On May 13 and 14, the Congress Centre in the capital of French winemaking, Bordeaux, hosted the annual symposium organized by SOFCEP (Société Française des Chirurgiens Esthétiques Plasticiens) together with the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
A fertile ground for innovative ideas.
The main topic at the congress this year was the future of plastic surgery. The keynotes were dedicated to the cosmetic medicine and surgery of tomorrow. We discussed legal aspects of aesthetic and plastic surgery, the French and European markets, surgical tourism, marketing and communications, media, and virtual consulting services. The scientific sessions focused on the areas where significant changes are expected in the near future: fat transfer, strain cells in regenerative medicine, facial rejuvenation, new breast implants, body contouring, cosmetic and anti-ageing medicine, and intimate area surgery.
I spoke at the rhinoplasty session on lateral crura transposition, one of the latest and very promising techniques in nasal tip surgery ensuring the most predictable and attractive outcomes in highly complicated cases (very broad, drooping, or deformed nasal tips). After the keynote, I answered some interesting questions and had a brief discussion with my friend Olivier Gerbault.
My second keynote, Secondary Mammaplasty with Implants, Fat and ADM, was the last one in the mammaplasty innovations section. It was a really important presentation, and secondary cases (patients who have already undergone surgery) are much more complicated than first-time operations. I spoke directly after the mammaplasty guru Scott Spear and, in my opinion, provided equally useful information. Unfortunately, we had very little time left for questions and none for a discussion. I hope we will make up for that omission next time.
The venue – France’s main winemaking city, Bordeaux – added an incomparable culinary and oenological touch to the congress. The core programme was followed by tours of Bordeaux wineries where we were taught the art of wine tasting. French wines are gradually becoming a familiar topic for me. Besides, they are a necessary accompaniment to the region’s spectacular cuisine.
