Plastic Surgery: The Wild West Of Medicine

  • Posted on: Jul 26 2012
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My latest article on CNN.com:

Recently, a young woman named Martha decided to undergo a breast augmentation.  She researched
doctors and found one whom she felt was well-qualified.  Ads in magazines touted him as board-certified and a top plastic surgeon in the area.  Martha met him in consultation and underwent the procedure in his office several weeks later.   At home that night she discovered a shocking sight.

Her breast implants were lodged in her armpits.

The next morning she rushed back to her doctor’s office.  He inspected her chest and, with a quizzical look on his face declared, “I have never seen this before.”

Martha decided to seek another opinion.  Several days later she consulted with a different surgeon. He examined her and explained that the previous physician had botched the procedure.  She would need extensive surgery to correct it.  As if this wasn’t bad enough, he also informed her that her doctor wasn’t what he claimed to be.

Sure, he was board-certified.  But not in plastic surgery.

Her “plastic surgeon” was actually an eye doctor.

Stories like Martha’s are becoming more and more common across the United States.  Plastic surgery has become the Wild West of
medicine, with an increasing number of doctors performing invasive cosmetic procedures without proper training or credentials.

In my Metro Detroit practice alone, I’ve been horrified by dozens of plastic surgery nightmares and botched jobs.  One of my patients, a beautiful 25 year old woman, was left with massive dents and shark bite-sized divots all over her
thighs and stomach after undergoing laser liposuction by a family medicine doctor.  A local ENT (Ear Nose Throat)
physician took $12,000 from a young hairdresser for two unnecessary operations: insertion of watermelon-sized breast implants and liposuction to her abdomen.  The implants were eventually removed, and the liposuction left her tummy a rippled, lumpy mess.

Why does this happen?

For the rest of the article, click HERE.

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Posted in: Dr. Anthony Youn in the Media