Dr. Thomas Jeneby, a plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas, has gained some notoriety for live streaming plastic surgery procedures on Facebook Live and Snapchat. He even has a social media manager to help with recording, publishing and promoting the videos and live events. Dr. Jeneby is known for "Mommy Makeovers" and breast augmentation/reduction procedures. Although Dr. Jeneby has attained some notoriety, he is not first to do this nor the last as quite a few plastic surgeons have caught onto the idea of broadcasting the procedures. The big question is whether this is a good idea in the first place.
Obviously, it should be established that no patient is going to be recorded without their permission. This would be a lawsuit waiting to happen so obviously patients would need to sign waivers before appearing in any videos or live streaming broadcasts that are available for all to see.
Younger women are drawn to watching live broadcasts of plastic surgery on Snapchat. The upside is that it is an educational experience that helps with the decision-making process and it promotes the surgeons. It gives prospective patients the opportunity to understand the methodology, the bed-side manner of the surgeon and watch the procedure unedited. Since many do not use Snapchat over the age of 35, it is generally geared toward a younger audience and in the case of blepharoplasties, the non-invasive procedures would be promoted, which makes sense considering that most corrections and rejuvenations would be minor.
There are downsides to the live broadcasts that may be discouraging for those seeking lower eyelid surgery in Norfolk, VA to those desiring an Asian blepharoplasty in Oxnard, CA:
Live Botox and Juvederm administration are not exactly exciting to watch for viewers, but they do show the non-invasive procedures being done and how patients and surgeons interact during them. As long as the procedure is shown in a very clinical fashion, it may prove instructive.
Obviously, it should be established that no patient is going to be recorded without their permission. This would be a lawsuit waiting to happen so obviously patients would need to sign waivers before appearing in any videos or live streaming broadcasts that are available for all to see.
Younger women are drawn to watching live broadcasts of plastic surgery on Snapchat. The upside is that it is an educational experience that helps with the decision-making process and it promotes the surgeons. It gives prospective patients the opportunity to understand the methodology, the bed-side manner of the surgeon and watch the procedure unedited. Since many do not use Snapchat over the age of 35, it is generally geared toward a younger audience and in the case of blepharoplasties, the non-invasive procedures would be promoted, which makes sense considering that most corrections and rejuvenations would be minor.
There are downsides to the live broadcasts that may be discouraging for those seeking lower eyelid surgery in Norfolk, VA to those desiring an Asian blepharoplasty in Oxnard, CA:
- They can scare away prospective patients as they may be gory and most of the time the procedures are purely cosmetic, which means that they are optional.
- Oversharing may lead to possible humiliation, the lack of anonymity may be problematic.
- Stage fright: A plastic surgeon is working on the patient and is accustomed to servicing the patient with an audience of his or her peers/co-workers. The realization of the fact that this is being streamed for all is intimidating.
- Stage awareness: A plastic surgeon may showboat, mug for the camera and put their ego or promoter side first during surgery. That's scary.
- Legal liability: A plastic surgeon that messes up during a live broadcast is going to have a tough time with litigators for cases of malpractice. It cuts the other way as well, a malpractice suit may be proven unfounded due to the video evidence that was published for all to see.
- Mistakes: A viral mistake while performing surgery means the practice is finished and the surgeon is doomed. Promotion gone bad.
Live Botox and Juvederm administration are not exactly exciting to watch for viewers, but they do show the non-invasive procedures being done and how patients and surgeons interact during them. As long as the procedure is shown in a very clinical fashion, it may prove instructive.