At factory-like, revolving door, turnstile-type Plastic Surgery offices where you are treated as a number and not a person, often Non-Physician “Surgeon Substitutes” perform part of your surgery to help maximize profits. In these scenarios, the Plastic Surgeon performs some aspects of your procedure and then moves on to the next surgical patient before your procedure is completed. A Non-Physician “Surgeon Substitute” is then left to finish up your case. Using this tactic, the Plastic Surgeon can stuff in more surgeries during the day, sacrificing quality for quantity.

What could possibly go wrong?

Maiming, botching, and death. These factory-like, revolving door, turnstile-type plastic surgery offices can offer you bargain-basement pricing because, just like with diamonds, designer clothing, and designer purses, counterfeits (unqualified Surgeon Substitutes) are cheaper than the real deal.

This lackadaisical approach to patient care and patient safety often starts at the consultation, where the Plastic Surgeon is substituted with a non-medical employee who evaluates your body, makes a diagnosis, and then creates the surgical plan. Sometimes you won’t even meet the Surgeon or know which Surgeon will be performing your surgery until the day of your surgery. How does this make sense?

If you want to save money, do so when deciding between household cleaning items or workout attire, but not when it comes to your one and only body. Skill, experience, and a track record of satisfied patients are more important than a low price. Before you consent to surgery, ask your Surgeon if s/he will have any assistants, and if so, what exactly are their qualifications and which portion of your procedure are they performing. You only get one body. Protect it.

Remember, ain’t nothing like the real thing.

Carry on smartly.

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard-, Duke-, and Northwestern-educated Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautydoctor365

A weekend course in Liposuction, Breast Augmentation with Implants, Natural Breast Augmentation, or [insert any other Plastic Surgery procedure] is not the equivalent of formal Plastic Surgery training.

Formal Plastic Surgery training occurs over a 5-9 year time period. This training is IN ADDITION TO four years of college and four years of medical school. That’s 13-17 years total!

Colorado Springs and Monument, Colorado Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Odunze Geers, earned her undergraduate degree with Honors from Harvard University and then earned her Doctorate in Medicine from Duke University. Directly after graduation from Duke Medical School, Dr. Geers was accepted into a highly-competitive 7-year Plastic Surgery Residency at Northwestern University. After successfully completing her Plastic Surgery Residency, Dr. Geers completed a 1-year fellowship focused on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery to hone the skills she’d learned in Residency. That’s 16 total years of education!

“Imitation Plastic Surgeons”

It is a ludicrous concept that a Non-Plastic Surgeon would think that by taking a 48-72 hour course in Liposuction, Breast Augmentation, etc., s/he has earned the credentials and right to operate on your body. Believe it or not, these people do exist.

There are a myriad of “Plastic Surgeon” Imitators/Knockoffs/Wannabes who want to perform surgery on your body after dabbling in a weekend course taught by other “Plastic Surgeon” Imitators/ Knockoffs/Wannabes. Aside from not knowing how to properly perform the procedures taught to them in a 48-72 hour course, more troubling is that these “Shortcut Surgeons” don’t know what they don’t know. And that should absolutely terrify you. False confidence when it comes to surgery can be fatal.

Before becoming a Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Geers had already performed thousands of cases as a Plastic Surgery Resident. The type of surgical experience Dr. Geers acquired cannot be gleaned in a 48-72 hour weekend course.

So what exactly is NOT taught in a weekend course?

1. How to observe nuances in anatomy from one person to another and to adjust the surgical plan accordingly. For example, not recognizing that a patient has prominent ribs and then proceeding with Liposuction without making the proper adjustments. This lack of knowledge and experience could lead to puncturing the intestines, stomach, or lungs with the liposuction cannula. This could be fatal or at best, require a long stay (weeks to months) in an ICU.

2. How to detect complications early before they become major issues.

3. How to know when NOT to perform surgery. For example, that abdominal bulge for which you are seeking contour improvement may actually be a hernia, not extra fat. Liposuction in this scenario would potentially be fatal or at best, require a long stay (weeks to months) in an ICU.

In short, don’t trust your one and only body to a Shortcut Surgeon who thinks it’s appropriate to use your body as a surgical guinea pig. Who exactly are these Plastic Surgeon Imitators? Look for a list of these Non-Plastic Surgeons to avoid in an upcoming blog post.

Carry on smartly.

To book your personalized Plastic Surgery Consult with Harvard, Duke, and Northwestern-educated Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Millicent Geers, please call: 719-633-5255

For more Plastic Surgery knowledge, tips, fun facts, and before-and-after photos, follow Dr. Geers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautydoctor365