Reader Laura’s Comment:
Ex-Seattle doctor accused of bad breast surgery – isn’t it unusual to do a reduction on a 15 year old? What are the laws/rules for doing plastic surgery on a teenager? Isn’t it better for the potential patient to wait until they are at least 25 so that they have finished growing/developing?
Performing liposuction on a 15 year old is more unusual although I would think twice about doing a breast reduction on such a young lady. Younger breast reduction patients may be at a higher risk of developing large breasts again and often have a more difficult time coping with the changed appearance and any scarring. As is often the case though, there are no hard and fast rules or laws as to who can do what to whom. This is an agreement between the surgeon and the patient. So whereas I would probably not do a case like this, it is my professional judgment that guides me.
From the looks of the report the state is questioning the doctor’s qualifications. If he was not a plastic surgeon, then this one may get added to the “check out your surgeon before surgery” file. It does not look like the doctor is still practicing.
I wonder if the doctor in this story is this Thomas Laney:
This guy is a dentist!
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Related:
Credentials in Plastic Surgery
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Laura-
A Hungarian cosmetic surgery beauty contest already happened.
http://www.cosmeticsurgerytruth.com/blog/?p=2603
The breast reduction case and Connecticut Office stories are good for discussion. Thanks.
A woman went in for plastic surgery and received staples for her breast reduction surgery.
Medical Nightmare – Unsafe and unsanitary conditions caused State Officials to suspended the license of a Ridgefield, Connecticut cosmetic surgery office.
A Hungarian company is planning to stage the beauty contest for women who have had cosmetic surgery.
I’ve known women as young as 17 having this surgery, but 15 does seem very young for a breast reduction. Even if it was medically indicated, it is risky for any surgeon to agree to perform a major plastic surgery procedure when the patient is a minor.
This is true even if the surgeon is qualified and credentialed (which this individual obviously wasn’t). Surgery always carries some degree of risk, and the parents as well as the patient may blame the doctor for any complications. However, it does sound like this would have had a much better outcome if the parents had known to check the surgeon’s credentials and background first.
Dentists performing breast reductions? Yikes.