In a seeming celebration of things American, two of Beverly Hills many eminent cosmetic plastic surgeons are being featured in this month’s American Way, the inflight magazine of American Airlines.
Your humble bloggers, the Beverly Hills board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Robert Kotler, M.D. (who blogs as Dr. Face) and Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon Stuart Linder, M.D. (our Dr. Body blogger) tell more about why Beverly Hills is widely regarded as the world Mecca of plastic surgery and why many patients come here from lands far outside the United States. Apparently, some fly the friendly skies of American Airlines.
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Dr. Face (Dr. Kotler): I’ve read a lot of amazing things about you, Dr. Linder, but according to this month’s American Way magazine, you are – and I quote – “one of the highest regarded breast revision surgeons….. in the world!” And, I would agree.
Dr. Body: (Dr. Linder): I’m humbled; there are many, many highly competent plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills, so it’s a real honor to receive that type of praise.
Dr. Face: As the magazine so aptly points out, there are 39 cosmetic plastic surgeons on our street alone – and this is a very short block! Our other neighbors include 11 cosmetic dentists and 5 dermatologists, some of whom perform minor plastic surgery services like dermabrasion. You could almost call the talent in Beverly Hills an embarrassment of riches. No wonder the magazine wants its travelers to know more about the area.
Dr. Body: I’ve noticed on the television program, Dr. 90210, some surgeons tell patients, there are more plastic surgeons in one Beverly Hills office building alone than in the entire state of Montana.
Dr. Face: While we do sit cheek-by-jowl with Hollywood and its movie and T.V. industries, Beverly Hills cosmetic plastic surgery long ago stopped servicing only the rich and famous. Sure, wealthy people still shop and use other exclusive services but the reality is that the explosive growth of Beverly Hills cosmetic plastic surgeons in the last several decades happened because the procedures became affordable for most American and International patients. The costs of face lift, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, tummy tuck and other popular procedures came down due to:
- Better technology
- Better medications
- Shorter operating times
- Going from expensive hospitals to private outpatient surgery clinics.
Dr. Body: And so our and our colleagues’ work sits up there on the silver screen, allowing 60-year-old actors to look perhaps 40 or 45. Southern California is a huge area, so many ordinary people who also want surgical rejuvenation come to Beverly Hills. And apparently, thanks to the Internet, the word has spread to other U.S. states and foreign nations. For instance, how many patients from abroad have you served in your practice?
Dr. Face: At last count, it was patients from 33 foreign nations, and all 50 U.S. states. It’s easy for patients because they are picked up at the airport, taken to their choice of many, many local hotels and then, for the night after surgery, stay at one of several plastic surgery recovery centers which have been aptly been named “face lift hotels” by local wags.
Dr. Body: On my website, I have an interactive map of the world, showing where international patients have traveled from, including China, the Middle East and Australia. (Look at the map of Dr. Linder’s plastic surgery patients’ home nations.) I think the statistics are like yours with patients traveling in for surgery from 23 nations and 40 U.S. states.
Dr. Face: With loads of theaters, various ethnic restaurants, night-life clubs – some of which are frequented by celebs pictures in People, OK and other celebrity observers – there is much here to take in before returning home. There’s just no place like Beverly Hills and greater Los Angeles. For instance, this month’s Saveur Magazine, a guide to fine dining worldwide, devoted an entire issue to Los Angeles.
Dr. Body: A great deal of all this is possible, thanks to the Internet and the “virtual consultation.” People in foreign nations can take some pictures of the body or facial areas they want treated and tell the surgeon a few other details so we can “virtually” consult through email, on the phone or via Skype.
Dr. Face: But don’t get the idea it’s email-to-the-operating room. Once the patient arrives in one of our offices, we go through everything again with the concept that we have never seen this patient before.
Dr. Body: And don’t forget economics! Currently, the U.S. dollar is relatively weak and creates some attractive bargains for people in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Sure, exchange rates fluctuate, but right now, America looks “cheap” to much of the world.
Dr. Face: For instance, a man in Italy told me it would be more cost-effective for him to come to Beverly Hills, have nose surgery, stay for seven to ten days and fly home than to have plastic surgery in Switzerland, which was about two hours from his home.
Dr. Body: Well, here we are, doctor, talking all about the American Way article when, thanks to the Internet, we can send people there to read about for themselves.
Dr. Face: Capital suggestion! Read the plastic-surgery-in-Beverly-Hills article in American Way. Enjoy!
