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Across the field of medicine, physicians and doctors alike have built the best practices and procedures for their patients. After spending time in the trial and error phase these experts have been able to spread the learned knowledge with others. While experts continue to be masters in their field, it is vital that these skills are shared with the ones who follow in their footsteps. Haute Beauty sat down with Haute Beauty experts to hear about the most mind-blowing facts they have learned from their colleagues, while in school or training. Here is what they had to say:
Dr. Daniel Careaga, Careaga Plastic Surgery | Body | Miami/Fort Lauderdale
Sitting in a conference as a third-year surgery resident, a retired air force surgeon with a strong Southern accent who still attended every conference we had leaned into my ear during a presentation one day and whispered: “Daniel, soft-touch surgery.” I asked him what he meant. He told me “Be gentle to the tissue and the tissue will be good to you.” Nothing could be more true! Those words taught me to be a delicate surgeon and in return that leads to better results, less pain and swelling, and a much more positive experience for my patients.
For more information, visit Careaga Plastic Surgery’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!
Dr. Sachin Shridharani | Face & Body | New York
The most eye-opening fact I learned from a mentor in the craft of performing Aesthetic Plastic Surgery wasn’t a technique, but rather a proverb. “You make a living based on who you take care of, but you build your reputation based on who you say no to.”
For more information, visit Dr. Shridharani’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!
Dr. Edward Chamata | Body | Houston
Two life lessons that I’ve learned from my mentors:
1. “Never leave the O.R. until the job is done.” To me, this meant never settling for a result that you know you could have made better. Oftentimes as surgeons, so much pressure is placed on us to finish a surgery within a certain allotted time or to finish surgery because we have clinic patients to see after that and we don’t want to delay them. This is why it’s so important to remember that we have a duty to do our best for every patient and deliver results that not only meets expectations but exceed expectations.
2. “Do what you love.” This is something so simple that we often forget. We frequently see so many people unhappy in their jobs, and many times this translates into their personal life. Nowadays, many of us spend the majority of our days at work, and to spend that doing something we dislike would be a really terrible way to live life. When we are doing something we love, not only are we happier, but we tend to willingly dedicate more time to it and perform that particular job passionately. That’s why I chose Plastic Surgery and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
For more information, visit Dr. Chamata’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!
Dr. Terry E. Restivo | Face | Hawaii
I wouldn’t say there was just one thing. I have to give credit to the amazing plastic surgeons I’ve been able to operate with during my training and especially, after my training. Being able to see “tricks of the trade,” in the OR and then visualize the results after the procedure during post-op visits has been incredible. I’m not going to give away my secrets but I will say that I perform the exact surgery on my patients that I would want someone to perform on me.
For more information, visit Dr. Restivo’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!
Dr. P. Daniel Ward | Face | Salt Lake City
Perhaps the most mind-blowing thing that I have learned during my training as a facial plastic surgeon is the way that our face is associated with our identity. As a medical student involved in a fairly major facial reconstruction, I learned the truth of the face is our identity. During this case, I was struck by the severity of the facial trauma and how the severity of the trauma was making the determination of this individual’s identity difficult. Her facial features we’re not identifiable.
I was amazed at the reconstruction that was performed and how at the conclusion of the procedure, this patient’s identity as a human being and as an individual was restored by the knowledge, skill, and efforts of the surgeons who worked to reconstruct the face. Looking back, that was the moment that cemented my decision to pursue a career in facial plastic surgery.
I am still fascinated by facial reconstruction and love to reconstruct facial defects after skin cancer removal or trauma. In my practice, I see patients who are mostly seeking aesthetic enhancements to the face with over 95% of my practice being cosmetic in nature. However, I have been struck by the same principles that initially interested me in facial plastic surgery.
Most of my patients who come to see me for my expertise in facial aesthetics and my sense of facial artistry, come to see me because they want to improve upon their own identity. They do not like how their bulbous nasal tip or their saggy jawline makes them look less like themselves. These features can detract from the individual’s true identity. Whenever I approach a patient for facial rejuvenation or rhinoplasty, my goal is to enhance their natural features. Frequently, this involves shifting the facial features so they are more in harmony with each other.
My goal, as an artist and facial plastic surgeon, is to enhance the individual’s natural, beautiful features – the features that make them their own unique individual. It is an incredible experience to help a patient achieve these goals and I love that I have the opportunity to work on the most beautiful canvas available, the human face! It is a privilege and an honor to be able to do what I do.
For more information, visit Dr. Ward’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!
Dr. Brian Machida | Face | Los Angeles
Usually helpful hints learned from colleagues are tweaks in procedures and or medications used. Because I do my procedures under local anesthesia, I get helpful hints from colleagues to improve my anesthetic solution, such as the addition of a medication to reduce bleeding. Any practical hints to improve comfort or outcome are always welcome.
For more information, visit Dr. Machida’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!
For more information, visit Dr. Brian A. Levine's social media: