MESSAGE FROM THE DOCTOR
I grew up in Venezuela and came to the United States for college. I had talked about being a doctor since elementary school and was very fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue that dream here in the States. In college, I became an American citizen and continued my training at world-class institutions.
My interest in facial plastic surgery and reconstruction stemmed from my initial involvement with patients having major facial and head/neck cancers at Stanford Medical School.
I was fascinated by the operations required to remove these complex tumors but the highlight was always putting everything back together. In spite of whatever had been done to treat cancer, the patients' eventual point of focus was their appearance. Did they look "normal"?
I've been fortunate to have had tremendous experiences with facial reconstruction both in children and adults. I am convinced that I am a better cosmetic surgeon because of this; likewise, I think I bring an aesthetic sensibility to the reconstructions because of my extensive experience with elective, cosmetic procedures.
It has been well-documented that how someone looks often affects how that person succeeds in life. All of my patients - cosmetic and reconstructive - want to look and feel normal, to gain confidence, and to be able to put their best face forward.
I have treated more than 1,000 children who live with vascular anomalies from South Carolina and around the globe, performing many of those surgeries pro bono for those in need. I am committed to the need to "give back" to the community and help others less fortunate.
Through an appreciation from personal experience with family members for the misery of chronic and cluster migraine and facial pain sufferers came my interest in the field of migraine relief. These migraine surgeries offer a great integration of my cosmetic skills, vast reconstructive experience, and the ability to perform highly technical surgery through small hidden incisions. I also incorporate several migraine treatments for "instant" relief into my repertoire.
No other practice in the state practices facial surgery on this level and the niche practice has gained credibility internationally.
Whether you have a physical anomaly that requires surgery or you feel that your face could use some lift, we all want the same thing: to feel comfortable and confident in our own skin.
I love my job. To be able to change someone's life through reconstructive surgery, migraine treatment, or cosmetic surgery is an amazing privilege.
