Episode Transcript
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Paki (00:11):
Welcome to Vegas Circle Podcast with your hosts, paki
and Chris.
We are people who arepassionate about business,
success and culture and this isour platform to showcase to
people in our city who make ithappen.
On today's podcast, we have inthe circle top plastic surgeon
who specializes in a scar-freebreast augmentation, tummy tucks
and BBLs.
Let's dive into thetransformative world of cosmetic
surgery.
(00:31):
We welcome in the founder ofPlatinum Plastic Surgery, dr
Christopher Costa.
Good to have you in the circle,my man.
Christopher Costa (00:38):
Thank you very much.
I'm so excited to be here.
Paki (00:40):
You got a great social media man.
I was laughing when I was doingmy research on you man.
Christopher Costa (00:44):
You guys have a lot of fun in your office
, man I was seeing so I thinkthat's like super important
actually um you know there's, uh, there's a lot of, I think,
office culture, like you know,even as a as a medical office.
Yeah, uh, you know the peoplethat are there, like you know,
that energy, like patients seethat For sure, like they feed
(01:05):
off that.
So we try to make it.
As you know, it's stillobviously a serious place, sure.
Paki (01:12):
Like there's still work.
Christopher Costa (01:13):
that has to be done.
But we do try to like, make itfun and like not just that
corporate, oh, like it's fakefun, but like you know?
Yeah, try to find people whoenjoy what they're doing, for,
you know, try to find people whoenjoy what they're doing For
sure.
Chris (01:25):
You kind of bring up a good point there right off the
bat is that you know medicalbusiness in general.
Every time I've gone to amedical office I kind of had
that experience where it's veryquiet, very serious, I'm like I
get a little nervous just beingthere.
It doesn't create like anexciting atmosphere.
Do you put a lot of effort intodoing that for the practice as
a whole?
Christopher Costa (01:40):
Yeah, we definitely.
We spend a lot of time with ourwhole staff talking about the
experience.
Okay, like you know, as opposedto a medical office, like you
get diagnosed with something,you have to go somewhere.
You have, no one needs to cometo my office.
Nobody needs plastic surgery.
Chris (01:56):
Good point yeah.
Christopher Costa (01:56):
You know what I mean.
So so everyone is there becausethey want to be there and
because they're interested inyou know in.
In selecting our office, and alot of it does come down to,
results are important, likesurgical results are important
right.
But for a lot of patients, it'sabout that feeling that they
get when they're in the office.
This is a place that you'regoing to want to come back to
for your follow-up appointments.
(02:18):
If you have a problem, these arethe people you're going to be
talking to on the phone if theprescriptions don't get filled
right or something like that.
So we try to create thatseamless kind of experience and
hopefully it's reflected like inthe social media too.
Paki (02:35):
Yeah.
Christopher Costa (02:38):
Because everybody is kind of on that
same page, like it's allobviously about the patients,
sure, but it's not just aboutthe medical side of it For sure.
Yeah, making sure that everyonehas a good experience, that's
good stuff.
Paki (02:48):
Yeah, so you're originally from Nevada, right?
Yep, okay.
Christopher Costa (02:59):
So born and raised your whole life in this
area.
I grew up in Reno.
Okay, oh, awesome Okay.
Paki (03:04):
So uh, grew to Hawaii actually.
So that's a big yeah, that's ahuge difference yeah.
Christopher Costa (03:07):
Uh, you know , jumped on an airplane and just
said, okay, like, uh, I want itto be in the most totally
different place that I can love.
Uh, and spent, you know, a lotof my time kind of like figuring
out who I was like out there.
That's awesome, yeah, yeah, Iwas out there for through
undergraduate and medical school, okay, and then I traveled all
(03:28):
over the country for my medicaltraining, so I spent a lot of
time on the East coast.
Um, I was at um in Boston for alittle bit.
Paki (03:36):
Okay, what part, yeah, what, what, what area?
I lived in New England for along time.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, awesome.
