It’s that time of the year where we all look back and ahead to reflect on what we plan to do more of, less of, or just differently in the coming new year. Practical Dermatology® magazine reached out to some Cosmetic Surgery Forum faculty members to find out about their 2021 resolutions, and all are optimistic that there is light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that was 2020. Cheers to a better and brighter 2021!

All in the Balance

In 2021 I will focus on enjoying the aspects of practice that I can. As a solo practitioner, it is often challenging to balance home, office, and staff needs, but the pandemic has focused my attention on doing not only that, but taking time for me. It sounds odd, but I never felt it was OK to take time off during the day or early in the day for meaningful activities other than on the rare occasion. During the pandemic, I realized the office ran well without me, even if our first Mohs patient wasn’t seen until 9am, as opposed to the “normal” 7:30am. Who would have thought?

So 2021 is going to be more about making choices that are good for my staff and myself, while also balancing the needs of my patient base. It should be a win-win situation!

—Joel Schlessinger MD, FAAD
Dermatologist and Cosmetic Surgeon
Omaha, NE
Chief Cosmetic Surgery Editor, Cosmetic Surgery,
Practical Dermatology®
President, LovelySkin.com
Founder, Cosmetic Surgery Forum

Seizing Opportunities

1. Create “branded” combination treatment protocols to increase the use of the devices we already have and optimize treatment outcomes.

2. Increase our skincare sales, ideally by creating an online skin store.

3. Create more original social media content, especially more videos.

4. Avoid falling back into the hectic pace of pre-pandemic over-scheduling. I love having more time to spend with each patient.

—Vivian Bucay, MD, FAAD
Dermatologist
Bucay Center for Dermatology and Aesthetics
San Antonio, TX

Going Slow and Steady

I am hopeful we will continue our slow and steady recovery from the closures and limitations resulting from the pandemic. We are looking forward to onboarding a board-certified dermatologist and a wellness specialist to expand our expertise and service offerings for our clientele. In addition, we are working with Qwo/Endo International on the first-ever FDA-approved, cutting-edge injectable for the treatment of moderate-to-severe cellulite. We will be one of the first medical spas to offer this latest technology. We have some new and exciting products launching under my NassifMD skincare line and we are launching on QVC UK! Most importantly, I am looking forward to humanity getting back to some sense of new normalcy!

—Paul Nassif, MD
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
Beverly Hills, CA

Continue visiting the Cosmetic Surgery Forum blog at cosmeticsurgeryforum.com/blog/ for updates on hot topics from faculty. Cosmetic Surgery Forum 2021 will be held December 1-4 in Nashville. Register online at CosmeticSurgeryForum.com.