A Florida doctor’s medical license was recently suspended by the Florida Board of Medicine following an investigation that stemmed from a complaint made by a 2009 liposuction patient. The doctor was also fined $50,000 and may be subjected to a three-year probationary period of supervised practice after the license suspension is up.
According to the medical board, the penalized physician, Dr. Yves N. Jean-Baptiste, allowed two unlicensed medical assistants to perform liposuction in an unregistered surgical facility.
The board also found that Jean-Baptiste failed to perform a proper pre-operative exam and did not appropriately document important surgical details, including the amount of anesthesia used and the amount of fat removed.
The serious penalties doled out by the Florida Board of Medicine in this case, such as increasing the physician’s fine from $10,000 to $50,000, highlight the board’s concerns regarding unqualified physicians performing cosmetic procedures.
Although Jean-Baptiste is “board certified,” the certification awarded is for family medicine specialization, not plastic surgery, and his liposuction training consisted of only a single three-day course.
“I think he’s in a lot of trouble because he doesn’t have a surgical background,” said Dr. Trina Espinola, a St. Petersburg surgeon and Florida medical board member.
The Florida Board of Medicine’s focus on consumer safety in cosmetic medicine and awareness of the inherent risk of unqualified practitioner participation in this cash-only industry is due in large part to the involvement of the state’s medical community.
Chris Nuland, a Jacksonville attorney representing Florida’s plastic surgeons and dermatologists, commented that in recent years, the state’s community of plastic surgery and dermatology specialists has grown concerned about the rise of untrained professionals, whose patients they end up treating when complications arise.
“This kind of case underscores how a weekend of coursework doesn’t prepare physicians to perform procedures such as liposuction,” said Nuland.
Be sure to seek a board certified Seattle plastic surgeon for liposuction, laser liposuction or any cosmetic surgery procedure, as surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery are uniquely qualified and extensively trained to perform these procedures.
A new breed of criminal with expensive good looks is cropping up across the U.S., as more physicians report proverbial dine-and-dash theft associated with cosmetic injectable treatments.
Typically, offenders offer up some plausible excuse to office staff in order to leave without settling their tab, such as needing to get their purse, stop by an ATM or even check on a child waiting in their vehicle. Others seek to defraud doctors by writing bad checks for cosmetic services, knowing that they do not have the means to pay what’s owed.
Physicians all over the U.S., including Scottsdale, Ariz., Dallas and Houston, Texas, Newport Beach and Yorba Linda, Calif., Sparks and Las Vegas, Nev., Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale and Port St. Lucie, Fla., have reported patients who received injectable filler and wrinkle relaxing treatments worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, such as Radiesse and Botox, and fled the office without paying. This problem has gained notice internationally as well, as British and Australian doctors report similar incidences of theft.
Because these beauty treatment theft cases are often low priority for police, especially in large cities, many physicians do not report them. However, the highly publicized cases of Jaime Merk and Maria Chrysson, two Florida women who bilked doctor’s offices out of thousands in beauty treatments, have forced physicians to become more aware of this increasingly popular criminal practice and spurred them to take preventative measures to reduce the risk of fraud and revenue loss.
Most physicians now require patients, particularly new patients, to prepay for cosmetic injectable services and other beauty treatments. Many also no longer accept checks for services rendered and instead require cash or card payment.
Media outlets refer to the perpetrators of these crimes as “Botox Bandits,” however as Botox is rarely the only cosmetic treatment administered to thieves, they have recently begun using the more accurate nickname of “Beauty Bandits.”
But whatever you call them, con-artists are changing the face of cosmetic medicine, so don’t be surprised if part of your pre-procedure prep now includes the question, “Cash or charge?”
Cosmetic medicine is a “buyer beware” industry full of unqualified, unscrupulous practitioners promising cosmetic enhancement for a fraction of the usual cost.
All too often, cosmetic procedures offered at too-good-to-be-true prices prove to be at least twice as expensive as treatment performed by a qualified specialist in aesthetic medicine because of the poor aesthetic results they produce, which require additional revision surgery.
As highlighted in recent news featured by CBS Atlanta and the Orange County Register, sometimes discount cosmetic treatment can even cost far more than money.
See a board certified specialist for plastic surgery
Take for instance Kenyatta Brown, an Atlanta-area mother of four who nearly bled to death during a routine breast augmentation procedure performed by an ophthalmologist, or eye doctor, hoping to make a few quick bucks in the lucrative, cash-upfront business of cosmetic surgery by offering deep discounts.
Brown will likely spend thousands more on revision breast surgery than breast augmentation performed by a board certified plastic surgeon would have cost in the first place.
Brown’s story also illustrates the reality that medical authorities, such as state licensing boards, do not monitor or restrict medical practice based on specialty training or experience, so any licensed physician is legally allowed to practice plastic surgery or any other medical specialty regardless of his or her training or experience level.
Always seek cosmetic treatment at a licensed medical facility
Mayra Lissette Contreras, 22, of Pacoima, Calif. was duped into seeking treatment at an unlicensed back-alley cosmetics clinic run out of the San Fernando Valley home of sisters Guadalupe Viveros, 53, and Alejandra Viveros, 50.
