Dr. Perlman and the Advanced Plastic Surgery Centre offer patients state-of-the-art procedures and decades of experience
HTexas Magazine
Repeatedly voted as one of Houston’s Top Docs, Dr. Joseph Perlman has been a plastic surgeon for more than 25 years. The director of the Advanced Plastic Surgery Centre, Dr. Perlman completed fellowship in both hand surgery and microsurgery. As a board certified plastic surgeon, he is a distinguished member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
What criteria should I use when choosing a plastic surgeon?
When choosing a plastic surgeon, the most important decision is finding a physician who you are comfortable with. By this I mean someone who is well qualified, has experience to perform the procedures that best suit your needs, and you feel confident in.
A plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery is the best starting point. There are physicians who are certified by boards other than this who may not have the adequate training to perform the procedure that you need. These physicians usually call themselves cosmetic surgeons, not plastic surgeons. Other criteria include asking your personal physician who he or she might recommend, as well as talking with friends of yours who have had plastic surgery, whether or not they were happy with their surgeon and the results.
Are there any new techniques in plastic surgery that have improved results, less scarring or the length of recovery?
Plastic surgeons are always striving to obtain the best result possible. This has led to many new techniques being developed. The main emphasis over the last 10 years in plastic surgery has been to develop less invasive procedures than before, use shorter incisions that result in shorter scars, and also use adjunctive procedures to either take the place of or complement surgical techniques. The concept of “less is more” has become one of the mainstays of this philosophy.
How safe is plastic surgery?
No surgical procedure is “risk free.” Although hundreds of thousands of procedures are performed yearly, it is important to discuss with your physician any health factors that may compromise the surgery or subsequent healing. This includes not only medicines you take and health problems that are presently being treated, but also tobacco, alcohol and recreational drug use. Over-the-counter vitamins and herbal medicines may also contain substances that can interfere with your optimal healing.
Surgery should be performed in a facility where the patient’s care is not being compromised. This includes having the proper anesthesia staff and other skilled licensed healthcare personnel on hand. Studies have shown that plastic surgery procedures performed in facilities that are nationally accredited have excellent safety rewards.
Is plastic surgery permanent, or will I return to my previous appearance quickly?
In most cases, plastic surgery will give long-lasting results. Depending on your age, body type, overall health and lifestyle, results will vary. A facelift for example will usually turn the “clock” back five to seven years. The results of a breast augmentation, reduction or breast lift will be affected by having children in the future, or if there’s a significant weight change.
How expensive is plastic surgery? Do surgeons offer payment plans?
Plastic surgery is not just for the rich and famous. There were more than 2 million surgical cosmetic procedures and almost 10 million nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed by plastic surgeons last year.