This weekend, Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, Founder/CEO of BuildMyBod Health is lecturing on social media and social media influencers at the AACS in Vegas!

BuildMyBod Health: A primer

For those of you not familiar, BuildMyBod Health allows consumers to check pricing on healthcare services that are typically paid out of pocket. They are paid out of pocket because 1) you haven’t met your deductible for a medically necessary service (think colonoscopy, lab test or X-ray) or 2) because the procedure is considered cosmetic and insurance doesn’t cover it anyway. Consumers interested in pricing can visit BuildMyBod.com or download the BuildMyBod iPhone app. Even more user friendly, consumers can utilize the BuildMyBod Price Estimator on a doctor’s website.

Regardless of how you find the doctor, you add procedures or services of interest to your “wishlist.” Then submit your wishlist along with your contact info. After that, you’ll instantly get an email with a breakdown of the costs and the doctor’s contact info. The doctor’s office will also receive your contact info for follow up. By receiving your contact info, the doctor’s office can help you navigate through the healthcare process.

What presentations are on tap at the AACS?!

On Saturday, Dr. Kaplan will speak on utilizing social media influencers in your practice. What’s the difference between influencer pages on Instagram and social media influencers? How can you tell if a social media influencer that wants free product to promote your practice has a legitimate following? Dr. Kaplan will provide the attendees with the tools and knowledge to answer these questions.

If you’re attending the AACS in Vegas, be sure and attend his lecture and panel discussion. It’s not everyday you learn something new!

To check pricing on healthcare services through the BuildMyBod Health platform from a doctor near you, click here. Or to sign up as a provider and offer pricing information to consumers in an automated way and generate leads, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr.Kaplan speaking at AACS in Vegas this weekend! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Postop recovery on the cheap!

As the video below suggests, there are two options to accomplish each postop goal. When it comes to where you recover, sure, you can go to a postop recovery “house.” These can be expensive and the level of care is not always assured. You may be best simply going home and getting in your own bed initially. But don’t stay in bed too long. You should also get up and move around to avoid getting blood clots in the legs.

The other potential problem with a recovery house is they may do something different than what your doctor recommends. Whereas if you go home and do what your doctor tells you to do, there’s no one suggesting otherwise.

To buy a booty pillow or not to buy a booty pillow

There are many websites that sell booty pillows for your post-BBL recovery. The idea is that when sitting on a booty pillow, it keeps the pressure off the buttocks while recovering from a Brazilian Butt Lift. The reason sitting directly on the buttock is supposedly bad is it hinders blood supply to the newly transplanted fat cells.

Rather than sitting on a booty pillow to reduce pressure, you can sit on anything that accomplishes this same goal. For example, you can take the decorative round pillow from your couch and place it under your thighs. This will provide the same result.

Check out the video below to see our perspective on a host of other recovery options.

Video: Keeping it real during your postop recovery

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Postop recovery on a budget [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Patients often ask me how they can make their Botox last longer. In other words, how can they make their facial wrinkles stay away for more than three to six months. And not just the typical lines treated with Botox like in between the eyebrows. But also the forehead lines and crow’s feet. Well, here’s the answer, sort of. A study was performed with a competitor to BOTOX® Cosmetic, known as Xeomin®, but it provides the same insight.

Making Botox last longer (or Xeomin in this case)

The study looked at what would happen if a doctor gave a patient more Xeomin than usual in a particular area. For example, 20 units to the 11’s or lines in between the eyebrows typically lasts for three months. So what would happen if 37 patients were divided into three groups. One receiving 20 units, one receiving 60 units and one receiving 100 units to the 11’s. How long would the effect last in each of those three groups?

Based on the results, the patient’s 11’s returned after ~4 months if they only received 20 units. But the effect lasted ~7 months in some patients with 60 units and ≥11 months in some patients with 100 units!

By 9 months, 23% of those in the 100 unit group continued to have no wrinkles in between the eyebrows (11’s).

According to the study, safety of Xeomin at higher doses was favorable, with no unexpected safety findings. So next time you’re getting your Botox fix, ask your doctor about getting a higher dose of Xeomin for longer lasting results.

To check pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post How to make Botox last longer? Triple the dose! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dangers of Botox Injections

So in short, the dangers are extremely minimal, temporary and rare. Botox or Xeomin (and all of the products mentioned above) are injected with a small needle. The most common areas to treat are the lines in between the eyebrows, forehead and crow’s feet. It can also be helpful for TMJ pain, lines around the mouth, a gummy smile and sweaty palms.