Christopher Costa (03:42):
Okay, trained at Beth Israel Deaconess
, one of the Harvard hospitals,and then from there I went to
Hopkins in Baltimore.
So I spent a few years inBaltimore.
Paki (03:49):
Awesome.
Christopher Costa (03:50):
Okay, and then after that moved to Texas
and spent a long time in Dallas.
Actually, that's awesome.
All over.
Paki (03:57):
Look, I applaud you, man.
I did an internship at TuftsMedical for three years and I
was like I can't do that.
I couldn't do the blood, Icouldn't do the anatomy labs.
I was like I'm not built forthis.
Christopher Costa (04:06):
And I'm happy I did the internship it
was the most intense thing I'vedone.
Yeah, it was very intense.
Paki (04:12):
Yeah, that's good stuff, man.
So what made you get intoplastic surgery?
What was that decision?
Christopher Costa (04:20):
I usually tell patients plastic surgery
shows me I didn't really chooseit.
I actually wanted to be anorthopedic surgeon.
I was really into, like youknow, the bros and the heavy
machinery equipment and thedrills and stuff and they were
like you're just like a scrawny,like you can't catch a ball,
like I don't know, that'shilarious, I just didn't like
(04:45):
connect like with that group ofpeople I guess.
And so I was kind of followingmy passion, going through more
trauma stuff.
I wanted to be that guy thatcould save the life of somebody
who shows up a bloody mess orsomething in the ER.
So that's kind of the directionI was headed.
But a lot of my mentors andpeople they were like, have you
ever thought aboutreconstructive surgery?
But a lot of my mentors andpeople they were like, have you
(05:06):
ever thought aboutreconstructive surgery?
You just seem to have kind of agood you'd be a good fit for
that and I thought it was alittle crazy.
And then things just kind offell into place and that's you
know.
I started off really with apassion more for hand surgery
and for reconstructive surgery,reconstructive breast surgery,
(05:28):
like after I had breast cancer,and that's really where it kind
of stemmed and started.
And as it evolved I moved toVegas with the plan of working
more on the reconstructive sideand the aesthetic side of my
(05:52):
practice, really just kind offlourished and I love doing it.
I love our patients.
I feel like I get to reallymake a lot of difference for a
lot of people.
Paki (06:00):
I bet yeah.
Christopher Costa (06:02):
And in a way that you know, they're so much
more appreciative almost thanthe guy who gets three gunshot
wounds.
Paki (06:11):
Yeah, that makes sense.
Yeah, that's very true.
Christopher Costa (06:15):
So it's a stark contrast to kind of like
where I started, but a lot ofthings are still the same, like
in terms of being able to helppeople in a different way and in
almost in a way that I'm reallylike under the microscope right
, because everything we do in myfield, whatever I do, it gets
posted on Instagram.
Paki (06:36):
Oh that's a good point.
Christopher Costa (06:37):
You know like whatever that patient has,
like they're telling theirfriends about it.
You know they're showing theirfriends like if you got your
gallbladder out, like nobodyknows if they did a good job or
a bad job right.
Everything I do is really underthe microscope from not only my
peers but just people in thecommunity, and that kind of
thing.
I like it because it's aconstant challenge.
(06:59):
You constantly have to evolve.
I think that's part of whywe've been successful is just
because I'm always trying to getbetter.
Chris (07:09):
And do you have like an option to do one or the other
Like, or do you have acombination of both?
Is it just all aesthetics or isit all you know like
reconstructive?
Christopher Costa (07:17):
Yeah, no.
So at this point in my careerI'm like 99% Got it, yeah, Got
it.
Chris (07:22):
So even like you know, just from my own understanding,
like when you pick a field andyou become an expert in that
field, like do you still havethe capabilities to jump into
different things if you want to,or like are you pretty much
pigeonholed now?
Christopher Costa (07:34):
Yeah, that's a good question.
You know, the most traditionallike kind of branching point
really is like when you finishmedical school and go into
residency, and that really doesusually kind of like determine
the track that you're going tostay on.
