Education Transforms Perceptions In Medical Arena

Education, as a concept and an industry, has historically suffered an iron mask of containment, never too interesting to secure front-page news yet substantive enough to have a seat at the community table. Times have dramatically shifted, positing education as the term de jour to be interwoven into every industry, company, and storyline. The benefits of inclusion impact how industries think of their workforce and customers and the methods to secure trust and loyalty. Industry no longer sells products. Instead, it educates the respective sector and customers on the personalized benefits of integrating their product or service.

Given the stereotyping plastic surgery has endured historically, most would be forgiven for thinking all plastic surgery is silicone implants, nose jobs, and tummy tucks. But it’s much more than that. Some people go in for cosmetic procedures, while others need reconstructive or restorative surgery. Either way, going under the knife is a big decision and not one that people make on a whim. The industry [plastic surgery] has embraced education through individual and personal storytelling.

There’s a human side to plastic surgery that is coming into focus from the provider side of the equation. Dr. Rukmini (Vinaya) Rednam believes that some people gloss over how sensitive plastic surgery is because they’ve never sat across from patients and listened to their stories and circumstances. Dr. Rednam contends that education through shared stories is the key to understanding personal motivations. “People who choose to go under the knife are usually driven by a desire that’s bigger than their need to look acceptable. In my experience, there’s almost always a deeper reason for the given procedure. Plastic surgery is so much more than just skin deep.”

Dr. Rednam is a board-certified plastic surgeon and is one of the founding members of My Houston Surgeons, the largest private plastic surgery practice in the Houston area. Recently, she launched The Transform Patient Portraiture Project, an artistic collaboration where patients share their results, personal motivations, and stories. The storytelling project aims to help guide people considering or exploring plastic surgery for themselves while educating the public on the deeper motivations for undergoing the knife. I sat down with Dr. Rednam to talk a bit more about her career, her inspirations, and her objective for this project.

Berger: Before we delve into your transformation project, I’d like to know what made you pursue medicine as a career.

Rednam: [Laughs] Well, I’m Indian by heritage, so we all have at least one doctor or engineer in our family tree.

We have many Indians in the STEM field, to be honest. My mom trained as an electrical engineer at IIT Madras and spent the bulk of her career teaching calculus in high school. My strong desire for education and success boils down to her sacrifice and commitment to raising me and my siblings right and helping us become our best selves. I never saw her treat anyone unkindly or approach life without confidence. She’s still the most inspiring person I know, and the things I learned from her are what I try to instill and inspire in my patients today.

Berger: I was going to ask you about your inspiration for choosing medicine, but it’s safe to say you’ve answered that one.

Rednam: [Laughs] Yes, my everyday inspiration is my mother, but my grandmother, my mom’s mom, was my inspiration to go into medicine. She was a pediatrician in India during a time when not many women were in medicine. She always went above and beyond for her patients and their families.

Berger: You currently are one of the partners in Houston’s biggest private plastic surgery practices. From what I hear, this isn’t an area highly dominated by women. You’ve also received incredible awards throughout your career, including the Texas Super Doctor Award in 2021 and 2022. I’ve read this is a peer-nominated award rarely given to practitioners with less than 10 years on the job. How were you able to grow to this point?

Rednam: It’s been a whirlwind journey, to be honest. There were many expected ups and downs, given the gender makeup of my chosen field and the competitive nature of the city where I practice. There are currently only 16 female plastic surgeons for every 100. So it’s a steep hill to climb, but I’ve stayed focused.

Again, thanks to my upbringing, I could stand my ground on pertinent issues and speak my mind. Despite years of study and hard work, I probably had to put in more than my male counterparts to prove that I deserved a seat at the table. However, I also stayed laser-focused on my goals and did my best to lift others with me as I climbed the ladder. Perhaps my biggest strategy for success would be my husband, who happens to be a physician, my daughters, and my strong network of friends and colleagues who’ve held me up the whole way. No one can succeed alone, in my opinion. We all need people.

Berger: I agree. So you mentioned lifting up others. This ties into your work with the project you started. Let’s get into more detail about that.

Rednam: Yes, it does. Sometimes, when I talk with patients to get to know them better and understand their motivations, I observe that a lack or diminished sense of confidence is at the core. They don’t feel they can be all they can be in a body that doesn’t feel right or with a physical anomaly or changes that don’t present them in the best possible light. I get this because I underwent plastic surgery around the same time I started the Transform Patient Portraiture Project.

After having my kids, I worked hard in the gym and ate right, but I still didn’t see a body that felt like me. Having children can change a woman’s body so much that sometimes we can lose confidence. In this situation, plastic surgery can become a piece of the solution to help recapture and enhance that confidence.

My project focuses on a variety of patients: mothers, massive weight loss patients, and transgender patients though are the focus. I chronicled my plastic surgery journey and now use it as a cornerstone discussion when engaging with patients. It is a form of education for the patient and those in the public who experience the project.

Berger: Can you share some insight into exactly how the Transform Patient Portraiture Project works?

Rednam: Every month, I invite three patients for a professional photoshoot. They have a good time, pose for the camera, record the best versions of themselves, and share their story on camera. It’s very therapeutic for them. They talk about their motivations for wanting surgery and how they feel, and how life is for them post-surgery.

It has proven to be an effective way for intending patients to connect with people who have gone down the same road they plan to travel. It’s helped those considering surgery to do some much-needed introspection to decide if surgery is the best course of action for them and to think about their motivations. It’s also been validating for potential patients that they are not alone in how they feel. Patients learn from one another, and that is a different experience than just from the provider. It brings their individual stories full circle. It is empowering for all of us.

Berger: Has any patient ever decided against surgery, and isn’t it kind of counterproductive for you?

Rednam: I have had a few patients decide against surgery, and some others decide that they need more time to think it over. Of course, when a patient chooses not to do the surgery, it’s a financial loss, but it’s not only about the money for me. And I don’t think it should be for anybody. But, of course, some plastic surgeons are so capitalistic and will do anything to convince a patient to go under the knife. I think that’s dangerous because the mental and psychological fallout is not something I would wish on anyone. My objective is not to boost my patient count but to help each patient make the best decision for themselves, an educated decision.

Berger: So, if I’m getting this right, the point you’re trying to get across to your patients is that confidence is more than just how you look.

Rednam: Exactly. That’s one of my cornerstone messages. It’s not about getting the perfect male or female body because there’s no such thing. It’s about finding confidence in yourself. The surgery is only meant to reflect what you already have on the inside. That’s why I take a holistic approach to treatment that supports my patients physically and mentally throughout their journey. We have shared experiences and stories that bring us together.

Education continues to take many multimedia forms spanning topics of all shapes and sizes. Dr. Rednam is counting on transparency to assist her intending patients in the decision-making process. She’s the first to share her story as a course in personal and professional transformation, and she’s banking on client smiles as the ultimate payment for her proctoring under the knife.

Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.