The Concierge Doc Podcast with Dr. Jason Littleton, M.D.
The Concierge Doc Podcast is hosted by Dr Jason Littleton, M.D., where he features medical content to make smart lifestyle choices for optimal health, wellness, energy, youthfulness, longevity, balance, and happiness.
The Concierge Doc Podcast with Dr. Jason Littleton, M.D.
When Passion Meets Precision: How Dr. Stephenie Poris MD Is Redefining Plastic Surgery Care
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Disclaimer:
Access to the Information and materials contained in this podcast is at your own risk. The information contained is presented for the purpose of educating the consumer on a variety of wellness and health care topics (the “Information”). Nothing contained is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment. The Information contained is compiled from a variety of sources. The Information should not be considered complete and not exhaustive and should not be in place of a visit or consultation with your own primary care doctor.
The views, opinions and statements expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Dr Jason Littleton or the Concierge Doc Podcast. We do not endorse or take responsibility for any statements, claims or perspectives shared in this content. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and form their own conclusions.
Speaker 2:Access to the information and materials contained in this podcast is form their own conclusions. The information contained is compiled from a variety of sources. The information should not be considered complete and exhaustive and should not be in place of a visit or consultation with your own primary care doctor. Welcome to the Concierge Doc Podcast. I'm your host, ceo and founder of Littleton Concierge Medicine, dr Jason Littleton. Welcome to the podcast. Today's guest is a plastic surgeon who did her residency with some of the nation's best surgeons at Avent Health in Orlando, florida, then completed her plastic surgery fellowship in Summa Health in Akron, ohio. She's a double board certified plastic surgeon who offers highly specialized and elevated concierge compassionate care. Please welcome to the Concierge Doc Podcast, dr Stephanie Porras.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for having me, dr Littleton, it's an honor to be on your podcast and I am so excited to talk today.
Speaker 2:Awesome, thank you. Thank you for being on. I you know I've wanted to talk to you for a while and pretty excited about everything that you do and you know, just like off the camera, I've had a second talk with you about how you started your practice and you came right out of residency and a lot of people don't do that. A lot of physicians don't do that. A lot of physicians are scared to do that. You've been wildly successful and a lot of people don't do that. A lot of physicians don't do that. A lot of physicians are scared to do that. You've been wildly successful and I wanted to start off talking a little bit about your bio, your background and how you got started in business for yourself.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think for me it all started with passion. I mean, I think ultimately, of course there was the passion for plastic surgery and becoming a plastic surgeon and that was, you know, numero uno. But the second part of it was being able to control the experience and give my patients the quality health care that I thought you know I could potentially deliver on a more sort of concierge right Like level, and I think you know we do so much training you know you're in training. For me it was eight years. I'm in a institution, a big institution, I trained in one of the largest institutions in the country and so I really got a very insider's view of big business which is healthcare and, for better or for worse, I think there are some positives to that in working in that type of environment and certainly patients' experiences, but I do think there was a downside not to be negative. But I just thought that it wasn't for me. And if we go back to the primary statement, which was passion, it was how could I deliver the best care through me for my patients? And I wouldn't. I don't think my care would have been as good in that kind of environment and I said you know I'm going to. I want to wake up doing what I love every day, and that's not only just the technique and art of plastic surgery, but that's the delivery of plastic surgery and patient care.
Speaker 3:And so ultimately, that's what I did some soul searching. I talked to many, many people in the field you know, people in private practice, people in small groups and ultimately decided that this was the route that I wanted to go. And the how, the what, the who, the money, all of that you know. I said well, listen, if you know the nail salon down the street can open, why can't I, right? I, of course I can do this. I've done, I feel like, in my life, harder things, so basically, that's where it came from.
Speaker 2:I mean that's exceptional and scary at the same time and you've been so successful. It's, it's such a success story and you know, when anyone goes to your website, it's it's a very powerful website, it's very bright, it's very artistic, it's very it's I mean the message and the um. Really just the branding is just just awesome. And I think when people, when women, come to you, when people come to you, um, like, what do you tell them about their health? What do you tell them about their wellness, when they come to you about certain you know issues as it relates to plastic surgery, like, what type of messaging are you communicating to your patients, to your clients? You know, obviously they're coming for many different reasons, maybe cosmetic, maybe more things to do with, maybe injury that they've had, but what type of messaging are you telling them about wellness and things?