But you know, in surgery, forinstance, there's, you know,
eight to 12 different surgicalsubspecialties.
(07:55):
So there is some flexibilitythere.
And then you know, my story islike I said, it's just a little
unique because I did really, Iwas really passionate kind of
about one thing and then I wasable to be fortunate enough to
kind of like step back and justkind of pivot a little bit and
(08:16):
take a different course.
So I didn't start off wantingyou know, coming from a
background of plastic surgeonsand saying I was going to be a
plastic surgeon.
I came from a background ofnothing.
Chris (08:31):
You chose your own lane.
Christopher Costa (08:33):
I just had to figure it out on my own.
I'm really fortunate that Ifound something that I really am
passionate about and that Ireally enjoy getting up and
going to do every day.
Paki (08:42):
Backtracking a little bit .
You talk about breast cancerand stuff like that and you have
to reconstruct it.
That has to be powerful,Because that changes people's
lives a lot of times, man, andgives them some confidence back.
Christopher Costa (08:52):
It truly was .
There's amazing centers acrossthe country that are doing this
type of work and stuff.
It's more about getting withoutgetting too controversial.
It's more about getting notgetting like too, uh,
controversial, like you know.
It's more about getting likethe health insurance companies
to kind of help participatethough yeah, which which is why
I'm.
I just didn't want to even beinvolved in that headache
(09:15):
anymore.
So yeah I like I almost feel youknow the big complaint people
have about medicine is like youshow up for a service and nobody
knows like what the bill isright.
Like it's like they charge oneperson one thing, yeah, person
another thing.
I feel like I'm in the most,I'm in the purest form of that
business because everything I doyou're gonna like there's a
price and you get that price.
Paki (09:36):
Yeah, exactly what's on the paper.
You?
Christopher Costa (09:38):
know there's no like shell game.
There's no switching and fixingit's just very like clear cut,
like what, where everybody endsup.
Chris (09:46):
That's great.
How do you like navigate thepressures of it?
Because it is elective and itis cosmetic and people go in
there with a big expectation ofhow they want to look or how
they want they want to feel, andit's not one of those things.
You could do it and then, if it, you know you mess up, it goes
a different direction.
Like you're pretty much you know, locked in at that point.
So to me it's a lot of pressureand obviously you're very
experienced at what you do.
But how do you navigate thatsituation?
Christopher Costa (10:07):
a little bit yeah, so there's two things,
and the first thing is very muchwhat you actually are.
You kind of alluded to it ismanagement expectations.
Um, from the moment we I meet aperson to talk about what
they're looking for, you know, II want to, I want to assess,
(10:28):
like, what their end goalresults are and I want to make
sure that their expectations areappropriate.
Um, my office, uh, you knowthis leads into.
The second thing is that I'mvery uh pessimistic, okay, so,
like I'm, I'm always thinking ofkind of like what's the worst
case scenario?
Um, when I'm talking withpeople, cause, like I don't want
to disappoint, I don't want todisappoint someone you know
(10:51):
who's coming to me and likethey're putting their trust in
me or whatever.
So, um, so I tend to be verymuch like you know when, when
I'm meeting with them, I'm like,okay, well, this can go
(11:14):
perspective that this is surgery, that everyone's human anatomy
is different, that there'ssometimes things we can't
predict Now, that being said,usually everything's great, yeah
, and from that standpoint I'meven pessimistic about myself.
I'm like man, all right, what isthis patient not going to like
about their result?
Like when I'm looking at themon the operating room table.
Sometimes that means I got tolike take those stitches out and
like redo it or reclose it orcut some more skin out here,
change the shape of the nose alittle bit, because I know like,
(11:38):
okay, I don't want this.
I want this person to be happyand I don't want them coming
back and expressingdisappointment.
Maybe I'm a little bit of apeople pleaser.
I think that probably factorsinto it a little bit, but I
think for most people I don'tthink it matters what type of
career you're in.
