At his office in Yonkers, Scott Newman this winter has offered a Valentine”™s Day gift that”™s more costly by far than flowers or chocolates and far more lasting, too.
It might be that perfect gift for a beloved who looks in the mirror and is not pleased by all that she or he sees. It”™s the ideal gift too for the giver with his or her own body issues.
It”™s the “Body by Dr. Newman Cupid”™s Aesthetic Package.” The biggest gift in the package comes from the highly trained and experienced professional hands of Newman, who is chief of plastic surgery at St. John”™s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers. He has performed more than 4,000 cosmetic breast surgeries in his private practice in the metropolitan area.
For $25,000, a couple can each have the cosmetic procedure of their choice in Newman”™s surgical suite at 1 Odell Plaza along with the specialist”™s detailed body assessments. The package also includes a bouquet of exotic flowers and matching embroidered Body by Dr. Newman plush robes.
The robes can be worn at The Ritz-Carlton Westchester in White Plains, where the couple will be driven by limousine from the doctor”™s office. A private-duty recovery nurse will be stationed through the night at the Ritz to attend the surgically enhanced couple.
Room service with this package deal includes a follow-up hotel visit from Newman. “It”™s almost like making a house call,” he said.
The same offerings are included in Newman”™s Romance Aesthetic Package, except that only one person receives cosmetic surgery. That Valentine”™s Day gift costs $15,000, Newman”™s standard price for a typical procedure of one to two hours such as breast augmentation.
Rates can vary according to procedures chosen. “Some patients don”™t just want breast augmentation,” Newman said. “They want breast augmentation and eyelid surgery at the same time.”
Newman turned to Brand Ltd., a Las Vegas firm, to market his unique Valentine”™s Day promotion. Though no one had purchased the package by the start of February, “It”™s amazing how many people are calling about this,” he said. An aesthetically enhanced body makes an ideal present at any time, he said.
In practice since 1993, “I”™ve operated on everyone from Playboy models to people on Broadway to people in films. I”™ve operated on national beauty contestants. I”™ve operated on politicians. I think the oldest breast patient was 81, with a 65-year-old boyfriend.”
“I”™ve operated on four famous plastic surgeons, which to me is the most flattering of everything,” he said. He has performed surgeries on nearly 60 medical colleagues and their wives.
As cosmetic surgery has become more widely accepted and sought, Newman said his field has seen an influx of physicians, usually specialists in other areas, who lack medical training in plastic surgery. “We”™re seeing so many issues for patients who are having surgery from doctors who are not nearly as credentialed as we think they are,” he said. “My position and the position of most plastic surgeons is that if you want to get accredited in plastic surgery, then get trained in it.”
That competition for surgery-shopping patients has grown as insurance reimbursement rates for physicians”™ services have fallen and payments by insurers are often delayed, he said. “Every specialty is looking for something else that”™s not insurance-based to help supplement their income,” he said.
Most cosmetic surgeries today are performed in private physicians”™ offices rather than in hospitals. “With the advent of office-space surgeries, it”™s become easier to do things that are not OK” and risky for patients, Newman said. “That”™s been the biggest negative change that we”™ve seen in plastic surgery.”
In cosmetic surgery, “There should be almost all benefit and almost no risk,” he said.
Newman”™s idea for a Valentine”™s Day promotion “all kind of started as somebody from the West Coast who wanted to give the gift of plastic surgery for his wife,” he said. The surgeon set him up with transportation and hotel accommodations in Westchester. A marketing concept was born.
Compared with other medical specialties, plastic surgery has much more of a retail element, Newman said. “We have an advertising and marketing budget as part of the small business that we run,” he said.
The owner must balance business growth and profits with the standards of his medical profession. “I won”™t cross that line by demeaning my profession,” he said. In doctors”™ advertising, “Frequently it crosses that line.”
Newman chose Brand Ltd. to advertise his business because of their “enormous experience in ethical marketing,” he said. “I have no problem with marketing as long as it”™s ethical. Nowadays, whether we like it or not, it”™s part of what we do.”
“This year, it”™s just really word of mouth,” Newman said of his Valentine”™s Day promotion. “Next year we”™ll probably formalize it a little more. We”™ll work the kinks out of it.”
My wife and another close friend both had surgery by Dr. Newman. Not only are their results fabulous, but the care there was unbelievable. He has a staff that takes care of people like they’re family. He’s a very legitimate doctor. I know someone who had liposuction done by a gynecologist in Westchester. It’s just crazy that no one stops these doctors who practice without proper training.