Plastic surgery is in the middle of a revolution, of sorts. In years past, a patient would schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon, who would then explain everything in detail and provide packets of information to take home. That still happens today, but thanks to smartphones and 24/7 Internet connectivity, many people already know the specific procedures they are interested in by the time they step into a surgeon’s office.
We spoke with Dr. Steven Davis of Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, which has locations in Philadelphia and New Jersey, about what he describes as a “plastic surgery revolution.” Dr. Davis, who is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and Chief of Plastic Surgery for Jefferson Health, as well as a fellow of both The American College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons and The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, talked about not only which procedures are becoming increasingly popular, but also about some new minimally invasive procedures —including one that enables patients to shed fat without having to go under the knife.
Please explain this “revolution” you’ve been witnessing.
SD: Social media is at the heart of what I’m calling the plastic surgery revolution. As surgeons, we are giving patients a window through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and more into a world that used to be only visible behind closed doors. In the same way, celebrity cosmetic surgery trends have become highly visible. So, not only do people have constant access to what’s happening in plastic surgery, but it’s created unsurpassed interest and demand for cosmetic procedures.
Why are more people opting for minimally invasive procedures?
Most frequently, it’s a matter of downtime. Many people don’t have the time available to recover from surgical procedures. Patients may also simply not need surgery to get the results they want. Whether it’s wrinkles, excess fat or face/body contouring, we have nonsurgical options that deliver safe, effective results. We use injectables, cutting edge technology, and sometimes a combination of both to correct fine lines and wrinkles, enhance facial features, improve the jaw line or neck, tighten skin and remove unwanted fat—all with little to no downtime.
Have you seen an increase in men undergoing cosmetic procedures?
Absolutely. In general, men have two motivations. First, they see their wives, girlfriends and others undergoing procedures, which has been an eye-opener to cosmetic surgery options. The second, is the availability of simple procedures. For example, we’ve seen a tremendous rise in men having CoolSclupting, a procedure that freezes unwanted fat. With CoolSculpting, there’s no downtime and treatment takes less than an hour. We had someone undergo CoolSculpting live, on the air on Angelo Cataldi’s show on 94.1 WIP. Angelo and his team were fascinated. We even CoolSculpted Philadelphia Flyers legend Bernie Parent. It’s been a tremendous thing for a sports icon to say, “It’s ok to do something like this; it works.”
You were recently on the television show, The Doctors, promoting your new procedure, FLASH liposuction. What is FLASH, and what are the benefits?
FLASH stands for Fat, Liposuction Away in the Same Hour—it’s a liposuction procedure I designed that is performed in our newly designed in-office Surgical Suite. It is an alternative to CoolSculpting and larger liposuction procedures. CoolSculpting is a groundbreaking procedure that sheds unwanted fat, but it also takes four to six weeks to see results. Liposuction is for patients who have a lot of excess fat to remove. But, for those patients who don’t want to wait for CoolSculpting results and may not want or need a more comprehensive liposuction procedure, FLASH is the perfect alternative for treating specific areas, such as love handles or bra fat. FLASH is performed in the office and the fat is eliminated from your body instantly.
Can you go into detail about another fairly new procedure you offer, NeckTite?
NeckTite is something we use for both women and men, who notice their neck area changing as they get older. I recently performed this procedure live on CBS 3 to a man who wears a neck tie daily for work. He was concerned about excess fat and lax skin that was becoming increasingly more obvious. When we combine NeckTite with our FLASH procedure we can address two major components: remove excess fat from the neck and jowl area, and use radio frequency energy to heat and tighten the skin. It’s a great one-two punch for the whole area.
You are a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show. What has been the recent topic of the discussion?
Recently, we’ve discussed saline and silicone breast implants. You know, many women have breast implants from years ago that may need replacement for a number of reasons. There are now more options. When you have them replaced with the latest gel implants, they not only make the breasts look more youthful, but they feel even more natural than before. Taking that a step further, we also offer what’s called a Mommy Makeover— lifting breasts or putting small breast implants in to return the volume to the breast, and also adding a tummy tuck procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal area, when needed.
Even though more information is available to the public online and through other outlets, how important is it for prospective patients to consult a doctor before undergoing any procedure?
It’s more important now than ever. Prospective patients need to seek out a consultation where they can really grasp the full scope of what’s available to them. Even more important is finding the right doctor. When patients come in for their consultation at our Cherry Hill location, Philadelphia office or down the shore in Northfield, they are going to get a thorough consultation where we discuss all options and address their concerns. As you can see, it’s very important to go to a physician that can offer every possible option, whether it’s surgical, nonsurgical, injections, radio frequency or a laser procedure. The patient now has all of the information necessary to help them make the best decision.
It’s a very exciting time to be a plastic surgeon because new technologies allow for innovative procedures to be performed on a wide variety of patients, who in the past, may never have considered how plastic surgery could enrich their lives.
DAVIS COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY
DavisCosmeticPlasticSurgery.com
1546 Packer Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa.
(215) 563-2500
1916 Marlton Pike East
Cherry Hill, N.J.
(856) 424-1700
2306 New Road
Northfield, N.J.
(609) 653-0500
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life Magazine, October, 2017.
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