Speaker 3:I think that I am lucky because I think when you step foot in my office as a patient, you are taking your first step or second step, or however many steps it took you to get there for yourself. And so you know this isn't an emergency appendectomy we're doing this is, let's just say, you know, I've lost a hundred pounds and I have all this excess skin, now what do I do with it? You're taking a step for yourself, for your own wellness, for your own confidence, by just getting into my office. Right, that's the first move. And so, from a wellness standpoint, you know we see every type of patient. We see young, we see old, we see middle aged moms, we see divorcees, we see widows.
Speaker 3:A lot of what we do not only is just confidence boosting surgeries and non-surgical treatments, but there is a lot of handholding, there is a lot of psychology behind our consultations, and so part of what I do is really try to get to know the patient on a very relatable level, kind of meet them where they are and share their journey with them. And I think, for most of my patients and anybody that has been treated at our office, I think they all would say that the experience was really what helped get them through. It's not just we, you know, you come in for surgery and you're sort of seen in post-op and then you're gone. We really do bring you in as family and treat you as such. You know, I think it's very easy for, or especially the big healthcare corporations to say patients first, patients or family, dah, dah, dah, dah dah. I mean these are all marketing taglines. But to really practice what you preach and stand behind it is very important to us and I think that that's the ethos of our office.
Speaker 2:What are the top surgeries that you do and what are maybe the top things that you see people coming to you for?
Speaker 3:So I have vowed to not become so niche. I think, um, I am one of the you know, young generation of plastic surgeons that really wants to practice it all right Face, breast, body plastic surgery. I even do some breast reconstruction. Um, I would say, just by virtue of being a younger practice and being a female, I think the I get the most breast and body patients. I get a lot of young moms like myself, Um, and I love it.
Speaker 3:I think it's incredibly wonderful and very relatable. Um, I think that sort of where my passion is is everything. I mean I love the face. My, my father was a dentist and practiced dentistry for over 35 years, and so I have that brain of the face. But ultimately, you know, there isn't any one surgery that I love more than another. I love it all and ultimately it's the transformation and the journey and the amount of confidence that I see these patients go through, that that, to me, is the exciting part, and so that's sort of where I stand. I think, exactly like I said the most and a ton of breast revision surgery you know patients that have had implants for 30 years or maybe they need a lift in an implant or weight loss. I really do a lot of breast and body work and I love it. It's great, it's fun, it's challenging. Every patient is incredibly different.
Speaker 2:So I mean, I think, I think what are, like, you know, one of the things that I've always wondered. It's like when should someone seek out a plastic surgeon versus, I don't know, maybe like a dermatologist, general surgeon? Obviously they do different things, but for the public they may not understand that. So at what point should a person seek out a plastic surgeon?
Speaker 3:I think it's a great question. I think that this is a very important, I think, for non-surgical interventions anything from skincare to your regular Botox fillers, things like that I think seeking out a dermatologist is absolutely wonderful and fine. I think dermatologists and plastic surgeons equally alike in the non-surgical field, we all have that adequate training to safely intervene and help you out, and I think safety is the key word here. I think if a patient is looking for deeper interventions that are at all surgical base and this includes liposuction okay, you need to see a board certified plastic surgeon, board certified plastic surgeon. There are a million people and surgeons posing non-surgeons okay, posing as plastic surgeons or cosmetic surgeons. They are not board certified. They'll say they're board certified because there is a cosmetic surgery board. It is not an American board of medical specialties certified program. So you really need to do your research as a patient If you want any plastic surgical intervention. First and foremost, now, who's a candidate? That was your other question.
Speaker 3:I think if your weight is stable, typically most of us plastic surgeons like patients weight with a BMI less than 30. That is from a safety standpoint. Going to the operating room, we want you to be a non smoker. We want you to have all your medical problems in check right. High blood pressure needs to be controlled. Diabetes A1C less than six. You know we want all of the T's crossed I's dotted because this is elective surgery. We don't want to put anybody under the needle or the knife that is going to have a complication due to their medical disease. So we are very, very particular and so I think if you're already and you've checked all those boxes, then it's really time to see a plastic surgeon.