“…the dangers are extremely minimal, temporary and rare…”

A physician can treat all of these areas with minimal issues other than bruising, that’s the most common danger. Obviously that’s temporary and won’t affect the final results. Next “up the ladder” of potential dangers is over-treatment that can make you look frozen or make one eyebrow droop more than the other.

The most serious risk that people often cite is difficulty breathing. This is very rare and may occur in situations that are completely NOT cosmetic. Some patients with torticollis, a severe contraction of neck muscles, will use Botox to relax those muscles so they can straighten their head and neck. There’s a nerve that runs along those muscles that controls breathing. So yes, it’s possible to over treat those muscles and affect breathing. But clearly, this is a very rare disorder with a rare complication due to Botox.

In summary, Botox or Xeomin are very safe products to use for reducing wrinkles. And while there are no studies showing that Botox or Xeomin is safe in pregnancy, there are also no studies showing it’s unsafe either.

To check pricing on these services from a doctor near you, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post What are the dangers of Botox injections? first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Cardi B and her liposuction

You would think that if she was planning surgery, she would have set aside some time to recover. Liposuction recovery requires one to two weeks tops. So why does she need more time to recover even after returning to work? She said her doctors told her she needed to, but really?

If you were tired and were feeling like you overextended yourself, you would choose to take time off and recover. So why did she need to ask the doctors about taking time off? The only reason to ask a doctor for more time off is so they can write you a note or excuse for your boss. Cardi B doesn’t have a supervisor! So why did she need the doctors to tell her to chill?

“Cardi B doesn’t have a supervisor!”

The most likely reason her doctors are telling her to take more time off is because she has a complication. Maybe she has an infection that needs IV antibiotics. Maybe she has a fluid collection under the skin that needs drainage. Regardless, she’ll ultimately be fine but it is awkward to have this happen when you’re a public figure.

Dr. Kaplan on 99.7 Now

If you’re interested in learning the cost of liposuction from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan talks Cardi B and her liposuction with 99.7 Now! (video) first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Congratulations to Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, founder of Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery. He was recently selected as the 2019 Best Cosmetic Surgeon by Bay Area readers of SF Weekly magazine.

2019 Best Cosmetic Surgeon

This year’s ballot required readers to write in their vote rather than choose from a list of nominees. Because of Dr. Kaplan’s reputation with the patients he treats and his prevalence on social media, he received the most support. However, what’s unclear is if consumers voted for Dr. Kaplan or his social media name, Dr. Bae!

Clearly Dr. Kaplan couldn’t do this on his own. The more appropriate name for the award would be the Best Cosmetic Surgery Team, to include the office staff, rather than the best cosmetic surgeon. Because the entire team creates an atmosphere that lends itself to great customer service. Something that can’t be done alone.

In his pursuit of complete transparency, you can watch Dr. Kaplan perform surgery on Snapchat and Instagram Stories @realdrbae. Aside from getting to know Dr. Kaplan and the team on social media, it’s possible to know pricing ahead of time as well. His prices are available at www.buildmybod.com and www.realdrbae.com/pricing

We’re in a new age. The ability to know your doctor prior to the consultation has never been easier. While many people are “down” on the idea of social media, it really does provide insight into these cosmetic procedures and the physicians performing them like never before.

Choosing your doctor from social media isn’t the craziest thing you can do. Choosing a doctor based on your friend’s advice alone, without seeing them perform the surgery or without seeing their results – now that’s crazy! In fact, just because a magazine names them the best cosmetic surgeon isn’t enough. Is is possible that doctor paid for their accolade (Dr. Kaplan did not). With Dr. Kaplan, what you see is what you get!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan named 2019 Best Cosmetic Surgeon by SF Weekly – again! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Don’t forget the under eye wrinkles!

The orbicularis oculi muscles around the eyes are responsible for creating the crow’s feet. Those muscles are always active throughout life. But the crow’s feet start to show as the skin thins with age.

As the orbicularis wraps around the lower aspect of the eye, around the lower lids, this muscle can also cause under eye wrinkles. Often times, your doctor will inject and treat the crow’s feet but forget about the lines under the eyes. The concern is that if treating too much of the muscle with too much Botox/Xeomin, the patient will have trouble closing the eyes.

However, there are ways to relax these under eye wrinkles and avoid those pitfalls at the same time. First, just treat the outermost aspect of the under eye wrinkles. Next, use a very small amount of Botox/Xeomin (less than 5 units) and inject very superficially.

