Walmart Medicine

Last Sunday morning, 3 AM to be exact, my nurse and I were in the office with a patient who was having some discomfort. Fortunately, it turned out that nothing serious was wrong and all of us were able to return  to our beds and get some additional sleep.
When someone has a cosmetic procedure performed, they are aware that there can be occasional problems, but, deep down, they're often sure that it won't involve them. However, you need to be aware that it CAN involve you.

When you choose a cosmetic surgeon, or have even the most minor appearing cosmetic procedure performed, you need to realize that you are paying not only for the procedure, but for the whole support package that goes with it.
Certainly I could have told the patient to go to the ER. Someone would have seen him, but not someone who knew what was going on and what had been done. Some sort of action would have been taken, and it might have been satisfactory or it might have compromised the eventual cosmetic result. It's a gamble.
When your health and well being are on the line, choosing on the basis of price can often lead to a bad decision. We had a patient who had a series of light treatments at a spa in a mall. Her acne flared up dramatically. She was only seen by nurses who recommended inadequate treatment. She never, at any time, was seen by a physician. Finally she was told to see "a dermatologist". The nurses who saw her made no effort to help her find adequate care. We were able to clear her skin, but she lost a year of school. What is the value of a year of a young woman's life?

Gerald N. Bock MD
California Skin & Laser Center
Stockton & Lodi, CA