Magazine Cover Story

Dr. John J. Corey
Re-Print from Autumn 1999

Well, good news! Now you don't have to dream. Plastic surgery, with a touch of Brazil, is available right here in Scottsdale. Dr. John J. Corey, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon located in Scottsdale since 1993, received a large part of his cosmetic surgery training with some of South America's most gifted surgeons.

After graduating from the University of Utah School of Medicine and fulfilling pre-requisite training in general surgery, Dr. Corey entered his plastic surgery residency at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. While there he had his first experience with the South… the deep South, the Southern Hemisphere to be exact. One of Dr. Corey's professors was Dr. Renato Saltz from Brazil. Dr. Saltz began introducing Dr. Corey to, not only surgical ideas and concepts from South America, but some of the country's surgeons as well. It was clear that there was much more to learn and the best way to do that was to go right to the source. In July of 1993, he traveled to four cities in Brazil."

Dr. Corey explains that there are several reasons why their approach is somewhat different from that of many American surgeons. First of all, cosmetic surgery in Brazil is almost a national treasure, very much integrated into their society. Even people from the lower socioeconomic areas go to the teaching facilities to have work done, much of it free of charge, in order to train residents.

There was another difference that Dr. Corey noted. "Brazilian surgeons just seemed to have a different 'eye' for aesthetic surgery…a different way of analyzing the beauty of the human form. Americans have a tendency to be very technical and want to know exactly how much to contour and measure…every time. Brazilians seem to have more of an artistic eye, not relying on the same measurement for every woman. They have a unique approach to procedures such as abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck). They really believe in sculpting the abdomen and creating the curves and lines of a feminine shape. For me, there is a sensuality to the human form which I try to incorporate into the final result."
 
"I think another important component is to listen closely to what the patient is telling you," Dr. Corey explains. "I think this is an area that sometimes suffers in many modern practices. In one room we would be speaking English, Spanish in the next, Portuguese after that so on (Dr. Corey speaks both Spanish and Portuguese)."

After spending time in Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Corey moved to Scottsdale, and in the ensuing years has incorporated those same principles into his own practice. His one-on-one contact, sense of humor, and eye for sensual detail set him apart. From the moment you enter his office you'll notice a distinctive difference in the setting. Open space, falling water, subdued lighting and original artwork create a naturally relaxing environment. Just sitting in the waiting room takes your mind off the fact you are in a doctor's office contemplating plastic surgery. Many of his patients recall the sense of tranquillity they felt while visiting a museum or gallery. All of this adds up to supreme patient satisfaction. "This was the best experience I've ever had in a doctor's office. The minute I walked in the door I felt comfortable, and after meeting with Dr. Corey I had no doubts at all," reports Carol, a 48 year-old banking executive who underwent a tummy tuck and eyelid surgery. "Before the surgery I felt self-conscious even around my husband," she adds. "Dr. Corey changed all that." From reports such as this, Dr. Corey has rapidly established a positive reputation for abdominoplasty and body contouring, such as breast lifting, breast enlargement, and liposuction.

Cosmetic surgery continues to be more popular than ever. In 1998, there were over one million surgical procedures performed by members of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons alone, which raises another issue. According to Dr. Corey, many procedures done each day are performed by doctors who have received little to no formal training in those areas. The advertisement may say "Board Certified", but it may not tell you in what area. A doctor's certification may be in a field totally unrelated to plastic surgery. He or she may have a board certification in cosmetic surgery which has never been recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. This means that the doctor's repertoire can be fairly limited. So if a patient fits the norm, there is a good chance that the surgery will be successful. However, if a patient falls outside of this doctor's limitations, that's where a problem can arise, according to Dr. Corey.

It is very important that the patient ask in which specialty the doctor has received board certification. This doesn't guarantee a perfect outcome, but it does increase the chances. "There are so many good surgeons in this Valley with the proper training that there is really no excuse to have surgery by someone who is not properly trained, even if a friend 'turned out great.'" Dr. Corey is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. This membership is noted by a distinctive symbol of two opposing half circles on a doctor's card or literature.