This will smooth out those wrinkles, complementing the smooth wrinkles where the crow’s fee used to be. To check pricing on this treatment from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Botox or Xeomin to the crow’s feet and under eye wrinkles first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Listen to the episode now on 99.7

You can check out a soundbite from the episode by clicking here. Listen in as Dr. Kaplan answers callers’ questions. One of his patient’s is also present discussing her experience in his office.

If you’re looking for pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan talking price transparency on 99.7 in San Francisco first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

If you could shorten the sales cycle for your cosmetic practice, you would, wouldn’t you? It’s possible if you provide enough personalized information online for the consumer. That way, by the time they come in, they’re not just coming in for a consultation, they’re coming to book!
 

Bookers, not consultations!

As the video below from Dr. Rich Castellano explains, he’s been so successful with his marketing that by the time the patient comes in, they’re ready to book. How is that? Because he’s answered every question online in the form of his website, seminars, or maybe more importantly, through his social media videos.

The beauty of using Snapchat or Instagram Stories is that consumers see the “real” you talking and interacting with patients. They see your mannerisms, similar to telemedicine. Once they know you online, they need details about the procedure in question. That’s available on your website. They’ll want to see before and after photos. That’s also on your website. They’ll want to see the actual procedure. That’s available on Snapchat or Insta Stories.

But the ultimate pain point will be the cost. A patient can get a pretty good estimate via the BuildMyBod Health Price Estimator like this one on Dr. Castellano’s website here. After absorbing all of the information needed, what’s left? A consultation. But not a typical consultation to get to know the doctor. Been there, done that. At this point, the consumer is only confirming this is the same person they saw online and then they’ll swiftly move to book their procedure!

Video of Dr. Rich Castellano explaining how he gets bookers, not just consultations

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Don’t get consultations…get bookers! [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Hey, before you get upset, we encourage you to leave comments about stupid sh*t that doctors say too! Because we know that even though patients say some silly things, we’re all capable! Also, try and keep a sense of humor about all of this.

Things patients say: I’m allergic to that pain medication – it makes me nauseated.

All pain medication has the potential of causing nausea on an empty stomach. That’s a side effect, not an allergy. This isn’t just semantics. It’s an important difference. An allergy can be a severe adverse reaction to a medication, like anaphylaxis, that could lead to death.

Will I have a scar after my operation?

Yes, everyone does. Silicone scar cream can help though.

Will the scar disappear after it heals?

No. It will fade but not disappear. Even if it’s a plastic surgeon doing the sewing, it won’t magically disappear.

Is this operation gonna hurt/be painful?

Yes. We’re cutting your skin. But your doctor can help you manage it.

Can I save money by not having an anesthesiologist during surgery?

Of all the things to skimp on, why would you want to skimp on the one person that makes your pain go away?! And remember, you were the one concerned about pain after surgery in the previous bullet point!

The only pain medication that works for me is oxycontin!

Thank you for alerting us all to the fact that you may have an opioid problem. We’ll need to address this proactively to avoid postop issues and misunderstandings.

I read on Google that…

Don’t confuse your Google degree with our medical degree!

If you’re a patient and you’re offended, take a deep breath and leave a comment below of stupid sh*t doctors say!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Stupid sh*t patients say first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Derek Ford – Direct Links in Eblasts

As you can see in this video, Dr. Derek Ford, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, enjoys educating his patients through his monthly email newsletters. But he also wants to get them back to this website to answer their most burning question – how much does a procedure cost. Notice how, at the bottom of the eblast, he provides a link to check pricing on 1) breast augmentation with implants, 2) breast lift without implants and 3) breast augmentation with implants and a lift.

Rather than sending the consumer back to his website and forcing them to navigate to his BuildMyBod Price Estimator, and then scrolling through to find the procedure of interest, the direct links he provides take the consumer directly to one of those three procedures. And once there, the consumer can add that procedure to their “wishlist” and submit the wishlist along with their contact info. Then, instantly, they receive a breakdown of the costs, and Dr. Ford’s office receives the consumer’s contact info – a lead for follow up.

In the two days after Dr. Ford sent out this email newsletter, he received 5 unique leads through his Price Estimator. Four of them were from the email newsletter checking pricing on those highlighted breast procedures.

Dr. Steven Rottman – Obvious call-to-action (CTA) button

A Call-to-Action (CTA) button is the single most important button on the home page of any website. It captures the consumer’s interest and once they click on it, the hope is that the information on the other end of that “click” is tantalizing enough for the consumer to enter their contact info.

