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“I know the next gift we should get Mom and Dad,” I overhear my son say to his sister, “a new microwave!”
“Hey, what’s the matter with my microwave?” I ask.
“Look at it,” he answers, “it’s old and the new ones aren’t so big.”
“Yes, but it still works just fine,” I say. And it does – it really does…
I take a long hard look at the glorified bottle-warmer that was a gift from my husband following the birth of our first child, and I have to laugh. It’s outlasted two dishwashers, two refrigerators and at least one washing machine. Yet, I still have no intention of getting rid of it. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t emotionally bond with kitchen appliances! But, it’s in good shape and inflates a popcorn bag as well as a new one. I know that its days may be numbered, but it’s been reliable and hasn’t been improved upon for the purposes I need. Why change something just for the sake of change itself?
The perception that newer is better is a fairly common one. We receive a lot of calls from people wanting to know if Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, G. D. Castillo, MD offers the latest “this” or “that” generated by frenzied media hype akin to the Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week.” The focused advertising promises made often exceed the actual peer-reviewed realities – it’s the cart before the horse concept that has been tripping up consumers for years and cosmetic patients are definitely targeted elective medical consumers.
Our patients know that Dr. Castillo’s standards are far too high to succumb to a newer version of existing technology hyped into popularity by mere advertising instead of surviving peer review and producing improved, successful, reliable results. Eek-gads! Do you remember Endermologie?
Something enjoying the latest media buzz doesn’t necessarily make it better for our patients and certainly DOES NOT make it more affordable – in fact, when it comes to cost, that may be just the opposite! If it’s not better than what’s already working and it’s not more affordable, how can it be in the best interest of our patients? Obviously, it’s not – the simple truth is that a cosmetic patient does not benefit from re-inventing the wheel.
Just because something is new doesn’t automatically make it improved. Example: tumescent liposuction is still the gold standard in removing excess adipose tissue (fatty deposits) period. Ultrasound is sometimes used in addition to the tumescent technique, not instead of, to assist the surgeon in obtaining the smooth contour our patients deserve (liposculpture). This tried and true gold standard gives wonderful results, is peer-proven and has the lowest complication rate with limited downtime. So, why would a physician interested in giving the best result with the fewest possible complications change until something offers improvement? Wouldn’t you agree that improved results and patient satisfaction should be the driving force for any technological advance?
Don’t get me wrong, Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Skin Rejuvenation and Laser Institute does offer the most scientifically advanced, peer-reviewed and proven technologies that are advantageous to our patients. The key wording here is peer-reviewed and proven – a must for consistent best end results!
An excellent example is the Micro fractional CO2 laser that offers one treatment (as opposed to 4 or 5), with as little as 4-days downtime and incredible results! Imagine! A scaled back form of surgical laser resurfacing with the results you’ve been hoping for with only an extended weekend of downtime – fabulous! Affordable, you ask? Hmmm…a full facial treatment at approximately $2,000.00 instead of 4-5 treatments of Fraxel at an average of $1,500.00 each…I’ll let you do the math, but just let me say you could have had the big gun in skin resurfacing…surgical full facial laser C02 by the time you’ve paid for those 4-5 treatments.
Are you aware that G. D. Castillo, MD investigates the emerging technologies exhaustively, and if proven to be advantageous and cost-effective for his patients, he does add to the existing lineup of beneficial treatments offered at Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. Micro Fractional CO2 is just one example of this and Dr. Castillo was one of the first twelve in the United States to offer it. He also helped to set the parameters for this exciting minimally invasive technological improvement.
Lasers are expensive – very expensive, and not every medical practice owns the laser that they are operating. I, personally, have no desire to be on the front end of the learning curve when it comes to laser anything. Both familiarity with the medical equipment and procedural experience weigh in heavily when it comes to a good laser result. There are sound reasons why we at Cosmetic Plastic Surgery neither rent nor transport the laser technologies offered within our facilities.
I’m so fortunate to work for G. D. Castillo, MD. Obviously, I believe in him as a surgeon (how could I not?) and Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, Skin Rejuvenation and Laser Institute is a top-notch medical facility.
No, Dr. Castillo doesn’t jump on the media’s bandwagon – he believes that when it comes to his patients, technology should serve their needs, not the other way around.
Patient & Office Coordinator for
G. D. Castillo, MD, FACS
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, Skin
Rejuvenation & Laser Institute
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https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com
800-252-7123 (within IL)
217-359-7508 Savoy (Champaign-Urbana)
Roxanne Hammond, RMA