DUBAI // A plastic surgeon known as the King of Botox does not want to be remembered only for his aesthetic and cosmetic skills.
Dr Jaffer Khan, who has worked in Dubai for 18 years, says his work also involves dealing with trauma patients who are in great need.
“Plastic surgery is not just about cosmetic surgery. Although approximately 80 per cent of my patients are for aesthetic treatments, I still do lots of skin cancer surgery, as well as treating people for burns and scars,” says the 57-year-old Pakistani.
But Dr Khan, who sees about 20 patients a day, defends the sometimes-controversial botox procedure.
“Botox has come a long way,” he says. “There are many success stories with people getting the desired results time and time again. It has lots of positive features with few side-effects. The key is to ensure that people go to licensed practitioners, who are highly experienced and only use quality products that avoid complications.”
Dr Khan said there are cases where women hide their cosmetic treatments from their families, especially their husbands, but insists that it is not his business to ask his patient about their personal issues.
“My patients are adults and responsible,” he says. “I don’t ask them about their private and personal life. I always make sure my patient knows everything about the treatment that he or she is seeking at my clinic.”
The King of Botox was the first surgeon in the region to pass the Joint Surgical Colleges Fellowship Examination in plastic surgery in the UK and his areas of special interest include liposuction and body contouring, as well as aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast and abdomen.
He began studying medicine in his hometown of Karachi in 1986 and then moved to Ireland and then to the UK.
He took his initial plastic surgery training at Cork University Hospital before training for five years to be a plastic surgeon in the UK. He also visited the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and worked as a fellow at a leading Harley Street practice in London to gain experience in cosmetic surgery before moving to Dubai in 1998.
Dr Khan says that being ethical and honest is crucial for him.
“The most important part of my relationship with a patient is to build trust. Part of this is the consultation process, where I will spend time with each patient to access their needs and, if I don’t believe I can meet their expectations, I will tell them,” he says.
“I have received a combination of both realistic and unrealistic expectations from patients. I feel it’s my responsibility as an experienced surgeon to spend time counselling my patients, as some of them are young and often not thinking about the long-term impact of the surgery. Ultimately, we want them to leave feeling self-confident and happy.”
However, he has not always been able to convince his patients. “There are times when I lose my patient because he or she is not ready to listen. I am ready to lose my patient but I am not ready to do anything which is unethical,” he says.
Dr Khan, who has amassed great expertise throughout a successful career, enjoys giving back to society in many ways.
“Throughout my year career I have given my services to help many charities both in the UK and Pakistan,” he says. “Most recently we founded The Aesthetics Foundation, where we donate a percentage of our revenue from our clinic here in Dubai to support charities worldwide, in particular those suffering from disfigurement due to burns, accidents or trauma.”
