For some it is the straight nose, for others the smooth forehead: beauty has many faces. Dr. med. Adrian Palma, founder of artis Ästhetikzentrum, is the magician with the syringe and scalpel who always rushes into action when his own reflection makes him unhappy. The biggest compliment for the plastic surgeon? When you only recognize his work at second glance.
FACES: This year, People magazine named Alexander Dreymon and Ashley Graham the most beautiful people in the world. What beauty ideals do you follow in your clinic, and what do you have to look like in 2023 to be considered beautiful?
Dr. med. Adrian Palma: Even though we are undergoing major changes – the keywords here are “social media” and “gender diversity” – I believe that there are clearly defined differences between femininity and masculinity, which we must also respect in all our treatments. Consultations and treatments in aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery require a holistic approach. As part of this holistic approach, all characteristics, above all the individuality of a person, must be taken into account. In my opinion, standardizing a certain ideal of beauty in the sense of a “one size fits all” approach does not work. Before I founded artis in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic, I jotted down the following sentence over a good glass of wine, which summarizes my attitude towards this topic well: Beauty is based on individuality, and individuality creates uniqueness in the form of aesthetics.
F: It wasn’t so long ago that cosmetic surgery and aesthetic procedures were more of a niche business in this country and often associated with exaggerated beauty ideals – double-D cups send their regards. These times are also clearly over. How would you characterize your average patient today?
AP: It is true that we are currently experiencing a boom in our industry in Switzerland. Facial treatments with BTX and fillers in particular have increased significantly since the pandemic. People were isolated at home or in the home office for a long time and had plenty of opportunity to deal with their appearance, especially their face, during Zoom calls, etc. However, this does not mean that all patients are open about cosmetic surgery. Due to the accumulation of these procedures, the image of the average patient has also changed accordingly. My patients include women and men from all walks of life, for whom high quality treatment and a unique service are important.
What makes the artis Aesthetics Center special
F: Why do these patients choose your clinic when there are so many beauty practices and clinics on the market today? And how did you manage to stand out in this highly competitive scene?
AP: In Switzerland, we can assume that a high quality of medical treatment is a matter of course. With a few exceptions, this is certainly the case. So we cannot stand out with our expertise and high quality of treatment alone. The artis concept, on the other hand, clearly stands out from its competitors with its outstanding service concept. From the very first contact, a first-class “guest journey” begins for our customers, with the aim of making them feel well looked after and comfortable at all times. My team is of the utmost relevance to me. My greatest success is when I manage to retain my team in the long term and the employees feel comfortable with us. In addition to the exceptional level of service that we offer at artis, the decisive factor for me is the ability to analyze people as a whole and to assess and advise them individually. For me, in addition to the basic building blocks of experience, expertise and empathy, this has a lot to do with art, hence the name “art is”, i.e. artis. Without sounding arrogant, I believe that I am one of the best in this field.
F: You have developed a concept specifically for this purpose, according to which you proceed when you carry out consultations and treatments as part of your services. Tell us more about it.
AP: My concept is called Face-it. It aims to consciously deal with the current situation, i.e. the actual state, in both a positive and a negative sense. Imagine sitting in front of the mirror in the hair salon for several hours. You inevitably have to deal with your appearance. Many of us know that moment when we try to block out our reflection and no longer want to deal with it. But it is precisely this confrontation with the present “self” that is immensely important in the doctor-patient relationship. Only when doctors and patients generate a “shared mindset” can we achieve results that are satisfactory for both our clients and ourselves.
F: When do you consider a treatment to be successful?
AP: The greatest compliment is when people only recognize my work from the outside at second glance and I can give my patients a new sense of self-esteem and a lot of joie de vivre with sometimes small changes.
The trends in aesthetic treatments
F: Which aesthetic treatments are currently very much in vogue with you?
AP: We are experiencing a strong trend in the area of so-called micro-optimizations. These mainly include minor procedures with botulinum toxin and various hyaluronic fillers and skin boosters, or apparative treatments such as the Morpheus 8. For me, the latter is clearly one of the greatest innovations in the field of aesthetic medicine in recent years. At artis, we cover the entire spectrum of aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery. However, it is important to us to structure our range in such a way that we primarily offer those procedures that we believe to be the best on the market. These include, above all, facelifts and all breast operations. Our treatment concept allows us to perform all operations in an outpatient setting, as we believe that a hospital environment inevitably makes patients feel ill and has a negative impact on the recovery process.
The artis signature breast
F: You mention breast surgery in particular. What characterizes the artis signature breast?
AP: We also uphold our aesthetic and ethical values when it comes to breast surgery. The breast is the symbol of femininity and must fit into the female silhouette in terms of all criteria such as size and shape. Here, too, the saying goes: it’s nice if you can’t see it. What do I do differently from others? Like other breast surgeons, I certainly have the expertise to model a breast beautifully. The crucial point, however, is whether the patient feels that he or she has been picked up during the consultation, is well advised and feels comfortable at all times. We do everything we can to make the patient feel comfortable with this very sensitive and intimate topic. So there is always a female employee in the room at our meetings. The relationship of trust between me and the patient is usually established quickly, which probably explains my high conversion rate. We take a minimum of 60 minutes for the initial consultation. During this consultation, we provide comprehensive and straightforward information about all the options and risks. State-of-the-art 3D simulation technology is used to determine the expected result. We also pay attention to a stress-free and low-pain surgical technique. By choosing high-quality implants, we can help to create an almost invisible scar with minimal incisions (2 cm).
