The night before surgery, I often find myself reaching for a sketchbook instead of a medical textbook. A blank page. A pen in hand. It’s a ritual that began long before I ever held a scalpel—and one that has quietly shaped the way I operate today.
Some might find it strange that a plastic surgeon spends his evenings painting sunflowers or sketching anatomical studies. But for me, art and surgery have never been separate disciplines. They are two expressions of the same pursuit: the search for form, balance, and beauty.
A Lifetime of Drawing: The Artistic Foundation
I’ve been drawing since childhood. While other kids were playing video games, I was filling notebooks with sketches—faces, hands, flowers, anything that caught my eye. When I entered medical school, many assumed I would leave art behind. Instead, I found that medicine only deepened my appreciation for it.
During my residency training in Korea and Italy, I discovered that the Renaissance masters had understood something profound: art and anatomy are inseparable.
Today, I still paint regularly—oils, watercolors, whatever medium calls to me.
What Painting Teaches a Surgeon
Consider the challenges of breast surgery. Every patient presents a unique canvas.
- Watercolor and Delicacy
- Oil Painting and Patience
The Surgical Sketch: A Blueprint for Success
Before every breast surgery, I draw.
Over 2,500 breast surgeries, I’ve refined this process countless times.
Preservé: Surgery That Respects What Already Exists
The Preservé technique preserves the body’s natural planes.
Where the Operation Begins
Art doesn’t just inform my surgery—it is my surgery.