Nothing is more tantalizing that pricing information. While pricing isn’t the only pain point (credentials and experience are critical), it is the ultimate pain point and every consumer understands that. So with a Get A Quote CTA button, a doctor is more likely to capture contact info than with any other CTA button. “Download our ebook after entering your contact info.” “Sign up for our email newsletter.” Really? Not tantalizing enough.

Dr. Rottman and his web developers have determined the greatest placement of a CTA button. As you can see in the mobile version of his website, that red CTA button is a “sticky banner” across the bottom of the screen. And no matter where the consumer scrolls, that banner never goes away! So because Dr. Rottman’s CTA button is so visible, he has more consumers submitting wishlists than if it was in a more hidden position. And if more consumers submit wishlists, Dr. Rottman receives more leads…to the tune of 161 unique leads from the Price Estimator, all in the short month of February.

Dr. Rich Castellano – Links from Facebook Live

Dr. Castellano’s video says it all. While he’s treating a patient on Facebook Live, he receives three separate messages asking about the cost of that injectible. Rather than just telling the consumer the cost and never capturing their contact info, he directs them to the Price Estimator on his website. So if they’re really interested in cost, which everyone is, they’ll go to his website from Facebook Live and check pricing. And he’ll get their contact info for follow up.

Suzi Walton, Administrator of the Ohio Surgery Center – Insurance-based pricing

For those that think price transparency only applies to cosmetic procedures, get that thought out of your head! The administrator of the Ohio Surgery Center, Suzi Walton, realizes that even consumers getting medically necessary procedures are paying out of pocket because they haven’t met their deductible.

That’s why she allows consumers to first choose their insurance plan on the Price Estimator and then submit a wishlist for a procedure of interest. What the consumer gets in return is the allowable, or out of pocket maximum, the consumer will pay to the doctor, facility and anesthesiologist for that procedure, specific to that insurance plan. How’s that for actionable pricing information!

Dr. Carlos Mata – Link in Bio on Instagram and Clickable Direct Links via Instagram Direct Messaging

As Dr. Mata knows, consumers fawning over his results on his Instagram page want to know how much these procedures cost. To make it easy for them, he places a clickable link in his Instagram bio to get them one step closer to the answer. But his office staff doesn’t stop there.

As the graphic above shows, he also answers questions through Instagram Direct Messaging with direct links. Rather than the old school way of dealing with questions about cost – 1) “You have to come in for a consult first” or 2) giving “the milk away for free” (providing the cost without getting contact info first) – Dr. Mata’s team sends those questioners directly to the procedure of interest so they get the info they want in exchange for their contact info.

These are just a handful of our doctors’ best practices within the BuildMyBod network. As we grow and bring more great minds into the fold, there are sure to be even more best practices. Stay tuned!

To check pricing from Dr. Kaplan, click here. If you’re a doctor looking to sign up for the BuildMyBod platform, you can request an account here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post BuildMyBod doctors’ best practices – in their own words [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

The Gold Standard of what to look for in a doctor by Kelsey Kaplan Fashion

1. Board certified in the specialty they’re treating you for

Seems obvious but you want a doctor that’s actually board certified in the field of medicine they’re practicing. For example, if they’re performing a plastic surgery procedure on you, they should be board certified in plastic surgery.

2. Transparent with their pricing

It’s insane that you can’t find out how much a healthcare procedure or service costs ahead of time. In the future, we’ll look back on this lack of price transparency and wonder how it was ever like that. We need Price TransCAREncy! Doctors that are pro-price transparency are on the the right side of history. The future will prove it!

3. Has their own operating room

A Harvard study showed that doctors who consistently operate with the same team have fewer complications. That doesn’t mean you have to have your own operating room, just the same team. But if you have your own operating room, you’ll have the same team!

4. Posts on Instagram Stories and Snapchat

You should be able to get to know your doctor. They’re attitude, personality and surgical acumen. There’s no better way to learn this than through their very own “reality show” on Instagram Stories or Snapchat.

5. Has some non-5 star reviews

You can’t please everyone. So if someone has no non-5 star reviews, they’re paying for them. Ask anyone that specializes in online reputation. All 5-star reviews is a charade, a facade. You can’t legitimately have 100% 5-star reviews. Now, you shouldn’t have too many non-5 star reviews but where that line is drawn is up for discussion.

Video of Kelsey Kaplan Fashion on The Gold Standard when looking for a doctor

Be prepared, it’s pretty funny!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Kelsey’s rant (kelseykaplanfashion on IG): What to look for in your doctor [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.