A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

Full length mirrors in the plastic surgeon’s office.

Seattle Plastic Surgeon and seamstress thinks of plastic surgery while shopping for fabric.

blog britex 2In April I attended the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) in San Francisco.  I sat in on many presentations, took a couple of workshops and spent lots of time comparing notes with colleagues.  As per usual, I learned a lot and have tweeked a few of my procedures based on new found knowledge.

But I have to admit, I did skip a session on practice management so I could check out Britex Fabrix, a legendary four story fabric store a stone’s throw from the meeting venue.

This store had everything from fine Italian cotton the weight of tissue paper to the newest neoprene prints to a bajillion buttons and trims.  And of course their collection of feather boas was amazing.  I could have spent a week there.

Every floor had a full length mirror or two so customers could see the whole effect of holding a length of fabric and assessing the drape, the texture, the pattern, the color and this, of course, reminded me of plastic surgery.

A full length mirror is essential in any plastic surgery exam room because so much of the surgery we do is about balance and harmony.  This is especially true with breast and body contouring.  Changes made in one area can influence how another area will look.  For example, larger breasts can make the waistline and hipline seem smaller.  A tummy tuck can leave a patient with a flat tummy but may make her generous hips more noticeable.  Even facial surgery comes into play.  A face lift may really benefit a lady who has taken great care of her body over the years.  Conversely,  a really heavy lady may actually look odd after aggressive neck liposuction.

So fear not that full length mirror in my office.  It’s useful for both the patient and the plastic surgeon to see the whole picture.

Thanks for reading and next time you are in San Francisco, check out Britex Fabrix.  Dr. Lisa Lyn Sowder

 

Category: My Plastic Surgery Philosophy | Tags: , , , , , , ,

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