I would say an overwhelmingmajority of people just go to
(11:58):
work and they just kind of gothrough the steps.
And they don't think about thesteps, and I think a big part of
success, in whatever fieldyou're in, is just just pausing
at each step of you know,whatever you're doing and just
evaluating yourself andevaluating your result, and
evaluating what you're doing andsaying, you know, having that
self-reflection to uh realizelike, okay, is this going the
(12:20):
way I?
Paki (12:20):
want it to or do.
Christopher Costa (12:22):
I need to make an adjustment or pivot a
little bit so um so, and I thinkin my field that's like very
important you know, does it seemlike?
Paki (12:30):
it's like, for example, like I think it was uh, Korea,
right, South Korea is like thebig, that's like the capital for
cosmetic surgeries and thingslike that.
How do you feel we compare, youknow, in the States compared to
what they're doing there andthe transition with technologies
and things like that?
Christopher Costa (12:46):
In terms of cosmetic surgery.
Paki (12:48):
Yeah, cosmetic surgery.
Christopher Costa (12:50):
No, we are just as good, if not better,
when it comes to developing newtechniques and all that kind of
thing.
The difference is that healthcare in the United States is
obviously very, very expensive,right?
Chris (13:03):
Yes.
Paki (13:04):
I was getting that.
Christopher Costa (13:04):
It's very, very expensive.
And in other countries, becausethey have different standards
of everything, not in a bad way,necessarily, but the cost of
doing business is just so much,so much less, and so the cost of
those procedures is less.
Paki (13:20):
They are versus here, yeah.
Christopher Costa (13:21):
So the barrier for entry is much, much
lower, which just means thevolume is much higher, and when
you really increase volume,you're going to get better and
you're going to be known asbeing the place to get something
done.
So the volume in places likeKorea and Taiwan is just so much
higher because they are able todo those procedures for at a
(13:44):
fraction of the cost that we dothem here in the United States.
It doesn't necessarily mean thatthey're better, like when we
look at, you know, in ourmedical journals, like you know
who's doing the cutting edgeresearch, who are the people who
develop these techniques.
You know a lot of it did comeout of the United States, not to
say, but you know they're doingsome awesome stuff over there
too.
Paki (14:07):
For sure You're seeing like a lot of people now you're
to your point going to placeswhere it's a little bit cheaper,
like turkey and mexico and alot of those are very you know
nervous, but I'm seeing evenmore and more people here
locally going to mexico forsurgeries like how do you, yeah,
so this is obviously like avery touchy subject yeah
Christopher Costa (14:21):
because, um, it's there's.
When you look at it on paperyou're like, oh, I can go here
and it's, it's a fraction of thecost, maybe, that it is here,
but, um, but the standards ofwhat what are offered are very
different.
You know, when I do surgeryhere, you know I am in a state,
certified, accredited surgicalfacility with every life-saving
(14:42):
measure like known to man.
That if you know, if, if thelights go off in all of vegas I
have, you know the capability inthe facilities that you know
there's going to be power in myoperating room and there's a lot
of like life-saving technology,that's like available, and
that's because that's we're inthe united states.
Paki (15:00):
I would have never thought of that.
I would have never thought ofthat.
That's the standard here, right, and so that's the standard
here, right, and so that's notthe standard.
Christopher Costa (15:05):
when you go to Mexico, that's not the
standard.
And not to say that those likeI said that they don't have good
doctors and good facilities,but it's different.
Anyone who's been to Mexicojust knows you go into any sort
of restaurant, it's different.
So those are the kinds ofthings I think that people
(15:26):
sometimes willingly overlookbecause they're just very
focused on price and cost.
And I usually say there'scertain things that you want to
try and find the best product on?
Chris (15:36):
Yeah, that's not one of them.
Maybe this isn't one of them.
Christopher Costa (15:39):
And because that cost correlates to
something, there's a reason whythings just are more expensive
here.
Um and so, uh, you know,there's uh, there.
There's obviously been horrorstories of people going to other
countries.
