I’m going to touch on two things today. Two more serious issues that I have seen and seen again. We will resume the Botox and Breast Aug talk shortly, but some things must be said.
You may not have known the Insta-famous Kristyna Martelli by name, but you would likely know her by hips, lips or chest. Famous for undergoing over 100 plastic surgery procedures, she started at the age of 17 with a breast augmentation. Martelli passed away during yet another plastic surgery procedure on April 18th -apparently, she seized while on the table. What a shame. What an unnecessary, tragic death of a young woman.
This has already spiraled into social media posts about how unsafe and unnecessary plastic surgery is. This is simply not true. What’s unsafe and unnecessary are the doctors who agree to these extreme procedures, often up-charging patients and seeking some sort of notoriety. These surgeons are almost always NOT board-certified and are more media hounds than medical mavens. These doctors scare potential patients away, fuel the fear of plastic surgery and often put patients lives in danger, unreal and infuriating for both reputable medical professionals and patients alike.
Secondary to this, you have probably heard of south Florida referred to as the Wild West of Medicine. While regulations vary state by state, Florida has a reputation and it’s not so great. There have been a few large scale clinics with multiple deaths – many due to fatty embolisms after Brazilian Butt Lifts(BBL) – who have non-physician owners. What does this mean? This means that after a patient death or issue, several of these clinics close up temporarily, change their name and reopen with patients none the wiser. Granted, BBL’s carry a higher risk than most plastic surgery procedures, this is still the second death at one clinic in one year and the eleventh in the past decade. As a potential patient looking into a cosmetic procedure, it is quite hard to dig up this information due to the name change and certain non-disclosure laws.
Martelli had a doctor place 1800cc implants – the national average size implant is 350cc’s. The BBL’s performed at this clinic were listed at $2900 – the national average is $6000. Do you see where I am going with this? When something seems “just not right”, it probably isn’t.
If it seems like all I’m doing is scaring you out of having plastic surgery, that is not the case. Not at all. While every procedure holds some risk, plastic surgery can be life-changing and extremely safe – for the right patient at the right time, with the right doctor at the right clinic. There are a lot of factors that go into this and it’s not a decision to be made lightly. Make sure you have realistic expectations of what you are seeking and your doctor sets realistic expectations for what they can deliver. If you feel pressured to do more, commit to a procedure and place a deposit on the spot or are given vague answers when asking questions during your consultation, dig a little deeper. It could change the course of things.
***** This blog is strictly informational. To educate patients and potential patients on how to best ensure their safety. DO YOUR RESEARCH. ******