Speaker 3:If you want, said, breast augmentation or mommy makeover, but definitely, definitely, have your ducks in a row. Look for that board approved plastic surgeon and just really know the ethics of the person you're seeing right. What mode? Ask your question as a patient, I think I tell my patients this no matter who you're seeing right, what mode, ask your question as a patient, I think I tell my patients this no matter who they're seeing right, know the ethics behind the physician and the staff and the office that you're talking to. Do you question their ethics? Do you think they're coming from a place that is safe, that is professional, that is going to do right by you in an emergency situation? And I think, if you can answer yes to all those things. It's probably the right surgeon for you or physician.
Speaker 2:No, that's really good, because I think a lot of people make that mistake and then they end up in the ER and or you probably end up seeing them for redos. I mean, do you do a lot of redos where you see? People who've had a botched surgery. Is that commonplace?
Speaker 3:Absolutely we get calls, probably once or twice a week, for patients that have been botched you know, or quote unquote botched right. We don't necessarily see them all who've traveled outside the country, who've gone to Miami. Now Miami has some wonderful plastic surgeons, many of whom are very dear friends of mine, who are board certified, specialty trained, very, very good. But there's also a lot of what we call chop shops and a lot of the patients get blinded by the discount. Right, oh, I can go to Miami and I can get a tummy tuck for $3,000.
Speaker 3:Um, but they don't realize that the person doing their tummy tuck is not a surgeon and they end up with these horrible outcomes. And you know, I do medical review for the state of Florida and you would be incredibly surprised at just the amount of misinformation and disinformation out there that these patients receive um and how and how devious a lot of these.
Speaker 2:I think that's so scary. I think that's so scary because with like social media these days, you know, some of these doctors can be just marketed like you know, wow, that's the doctor I need to see. And when you think about plastic surgery, you think LA, you think Miami, Um, so it's marketing A lot of these, a lot of these, you know.
Speaker 3:plastic surgery uh, clinics have great marketing. They've got a person that's, you know, part of a private equity firm or whomever that is doing incredible marketing for them, or they've picked a term that they've chosen to you know trend, and so patients think that 40,000 followers, 40 million followers on Instagram, equals a good cosmetic outcome and that's just not the case at all and we, you know, those of us obviously in the field know that. But to a patient, social media and TikTok followers does not a good plastic surgeon make or a good physician, Right?
Speaker 2:Right, I mean.
Speaker 3:That's why on my, on my social I don't care Half of those, half of those people are bots anyways, on Instagram, you know when you see these patients, these, these surgeons and physicians, with these big account numbers, I mean it's not reality. You have to be real. This is your life I mean it's not reality.
Speaker 2:You have to be real. This is your life. So, like, like, what are some of the questions that a patient should have when they come and see you for the first time so that they just you know they're ready to go?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I love, love it when patients bring a list of questions. I mean and I think I've said this on other podcasts too it means you're ready to listen, it means you're ready and you're focused and you've done your research. And you know this, dr Littleton when a patient comes in while researched, they're ready to take charge of their life and ultimately, for me, that's a change of confidence levels for them, right? So we always start with the discussion what are your goals? What do you want? What I want to hear from them, and we'll write it in quotes, you know, I want, you know, to feel good in my jeans. I don't want to have the muffin top, or, you know, maybe their neck is a little saggy and they're on it on TV, right?
Speaker 3:I mean, I get a lot, of, a lot of people in media and they, you know, are sitting here on Instagram and zoom and they're like oh, my neck just is starting to hang and you know, what can we do about that, doc? Um, and so the questions really are what do you want? Okay, again, are you healthy to undergo an operation? And what's your downtime? Look like, right, because if you have zero downtime, well then a surgery might not be free, but there might be a non-surgical intervention that can help, right. So these are all things we'll kind of suss out during the consultation and ultimately we just take the time to answer any and all questions and then, of course, give the patients the opportunity to ask more questions, and up until the day of their surgery or their treatment.
Speaker 2:So you know, whenever I step into your office because I've been in your office it's, you know, I just I feel healthy, you know, and I am healthy, but I'm just saying it's so bright, it's so vibrant, everything like that, and so I think it obviously it's a reflection of you and wellness and how you want to treat the patient. You know, everyone knows, I have this acronym move, eat, drink, sleep, my meds protocol and I talk to people about how to have healthy living and wellness through good movement, eating, hydration and good rest. When I'm, I think about this, what are some of the things that you practice yourself in regards to just, you know, moving, eating, drinking, sleep. That really sets your health apart and allows you to do what you do, because you're busy, you're doing surgery, you're seeing patients, you're nonstop, you're on TV, you're on Instagram, all these things. How do you stay in tip top shape and what's the message that you communicate to your patients even about that?
