Happy New Year From Yager Esthetics

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As it happens annually, I am again surprised that another year is coming to a close. It creates a natural time point to reflect both on the end of a year, and to consider the possibilities for the new year. Let me go through this with you now.

2013 was a very action packed 12 months. We were able to accomplish much both in surgery and in the community. Our Y Gallery has been a huge hit, with excellent exhibitions and even much increased sales for the artists. Carmen Ayala, Celestino, Rigo Peralta, and Tebo were among those seen here. Getting the artists on Buenos Dias Nueva York has also been great. Our Pequenos Picassos charity has also been great. More corporate involvement will help in 2014.

Personally, my health and that of my family has been a blessing. Unfortunately, I lost my best friend as well as my brother this year. It has taught me how nothing is guaranteed, and how you must appreciate friends and family every day.

For 2014, I am expecting great things. I will continue to educate my Hispanic community, and help to push my programs forward to assist Latin causes even more. I have brought in exciting new technology for nonsurgical fat reduction as well as skin tightening for darker skin tones. New products are coming as well as more seminars.
I wish all of you a Happy and Healthy New Year. Just try to do at least one thing better, and see where it leads you.

A Plastic Surgeon For All Seasons

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One question that always makes me smile is “Doctor Yager, when is the best time of year to do the surgery for healing?” Some patients feel when it is hot outside, they are more likely to get infections (not true), and some feel when it is cold, the healing process is slower (also not true). So what is the answer?

Healing and infection rates are virtually the same every month of the year. In some tropical countries, infection rates are higher, but it cannot be definitively linked to the outside temperature. It is usually due to sterilization techniques and the facilities in which the procedures are done.

I tell patients that I operate 12 months out of the year, and there is no difference in the complication rates . It is about finding a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with a Board Certified Anesthesiologist operating in a Certified Surgery Center or Hospital with the experience and talent to deliver the results you want.

The best time of year is when you can get the proper time to recover in a restful and stress free environment. If you work, it is when you can take the true amount of time off. If you have small children, it is when you have the help you need in the house so someone can take care of them, or when you can send them to a relative’s house. For teachers, it is the summer. For outdoor professions, it is the winter.
I love operating all year long, and am grateful for the opportunity to do so. Pick the time that is best for you, and I will always do my best.

The Aging Plastic Surgeon

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Although this is my 17th year in private practice, I still feel like I am early on in my career as a cosmetic Plastic Surgeon. It is still exciting to me, and I enjoy meeting and helping patients reach their esthetic goals. How long will this feeling last?

I recently met with a Plastic Surgeon in New York City who has been in practice around 40 years. He is proudly 74 plus, and still maintains a private office as well as positions of respect and authority in major hospitals and universities here. He enjoys teaching and still actively operates both in his office and at the hospital. I asked him if he still enjoys what he does. He replied “Absolutely.”

He shared with me his disdain for the politics of the profession, and recounted several events in which he was left to battle for what was rightfully his. He let me know it was not always pleasant, but when someone pushed him, he pushed back harder.

One always thinks of working hard and then retiring to “enjoy life.” I think retirement would kill this man, as his identity is so tied up in his profession. His dedication for so many years is not something he is willing to walk away from.

What will the future bring for me, say after 20 more years? I would like to think I would still want to be helping the Hispanic Community and doing what I do best. I hope to age gracefully, but keep my passion and enjoyment in the field of Plastic Surgery.

Operating on my Employees

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At Yager Esthetics, I have over 20 employees, all of whom are women. Like any group of women, some are interested in beauty and appearance. Many of my staff have taken advantage of the products and services we offer for skin care, veins, hair removal, and injectables. A few of them want something more which can only be achieved by surgery.

As a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has been doing only cosmetic surgery for the last 17 years in private practice, I am certainly an option. I am honored when someone who works with me selects me as their surgeon, as it means that they respect my work and how I treat patients. If it is not awkward for them, I do not mind operating on my employees.

The staff understand that they will be treated the same, and go through exactly the same steps and process as every other patient I treat. There are no short cuts, and they are expected to follow the same instructions, down to post op appointments on a scheduled basis.

If my employee is not a good candidate for a procedure, or needs to lose weight, the same rules apply as to any new patient. Nothing “extra” or “special” is done for my staff that is not done for everyone seeking surgery. ALL of my patients are important to me, and I only have one level of care- my best.