Dr. Sergio Alvarez is one of the top plastic surgeons to the stars working out in Miami, befriending the likes of Miley Cyrus, Heidi Klum, Elton John, Audrina Patridge & countless others, and he gave It’s A Glam Thing a few moments of his time to chat glam and beauty, along with some tips of the trade.
What is the definition of glam and beauty to you?
I believe beauty comes in many different forms. It also changes from culture to culture, from person to person, and from time to time. What we in North America have set as the “ideal of beauty” isn’t necessarily what Europeans or Middle Easterners find as “beautiful”. I truly believe that beauty is rooted in someone’s character, which ultimately presents through his or her external features. It is how they groom themselves, how they dress, and how they present themselves; and that is different from person to person. In plastic surgery we are privy to an individual’s insecurities about their bodies, but I think it is amazing how addressing those issues for each individual changes the way they think and feel. It still boggles my mind how much plastic surgery can change a person’s life and how they feel about themselves.
What trend in the cosmetic surgery world do you see happening a lot these day?
Trends are a huge part of our field but I like to separate out the marketing from the science, because the marketing is way ahead of the science. From a scientific trend, fat transfer is the hot topic in our field today. We are seeing some amazing results from transferring fat to the face in small quantities due to the fact we tend to lose fat throughout our face in our later years. In Miami specifically where this trend is being seen clinically is in what we call down here the Brazilian Butt Lift. We transfer a large quantity of fat into the gluteal regions to help shape and enlarge the gluteal silhouette. Women come in asking to look like Nicki Minaj or Kim Kardashian.
What is the number one compliant most females have when they come in for a consultation?
One of the most common complaints I typically get from women is that they don’t feel they fill out or accentuate their curves in clothing. I think a lot of women have a desire to look great naked, but also have a desire to feel they can make an outfit look amazing by filling it out or accentuating their curves.
Why do you normally turn down potential patients?
When I turn down a patient it typically is due to a lack of understanding about expectations. I think that understanding one another is key to having a happy patient. If I don’t feel like a certain patient understands or accepts the limitations of what I am able to provide I would rather decline the patient than have an unhappy patient down the road.
Does your offices sell any types of beauty products besides the surgeries you perform?
Yes I have a medispa component to my practice as we like to offer a one-stop shop for ones beauty needs. I have aestheticians that provide an array of facial and bodywork. We currently carry the new Zein Obagi products called ZO but are always on the lookout for the newest and hottest products that work!