SCALE 2019 Music City is rapidly approaching and we cannot help but share our unbridled enthusiasm for this amazing annual meeting (TSLMS) and conference in May! In preparation for this, we reached out to Brian S. Biesman, MD, a leader in our field and driver of SCALE, to get his perspective. Here is what he had to share.
Q: Can you list your name, education, credentials and specialty.
A: My name is Brian S. Biesman, M.D., F.A.C.S., I am an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon in Nashville, TN. My academic title is Assistant Clinical Professor Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
Q: Is this your first SCALE conference? If not, how many years have you attended as a participant?
A: Well, I am a co-founder of SCALE. This is our 14th year. I’ve been there every year.
Q: What motivated you to go into your field?
A: As an Ophthalmology resident I was exposed to numerous subspecialties of the field. I fell in love with Oculoplastic surgery and it was the only one I could see pursuing as a career.
Q: What is your favorite thing about your work?
A: I love the aesthetic aspect of my work, whether surgical or nonsurgical.
Q: Is there a particularly compelling success story that you can share with us?
A: I have a strong interest in the treatment of scars and scarring. One young woman sought my advice for the treatment of facial acne scars. At the time of her consultation her naturally blonde hair was colored bright pink, she was wearing especially revealing clothing, and would not make eye contact with me. We made a plan to treat her scars that included surgery and laser resurfacing. At her final postoperative visit I did not recognize her at first as her hair was back to its natural blonde color, she was wearing a conservative business suit, and held eye contact throughout our conversation. That was a very rewarding experience for me.
Q: What do you want the general public to know about what you do?
A: One of my biggest challenges I face professionally is not having just a single message about my practice. I am fortunate enough to have advance expertise in eyelid and facial surgery, technology-based treatments such as lasers and related devices, and injectables (neuromodulators and fillers) which I have been injecting for approximately 30 years. I also have a very strong interest in the treatment of scars caused by surgery, trauma, or burns.
Q: How do you relax, what are your hobbies?
A: That is a great question. I hope that everyone reading thinks about this in their own life and is inspired to relax and love life. Me, I enjoy reading, working out, listening to or seeing live music, traveling, and would fish every day if I had the opportunity to do so!
Q: Looking back over the course of your career, what advice do you wish someone would have given you?
A: Business classes. I could have taken them; but I didn’t. Then I focused exclusively on medicine. Honestly, I wish someone would have taught me how to run a small business!
Q: Is there a particular case you wish would walk through your door?
A: I enjoy seeing patients who have difficult, challenging problems, who typically have been to a multitude of physicians without achieving resolution of their concerns, and then being able to offer them an effective and readily available solution.
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: This is clearly a question which could be handled in many ways. I have been approached by minors (15-16 years of age) with their parents in the exam room who are requesting soft tissue fillers. I explain all of the risks of the procedure to the patient and the family and then advise they go home to have a discussion about body image, goals, and expectations and make certain this is something the parents ultimately feel is in the patient’s best interest.
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 they take away useful information that they can apply immediately and also information that gives them the tools to change their practice in a deliberate way over the ensuing months.
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: The minimally invasive aesthetic space is heavily dependent on technology. With ongoing technological advances in devices, biologics, and pluripotent stem cells, over the next 5-10 years I believe we will develop greater ability to diagnose, understand and address our patient’s concerns, have better materials and devices with which we can help our patients achieve their goals safely and effectively, and begin to understand more about preventative therapies. To prepare for these changes, I make an effort to stay active in clinical trials and consulting activities both within the scientific space and within the investment community, as this helps me maintain a bit of a glimpse into the future.
Q: Is there anything else you want people to know about you or your practice?
A: We are a boutique-style practice with a highly trained, mature, and professional staff who work together seamlessly to provide the best possible overall patient experience as well as superb clinical outcomes.