I know like recently there wassomebody who went to get a tummy
tuck in Turkey and they tookout our kidney and like yeah, so
(16:01):
there there is like that kindof stuff that happens, um, our
kidney and like, yeah, so there,there is like that kind of
stuff that happens, um, you know, but uh, and, and that doesn't
happen in the united statesdifferent countries all the time
.
So uh, so there is.
You know the reality.
Like you guys talk aboutbusiness and stuff like that,
the reality is there's, there'sa market for everyone, and I
(16:23):
mean the people who are going toprioritize that, like if cost
is like your ultimate, likepriority, like that is the thing
that is most important to you.
Paki (16:31):
It's not a lot of times it moves in safety.
Christopher Costa (16:33):
Then you're probably not the right patient
for me because, like that's notwhat I'm focused on, Like my my
goal is not to do your surgeryas quickly as possible.
My goal is to do to get you thebest result.
So that's going to be.
It's almost like aself-selecting thing, Got it?
Paki (16:49):
Okay, I'm glad you brought that up.
So you have a specialty withthe scar-free breast
augmentation right?
I did not know you do this.
Is it underarm, in the creaseof the underarm?
Christopher Costa (17:00):
Yeah, Okay so you know we're in Vegas.
There's a lot of entertainment.
You know a lot of people whowork at, like you know, cocktail
waitresses people who work atthe day clubs and stuff like
that.
People don't want scars.
Like we're in Vegas, we show alot of skin right, so a lot of
my patients do.
They want to have those results, but they don't want the stigma
(17:22):
of having undergone surgery.
So a technique I learned when Ilived in Texas was how to do
breast augmentation using anendoscope, going through an
underarm incision, and that, forme, I just said, hey, if I was
a woman, this is the way I wouldwant it done.
These results are really,really awesome.
Woman, this is the way I wouldwant it done.
(17:42):
Like, like, these results arereally really awesome.
So it's something that I, uh, I, I personally like went out and
looked into and tried to learn,um, and, and kind of, you know,
put my own energy into it.
Um, you know, it's notsomething that's commonly done.
I never heard yeah when.
Paki (17:56):
I was doing.
Christopher Costa (17:57):
I was like, wow, I didn't even know you
could do that yeah, there's afew barriers, like from as a
plastic surgeon, like number one.
There's some special equipmentthat you have to have and that
you have to kind of be trainedon how to use, and so that's a
that's a big limiting factor fora lot of surgeons, sure, um,
the other thing is, uh, most,most surgeons who do a lot of
breast augmentation, um, uh,they do a lot of them very
(18:17):
quickly and, and obviously,going through this technique
takes a little bit longer, andso, um, so some there's just
people that are like I'm gooddoing it, sure do it and again,
like you know, I we offer, weoffer every different sort of
incision, but the thing thatpeople travel here for, you know
, if they're coming to me for anaugmentation, it's usually
because they're like hey, you dothis and you do it well.
(18:39):
Like you know, um are with, withsome of the new advancements in
our newer implants, the use offunnel devices, our
understanding about, like um,some of the long-term
complications associated withimplants, like that's what I
wanted to ask you about.
Yeah, I can get I get the sameresults, if not my, if not
better, like you know, usingthis approach um in my patients
(19:01):
than I do with you know otherapproaches.
So it's something that, like Ilike it because, like I said, if
I was doing a breastaugmentation, that's the way I
would probably work.
Paki (19:10):
Yeah, yeah, very interesting.
How does it like?
Because you hear a lot aboutthat, right.
You hear about people getting,you know, breast implants and
things like that, and then youhear them being removed for some
reason.
Right, maybe it is the, I don'tknow what you would call them,
not the material, but what?
What are you putting inside?
You know a person's body Like,what is it that's actually going
inside their body, that thatit's getting better, if that
(19:31):
makes sense.
I don't know if I'm asking theright question, cause I'm
hearing a lot of stuff about,like, the stuff that you used
back in the day was horrible,and then I'm going to take it
back.
