Self-proclaimed Patient-centric Surgeon is Anything but - Proceed with Caution if You Expect Hands-on Care from Your Surgeon.

I am currently a day shy of 2 weeks post-op from the second phase of my "mommy makeover," which included a tummy tuck and breast lift in phase 1, followed by an augmentation and liposuction a couple weeks ago. I am unable to speak to my final outcome, as my body is still healing, but I felt the need to speak about my experience with Dr. Lawton and his staff. Let me preface with the caveat that my expectations for bedside manner and general demeanor from a cosmetic surgeon are incredibly low, stereotype or not, so please know that is not the lens through which I am viewing my experience. I have seen Dr. Lawton a total of 6 times in the past year, which at first glance doesn't seem alarming. However, when you consider I've had 4 extensive procedures, paid him ~$25,000, been seen by (often incredibly rude or defensive) nurses no less than a dozen times, and have spent weeks of my life recovering from surgery, the perspective is a bit different. 1. Initial consultation. He spent an hour and a half with my partner and I, confidently and reassuringly addressing all our questions. Quite interestingly, it turns out, Dr. Lawton made a point to boast about his "hands-on" approach to care, stating he is personally engaged throughout the process, including post-operatively. (I hadn't considered there was another scenario, honestly, but in retrospect it feels a little like foreshadowing....) 2. Day of initial surgery. He was terse and matter-of-fact, but that's not something I can hold against a surgeon in-between patients, so this is more an aside than an actual critique. 3. 2 weeks post-op. I was initially denied my request to be examined by Dr. Lawton, having been met with defensiveness from his nurses after I asked questions about my surgery. At my 1 week post-op, I was told he was "too busy" and the nurses would be able to answer any questions I might have. (Spoiler: they could not, as they were not present for the surgery.) At my 2 week appointment, they actually became slightly combative when I asked for Dr. Lawton. The nurse eventually obliged, leaving the room to get him, though she didn't bother to close the exam room door and left me sitting completely nude in an open room. When Dr. Lawton finally came into the exam room, he was brusque and noticeably irritated, as though my request to be seen post-operatively by *my surgeon* was outlandish or egregiously demanding. He did answer my questions, though, and identified some issues with my healing that the nurses had not, so I'm glad I pushed the issue. I left in tears, furious and embarrassed. I ended up calling the office and spoke with the office manager about my experience, who assured me my experience wasn't the norm and would not happen again. 4. 8 weeks post-op. I again had to specifically request to be seen by Dr. Lawton. The nurse insisted I ask her all my questions before she'd allow me to see him. When he came into the exam room this time, he was blatantly rude. It was highly evident he had either no desire or no time to see me. This was my "final" post-op appointment until 6 months, however, and I had many questions, especially since my "mommy makeover" was phased. Although he was unpleasant, I'm glad I pushed for him to see me himself, as his responses to my questions were completely different from those provided by his nurse. (Physical limitations, ongoing care, timeline for phase 2, etc. - not insignificant topics.) 4. 6 months post-op (which included my augmentation consultation) Dr. Lawton was again incredibly abrupt, spending all of 5 minutes reviewing the progress from my first surgery. He waved away my concerns about my tummy tuck results with the recommendation to add liposuction (a $6k addition, by the way) to my augmentation. (Note: he'd previously told me I was not a candidate for liposuction during my initial consultation when he was quite lovely.) I regret not advocating for myself more aggressively during this consultation because I still have no idea what he actually did during the lipo portion of my surgery! My body looks exactly the same, though to be fair, the swelling is undoubtedly masking the true results. 5. Day of my second surgery. Dr. Lawton came in like a whirlwind once again, though this time I was more assertive, asking for a detailed explanation. In the 5 minutes he spent with me, he marked the spots he would be treating and addressed my concerns. In and out, but at least I felt assured he knew what he was doing and what I wanted. My 2 week post-op appointment is next week and I intend to raise these concerns once again with Dr. Lawton during that time. I've spoken with more than a dozen other women who've had the same or similar procedures performed by other surgeons - and one former patient whose experience 10+ years ago actually convinced me to become Dr. Lawton's patient myself - and not one of them has been seen by anyone but their surgeon post-operatively. I understand this is anecdotal, but it was striking to hear from so many others that my experience was abnormal and outside what other medical professionals have told me is simply the standard of care anyone should expect from a surgeon. I don't expect this to be a deal-breaker for all people, but for those who do expect their surgeon to honor his own claims of being "personally hands-on" and to be even remotely engaged in his patients' results and outcomes, it felt like something I needed to share. Again, my final results are still pending, I've had no major complications, and I have been healing very well. I am not disputing Dr. Lawton's surgical skill, but I absolutely dispute his claims of being patient-centric: that is patently untrue in my experience. Dr. Lawton might be a great surgeon - and he is most assuredly a great salesman - but from my perspective, I am not a patient for whom he and his staff care tremendously, but a commodity, and I have been treated as such at every turn.