Dr. Corey is also an educator in the Valley. He lectures at Arizona State University, Gateway Community College and assists with instruction for Mayo Clinic plastic surgery residents and Midwestern University medical students. In 1998, he was voted one of the "Top Doctors" in plastic surgery by Maricopa County physicians in a CBS Channel 5 poll and is currently the chief of plastic surgery at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. He also takes time out of his schedule to give free lectures on request to smaller informal groups seeking information on plastic surgery.

    So for those lucky lottery winners seeking self-improvement, Brazil is still a good bet, and the beaches are pretty. For the rest of us, it's good to know there is a little bit of the surgical magic of Rio right down the street.

    I sat down with Dr. Corey at his Scottsdale office and asked him a few questions:

KT: WHERE DID THE NAME "PLASTIC SURGERY" COME FROM?

DR. COREY: Well I always joke and tell people that it's because we accept most major credit cards, but actually the name comes from the Greek word "Plastikos" which means to shape or mold.

KT: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPECIALIZE IN PLASTIC SURGERY?

DR. COREY: Once I got into medical school I found I was much more attracted to the surgical specialties, and then I took plastic surgery as an elective rotation and that was it. The challenge of your work impacting one's outward appearance was, and still is, very exciting. I love not only the variety of procedures, which by the way I can't think of a surgical specialty that has more, but also the patient make-up: male, female, from infants to the elderly.

KT: ARE PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY BECOMING TOO VAIN?

DR. COREY: Oh, probably, but you know we all have some degree of vanity. The mere fact that most of us comb our hair and try to reasonably match our clothing means we have some sliver of vanity. Many people see plastic surgery as very drastic, yet they don't think twice about putting braces on their teeth. It's all relative.

KT: SO WHAT WOULD BE A WRONG REASON TO HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY?

DR. COREY: I think an honest and conscientious surgeon turns away a number of patients who have the wrong motivation. I see women come into my office convinced that they need a facelift because they just turned 40 or because a friend had one. I see other patients who are not happy with where they are in life. Maybe they've gained 50 pounds, and they'll come in and explain to me that they need something to jump-start their diet, and they think surgery is the answer. I explain to them that plastic surgery is an ending point, in that case, not the start. They need to get their life, diet and exercise routine in order and then treat themselves. Sometimes patients don't want to hear that and they may shop around until they find a doctor who will tell them what they want to hear.

KT: WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PLASTIC SURGERY TODAY?

DR. COREY: It's probably not what faces us, but what faces the public. Because it is such a booming business with high demand, you can naturally expect that many doctors would like to be providing these services. The problem is that not all have been adequately trained. Training can take up to 15 years, or so, after high school. So for the public, this can be a real problem in trying to figure out who's adequately trained or not.

KT: YOU MENTIONED 15 YEARS OF TRAINING. DO ALL PLASTIC SURGEONS GO THROUGH THAT?

DR. COREY: Just about. There are several ways to get to a plastic surgery residency which is usually two to three years long. You need a minimum of three years of general surgery training or to have completed a residency in Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT). And by the way, I am not saying that only plastic surgeons can do certain procedures. Take the example of rhinoplasty or nasal surgery. An ear, nose and throat surgeon can be very well trained to perform these and other aesthetic procedures in his or her residency.

KT: THERE HAS BEEN SOME NEGATIVE PUBLICITY RELATED TO PLASTIC SURGERY, NAMELY REPORTS OF DEATH AFTER LIPOSUCTION. IS THIS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF TRAINING YOU MENTIONED?

DR. COREY: It could be, but it is hard to tell sometimes from the media coverage.

KT: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE CONTEMPLATING PLASTIC SURGERY?

DR. COREY: Do your homework. Ask the right questions about training and experience. Don't be shy, this is surgery and it's your surgery. Tell the doctor every thing that you are thinking and what you are hoping for. Don't just go in and say "Doctor, what surgery do I need?"

KT: DO YOU THINK PATIENTS HAVE TO LIKE THEIR SURGEON?

