Well, the statistics are in and according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Tennessee has the second highest obesity rate in the United States. We are tied with Alabama at 31.6%. Mississippi leads the way with a rate of 33.8%.  Now, I know that beating Alabama is something we all live for, but we can gladly let them win this one.

The South as a whole seems to have a real problem with obesity. Ten of the eleven states with the highest obesity rates are in the South. This problem truly deserves all of our attention because with high obesity rates come high rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease just to name a few.

Start With Kids
The best place to fixing this problem is with our kids. Let’s get them outside playing. Let’s throw some chicken on the grill rather than stopping for deep fried chicken nuggets. Understand, I am not an anti-fried food fanatic. I will splurge every once in a while, but we all need to exercise and be mindful of what we eat.

I’m heading down to my erg (my rowing machine) for exercise. You can help us too because we really need to lose this one to Alabama!

Recently a patient asked me to blog about the effects of cigarette smoking on surgery and healing from surgery. Although she knows that cigarette smoking is bad for you, and that you should stop, she wanted to know more about why this was so important, and what the effects are. This is a very reasonable request and thus this blog entry.

Lung Cancer Isn’t The Only Problem
Most people know that smoking is bad for you. And most people know that this can affect your lungs by making you susceptible to lung cancer and emphysema. But what many people don’t know is the other more important side effect of smoking: circulation problems. Not everyone who smokes will develop lung cancer, but everyone who smokes will have their circulation negatively effected. (more…)

Today we reached a significant milestone on our Facebook page. We crossed the 500 fans mark! Thanks for being a Facebook fan (or if you’re not, we would love to have you.) To celebrate the occasion, we donated $500 to the FISH Hospitality Pantry in honor of you……our facebook fans.

Fans = Funds For Food

Fish Hospitality Pantry on Scott Street

FISH Hospitality Pantry is a local hunger ministry and a favorite charity of mine. They have several distribution centers that provide food for those in need. Over fifty local churches are involved and together FISH feeds about 11,000 hungry families each month. And they do this with great economic efficiency.  Through bulk buying and gifts of food, five dollars will feed a family of four for three days. So today’s donation will feed one hundred families, making a real difference right here in Knoxville.

Recently, our entire office staff spent a morning helping to distribute healthy food to those in need. Here is a link to their website. We’d be honored to tell you more about the good work FISH is doing here in Knoxville, and how you can help.

Have a great weekend,

David B.

Definitely shave before having laser hair removal. Dr. Reath clears up any confusion on this week’s Truth-O-Meter Tuesday video as well as having a bit of fun along with our Aesthetician Heather McNeal.

Latisse and Viagra were both discovered by accident.

We had some fun with this week’s Truth-O-Meter Tuesday question. Here is the video:

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A recent story in USA Today has pointed out a disturbing trend regarding cosmetic surgery and cosmetic procedures. Physicians are trying to “sell” these to their patients whether or not the patient is interested in them. Many times this can be an unwanted, hard sell. Why would they do such a thing? For money, why else?  But this really goes against everything I know about medicine and about the practice of plastic surgery.  In this article the practitioners mentioned are dentists, obstetricians, and dermatologists.  But could this also happen with a Board-certified plastic surgeon? Very possibly.

Should Doctors Upsell?
In business and sales the art of “up-selling” is an accepted practice. The more goods and services that are sold, the more income to the company and to the sales person. While there are some similarities between medicine and business, there are some huge differences. If someone is trying to “up-sell” you on surgery or a procedure, be very careful.

Anytime there is an encounter with a new patient, a physician will take a history which defines the concerns of that patient. The same is true of plastic surgery, even if it is cosmetic and totally elective. I start out by asking the patient what his or her concerns are. Our discussion is then focused on this and the possible ways to taking care of this. So, if a women comes in for a tummy tuck, I don’t tell her that she should really consider a facelift, or perhaps some Botox.  If I were to do this, I would not be truly addressing her concerns. Certainly if a patient inquires about other procedures we will discuss them.  However I really try hard not to talk to a patient about a particular operation or treatment if they have not asked about it, or if it is not appropriate to the treatment of their concerns.

