Sjoerd Witteveen
Dr. Philip Solomon, left, watches laser specialist Gail Robertson as she performs a procedure for client Kseniga Kokolic at Dr. Solomon’s new Thornhill facial plastic surgery clinic.
Regional News
September 07, 2007 09:19 PM
By: Michael Power
Don’t think you have to be rich, famous or both to get a little plastic surgery done.
Dr. Philip Solomon, a head and neck surgeon at York Central Hospital, recently opened a clinic in Thornhill exclusively performing facial plastic surgeries such as rhinoplasties, facelifts, browlifts as well as botox and facial injections.
The clinic is housed in a restored Victorian-era building at 57 Centre St.
Although it opened in February, Dr. Solomon has been practising in the area for eight years. And even though he has numerous patients here, opening a cosmetic surgery clinic taps into a growing desire baby boomers and others have to look good while they age, he said.
“(Thornhill) is such a growing area we wanted to offer it here,” said Dr. Solomon, who also has an office at St. Michael’s Hospital.
The clinic joins a growing rank of clinics in York Region, which includes Dr. Vince Bertucci’s clinic and Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, both of which are in Woodbridge. Doctor Nolan Kane’s clinic in Thornhill and Dr. Krzysztof Conrad’s office in Richmond Hill also offer cosmetic surgery.
Formerly, such procedures were the domain of upscale clinics in Toronto’s downtown core. But cosmetic surgery has grown beyond a pastime for people with lots of money.
“There’s no real stigma associated with facial cosmetic surgery anymore,” he said. “It’s considered very mainstream now. It’s appealing to a big segment of our population.”
People in their 30s and 40s are looking to maintain their youthful appearances with botox or facial injections, rather than waiting until they are older.
And rather than a one-off procedure, such as rhinoplasty, those getting such treatments come in for ongoing treatment, every three or four months for botox and facial fillers for example, Dr. Solomon said. Patients then visit the clinic for restoration work as they age.
“Having a place they can come in for all of their needs is what we’re aiming to offer,” he said.
Prices range depending on the procedure. A rhinoplasty can range from around $5,500 to $6,500, while a facelift can cost $7,500 and up. Facial fillers vary from $500 to $800 and botox treatment is $10 per unit.
Cosmetic surgery has progressed since it’s early days, Dr. Solomon said. Some conditions once requiring surgery are now possible without an operation. Some procedures blend surgical and non-surgical components and avoid the “artificial” look surgery sometimes gave in the past.
“People want to look good, but they want to look natural,” Dr. Solomon said.
The clinic also offers a broader spectrum of services, including procedures done on site by laser specialist Gail Robertson.
Ms Robertson uses a trademarked procedure called ReFirme, which tightens sagging skin by stimulating collagen cells through a combination of radio frequency and light energy.
ReFirme can be used on the face or anywhere else that needs a lift.
“The face is a popular site, of course, because that’s the first thing everyone sees; and the abdomen is popular” said Ms Robertson, who used to work in a clinic in Yorkville. “Hollywood is calling it the non-surgical facelift.”
Another popular treatment, called Fotofacial treatment, helps remove the signs of sun damage or age spots, early wrinkling, shrinks pores and improves rosacea.
Such treatment compliments the facial surgeries performed by Dr. Solomon, she said. A facelift may firm up skin, but does nothing for sun damage.
“Why not remove that and really get more out of your investment?” Ms Robertson said.
While still not cheap, facial treatment is becoming more popular as the price drops somewhat. Once, nutrition and exercise were the staples in the anti-aging diet, Ms Robertson said. But the public is now looking for further ways to kick their appearance into high gear.
And as with style, celebrities set the trend.
“When we see these stars who are maintaining their youthful look while aging, that affects us,” she said. “It’s become almost fashionable to do these treatments.”
For more information on the clinic, call 905-764-7799 or visit www.solomonfacialplastic.com