DR. COREY: Oh I don't know if they have to want to go to Knott's Berry Farm with them, but at the very least they need to feel comfortable. I think comfort and confidence are two very important factors in achieving a common goal with satisfying results.

KT: IS PLASTIC SURGERY SAFE?

DR. COREY: Very much so. The incidences of severe problems are very rare. You are at much more risk just driving around the Valley. I do most of my procedures in an outpatient surgery center with a board-certified anesthesiologist at the head of the table.

KT: WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON PLASTIC SURGERY PROCEDURES?

DR. COREY: According to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS), liposuction, followed by breast enlargement, then eyelid surgery.

KT: DO YOU THINK IT IS NECESSARY TO SPECIALIZE IN A PARTICULAR TYPE OF PLASTIC SURGERY SUCH AS FACELIFTS OR LIPOSUCTION?

DR. COREY: Not really. Some do because they may have a certain affinity for one or the other, but most well trained plastic surgeons are very well cross-trained.

KT: AND WHAT WOULD THE AVERAGE PRICE BE FOR THESE PROCEDURES?

DR. COREY: Boy, that's really hard to say, but short of skin peels, or collagen and Botox injections, the cost can be anywhere from $2,000-$10,000 for most procedures. It can be expensive and unfortunately cost is one thing that entices people to go to less well trained doctors.

KT: IN MENTIONING SOME OF THE THINGS YOU JUST DID, HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH ALL THE NEW TECHNIQUES?

DR. COREY: Most medical boards, and ours is not different, require that you take a number of courses each year to stay current. And, we have educational magazines and newspapers sent to our members. Locally, we have something unique and not often found in other plastic surgery societies. Once a month plastic surgeons from around the area hold a meeting at the home of my partner, Dr. William Leighton, where we present cases to each other. I don't know of many other specialists in our profession who do that.

KT: DO YOU THINK SOME SURGEONS CAPITALIZE ON NEW OR UNPROVEN TECHNIQUES SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE NOVELTY?

DR. COREY: Perhaps, but doctors have personality traits like everyone else. Some may be more cautious, others more eager. Often patients are clamoring for some of the new procedures whether they're accepted or not. My office phone rings off the hook every time Cosmo comes out with some new thing that I haven't even heard of yet.

KT: YOU STILL WORK WITH TRAUMA PATIENTS AND I HEAR YOU EVEN DO HOUSE-CALLS. WHY?

DR. COREY: Well as far as house-calls go, I have a number of patients who are para-and quadriplegic, and when they are recovering from reconstructive surgery it's just easier for me to go to them than the other way around. I did have one patient who would take pictures of his surgical site at home with his digital camera and then post them on his web site. I'd pull them up on my computer and we would talk on the phone about how it looked. He lived in Chandler and it worked well. That was kind of different.
    As far as the trauma work, I enjoy it and I find it very rewarding in a different way from cosmetic surgery. I think it helps keep me grounded in my medical practice and reminds me of what this is all about. I enjoy the variety too. At one time in my office I may see a patient for a tummy-tuck or breast enlargement, (two operations that I do often and enjoy very much), and in the next room I have a patient who underwent facial repair after a severe car accident, also very rewarding.

KT: WHEN YOU SEE PATIENTS IN YOUR OFFICE, I'VE NOTICED YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT STYLE ABOUT YOU. IT'S A RELAXED AND PERSONAL APPROACH YET VERY FOCUSED ON THE INDIVIDUAL. IS THAT INTENTIONAL OR IS THAT JUST YOU?

DR. COREY: I really do believe that when someone comes to a surgeon to have their body altered in the way that they want, a certain comfort level and calming focus is necessary, where it seems for a moment that you and the patient are the only ones on the planet…

DR. COREY CAN BE CONTACTED AT 480-767-7700 OR WWW.DOCTORCOREY.COM

This article is not intended to be construed as medical advice or an endorsement of any above described medical procedure or physician by Mummy Mountain Publishing Co., Inc.^sm