Plastic surgeon Gevorg Stepanyan
“Millions of noses are not real,” the phrase seems to be from the future, but no, it’s about the present. Today, thanks to rhinoplasty, millions of people have been able to get rid of congenital and acquired nasal defects, making them healthy and more attractive. Among those who help restore functionality and achieve aesthetic beauty of the nose is the name of Moscow plastic surgeon Gevorg Stepanyan. The expert told us about the features of nose correction in an exclusive interview.
Corr.: Good afternoon, Gevorg Khorenovich! You have 14 years of work behind you, this is an impressive figure. Let me ask you, as an expert, can you confirm the statement widespread among surgeons that rhinoplasty is the most popular plastic surgery? This is true?
Gevorg Stepanyan: Hello. Nose correction is really in demand among patients; it helps create a harmonious face. As a result, it generally improves a person's appearance. You don't need a multi-component set of operations to change. It is logical that the operation is popular because it alone can achieve dramatic but natural-looking changes.
The number of men who are asking to correct nasal defects is growing.
Corr.: For what reasons do patients turn to you for help? What makes them think about plastic surgery?
Gevorg Stepanyan: Most often they do not want or cannot come to terms with a hump or crooked nose. They are also asked to correct the tip and wings of the nose. Most patients are women, so every detail is important to them, they want to look perfect. For representatives of the stronger sex, correction of the shape or size of the nose is most often a necessary measure; they come for rhinoplasty wanting to correct deformities resulting from injuries. Reconstructive surgery is also a common cause. But since today in society much attention is paid to appearance, the number of male patients for whom the aesthetic aspect is important is growing.
Corr.: Today there is a lot of talk about computer modeling of the results of plastic surgery. Is it really necessary? After all, surgeons coped with their task even before its invention.
Gevorg Stepanyan: Yes, they managed it before, but it was difficult for the patient to imagine what to expect in the end. In addition, it was difficult to convince a person that his wishes for the future nose were impossible or would not provide aesthetic beauty. Thanks to modeling, today the patient can see what his new nose will be like and what needs to be done to create harmony of all facial features. Like any other modeling, it, of course, will not give a 100% match. However, it is easier for the patient to imagine and clearly see the future result.
Corr.: Every patient who wants to undergo rhinoplasty knows about open and closed correction methods. Which one do you prefer?
Gevorg Stepanyan: All experienced surgeons prefer the closed method. It allows you to avoid making external incisions; all manipulations are performed through access inside the nose. This ensures that there are no scars or scars. I also sometimes use the open technique, since patients come with complex cases that require reconstruction. For each patient, I choose the most appropriate technique to ultimately ensure the best result.
For me, the main thing is to bring benefit to a person, and not just tick off another operation.
Corr.: You have more than 4,000 satisfied patients. Can you tell us how you structure your work with them?
Gevorg Stepanyan: There are no secrets in this regard. First, the first consultation. The patient shares his problem, tells what worries him, how he sees the solution to the problem. We discuss the initial data together, I tell all the details about the operation, rehabilitation, and find out the reasons why this particular person needs rhinoplasty. If I understand that there are no indications for nose correction or the reasons are biased, I am forced to refuse such a patient. For me, the main thing is to bring benefit to a person, and not just tick off another operation.
In the case of a “successful candidate,” we decide all the organizational aspects of the preparatory period and the financial side. When we come to certain agreements, it’s time to take tests. If there are no contraindications to the operation, then we set a date for the operation and perform rhinoplasty.
Postoperative management is also important. I schedule examinations for all my patients, which they are required to attend so that we can monitor the recovery process.
Corr.: Let's continue the topic of rehabilitation. Is it difficult to recover from nose surgery?
Gevorg Stepanyan: The main discomfort comes in the first days after surgery. Turundas are installed in the nose, they are removed one day after the operation, and all this time the patient has to breathe through the mouth. Afterwards, the ability to breathe through the nose returns, and patients feel much better. In general, I cannot call rehabilitation after rhinoplasty difficult or difficult. You see, there are still individual characteristics of the body, so everyone experiences rehabilitation in their own way. For some it’s a little easier, for others a little more difficult. It happens that patients experience pain that is not severe, but brings some discomfort. They can be easily treated with regular painkillers.
Corr.: Your credentials will definitely force patients to listen to the recommendations. You are a member of the Armenian Association of Plastic Surgeons, the European Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, as well as the International Confederation of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. However, have you experienced complications caused by patient behavior in your practice?
