As co-host on the Emmy-award winning talk show The Doctors, Beverly Hills, CA, plastic surgeon Andrew Ordon, MD, has become a household name and a leading authority on the topic of cosmetic plastic surgery. He also holds the distinction of being one our magazine’s Top Doctors. Here, he gives us his insight on how beauty ideals are evolving and the one procedure that will change the way you think about plastic surgery.
NewBeauty: Of all the patients you see, what is the most common body concern women have?
Dr. Ordon: It used to be saddlebags—the collection of fat on the outer thighs. But lately, women are embracing a fuller, curvier look. The one concern I’m hearing about more than ever is back fat, especially when the strap on a bra cuts into the skin and accentuates a roll of fat on the back. Today, women want a smaller waist with a smooth, flat back. Liposuction, power-assisted liposuction and VASER liposuction are the main ways we treat this problem.
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NB: What is the best piece of advice you can give someone considering plastic surgery?
Dr. Ordon: Thoroughly research your surgeon. There are many resources available today that you can use to research a prospective doctor. Five years ago, no one used rating websites. Now, even I do! Keep in mind that there are going to be some irresponsible people out there who use their computer keyboard as their instrument, so be mindful of that when reading online reviews.
NB: What is the mark of a good plastic surgeon?
Dr. Ordon: Experience and judgment are the attributes of the best surgeons. Most people will end up choosing someone they like, which makes sense. If you feel comfortable with your doctor, it’s easier to freely tell them what you want and how you want it. Make sure to go beyond that and carefully vet a surgeon by researching their credentials and experience.
NB: What’s the most underrated procedure?
Dr. Ordon: Although it’s been around a long time, the most underrated plastic surgery procedure is the facelift. Recent advancements in surgical techniques have made the facelift so minimally invasive that what used to take weeks of recovery time now takes just a few days. With a little more than a week of downtime, during which most people remain very productive, patients are red-carpet camera-ready. Not every plastic surgeon is employing these new techniques the way we do, so it’s not an across-the-board thing, but in my practice, the facelift has become one of the quick and easy cosmetic fixes we provide for our patients.
NB: How do you balance a patient’s wishes with your own expert opinions about what they need?
Dr. Ordon: When a patient wants the impossible, it can be tough to convince them that what they want is not realistic. That is when having years of experience and hundreds of before-and-after photos to review really helps. It’s just a fact that 80-year-old breasts will never look like 20-year-old breasts. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I go over these things extensively with my patients prior to surgery.
NB: What is the craziest thing you’ve seen on the set of The Doctors?
Dr. Ordon: When a woman came to us after surviving a violent attack by her ex. He had bitten off her nose and she was in need of corrective surgery. We were able to reconstruct her nose by using a section of her forehead to create a new nasal tip. Three surgeries later, she now has a nose. I’m really happy we were able to help her.
NB: What is the one anti-aging myth you wish everyone would stop believing?
Dr. Ordon: That using petroleum jelly on your skin is good for you. Some people go as far as putting it on every night. This is a bad idea; petroleum products block your pores and don’t allow your skin to breathe. Water-soluble products are better for your skin than petroleum-based ones. Your skin needs to breathe!
