Cosmetic Surgery & Beauty #73

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Meet the new doctor at
Cosmedic & Skin Clinic
Dr Ian Chinsee is an Australian-trained
cosmetic surgeon, originally hailing from
Los Angeles. Following a bachelor’s
degree at UCLA, he studied medicine
at the University of Queensland in 2003
and then spent the next seven years in
the QLD health system training in the
fields of plastic and reconstructive,
general and maxillo-facial surgery. He
then completed advanced training
specifically in cosmetic surgery through
the Australasian College of Cosmetic
Surgery (ACCS) and received his
fellowship in early 2016.
This year he joined Dr John Flynn’s
team at the esteemed Cosmedic &
Skin Clinic on the Gold Coast. We
caught up with him to ask him his
thoughts on beauty, cosmetic surgery
and the future of the industry.
On being a
cosmetic surgeon
I feel that cosmetic surgery is the
perfect blend of art and medicine.
Certainly there are formulas and
protocols to follow, but within a certain
set of boundaries a great deal can be
achieved if one is prepared to think
laterally. It’s for this reason that I see
a lot of great innovations happening
within this field by people who are not
afraid to think outside of the box.
By far the most rewarding thing
is seeing a patient’s happiness once
they have healed from surgery and are
starting to see results. It makes me feel
good to have played a part in boosting
their confidence, and in some cases
their overall outlook on life. Of course,
I’m also rewarded by the technical
aspects of the surgery itself.
I’m involved in pretty much all kinds
of cosmetic surgery. The majority
of my work comes from breast
procedures (mainly augmentation and
lifts) as well as facial procedures such
as blepharoplasty. Something that
seems to be trending is the Brazilian
butt lift, which I enjoy performing
because of the artistry involved to
obtain a pleasing result. I liken it to
sculpting; a patient’s silhouette can
be enhanced simply by adjusting the
body to achieve aesthetic proportions.
On beauty
I’ve always been fascinated by the
concept of beauty and how appearance
plays such a significant role in our lives.
Much of my undergraduate work was
in the humanities subjects, looking
specifically at art, philosophy and the
beauty in nature. Aesthetic surgery
gives me the opportunity to combine
that knowledge and interest with my
medical knowledge and skills. To me,
it feels like the most complete practice
I could be doing.
On a typical day
Something I love about my job is how
variable it can be from day to day. It
really depends on the day of the week,
but it typically consists of consulting for
surgery and/or treating patients with
cosmetic injectables. I’m accredited
at several hospitals around the country
and on a surgical day most or all of it
will be spent operating on different
cases. I travel a lot with my work and
it’s also nice to spend time with different
clinics and staff. A change of scenery is
always refreshing.
On the consultation
The consult is one of the most
important aspects of any procedure
as it’s a chance for the patient and I
to get to know each other. My goals
are to educate the client in different
treatment options, calm their nerves
about upcoming procedures, and let
them know that they are in safe hands.
The process is very relaxed and some
of my patients have commented on
how the process has differed from
other visits to the doctor in that it’s not
at all cold or clinical. There has to be
a mutual trust and understanding that
comes out of the consult before any
surgical plans can be made.
On the future of
cosmetic enhancement
The area of regenerative medicine is
definitely the future of this industry.
We’re only scratching the surface
with treatments such as platelet rich
plasma (PRP) and stem cells. As
our knowledge of these treatments
increases, we will find more and better
uses for them. I don’t think they will
ever replace surgery for certain things,
but they will be a powerful adjunct in
the quest for youth and beauty.
Another direction I can see the
industry going is with enhancements –
it’s purely science fiction at this stage,
but combining technology with the
human form is something that has
already been talked about. I feel that
a high proportion of the trailblazers
will come from the aesthetic surgery
field. csbm
www.cosbeauty.com.au 25