Gevorg Stepanyan: You are probably right when you talk about the regalia that inspires respect (smiles). Over all the years of my practice, patients preferred not to risk future results and strictly followed all instructions during the rehabilitation period.
Corr.: Gevorg Khorenovich, what conditions and aspects are important to achieve a successful result? What should patients keep in mind when planning plastic surgery?
Gevorg Stepanyan: First of all, you need to choose a qualified, experienced surgeon. The outcome and result of the operation depends 99% on it. It may seem to many that the same technique and tools are used in rhinoplasty; understand, not all specialists have a high level of skill in performing the operation. For this reason, I advise you to give preference to experienced professionals.
If the surgeon is successfully selected, do not forget about yourself, or rather, about your own behavior. During the rehabilitation period, be sure to follow all the recommendations of your doctor. Otherwise, violation of the regime may negatively affect the result and all the efforts of the surgeon will simply go down the drain.
Gevorg Stepanyan: “Every operation is destiny, this is life...”
“Grace is for the body what common sense is for the mind,” says the French writer François La Rochefoucauld. Gevorg, why did you decide to connect your life with plastic surgery? Did your parents support you?
I really love surgery, I love medicine, my parents certainly supported me here. It all started in the seventh grade, when my godfather’s son, he himself a traumatologist, and I went to the clinic and watched operations. I felt bad there, but then I got used to it, but that was still at school. My family is also all doctors, so you can say what I will become is written on my forehead; I chose practical surgery after graduating from college. I received great support from my parents, for which I thank them very much. I am very grateful to them.
How many surgeries do you perform on average per month? Are you worried before surgery?
Every operation is destiny, it’s life, going into the operating room, every time you think about doing everything well for the person, so that the person achieves his goal, and this is my job. Operations are a seasonal matter, there are three, four, six operations a day. Sometimes there is a lull. It turns out there is less work in winter, more in spring.
What qualities, in your opinion, should a real surgeon have?
A plastic surgeon must value life, art, and the patient. These are not lofty words, this is the fate of a person! The surgeon should not forget about this.
What are the most common misconceptions you encounter among patients regarding surgery?
Sometimes patients think that they have had surgery and everything is ready! Anything can happen: swelling happens, you need patience, you need to wait for the swelling to subside.
Is it true that recently men have increasingly begun to turn to plastic surgeons?
Over the years, there are more and more men, this is a global trend, everyone strives for beauty and it is logical that men come more and more to plastic surgeons.
Tell us about new achievements in plastic surgery, because it is known that this field is developing at high speed...
I don’t accept all innovations yet, until the results are visible, I don’t introduce them into my program until I understand that there are definitely no side effects. Let me give you an example: when everyone was doing silicone lips, I waited and didn’t do it, the results showed that it was not beautiful. Hyaluronic acid is much better.
Rhinoplasty: how long does the operation take? computer simulation and the real result – how exactly do they match? Is it true that if a client doesn’t like the result, he can see a doctor within two weeks for tissue correction?
The operation lasts an hour and a half. I don’t do modeling; practice has shown that it’s still impossible to do it exactly like on a computer; sometimes the nose turns out even better and more beautiful. Yes, of course, we do not say goodbye to patients, but observe them. The main thing for us is that the client is satisfied.
Mammoplasty: women often dream of doing everything at once. Gevorg, what do you think, is it possible to enlarge the breasts, change their shape and tighten them at the same time? How long after breastfeeding can I have mammoplasty? If a woman suddenly changes her body weight after surgery, what are the dangers?
Regarding the breasts: they tighten and enlarge, but we recommend doing all this after breastfeeding. Then you can do both correction and tightening and all together. It is necessary to acquire a weight that is comfortable before breast surgery, otherwise the breasts will lose their shape, but there are exceptions. The shape can, of course, change due to volume.
Tell us a little about postoperative care and rehabilitation of patients. How do they go? How soon does swelling and pain go away?
It's different for every operation. I don’t let patients go, from the period when we remove the plaster and bandages, and then we begin examinations, give injections so that the swelling goes down, then we become friends with each other for life. It is very important to me that the client is satisfied.
What points would you advise patients to pay attention to when choosing a clinic and specialist?
Our patient comes exactly to the doctor with whom they want to have surgery. Firstly, it is very important to find out the experience of the surgeon, the question is not about years of practice, it is more important to understand the result that he gets, whether it is close to them. Each surgeon has his own handwriting, his own style. It is important to understand whether he is a person or not; all this can be understood from a consultation.
