Interesting how every fall, when the social scene starts ginning again, the swans return often more lovely than when they departed in June. Could it be the cooler climes of Nantucket and Colorado, the stress reduction or something else?
We say, something else.
Nips and tucks, resurfacing and fillers — yes, that's the business of age-defying summer beautification that delivers a blush of youth to our leading ladies (and some gents). June, July and August, when everyone is either hibernating indoors or out of town beating the heat, is prime time for a little personal rejuvenation. But who to turn to when the mirror shouts middle age or worse?
As there is no concrete means of measuring the skills of the deep pool of area plastic surgeons, we have done the next best thing. We asked those at the center of the city's social swirl which docs are currently enjoying the most buzz. At the same time, we asked popular surgeon Dr. Russell Kridel, former national president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, to share a few tips from his guide to choosing the right plastic surgeon.
With the near-miracle of today's youth-generating fillers, Becca Cason Thrash says that many of her friends are avoiding the knife, opting instead for the needle.
But first, the names we hear mentioned most often: Dr. Steve Hamilton (the darling of the social set), Dr. Henry Mentz, Dr. Lisa Santos, Dr. Fred Aguilar, Dr. Mark Larson of Beaumont (trendy publicist —not his —Karen Henry says friends from both Houston and Dallas head east for his expertise), Dr. Angela Sturm (works with Kridel) and, of course, Houston's most out-there, high-profile plastic surgeon Dr. Franklin Rose.
With the near-miracle of youth-generating fillers that are proliferating, Becca Cason Thrash says that many of her friends are avoiding the knife, opting instead for the needle. Two whose names come up most often for facial rejuvenation are Dr. J. Todd Andrews (also specializing in rhinoplasty) and dermatologist Dr. Jenny Segal, the go-to-doc for skin perfection and injections. Just ask any number of our local TV news anchors about her.
When it comes to eradicating bags under the eyes and drooping lids, two names pop up over and over again — Dr. James Patrinely and Dr. Charles Soparkar, both with Eye Surgery Associates.
This is not to say that there are not many more top-notch plastic surgeons in the city. These are simply the ones who the ladies discuss over lunch at Brasserie 19 or at Tony's.
Kridel, who also ranks at the top of the popularity poll for facial plastic surgery and rhinoplasty, has prepared a checklist for potential patients. He has 20 questions you should ask before signing on for cosmetic surgery. Among them:
How many facial procedures have you completed? (For Kridel, the answer is more than 10,000.)
Do you have patients I could contact who have had you do the procedure on them?
Do other doctors trust you for their facial surgery as well as their family's facial surgery?
Are there before and after patient photos I can view?
Do you have before/after photos of patients incisions?
Are you board certified . . . in the area for which the patient is seeking surgery.
Is your operating suite accredited?
Dr. Russell Kridel, past president of a national plastic surgery association, here with Sylvia Forsyth, left, and his wife, Cheryl Kridel.
