Blog of New York Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Roland

For those of us who live in the Northeast, summertime gives us the longawaited opportunity to enjoy all that the outdoors has to offer. We can spend hours under the sun with friends and family in our favorite parks and outdoor cafés. We look forward to weekends packed with outdoor activities, or just lounging around outside. Unfortunately all of this added exposure to the sun may come at a price. Ultraviolet (UV) rays damage the skin’s makeup and irreversible harm can be inflicted on the skin’s DNA, leading to the weathered, wrinkled faces we all fear.

Being male in today’s world, and workplace, may not be the way your father remembers it. Today Americans are more interested in aging gracefully then a generation ago. People are concerned about looking good from their 40’s on into their 70’s. Nowhere is this more evident than in the area of male cosmetic surgeries and procedures. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conducted a study looking at trends among Americans. The results are eye opening. Americans spent almost $10.7 billion dollars on cosmetic procedures in 2010.

What is beauty isn’t a question that most of us think about; we just know it when we see it. A “young” face, a “fit” body, these are words we use to describe beauty, but what do they really mean?

Aging gracefully... an oxymoron or a mantra?  This question is the crux of Plastic Surgery today.  Years ago most people didn’t commit to surgical procedures until a large overhaul surgery in the last quarter of their lives, if at all.  Today many more options exist then ever before, but before we can really have a discussion about how to tame Father Time’s effects we have to talk about what’s really going on during aging.  Knowledge about these processes can be very powerful in diverting them.

I arrived home safe and sound late Friday night.  Saturday was spent relaxing with Fatima and the kids.  The culture shock of walking around Manhattan this weekend compared to the last two weeks was eye opening.  The excess that most of us take for granted is what has struck me most.

Sunday my wife briefed me on her email campaign and I saw the large response that we’ve received.  The ripple effect that has been sparked because of this trip is a sign that people have the desire to help, they just need to be reached.

I’m writing this while waiting to board my flight at the airport. The next team of Plastic Surgeons, from our efforts to organize, arrived at the hospital today. I briefed them about our service and Dr Silvio Podda will show them the ropes until he leaves. We’ve received a large response from our asking Plastic Surgeons for help, and have rotating teams scheduled through mid March thus far.

This morning I was notified that our helicopter pilot and owner were both killed in a crash last night. We got very close to them during the several hours in the air over Haiti the two previous days. They both showed a lust for life and for helping others. They organized and delivered food and medical supplies to many of the small villages that we landed in.   Jim and John gave their lives helping others from the air.

May they rest in peace.

When flying out of Haiti yesterday our team was faced with a difficult situation. The chopper returned for us with 2 of the 4 seats occupied. After some phone calls and thinking we agreed that we, the 2 MDs, would return and our friend Craig would go by truck with a driver that we met. It was a very unsettling feeling saying good bye to him so far from the border.

I’ve gotten to know two nuns who are caring for a patient of mine at an orphanage in Port of Prince. Every 4 days they drive the 2 hours in traffic each way. On Monday they told me of the trouble a sister convent of theirs was having with earthquake victim’s wounds. We exchanged information and Silvio and I said that we would try to help. We contemplated driving and as we were making are final plans we were informed that a volunteer had shown up and donated his helicopter and his pilot for our use. 20 minutes later we were in the air.

The atmosphere in the hospital has relaxed a little now that 40 of the sickest patients have been transferred. We used the day to do 15 cases, and to go through the largest ward and address the less critical wounds. Walking through the patient areas constantly amazes me of how strong these people are after going through this tragedy. Most smile when we approach their bed and say “God bless you,” when we leave. My new Plastic Surgeon is Dr Silvio Podda, who is a star. We instantly became friends and have embraced this experience of getting ahead of these wounds.