Christopher Costa (19:38):
So the first .
So going back to like what thefirst breast augmentation was,
the first breast augmentationwas done with a sponge.
Paki (19:45):
Oh, okay, a sponge.
Yeah, that makes We've come along way.
Yeah, okay, very good point,yeah.
Christopher Costa (19:49):
So you know now we're using highly cohesive
medical grade.
You know silicone is.
You know what most surgeonsprefer.
There are still like salineoptions out there, but like, if
you cut this thing in half itjust stays there, it's not going
to like leak through your bodyokay, you know so so the
implants we have are very safe.
You know, the reality is is, uh,there's a moratorium put on
(20:12):
silicone implants in the 90s andeveryone had to use saline and
you know there was thoughts thatsilicone implants may cause
cancer, may cause yes, all thesethings right.
This is one of the very fewdevices that the FDA has ever
like come back and said like youknow, we did a lot of research
on this, we did multiple studies, we looked at all the data from
(20:32):
Europe and all over the worldand we don't have anything to
say that this should not be FDAapproved, got it.
So it's very rare for the FDA tolike turn and then come back.
You know what I mean, so, um,so, so I feel very confident in
the safety of, you know, of thedevices that we use and the and
the prostheses we use.
Um, now, there's no doubt that,uh uh, that there are.
(20:58):
There's a very small group ofpatients that have something
called like breast implantillness, which, where they are
having symptoms of that, arevery nonspecific and and they,
you know, really feel like it'stheir implants that are creating
those symptoms.
Paki (21:16):
And I hear that multiple times.
That's why I wanted to ask youthat.
Yeah.
Christopher Costa (21:18):
Now, the, the, the, the.
The hard part about this isthat these are very non-specific
symptoms and these are verylike inability to focus, um,
restlessness, hot heatintolerance, cold intolerance,
waking, mental fogginess.
These are all things that, likeI don't know about you, but
like adds to your balance, toyour body yeah that's me all the
(21:38):
time.
Chris (21:38):
That's just me, you know , like that's just that's just
me not being 20 years oldanymore, right.
Christopher Costa (21:44):
So there is some it's very, you know doing
all the things that we do, we'renot really able to like to
really hone in exactly on, likewhat's happening.
But my approach to this is just, you know, if you feel like
this could be a factor like thiscould be creating this problem,
(22:05):
you know we'll take them out.
It's not a big deal and um, andI can tell you that you know,
for for a lot of patients, thatjust gives them that peace of
mind.
Um, now I will say also thatthere is a little bit more of a
trend of patients who are, um,just you know, they've had their
implants in for 10, 20 yearsand they're like it's done with
them.
(22:26):
It was fun when I was 20 yearsold or 25 years old, and now
they're in their 40s and theyhave some extra weight and they
just kind of want to be smallerbuses.
So it's not uncommon to removethe implants and you know, and
do a lift or, you know, dowhatever we need to do.
(22:46):
And I think that that's awesomebecause I think we're seeing,
like I said, like, just becauseyou have an operation when
you're 20, it doesn't mean youhave to, like, keep getting
implants till you're 90 yearsold or whatever we can always
take them out and you knowdifferent phases in life.
I think one trap peoplesometimes get caught in is you
(23:08):
know they're like, oh well, Iwant to do procedure X, but I
got to wait till this happens inmy life, or I'm done having
kids or I'm done.
You know, and the truth is isyou know you're only going to be
this age today.
You know.
So if you want to, you know, ifyou want to enjoy that, you
know, live in the moment, thatkind of thing Like it's, you can
(23:29):
.
We can always do other stufflater.
You know we can always takethem out or or or change things.
You know there's obviously some, some exceptions to that.
You know we don't want to likebe doing tummy tucks and people
are going to have more kids.
But enjoy it now.
Our goal is really to enhanceyour natural anatomy and your
(23:53):
natural self.
So just make you kind of thebest version of yourself where
you are today.
