Celebrating a new milestone, The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic Kuwait will be opening its new location in Al Shaab Al Bahari in 2014. This location will be considered as the largest Plastic and Reconstructive surgery clinic in Kuwait and the Middle East. We met with Dr. Adel Quttainah, M.D., MB, BCh, BAO, FRCS (Canada) Cosmetic and Reconstructive Microsurgeon, as he tells us more about elevating the caliber of cosmetic and plastic surgery in Kuwait and the region.
Why did you decide to pursue Cosmetic Surgery as a career path?
I decided to pursue plastic and cosmetic surgery due to the fact that it covered the entire spectrum of surgery. Plastic surgery encompasses cosmetic surgery of the face and body as well as microsurgery, hand surgery, reconstructive facial and breast surgery, as well as pediatric and congenital or birth deformities. Burns and trauma are also a large part of the program that I found required a knowledge level far beyond any other specialty, which proved to be interesting and challenging.
What are the reconstructive and cosmetic services offered at The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic?
We offer complete cosmetic surgery procedures such as nose surgery, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction, breast augmentation and reduction, eye surgery and facelifts. We have a complete dermatology department for skin care, laser and non-surgical procedures such as Botox, fillers, laser resurfacing, tightening and anti aging. We have Kuwait’s only hair transplant department that offers FUT hair transplantation, which is a non-surgical procedure with rapid recovery for complete natural hair transplants. We now also include non-surgical weight loss with medically supervised weight loss for patients who want to lose some weight before surgery or those who are not candidates for surgery.
Is there a screening process for clients?
Yes I think it is well known in Kuwait that I do not do procedures on patients if I feel they don’t need it or will not benefit. From many years of seeing thousands of patients I feel that I can predict if a patient should not do surgery. They have a complete consultation with myself where all pre surgical issues are addressed. It is important to explain to patients what looks natural and will improve their look and what doesn’t.
What are the main factors that prompt clients to request certain cosmetic or reconstructive procedures?
Most patients have issues after childbirth with specific weight loss problems such as loose skin and breast size issues. There is also a large percentage of patients with certain issues such as large nose size and being severely bothered by their appearance since childhood. Many of these patients have always wanted to improve these things that have bothered them and feel a sense of relief and satisfaction post operatively by improving their appearance. In this day and age, patients want minimally invasive surgeries as well as non-surgical options. We have been pioneers in Kuwait in offering rapid recovery, and minimally invasive procedures, and many surgeries using only local anesthetic including liposuction, eye surgery etc.
What are some non-surgical options available at The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic that assist in weight-loss?
We offer the only program for rapid weight loss by diet that is completely medically supervised. Liposuction is not a form of weight loss; it serves to resculpt the body and remove fat in specific areas such as the abdomen, hips, arms and thighs that have been resistant to weight loss. Having said that, we can remove very large amounts of fat and patients do lose significant amounts of weight.
Do you feel like clients are becoming more well-informed about the process of undergoing a cosmetic or reconstructive procedure before they arrive at your clinic?
Clients today are informed about some issues but with the surge in the Internet they have a tendency to become misinformed about what to expect from surgery. It is important to get the full story from the surgeon and discuss your expectations. If a procedure or special machine claims to do miraculous things it is always a false promise. We have so many patients who have wasted money trying to melt, laser or freeze fat away and this simply does not work. We have never offered these gimmicks in the clinic and we never will.
Finally, what’s your personal advice to anyone wishing to undergo an elective cosmetic procedure?
My personal advice to clients would be to research your surgeon as well as the procedure. Be sure you are dealing with a qualified, trained plastic surgeon. In Kuwait there are few restrictions on who is allowed to perform plastic surgery. Be aware that qualifications for cosmetic surgery purchased over the weekend or on the Internet are not a substitute for proper plastic surgery training at an accredited university.
For more on The Plastic Surgery Clinic Kuwait, please call 2562 5030/60 or follow them on Instagram @dradelquttainah. Dr. Adel Quttainah, MB, BCH, BAO, FRCS (Canada) is a Fellow of The Royal College of Physician and Surgeons Canada – Plastic Surgery, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Microsurgeon, a Member of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a Member of The Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons. For more information please visit www.plasticsurgerykuwait.com or www.hairtransplantkuwait.com
