SCALE 2019 Music City is enormously excited to have Alexander Z. Rivkin, M.D. joining our faculty. Dr. Rivkin is a Yale School of Medicine trained Otolaryngologist. This is the “oldest medical specialty in the United States. Otolaryngologists are physicians trained in the medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT), and related structures of the head and neck.” (Source).
Dr. Rivkin is the owner of Westside Aesthetics and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine. He specializes in nonsurgical cosmetic procedures. This will be his first SCALE conference, and to help you get to know him we asked him a few questions.
Q: What motivated you to go into your field?
A: Love of the creative potential of aesthetic medicine and the possibilities for innovation that these fillers and toxins and devices permit. Coming to non surgical procedures from a surgical background, it was amazing to be able to offer select patients less invasive procedures that could accomplish their aesthetic goals without downtime. Making aesthetic treatments accessible to more people has been really rewarding as well.
Q: What is your favorite thing about your work?
A: Because these are cosmetic visits that happen over time, I really love the connection that I can make with patients and the luxury of being able to spend time with them. I also love seeing immediate results and the happiness that these transformations evoke.
Q: Is there a particularly compelling success story that you can share with us?
A: Whenever I see a patient who has had a cosmetically undesirable post rhinoplasty result come in for nonsurgical correction, it’s really rewarding. The results are so quick and so dramatic, many people get emotional when they see the transformation. Often I can get the nose to look natural again and they have been losing hope that this was possible.
Q: What do you want the general public to know about what you do?
A: These nonsurgical procedures are safe and effective, as long as people do their research and go to qualified, experienced professionals. Price is always a factor, but I would counsel patients to avoid choosing their practitioner based on price alone. These are medical procedures and not everyone is equally qualified.
Q: How do you relax, what are your hobbies?
A: Playing with my 1 year old son, spending time with my wife, gym, travel, and photography.
Q: Looking back over the course of your career, what advice do you wish someone would have given you?
A: I would tell everyone to trust your instincts, believe in yourself,
Q: Is there a particular case you wish would walk through your door?
A: More post rhinoplasty patients seeking non surgical correction.
Q: As a doctor we know people are always asking your advice; what is the most bizarre question you ever received? What was your advice?
- A patient who worked in the adult industry wanted to know if she could “use” her new lips the day after they were injected. Also, scrotox.
Q: When people come to the SCALE workshop or talk you are giving, what do you hope they take away from their time with you?
A: I hope to infect them with my love for the field and the proud sense that they are artists. I also hope to help them feel more secure and safe performing new procedures.
Q: Looking into the future of your practice, what do you predict will be the trends and technology that emerge in the next 5 to 10 years? What are you and your practice doing to get ready for those?
A: I think there will be more tools in our toolbox and I am watching emerging technologies carefully to identify promising things. Skin tightening and body treatments, in particular, will be welcome innovations.
Q: Is there anything else you want people to know about you or your practice?
A: Aside from treating patients, we are very active in teaching and research. We have been a research site for many FDA clinical studies and continue to expand our research department. Many of our practitioners are trainers for the various filler and toxin companies.