F: Are there still patients who are afraid of surgery? How do you deal with this?
AP: Discomfort and respect are part of every physical procedure. The fear of being hurt is part of our basic instinct. I consider it fatal if a medical procedure were to evoke the same emotion as a daily trip to the supermarket. I deal with the topic of anxiety very openly by picking up my patients and trying to understand the reasons for their anxiety. I then try to minimize or eliminate this fear during my consultations. Medicine is similar to love: there is no guarantee of a happy ending. What I can guarantee, however, is that with our expertise and passion for aesthetics, we will do everything we can to achieve a perfect result.
F: Are there any topics that you consciously steer clear of?
AP: Although we are operating in a market with great sales potential (and rising), we remain doctors with the obligation and primary goal of not harming our patients. I have never lost sight of this ethical requirement of “primum non nocere” for myself over the years, and saying no is one of my daily tasks. In the course of my consultations, I encounter people with completely distorted ideals of beauty every day. The social media trend certainly has a strong influence here. I recently had a conversation with a patient who complained that she doesn’t look the same in real life as she does in the pictures on her Instagram profile with the appropriate filters. She wanted targeted facial treatments to match her Instagram filter. I consider it unethical and dubious to fulfill such a wish. In principle, there are no treatments that we categorically reject as long as they meet our aesthetic and ethical requirements.
F: Many patients choose to go abroad or are lured by cheap offers at home and abroad. What experiences have you had with this?
AP : Dissatisfied customers with sometimes unsuccessful interventions at home and abroad, who come to us for a second opinion, are unfortunately the order of the day. It is astonishing that such cases continue to occur in large numbers, even though purchasing power in Switzerland is good enough. Because one thing is very clear: nine out of ten cases justify their choice to have the procedure carried out abroad or by a low-cost provider on the basis of price. Every day I experience that patients question the treatment price and want to negotiate. When you consider that no one would think of negotiating the price of certain status symbols (handbags, jewelry, etc.), it is absolutely incomprehensible to me to question the price and thus the quality of treatment when it comes to health issues. Ultimately, the goal of saving money is often missed if costly follow-up treatments become necessary after an unsuccessful intervention.
Transparent prices ensure trust
F: Is it even possible to afford the treatments at artis?
AP: Absolutely! We work with standard market prices and only use the best products available on the market. Consequently, we do not offer dumping prices because it would not reflect the quality we offer our customers. Of course, we offer our customers various payment models that can be used if required. We regularly send existing customers one-off special offers in our newsletter to thank them for their loyalty. Follow-up checks incl. Materials are always included in the price, which is also unusual on the market and ensures transparency.
F: With your artis-Academy, you train doctors at a global level in your specialist field of cosmetic surgery. Why is that so important to you?
AP: Aristotle said: “Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.” Looking back on my long and sometimes arduous training path, I would have been glad if someone had taken me by the hand and introduced me to the subject in a structured way. Unfortunately, even today there is still no structured training in aesthetic medicine. Interested colleagues have to take care of learning their skills in this very difficult discipline themselves. Many established doctors also refuse to pass on their knowledge because they fear that this will inevitably create competition. Training young doctors is a matter close to my heart. As part of my courses, I also continue to develop during the training and thus prevent myself from standing still.
F: Where do you get the strength to perform at this level every day?
AP: From my privately stable and harmonious environment with my partner, the children and our dog Achilles – great music, excellent home-cooked food and a glass of wine from the wine cellar are of course a must. Where I can always recharge my batteries is on a day of golf with my two boys, when I put my smartphone and any stress aside for at least four hours; that’s pure relaxation for me. I gather new inspiration when I travel – be it fishing in Alaska or on my most enriching trip to date to Hawaii. I was very touched by the people and rituals there. The current situation on the ground has therefore shocked me greatly and prompted me to provide help personally.
F: What advice would you give to undecided people who have not yet found their trusted doctor?
AP: To an appointment with us. (laughs) I recommend that interested clients make sure that the doctor they trust meets a number of essential requirements, such as a specialist title and many years of experience in the relevant field. Ask your doctor critical questions, such as “how many procedures of this type have you already performed”. You will then very quickly realize how much expertise and experience is available. Obtaining a second opinion also makes sense and helps in the decision-making process.
Dr. med. Adrian Palma
After completing his medical studies, Dr. Adrian Palma stepped on the gas pedal, seamlessly completed his training as a specialist in surgery and then gained his experience in the most renowned clinics in Germany and abroad. It was clear early on that Palma’s specialty was aesthetic surgery, specializing in breast surgery and treatments with autologous fat. A trip to Hawaii led him to Dr. Robert S. Flowers, one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in the USA. Back in Switzerland, Palma founded the artis Aesthetics Center in 2021, trains doctors internationally and uses his expertise to support pharmaceutical companies in the development of new products.
ARTIS
The concept developed by Dr. med. artis Aesthetics Center, founded by Adrian Palma, is ideally located at Stettbach station near Dübendorf in Zurich. Just four minutes from Stadelhofen station and seven minutes from Zurich main station, Dr. Palma takes care of all his clients’ concerns.
artis Aesthetics Center
On the outskirts 5
8600 Dübendorf
Mon to Fri: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., evening hours and weekend appointments on request
+41 44 820 00 66
info@artis-aesthetics.ch Whatsapp +41 79 820 27 27
You can find out more about artis here.
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Teaser photo & photos: © Gerry Nitsch
