Why I am Better Than Your Dermatologist (Or Plastic Surgeon)

by Lawrence Janowski, MD

When one seeks a “skin specialist” one naturally thinks of a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. After all, they spend many years in school studying how to treat diseases of the skin. They must be the best at injecting fillers and Botox® then, right? Not necessarily. Remember, most dermatologists spend the majority of their time treating medical skin disorders – important work that may involve removing moles, prescribing medications and performing specialized skin surgery. They may also be performing some cosmetic treatments, or having someone on their staff who does. They actually learn very little about cosmetic treatments during their residency training, and often learn through industry-sponsored training like everyone else.

Plastic surgeons, likewise, spend most of their training and career learning and performing surgery, and that is what they would prefer to be doing. Their training in non-surgical aesthetics is also less vigorous, and many perform these procedures as an “add-on” to their surgeries, or delegate the services to a staff member, such as a nurse. Rarely, if ever, do dermatologists or plastic surgeons devote 100% of their practice to non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

I do. This is all I do, all day, every day, and I love it. There is nothing I would rather be doing than perfecting this craft and giving patients their “wow” results. This is why, after 13 years of practice, I have become one of the most prolific and busiest injectors in the state of Colorado. I leave the medical or surgical skin issues to those with the proper expertise, and I do refer patients to these physicians when appropriate. But when it comes to non-surgical aesthetics, I am the expert.

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