Managing Expectations And Professional Recommendations
I should point out here, somewhat parenthetically, that sometimes a patient will want a result that can not be achieved by the operation they desire. In the example above, if a women comes in with troubles with her abdomen after having children, and only wants liposuction, I have to tell her that this may not be the right option for her.  While the tummy tuck that she needs is a bigger operation than liposuction alone, this is the right choice for her to treat the problem that she is concerned about.

Take Note: Non-Plastic Surgeons Doing Plastic Surgery
The other issue that this article points out is one that I have written about often: non-plastic surgeons doing plastic surgery. Usually the training of these physicians is not adequate, there is no oversight of their practice, and they are not Board-certified in the area of medicine they are practicing. Also, if they are only trained in one operation, this will be their solution to all problems, whether or not it is the right solution (if all you have is a hammer, the whole world is a nail).

The simple solution here is this: see an ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) member.

So be careful. If you are feeling pressured about your decision to have an operation, or if you are be pressured into considering something you don’t want, think twice about who you are seeing.

All the best,

David B.

Another way we care for our patients: CosmetAssure
Complications after cosmetic surgery are rare, thankfully, but they can occur as with any type of surgery. Many people are surprised to learn that the majority of major medical health insurance policies now exclude treatment of medical complications if those complications are a result of an elective aesthetic surgical procedure. All of our cosmetic surgery patients who are eligible are enrolled in the ASPS-endorsed CosmetAssure program which covers the cost of caring for complications after cosmetic surgery. It is included in the cost of each surgery.

We are the only plastic surgeon’s office in the Knoxville area to provide this important insurance to cosmetic surgery patients. I explain why on the video and announce the winner of this week’s Truth-O-Meter Tuesday question:

Many people have asked what my practice philosophy is.  And, it’s been pretty consistent throughout my professional career.  I want for me to treat our patients the way I would want to be treated if I were the patient.  This not only my philosophy, but that of everyone who works with me. It’s really very simple (which I like), and it’s easier to put in to action than you might think.

Part of this comes from respecting our patients: their time, their trust, and their needs and desires.  And to respect these concerns, we must first understand them (seek first to understand, and then to be understood). Like everyone in this world, occasionally I come up short (like when someone has to wait longer than I would like to see me). But the goal remains the same.

I once read a book called “The Disney Way“, which talked about the practices of Walt Disney.  Perhaps the most important chapter was called “Never a Customer, Always a Guest.”  This was a wonderful discussion of how Disney treated the visitors to his parks. They were not visitors, or even valued customers, but guests.  So the considerations that he inspired his employees to show his guests, rise above what many other businesses aspire to. And while this analogy is not completely applicable to my medical practice, it has a lot to offer me in my interactions with patients.

Over the years I have come to realize that no one has to come to see me. They are here by choice. And, if I am fortunate to have you come to me as a patient, I will do my best to treat you like I want to be treated.

All the best,

David B.

The majority of folks got the answer right on yesterday’s Truth-O-Meter Tuesday game on facebook. The subject was the best way to minimize the appearance of scarring after surgery. Here’s the question: Silicone sheeting and topical creams are equally effective in improving post-operative scars. The answer is False. Silicone sheeting does a much better job than scar creams, which is why we include it in our surgical recovery kits.

Dr. Reath explains why on the video and Mandi announces the lucky winner. Check it out!

If you would like a reminder email so that you don’t forget to play on Tuesdays, just shoot us an email and we’ll get you on the list. The email address is LisaReath@msn.com.

Never played Truth-O-Meter Tuesdays with us? Here are the rules:
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We had a record number of correct answers on facebook for this week’s Truth-O-Meter Tuesday game. The subject was inspired by the heat we have all been experiencing, because it has to do with hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating. Here’s the question: Axillary (or armpit) hyperhidrosis can be effectively treated with Botox injections. The answer is True. Watch the video to learn more and see if you’re the lucky winner of the $100 giftcard.

If you would like a reminder email so that you don’t forget to play on Tuesdays, just shoot us an email and we’ll get you on the list. The email address is LisaReath@msn.com.

Never played Truth-O-Meter Tuesdays with us? Here are the rules: (more…)