Thank you for your question. You’re asking a question about the possibility of having
suboptimal or complications related to Asian eyelid surgery, when you describe a possible
muscle damage or difficulty with the eye closure. And then you’re asking about Board-certified
doctors and experience. Certainly to help – I can help you with this question. I’m
a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery
and a fellowship trained oculofacial plastic reconstructive surgeon. I trained under the
auspices of the American Society of Ophthalmic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
This is a specialty after eye surgery of complex and cosmetic surgery of the eyelids orbit
and lacrimal system. I specialize in Asian eyelid surgery as a big significant part of
my practice both primary and revision. When I have this discussion with my patients who
are considering Asian eyelid surgery, I do stress that Asian eyelid surgery does require
a certain level of experience to understand a lot of the nuances associated with performing
this type of surgery. Board-certification just for clarification is a very – is somewhat
deceptive in the way it is represented by different doctors for variety of reasons.
Much of which has to do with turf wars and competitive advantage using a term which doesn’t
necessarily have direct reflection on individual doctor’s experience and talent.
When we look at what a doctor does whatever specialty their background is in, you also
want to see how familiar are they with Asian eyelid surgery. If you go to somebody who
has done it a lot, does it a lot, is familiar with the different methods both non-incisional,
incisional. Is very comfortable with the terminology of nasally tapered crease, parallel crease,
laterally flared, epicanthoplasty. These are terms of someone who performs Asian eyelid
surgery is familiar with and has experience with, of course, can show you examples of
their work with before and after photos. You mentioned that you understand a subtle asymmetry
as possible and that is something that we do also explain to our patients that yes.
The goal is to be symmetric as possible and prior to surgery, I spent a lot of time with
my patients doing the drawing and doing the planning and measuring to optimize the procedures
predictability. Sometimes you need to do enhancements but that’s part of the surgery. I think
that when you are looking for a doctor to perform your surgery. It is very important
that you be comfortable with that doctor. When you meet with this doctor and you have
a consultation, the doctor – what I do is I like to spend a lot of time with my patients.
I like to understand what they’re looking for. Sometimes they want something I cannot
deliver and then I won’t do their procedure, but it takes time to understand that. Having
a thorough consultation and feeling comfortable with the doctor’s technical skills.
A lot of times it’s also good idea and I think it’s a really good way to measure
confidence is just get the feeling from the staff. The office staff of a doctor’s office
is familiar with how – what types of patients are typically seen by the doctor and what
they do regularly and what the results are like. If you feel like the staff feels comfortable
and confident and enthusiastic about that doctor’s skills with Asian eyelid surgery
then your – chances are you are on the right path. As far as board certification is concern,
yes, doctors who are properly trained in a cosmetic surgical specialty have some kind
of board certification. But it can be board certification from the American Board of Cosmetic
Surgery, the American Board of Plastic Surgery. They can be fellowship trained through the
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery.
There are numerous specialties that do perform cosmetic surgery.
It’s not a speciality that has dominance but it’s actually the individual doctors.
We’re all individuals and the things we do that we like to do, things we don’t like
to do and that is something that you can definitely get a feel for when you do your consultation.
In experience hence complications that are significant such as difficulty with eye closure
or problems with muscle function are relatively unlikely. They can always happen but you are
always thinking about probabilities. When you meet with the doctor, you get a sense
that you’ll probably feel comfortable and confident with someone and then once you have
that relationship established, move forward.
I hope that was helpful. I wish you the best of luck. Thank you for your question.