Speaker 3:tip top shape and what's the message that you communicate to your patients even about that? Yeah, absolutely so. I will say, first and foremost, I definitely am still working on this, and it probably wasn't until the last four years that I really started to drill down on my own health. You know again, for eight years, when you're in training and the thick of it, you're in boot camp and you don't necessarily have the luxury of, you know, getting lunch and even using the restroom if you need to.
Speaker 3:So it wasn't really until the last four years.
Speaker 2:I always tell people eat when you can pee, when you can sleep, when you can.
Speaker 3:Exactly, that is the mantra. And it's so sad that that is the mantra, frankly, because I do think that you know we as medical personnel really need to practice what we preach, so to be having to kind of step it back. But I can tell you, you know, working out, I never stopped moving. Right, if we're talking about move, I don't stop moving. And somebody once said and actually it was an older patient of mine, she was in her eighties and she said you know, dr Porras, objects in motion, they continue in motion. And I love that saying. And I think when I slow down, when I'm not doing something, when I'm not moving, when I'm not active, that's when I feel the stress and the fatigue of life, and you know all of the things compounding. So I just try to keep moving. And you know all of the things compounding, so I just try to keep moving. I try to keep busy, whether it's fitness, whether it's outside with my kids, whether it's just participating in active sports with my kids you know, I mean, sometimes it's all I can do.
Speaker 3:Right, I have like an hour a day where I have, you know, some time. You know, sleep, sleep has become absolutely imperative. I think I misjudged for so long I was on like a. If I was lucky to get two hours or four hours a night, that was good. And now I'm literally catching up from eight years, 10 years of no sleep, and so I really really try to get eight, six to eight hours a night. I think it's really, really important.
Speaker 3:Your skin, from a plastic surgeon standpoint, looks much better in the morning. You're less puffy, you're less swollen eyes, You're more awake looking, your body has time to rejuvenate, your cells have time to take a minute and do all the things they need to do to be restorative. So that was absolutely something I did. And then let's talk about hydrate. I think for me this is a very scary, maybe relatable, story. So you know I really wasn't much of a water lover, water drinker, for the better part of my life, you know, I would say up until pregnancies I lived on Mountain Dew and you know anything I could get my hands on in the hospital.
Speaker 3:Oh, it was terrible, terrible, terrible. You know, and you know, pregnancy, I took it very seriously. I didn't take any drink, any caffeine, and I was really really, um, you know, serious about it. I wanted to give my kids the best chance in the environment that I was in. And you know, after I was pregnant I didn't crave it anymore. I didn't want it. In fact it almost. You know soda almost was a turnoff for me, which was lucky, you know I turned to LaCroix's and all that. But about three years ago and I'll get a little personal I had a little bit of a health scare, um, and ultimately it turned out that I just was dehydrated on a regular, consistent basis. Um, you know, you can't drink a LaCroix a day and think you are getting enough fluid.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:That is literally where I was. Maybe not even a locrian. Wow and right, it's terrible.
Speaker 2:And you know, was it just because you were so busy, or what?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was because I was busy, but but also because I wasn't taking charge of my own life and I was, you know, just thinking that I'm invincible and my body will never break down. And you know, I'm young so I can withstand, you know the torture that I was putting my body through. And I I mean I had to make a major shift. And you don't want my mate, my this is this sounds silly. I don't like drinking out of aluminum, so you'll never find me with a Stanley. That's just gross to me.
Speaker 3:It's something about the aluminum and and sorry for the you know people that are respecting the earth, that are listening journey. I've got one in my bathroom, I've got one near my bed, I've got two on my desk. I have, you know, some in the break room. I am constantly chugging that water and, for whatever reason, that water goes down for me very easily. I like the way it tastes, and so I have now found a way to stay hydrated and take care of my body. I have now found a way to stay hydrated and take care of my body.
Speaker 3:I will tell you, I get almost zero headaches. I used to get massive migraines because I was so dehydrated. The health scare that I thought you know I was going to die has gone right. All of these things that just take it back to H2O, that's we need it in life, and so I think not to be undervalued, and for me it was severely undervalued. And so when you say move, sleep, hydrate, I mean let me tell you I am a huge proponent of drinking that water.
