Whenever people ask me how I decided to become a facial plastic surgeon—and ultimately specialize in dermal fillers and BOTOX® in the San Francisco Bay Area—I always think, “Do they want the short or long answer?”
The long answer would involve my grandmother who was a second-grade school teacher and wife of a high school assistant principal. She held education in high regard and encouraged my father, my mother, my aunt, and me to all became doctors one day. The shorter version (that I usually give) is that medicine has always represented the perfect balance of art and science for me. While I have always enjoyed biology and physiology projects, I never saw myself with a career in a laboratory. And I still really enjoy movies, museums, and building Legos with my son in my free time, but I never believed I could support my family drawing or painting professionally.
But medicine has always felt just right. And within medicine, being a surgeon felt even better.
But medicine has always felt just right. And within medicine, being a surgeon felt even better. Learning the anatomy of the head, neck, and face spoke to my scientific interest in physiology, but the beauty and intricacy of the head and neck anatomy made me feel a link with Leonardo Da Vinci! Surgeons get to use their hands and create.
Then I discovered facial plastic surgery which seemed the quintessential marriage of art and science as not only did you use your hands but you were literally using your hands to create beauty!
And so this art & science of fillers category on my blog is special to me. I will address some of the scientific details like the physiology of fillers, the science of complications, and anatomic considerations. I will also discuss the art of fillers and how they affect human beauty and the attractive face; subjects like artistic trends of lips and cheekbones, the similarity of fillers and makeup.
Together we’ll take a deeper look at how these amazing fillers are advancing and making faces look more and more amazing!
Stay Tuned and Stay Beautiful!
I love this category because it really captures both aspects of using fillers, which I have been doing with Dr. Mabrie for several years now. I keep coming back because you’re truly an artist with the needle (or should I say cannula?). My latest visit left my lips looking great — not too full, but reminiscent of how they “used” to be in my 30s. Very natural looking. I also appreciate how Dr. Mabrie continually reevaluates what fillers to use, what’s new on the market, and which fillers are right for which areas of the face.