He’s stayed abreast of those changes, enabling him to offer the most cutting-edge and least invasive procedures to his patients. One thing he hasn’t changed, though, is the philosophy for patient care that has guided his practice, Face and Body Plastic Surgery, and makes him one of the premier plastic surgeons in the western suburbs and Chicagoland area.
“I approach patients by understanding not only what they are telling me, but why it bothers them,” Dr. Izquierdo explains. “And, above all, I am direct and truthful. I think understanding these concerns should be a plastic surgeon’s goal in designing and producing an excellent and satisfying result.”
“Many people come in thinking they will need a face-lift, but I can see that they will not benefit from surgery at this time and are best served with less-invasive treatments,” he explains. By making skin look more natural and healthy, and perhaps using chemical peels, Botox, or fillers, Dr. Izquierdo feels that he can blunt the signs of aging during the time period before surgery is indicated.
Dr. Izquierdo receives many questions about new technologies that promise spectacular results. “It’s important to understand that a lot of the newer technologies work very well, but only for a small subset of people,” he says. He warns that marketing of procedures in the media does not replace adequate judgment, expertise, and skill. A board-certified plastic surgeon has the appropriate knowledge and experience to design an individualized treatment plan using all the pertinent options available for the benefit of his patients.
Dr. Izquierdo also recommends that any patient considering cosmetic surgery do their homework. “They should ask to see before and after pictures and get personal references from former patients,” he says. “Certainly, they should require board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and have ample experience in the procedures that interest them. They should also feel comfortable and trust the person who is going to take care of them.”
He says that the work he does at Face and Body Plastic Surgery is generally comprised equally of face (eyes, nose, face, ears, neck), breast, and body. “I keep current with everything in all of those areas of cosmetic surgery,” he says. And it enables him to do multiple procedures during the same surgery if that is what the patient wants. “I often do an eyelid lift and breast augmentation or a rhinoplasty and liposuction at the same time, for example.”
With interest in plastic surgery coming at a younger age, Dr. Izquierdo has been doing less-invasive techniques because the signs of aging are less dramatic. “The newer surgical procedures result in shorter scars and less downtime and recovery for patients,” he says. In these cases, less is more for patients—10–20 percent less cost, less surgery time, and a shorter scar.
The fact that more than 80 percent of Face and Body Plastic Surgery’s business is by referral suggests that Dr. Izquierdo’s patients are happy with his results and his entire practice. Most of his staff has been with him for 10 to 15 years.
“I want my patients to be treated like they’re family,” he says. And you do feel like family—from the moment you make that first call to the office until your last appointment, the staff is courteous, respectful, and knowledgeable.
Face and Body Plastic Surgery has offices in Oak Brook, Chicago, and Naperville. For more information, visit faceandbodychicago.com, or call 630-794-0700.