After receiving silicone injections for buttocks enlargement, Contreras became ill and eventually died of respiratory problems. The Viveros sisters are wanted by police but have fled to Mexico to avoid being prosecuted for Contreras’s death.
The cautionary stories of Kenyatta Brown and Mayra Contreras underscore the importance of researching your practitioner prior to undergoing cosmetic treatment and seeking an experienced Seattle plastic surgeon operating out of a licensed Seattle medical facility for breast augmentation, body sculpting or any other procedure.
Scientists are taking cues from nature in developing some of the latest innovations in cosmetic and reconstructive medicine. Some of the most widely discussed new medical devices in research and production phases include hi-tech skin regeneration, soft tissue augmentation and surgical wound closure products with unlikely biological foundations.
Biochemists create sci-fi skin
New Zealand research and development company Mesynthes recently announced the release of its new Endoform Dermal Template, an FDA-approved skin tissue substitute used for wound care and dermal reconstruction.
This new hi-tech skin will be ideal for reconstructive surgery patients suffering from flesh wounds and tissue damage caused by severe burns and other accidents, and it will likely make skin grafting, the process of transplanting skin tissue, largely unnecessary.
The Endoform Dermal Template can effectively re-grow skin because it is composed of extracellular matrix material, which provides a unique mix of biological macromolecules that actively promote the cell regeneration and blood vessel formation to improve wound healing.
The Endoform Dermal Template is also purported to decrease healing time along with the length and expense of hospital stays after reconstructive surgery, as well as improve the quality of skin reconstruction results.
Due in large part to the FDA approval of the Endoform Dermal Template, Mesynthes recently received the NZ Trade and Enterprise’s “Focus on Health” award and is also on the fast track to receiving FDA approval for Endoform Infection Control, another Endoform product designed to prevent high risk post-operative infection.
Algae injectables
German pharmaceutical company Merz recently launched Novabel, a new injectable filler product available in Europe that is unlike any other. While most other temporary injectable fillers are made of collagen or hyaluronic acid, Novabel is composed of spherical, flexible structures called Geleons, which are formed from marine brown algae extract.
This patented Geleon technology reportedly makes Novabel injections easy to administer and virtually pain-free. Novabel is also purported to cause very little swelling and improve skin elasticity, so it will likely become popular for adding volume to facial areas with thin skin, such as the lower eyelids and tear troughs.
Caddisflies give new meaning to “Fly Tape”
Researchers from the University of Utah claim that the design and properties of silk spun underwater by caddisfly larvae could be mimicked to design a sort of wet Band-Aid that could close incisions much like a surgical suture.
The advantage of this caddisfly-inspired surgical tape would be dramatically increased adhesive bond strength, which would potentially lower incidence of suture failure in plastic surgery patients.
Scientific discovery and innovation is an important part of development in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery, so staying up-to-date on all the latest research and technology is a top priority for Seattle plastic surgeon Dr. Jourdan Gottlieb.
Dr. Jourdan Gottlieb of Plastic Surgery Seattle is featured in the Summer/ Fall 2010 edition of NewBeauty magazine, which is due on newsstands the last week of June.
NewBeautyis the world’s most unique beauty magazine, and is fast becoming a powerhouse beauty brand spanning print, online and retail. NewBeauty magazine is the first publication devoted exclusively to “everything beauty,” converging the medical, spa and mainstream markets to serve as the ultimate aesthetic resource.
When launched in January 2005, NewBeautyinstantly struck a chord with readers, marketers and medical professionals, becoming heralded as an archetypal, all-encompassing beauty publication, with an immediate national presence. Since then, NewBeauty has continued to revolutionize the way people learn about cosmetic enhancement, educating consumers about the latest advances, inside secrets, “must-have” products and expert advice.
With nearly 10.2 million surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed in the United States during 2008, a 162 percent increase since 1997, NewBeauty fills the void for reliable information on all types of aesthetic procedures in light of the growing interest and surge in cosmetic-enhancing treatments. In doing so, it informs, enlightens and inspires its readers with new-age developments and tried-and-trusted beauty innovations.
With a distribution of approximately 500,000 copies per issue, NewBeauty is available for purchase at 40,000+ retailers in the United States, including major bookstores like Borders, Barnes & Noble, as well as airports, supermarkets and newsstands.
Researchers in Tehran have been studying the use of Botulinum toxin as a treatment for lateral epicondylitis, a condition commonly known as tennis elbow. Their work appears in the latest issue of the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
At the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex in Tehran, a randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 48 patients. They were injected with either Botox or saline, the placebo. Injection sites were customized for each patient’s anatomy.
When Botox injections were performed with anatomic measurements as a guide, they “significantlyreduced pain at rest in patients with chronic refractory lateralepicondylitis.” However, doctors caution that because of side effects, the treatment may not be appropriate for patients who require finger extension.
What happens after massive weight loss? Two sisters in Tulsa, Oklahoma recently found out when they each lost over 130 lbs. After conventional weight loss methods did not succeed, Marla Sheperd and Kelly Butler decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery. With help from Dr. Louis Garosby and Tulsa cosmetic surgeon Angelo Cuzalina, the sisters are looking great.
