Kipton J.V. Lundquist, M.D.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

      t is commonly stated that a picture is worth a thousand words. Plastic surgery is certainly a ''visual'' specialty in many ways, and photographs and diagrams can be helpful to assist patients with an understanding of the different procedures and results. This can be a positive thing. Unfortunately, there are some negative things that need to be explained.

1.There can never be a guarantee of the results for any single patient. Every patient, every procedure, every day it is a new experience.

2.It is inappropriate to show one patient's medical information to anyone else. This certainly includes photographs. Dr. Lundquist prefers to avoid mistakes by not showing his patient photos to other patients.

3.Photographs, while helpful, can never tell the whole story. There are simply too many variables to allow accurate comparisons from one photo to the next or from one patient to another.

Despite these problems, photographs can be helpful for some patients. We are happy to provide a link to the photographic section of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) web site. The ASPS is the main organization that represents board-certified plastic surgeons, and it provides excellent educational information for patients. Dr. Lundquist has been a member of the ASPS since 1984, and hopes that you will take advantage of these resources.

(952) 746-6998