WHY BERMAN COSMETIC SURGERY IS DIFFERENT

WHY BERMAN COSMETIC SURGERY IS DIFFERENT

I was asked by my marketing company to explain why my practice is quite different from most other plastic surgery practices around the country. I will try and highlight how my philosophy on plastic surgery may be different from others and hopefully will not let this short blog degenerate into a discussion of self praise – I believe that self praise is no praise and instead will try and highlight only those differences.  

So what makes my practice different? 

First of all, it is really important to point out, that many of the people carrying out  the plastic surgery are NOT BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEONS. I think as a starting point, this is an incredibly important prerequisite. There is a huge difference in the training between a board certified plastic surgeon and any other doctor. A board certified plastic surgeon has done a full residency (training program) that takes full time,  at least 6 years after medical school. They have also successfully passed both a written and oral examination. There are a large number of other doctors, including ENT (now renamed facial plastic surgery), gynecologists, ER doctors, even some family doctors doing procedures that in any other country are done exclusively by the properly trained plastic surgeon. 

Probably the best analogy that I can think of, –  I am sure many people can learn to fly a plane. However, I want the pilot of the plane that I am on, to have done all the necessary hours and examinations etc. This will be especially important if things out of the norm come up such as bad weather or strong winds etc. It is somewhat similar to surgery. Maybe a less fully trained surgery, may be able to get things done, more or less OK – however in real life, problems occur people do not necessarily fit into the model that you have learned. You need to have a proper board certified plastic surgeon who can give the best advice and offer the best options etc etc. I am triple board certified. 

NO HARD SELL

I realize people have different styles and patients should choose the office that they are most comfortable with. I, personally, do not like shopping and on the rare occasions, when I do have to shop, I want to be told the different options, the pros and cons, and then not be pressured. I try very hard to both give my professional opinion and at the same time, view myself as a facilitator, and the final choice must be the patient’s. I have seen a large number of patients, who have told me that their previous surgeon insisted on a particular procedure that they were not completely comfortable with. Examples of this would be when a woman who received breast implants that were either larger or smaller than what they really wanted because it suited the taste of the surgeon and NOT the patient. None of my staff are paid a commission. I don’t want my patients feeling pressured by my staff that have to upsell in order to earn their salary. 

I try to provide options and information and the patient can select which suits them at this time.

I HAVE A LONG TIME FRAME MENTALITY

What does this mean? It means that I live within my means and I have never been in the field of plastic surgery solely to earn money. This translates to, I will give you the best information that I can. You may book a procedure with me the next day, the next week, the next month or you may suddenly show up 5 or 8 years later and say, “Hi Doctor, I was here many years ago, I really liked you but it was not the right time back then, but I am finally here for my procedure with you.” Or, you may never book with me. I will treat you the same. 

I DON’T BLINDLY FOLLOW THE MEDIA TRENDS

Many patients are heavily influenced by the prevailing social media trends. I personally stay with what I feel is the correct course of action. What does this mean? Brazilian butt lifts are/were an extremely popular procedure. I never did these, even though it would have been a great source of revenue. They have by far, the highest mortality rate of any plastic surgery procedure by a large amount. I also had other personal objections to it – so I did not jump on the bandwagon.  I feel today, some women are putting way too much filler in their face, their cheeks and their lips. I will occasionally put a bit more than I think is ideal (after all it is your body). However, I will not put a GREAT deal more than I think is reasonable. I strive for a natural, pretty look. Many women today look extremely fake and artificial and like cookie cutter models. I would make more money, if I put in more fillers however, that has never been my only goal. I will on select occasions, refuse to inject more filler and this has dismayed the occasional patient but I will not make someone grossly overfilled. My patients appreciate the natural look that I strive to give them.

A PERSONAL TOUCH

I do all of my own Botox and filler injections and I have my entire career. This is extraordinarily rare in plastic surgery offices. I believe I do a very good job with the injections. It is also a chance to briefly chat and to get to know my patients a little bit better. I have been told that I am frequently much gentler with the needles, than other injectors that they have tried out. 

Every patient that receives moderate surgery with me (not minor procedures such as a mole removal or torn earlobe etc) will get my personal cell phone number so that they can reach me by text, should they have any concerns, day or night including the weekends. I text all of my patients from my cell phone after their surgery, to check on them and to see if they have any questions. I give my personal cell number so that they can reach me, and not a PA or a secretary or a surgical coordinator or an answering service. You can see this care reflected in the many of the positive reviews that I have online – many people have mentioned the fact that I personally stayed in touch with them after their surgeries. I understand that for most people, having surgery (even when it’s an elective surgery) can be both scary and sometimes a bit overwhelming. I try my best to help guide my patients through this process. I also get my patients up and moving extremely quickly after surgery. I believe this contributes to my patients’ unusually rapid recoveries after surgery and return to normal life, including work and exercise.

My goal in my practice is to prioritize expertise, patient choice, long-term care, and a personal touch. Being a triple board-certified plastic surgeon, I can assure the highest level of training and specialization. Patients are empowered to make informed decisions without pressure. My long-term mentality means patients can choose procedures whenever they feel ready, with no judgment. My practice avoids blindly following media trends, focusing on patient safety and achieving natural results. I personally conduct injections and provide my cell phone number for direct communication, emphasizing patient care and support. Berman Cosmetic Surgery is dedicated to expertise, personalization, and patient well-being.