Česky
What led you to plastic surgery?
Plastic surgery led me to hand surgery. For me, the hand is one of the most beautiful parts of the human body, and in the former Czechoslovakia this field was included under plastic surgery. However, hand surgery itself is quite demanding, both mentally and physically. At the same time, this spectrum of care is limited to state hospitals, and I wanted to expand my field of practice to include aesthetic plastic surgery.
How do you recall your beginnings in the field and how fast is the field evolving?
I definitely remember my beginnings in a good way, the bad things are usually crowded out by the brain with time. Within medicine, I would venture to say that it is one of the fastest evolving fields. There are opportunities for new surgical procedures and increased demand, which motivates us to invent new procedures. First of all, there has been a lot of progress in working with stem cells, most of all the tissues contained just in fat, and transferring them along with the fat. The effect is combined, namely local improvement in the quality of all tissues and volume replenishment.
Where did you work before you started at the Diagnostic Center?
I worked in Prague from 2000 to 2010, when I gradually achieved my first attestation in general surgery and then in plastic surgery as part of my postgraduate training. Then I went to Spain, where I worked for seven years and in 2017 I returned to the Czech Republic. It wasn't a full-time return, I was still partly working in Spain.
And what drew you to Spain?
Temperament, gastronomy, the sea, more sunny days a year. I like the language too, so sing-songy and lilting. I've learned it fluently over the years. For me, just speaking Spanish is another dimension of life.
Could you tell me how many patients you've operated on? And is there any procedure that sticks out in your mind?
I certainly don't know the exact number, but it's in the thousands. I'm counting the years I did general surgery. There would be more than one procedure that sticks in my mind. But it's not easy to pick just one of the most interesting. You see, in medicine we encounter surprising situations where we have to improvise. It's not an exact science. Two plus two never equals four - sometimes it's five and sometimes it's three...
What is your favourite procedure and why?
Currently rhinoplasty (rhinoplasty of the nose). I honed my practical skills in this surgery in Barcelona, where I was lucky enough to learn from world-renowned leaders in the field. I also enjoy doing abdominoplasties and combination procedures. And of course mammoplasties (breast reconstructions) are the daily bread for a plastic surgeon.
Have you ever turned down a client? If so, what was the reason?
Yes, it's about a quarter of potential clients. It happens when the expectations of the outcome of the surgery are unrealistic. Or, as a plastic surgeon, I see no improvement in the requested procedure. Or you see the benefit, but it would be so minimal that it's better to wait and perform it later with a more significant effect. Our work is actually an unequal battle with time and gravity's effect on our bodies. Without discussion, of course, ethical considerations must also be weighed for each patient.
From your point of view, what is the biggest plastic surgery hoax?
Probably the idol of eternal youth and beauty. Tissues and cells, like their building blocks, gradually deteriorate and die over time. The time factor plays a very radical and undeniable role in our lives. The current era is more oriented towards the virtual world and idols, which force women in particular to always look perfect.
The pressure of this virtual social world is great and has long been unhealthy. We don't live our lives for ourselves, but for others, where we share our would-be perfect selves. We all have the most amazing life out there, and yet we are all just human beings.
What do you think is most trending in cosmetic surgery right now and why?
Long term, it's definitely breast surgery and breast augmentation. Nowadays, I am seeing more and more women who prefer augmentation through fat transfer, both for the breasts and the buttocks. The effect is twofold - the "problem areas" are sucked out and better shaped, the fat itself is then used to fill in and lift pregnancy, weight loss or aging, sagging and partially deflated breasts or buttocks. Which is also a better alternative for me personally, because I don't have to work with the body's non-own material.
What type of procedure do men most often want you to do?
Men most often come to me requesting eyelid lifts and liposuction. Quite often they are pushed into these procedures by their partners or social media pressure, which is not ideal.
What does your working day look like?
It depends if I'm operating or having consultations and check-ups. When I'm operating, the day is pretty monotonous. We start as early as possible in the morning and then all I see are the lights in the operating theatre. It's quite physically demanding because plastic surgery is a "one man show" where you only have a nurse to assist you. Otherwise, you're on your own. The consultation day is physically demanding because you have to listen to all the patients' complaints, their personal insights, and problems. But that's what our work is about, it gives it a human dimension.
Do you also create visualisations for your patients so they know what they will look like after the procedure?
I resist visualizations because each person and difficulty is individual to me. In my practice I am confronted every day with photoshopped photos. Often the results demanded are unrealistic and already scream it from these photos. Because they are obviously edited. I don't want to promise something that is possible in these photos, but not in reality. I am very limited by the proportions of the body, the quality of the tissues, their elasticity, and other factors that the patient doesn't take into account as much during the procedure. In the post-operative period, the chapter itself is about healing, following the instructions, resting and gradual recovery with subsequent integration into life to the full extent. It is one thing to design something and another to perform the surgery itself. The part of the body, the material you are working with, is alive, sometimes unforgiving and will not allow you everything. It's just a process of several months of the body coming to terms with our interference with its integrity. The effect is not instant!
