. In the future, minimally invasive skin tightening advances will be the most welcomed.

What are you best known for?

I am best known for reconstructive plastic surgery after a massive weight loss. This includes a multitude of procedures including a 360 circumferential lower body lift, thigh lift,  breast lift, breast augmentation, arm reduction, and facelift procedures.

What is your most memorable patient reaction?

I’ve had many memorable patient reactions. One of my favorites was a patient who requested her pre-operative or before pictures. When I sent the pictures, the patient quickly called my office. She was very timid and anxious. Very slowly and carefully she said that I had sent someone else’s pictures. Honestly, I laughed! When I showed her unique anatomy (like freckles) on her before pictures, she slowly began to realize that these pictures were actually her. She was totally blown away and amazed by how different she looked.

What sets my practice apart:

My practice specializes in reconstructive plastic surgery after weight loss. I offer all the surgical modalities as well as treatment to help you lose weight before and after surgery. I also have a registered dietitian on staff to help patients with nutritional issues.

What I love most about my profession is:

I love helping patients to complete their weight loss journey. Often, when patients lose weight, they lose the weight, but are left with residual excess skin and fat. With the plastic surgery procedures that I perform, I can eliminate that extra skin and fat and help them achieve the body of their dreams.

Career defining procedure?

I had an ICU nurse who had lost over 300 pounds. She had seen approximately 20 doctors in the Los Angeles area and no plastic surgeon was willing to help her. I consulted with her and told her she would need multiple procedures and recovery of about three months.  She decided to have plastic surgery with me and at the conclusion of her surgeries, she looks amazing.  Since then, she has continued with nursing and has also become a nationally ranked ballroom dancer.  

What new services are you excited to offer?

We have a complete line of medical weight loss programs. These include multiple prescriptions as well as injectables. These are all geared to h