Speaker 2:Now, no, I mean that's huge. I mean you know it sounds like you've made you know. I mean you know it sounds like you've made you know major changes in your hydration to. You know, fix that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated and don't know it. And I mentioned that a lot. You know, whether it's on this podcast or when I'm talking to people, and that's I mean I think everything you just shared, I mean that's major and I mean thank you, even shared, that's major. Thank you even for sharing that personal testimony when I think about activities that people do. Obviously, as doctors, we're busy and staying healthy helps us to stay in tip-top shape and do our businesses and see patients and everything like that. But do you have a hobby or anything like that that you like doing, doing for me? I love skiing and that motivates me to work out. It motivates me to move, eat, drink, sleep. You know all those things, um, is there anything that Stephanie Porras? Uh, like what, what?
Speaker 2:is it walking, you know, like paddle boarding, skiing, anything.
Speaker 3:Well, I think, dr Lillison, you and I are very similar, so skiing has always been like the top of the top. Obviously, we live in florida, so we're a little crippled by it, you could water ski. Right, we can water ski, absolutely. I did, and I grew up water skiing actually, but um, and I was a figure skater for a long time, so I do. I like the, the sports, the cold sports, which is kind of funny, I'm a true floridian who really really the cold sports, which is kind of funny.
Speaker 3:I'm a true Floridian who really really likes the cold sports. But yeah, so obviously when we camp snow ski, you know, for me I weirdly my hobbies are kind of my alone time hobbies, right, I love just going on a walk by myself. I love my husband. This has nothing to do with not wanting to be with my family, but for so much of my life is interactions with others my kids, my husband, my patients, my family. Sometimes I feel like just taking the time for me is now sort of become my hobby, right, and whether that's going and getting a massage or getting my haircut has turned into a hobby right. Like that's where I'm at in life.
Speaker 3:That's how busy things have been you know, playing tennis with my friends, anything where I feel like, you know, I can just sort of step back for a minute and take a deep breath and be a little introspective. I mean, I truly love my alone time and I know this sounds crazy, but I mean I I think that retail therapy and is excellent. I love just being in a store by myself perusing a rack of you know wasteless items that I don't need retail therapy.
Speaker 3:I like that retail therapy there is. I mean, there's some truth to this, right, um, and you know it doesn't mean that you buy the store, but just that act of you know, sort of taking a moment and taking a breath. For me, that's my hobby. I mean, you know, I, I I used to be a painter and all of these things and have like you know. But but the reality is, I think, at different points in your life you're going to have different hobbies, You're going to be at a different point. And so the point that I'm in is I'm going to take the little that I have and I'm going to turn it into something that is healthy for myself.
Speaker 2:That's major. Actually, I'm glad you shared that. I mean, I think that's major. I think everyone needs to take that nugget and do something with it, because I think that is what is missing in a lot of people's lives as far as you know, because I I think that's really aha moment and, as you said, I'm like, yep, that's really good. That's really good. I think sometimes people get so busy that they don't do self care, they don't do that retail therapy, you know, the equivalent of what that is for them. So I thought that was major. So thank you for sharing that. I mean. Look, I mean, talking to you is a fresh breath of air. I think you've shared so many things that, um, you know really could be inspiring for people, and I think your practice is inspiring. I think everybody should go see your office. They should go see how it's decorated and everything like that. They should, you know, really look into if they need to, uh, have a consultation with you what are the handles, how can people find you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. Our primary practice page on Instagram is at stiletto underscore surgeon. Okay, and then you can go to our website, porousplasticsurgerycom. Call our office 407-558-1616. There are a million ways to get in touch. We are probably one of the easiest communicative plastic surgery practices, you know. So any way you find us. Uh, usually we'll respond so, um, but those are our primary primary spots.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you, look, thank you for coming on the show. I really thank you for the things that you shared and everyone. Look, if you need plastic surgery, you got to go see Dr Stephanie Porras, you got to go see her, go see her office, go sit down, go talk to the people.
Speaker 3:Thanks, dr Littleton. It's been so wonderful being with you today, and I'm just so appreciative.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. Well, everyone you know again, continue to follow the podcast. Go to Facebook, instagram, download this episode of the podcast. Thank you for listening and thank you for another episode of the Concert Talk podcast.
