Reasons Why You Should Choose Oculoplastic Surgeon Vs. Plastic Surgeon for Eyelid Surgery
Plastic and reconstructive surgery can have a significant impact not only on your personal appearance, but also your level of self-esteem. Before having surgery, it is crucial to make a careful selection of who you will trust with your face. It is critically important to choose a highly trained doctor with the skill and experience needed to ensure the highest standards of safety, plus the desired clinical outcomes.
If you are considering eyelid surgery, you’ll face a fundamental choice: Oculoplastic surgeon vs. plastic surgeon. What’s the difference between these two types of doctors? And which one should you pick for your own eyelid surgery?
What’s the Difference Between an Oculoplastic Surgeon vs. Plastic Surgeon?
One of the most important distinctions between these two fields is that an oculoplastic surgeon has a practice that is more specialized to a particular part of the body, whereas a general plastic surgeon takes a more generalized approach, providing cosmetic and reconstructive procedures for the whole body.
To understand the importance of this distinction, it may be helpful to consider the specialized training that’s needed to become an oculoplastic surgeon. First, it’s necessary to become Board-certified in ophthalmology, then to gain membership to the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. (Dr. Brian Biesman has been a member since 1993.)To qualify for membership in ASOPRS, it’s also necessary to complete a certified fellowship, to take a written examination and an oral examination, and to maintain continuing education moving forward. It’s a somewhat long road to go through, but it does ensure really strong expertise and excellence in the area of constructive and cosmetic eyelid surgery.
So, to become an oculoplastic surgeon, Dr. Biesman first trained in the field of ophthalmology. He then received specialized training in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids and the face. He does not do breast augmentation, tummy tucks, liposuction, or similar procedures that are commonly associated with general plastic surgery.
Given the more specialized nature of his practice, it is much easier for Dr. Biesman to be extremely familiar with the delicate anatomy of the eyelids and the eye sockets, and the complex relationship between the eyes and the rest of the face—because it does really all fit in together.
Someone who is a general plastic surgeon may do a variety of different procedures, whereas Dr. Biesman focuses on the eyelids, the upper face, the area around the eyes, and the mid-face.
Should You Choose an Oculofacial Surgeon for Your Eyelid Surgery?
Is this level of focus and specialization an advantage? There is a tremendous amount of variability from one patient to the next. Dr. Biesman has had patients come see him for cosmetic surgery, and he has diagnosed them with tumors behind the eye and even identified brain tumors. There are a lot of subtle changes that take place that are important to identify in order to ensure the patient’s overall health and safety, and in some cases to seek life-saving interventions. Dr. Biesman’s background as an oculofacial plastic surgeon really does help him identify these signs and subtle changes.
The eyelids are highly complex, and it’s important to find a surgeon who really understands the relationship between the eyelids, the bony eye socket, and the rest of the face to perform your surgery.
Does that mean that everyone who comes to see Dr. Biesman should have him do their surgery? Not necessarily. It’s most important for you as a patient to feel comfortable with whoever is doing your surgery. You shouldn’t go to someone just because they have a great Instagram page. You shouldn’t go to someone because you heard they were good. You want to do your homework, but more importantly than anything else, you want to make sure you feel that that surgeon has a connection with you, listens to you, understands what your concerns are, and then has a plan that sounds like it should address your concerns in a reasonable way.
You want expectations to be set realistically. You want someone to talk to you about what will happen if things don’t go as planned. Remember that in surgery, as in the rest of our lives, sometimes things don’t go just the way we want. It is necessary to know what happens if things don’t go well, and to feel confident that you made the right decision about the person who will take care of you even if things don’t go the way they want. Second guessing yourself or having regrets should be avoided at all costs. You want to feel like, no matter how things go, you made the best decision.
Dr. Biesman is extremely proud to be able to offer eyelid and facial surgery. He says it is very gratifying that patients do ask him to take care of them. It’s a fun part of his job to walk patients through their surgical journey from beginning to end.
What is Dr. Biesman’s Background as an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon?
Dr. Biesman has an advanced level of education and experience in the field of oculofacial plastic surgery. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Michigan, graduating with high honors. He completed his Ophthalmology residency at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary and then went on to fellowship training in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the prestigious Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital in New York, NY.
Dr. Biesman ultimately spent some time in Boston, MA, assuming the Directorship of the Eye Plastics and Orbit Service and the Center for Aesthetic Eyelid and Facial Surgery at the New England Medical Center. During this time, he served as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine.
He has had his own busy practice in Nashville, TN since 2002, and also remains active in clinical research. He has been named one of America’s Best Doctors every year from 2004 to the present day.
Find Out More About Eyelid Surgery
To schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Biesman, or to learn more about eyelid surgery, we welcome you to contact our practice (615)329.1110.