Treatment of injuries with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is no longer just for high profile athletes. A Seattle orthopedic surgeon says he has witnessed rapid healing time with PRP, using it to treat hamstring sprains, calf strains, oblique strains and inflammation.
Have you ever wondered how breast implants were invented? Doctors on Modern Medicine explain it, along with their evolution over the years, noting the key advantages offered by third and fourth generation breast implants:
a triple-layer shell to prevent leakage
anatomical shape for women lacking breast volume in the lower pole
cohesive silicone gel that is very stable
Silicone breast implants have changed radically over the years, coming a long way from the first prosthetics. “Early attempts [in breast augmentation] ranged from very, very bad to not good, and they all failed,” says Dr. Thomas Biggs.
You probably know that SPF stands for sun protection factor. But how should you apply that to your daily life and choose the right SPF rating? People often think SPF is an estimate of how much time you can spend in the sun. According to the Beauty Brains blog, this is only half of the equation….
To correct the appearance of unsightly lines and wrinkles, some people are putting their trust in ancient science. Acupuncture – the Chinese therapy long believed to alleviate pain and cure a host of physical and emotional imbalances –is being touted by some as a means of treating facial wrinkles.
Dr. Bruce Genter, a plastic surgeon practicing near Philadelphia, is unconvinced. In this recent ABC news feature, Dr. Genter pointed to the lack of scientific evidence supporting the claim that acupuncture can reduce wrinkles.
Yet, there are those who claim it works for them. Are they seeing real change or is wishful thinking clouding the accuracy of their perceptions?
53-year old Julia Engstrom is convinced that acupuncture has improved the texture of her skin and reduced the appearance of wrinkles. Nearing the end of 10 treatments, she says her improvements have come from better sleep and relaxation. “I’ve noticed that my skin is a lot smoother, [there’s] a lot less red pigment in there and the wrinkling seems to be a lot less,” Engstrom said. “I [also] have a lot less darkening under my eyes and I’ve been getting a lot of compliments.”
Acupuncture, in which tiny needles are placed strategically into the body, is said to bring improved health and well-being. In an article for Prevention magazine, licensed acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Phyllis Olson asserts that acupuncture can indeed lessen the appearance of wrinkles. She attributes this to a core premise of acupuncture – that health is reliant upon the healthy flow of chi (energy) in the body, which can be disrupted for a myriad of reasons. Acupuncture treatments are believed to break up energy blockages that prevent optimal blood flow to certain places in the body, improving circulation.
Beata Maslanka, acupuncturist and author of the “Art of Wellness” acknowledges that acupuncture doesn’t yield visible results that compare to Botox or other facial fillers, but says “beauty comes from within; when internal imbalances are healed, people will look better overall.”
Olson agrees, noting that the treatments foster relaxation of facial muscles, thereby reducing wrinkles. “Aside from the light, momentary stings, acupuncture is really quite relaxing,” she adds.
The results Engstrom points to are hard to discern from the video, and one can wonder about the salutary effects of relaxation and optimism, not to mention the natural human tendency to see (and believe) what we want to see.
It is also hard to imagine the results lasting for a long time. NYC dermatologic surgeon Barney Kenet, MD tells Prevention: “If acupuncture relaxes the muscles, it might reduce wrinkling temporarily. As for the increased blood flow, at most it will probably give you a temporary rosy complexion–something you don’t want if you have an inflammatory condition such as acne or rosacea,” he warns. “Otherwise, cosmetic acupuncture is relatively harmless.”
Maybe so, but then you may want to consider the cost. The average price of an acupuncture treatment for facial wrinkling could be as much as $60 to $100 per session, with 10 sessions recommended by Olson, followed by monthly maintenance procedures.
In contrast, the average Botox treatment in the US costs $472 and a single treatment will last 3-6 months. This makes acupuncture wrinkle treatments both an unproven and costly proposition.
Dr. Genter, whose patients are proof that Botox and other facial fillers visibly reduce the effects of aging on the face, says: ”If it increases your well-being that’s great, I just don’t know that it can make your face look younger.”
They say fitness is more important as you get older, because your muscle mass decreases (the percentage of body muscle drops even though your weight stays the same) and muscle repair becomes slower.
Muscle plays a critical role in burning calories, which as you know affects your weight, health and appearance. “Aging muscles actually contribute to the increase in the amount of fat we store in our bodies” says Cheryl Phillips, president of the American Geriatrics Society.
Check out The Wall Street Journal Smart Money column for “5 Tips to Shrink Your Plastic Surgery Bill.” They’re offering advice on how to choose a plastic surgeon, schedule your surgery at the last minute, make price comparisons, deal with your insurance company (if necessary) and finally – pay for the procedure.
If that interests you and you’re seeking low cost cosmetic procedures, view this article about “6 procedures you may actually want and can actually afford.”
Plastic Surgery Seattle, Jourdan Gottlieb M.D., Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Disclaimer & Copyright 2008
1600 E. Jefferson St. Suite 501
Seattle, WA 98122
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