Plastic surgery has come to mean more than reconstructive medicine now it means breast implants, face-lifts and many other aesthetic surgeries. Doctor Norman Leaf, MD one of the world’s foremost plastic surgeons is no stranger to the world of the aesthetic.

Although a Chicago native Dr.Leaf has spent over 35 years practicing plastic surgery in the heart of Beverly Hills. In his upcoming book “Are Those Real?” Dr. Leaf gives the reader an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a real Hollywood plastic surgeon.

1.

You mentioned in your acknowledgements that you have spent over 10 years writing this book. What was your main inspiration for writing it?

As you can tell by the book I’ve had some very unique patients. When I was younger I read a book by James Herriot called “All Creatures Great and Small” about a veterinarian. Each chapter was about another encounter he had with a patient but it was really about the owners and their lives. And I just thought it was brilliant.

I realized that my practice has been the same way. Everyone that comes through my door they come to escape from something. There are a lot of dreamers in Los Angeles, that’s why they come here. Whether it is the small town girl that’s trying to make it big and working as a waitress until she gets discovered or the big time actress they all want to become something more. As a plastic surgeon you have to show them the difference between reality and the dream world. I’m hoping this book will help with that.

2. In the chapter “Not Just A Pretty Face” you mention your non-profit organization Iraq Star, has there been any more developments in the foundation since the book was written?

The organization has been growing very well on its own. The VA has been very supportive of our organization and right now we have about 250 plastic surgeons volunteering from all over the country. Everyone seems to like that section of the book. In two weeks we are having a celebrity/veteran golf outing that is being done for charity at a golf course in Beverly Hills.

We are going to serve drinks at every hole and then at the very end set up a booth with my secretary, she’s actually the one on the cover, selling my book. All proceeds will go to charity.

3. Do you feel that your book will create a more open dialogue between patients and plastic surgeons?

I would hope so. As you can see I’m very open, I think the patients have to be their own best advocate. There are a lot of doctors out there that use their skills to take advantage of people’s vanity.

There is a huge industry called Life Facelift and they make two hundred and fifty thousand a year on quick face-lifts and breast enhancements. They do it at bargain basement prices but they also do messy jobs. Of course the flip side of that is if you get into the tabloids and get a lot of publicity you can start charging more.

I hope this book will allow them to make better and smarter decisions when it comes to plastic surgery.

2. What do you think other doctors in the plastic surgery community will think about your book?

I haven’t seen a review in our plastic surgeon journal yet but I think that is only because it is self-published. I’ve had a few of my colleagues look at it and they loved it. Looking back the only real criticism I’ve gotten is that the way it’s written it’s unclear if it’s a memoir or a non-fiction book. I didn’t really know myself when I started writing it and I think it came out that way. But not having a real niche may mean that more people will read it.

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