If you're 25, I can make youthe best version of your
25-year-old, but when you're 35,I can't make you the best 25
year old.
Paki (24:02):
That's a good point.
So you're honest, Like go backto Chris's point.
We was asking you earlier Doyou have to tell a lot of people
no?
Like hey, this is not realisticon what you're trying to
accomplish?
Christopher Costa (24:12):
Luckily I do not, because I'm very fortunate
that I just have a lot ofreally normal patients.
Paki (24:18):
That's good, okay, normal patients.
Christopher Costa (24:19):
That's good, okay.
Yeah, it's not like what yousee on tv.
Uh, like you know, beverlyhills and everything's
exaggerated with their giantlips and they're like, yeah, you
know, whatever, and they all,they're all crazy or whatever
it's.
It's really just a lot ofnormal people.
It's just, you know, I got twokids at home, I'm, you know, I I
work out six days a week orfour days a week and I just
(24:39):
don't, I just can't hold it alltogether.
Kind of the same way, like youdid before.
So they're looking for a littleliposuction, they're looking for
things to be a little tightenedup and, like I said, they're
just so.
I am very lucky.
I don't know about otheroffices, but for the most part I
have very normal patients andthey're normal people.
Paki (24:56):
Yeah, what's the percentage of men that you work
on?
Do a lot of men get you knowplastic surgery that they're
getting done?
Christopher Costa (25:04):
So I think I think At your office.
Paki (25:06):
I'm saying this is just a general, yeah.
Christopher Costa (25:07):
Yeah, nationally it's probably like
10% In my office it's more like20 to 20.
Oh, so you?
Do a good amount we're veryhigh.
Oh, okay, I didn't realize thatIn that sense for a few reasons
.
One, I do a lot of rhinoplasty.
I do a lot of men for noses,and then I also specialize a
little bit in gynecomastiasurgery, which is male breast
(25:30):
tissue, which has been one ofthe most gratifying procedures I
do, because it is literally alifestyle debilitating kind of
thing for the men that I see.
See in the sense that they'relike I can't wear certain
clothes, I'm really nervous totake my shirt off at the pool.
I just don't feel comfortablewearing certain things and how
(25:53):
my chest is going to showthrough.
And it's this super commonthing that guys do not want to
talk about.
We don't all sit together andtalk about it.
Paki (26:02):
I didn't even know that was a thing.
I didn't even know it was athing until you just brought it
up right now.
Christopher Costa (26:05):
Yeah, and so , um, you know it's uh, but when
guys start finding it or startlooking for it you know we they
usually come across our websiteand we just have lots of
pictures.
We have.
We have hundreds of before andafter photos of every person.
So you know, they kind of getthe idea that we treat a lot of
men and to that point, like Itry to keep our office
(26:28):
relatively gender neutral, Iguess you'd say just because
like there's no reason the guyscan't look good too.
You know, I mean we all,everybody there's when you, when
.
It's not about vanity and it'sjust about being like the best
version of yourself, like that'severybody.
It's not about vanity and it'sjust about being like the best
version of yourself, like that'severybody.
That's not just a woman thing,that's all of us.
You know we all kind of whetherit's doing it in the gym or you
(26:52):
know diet or you know like it'sa synergistic thing.
Like you know, we try to addall those things together.
It's how you get to the bestversion.
Chris (27:04):
One thing I'm curious about is, like you know, you're
one person right and I feel likeit limits the amount of growth
opportunity from a businessperspective.
You know, as you continue towant to drive and promote and
compete and, you know, try toget people into the office, you
know, by doing the right things,but really isn't there a
ceiling of how much you canrealistically do and how do you
manage that expectation of howyou want to grow?
Christopher Costa (27:19):
Yeah, 100%.
So you hit the nail on the head, right, I mean among most
surgeons, not just plasticsurgeons, obviously, but
everyone in their respectivefield is always thinking of,
like, what's the exit strategy?
Paki (27:35):
Of course.
How am I going to?
Christopher Costa (27:36):
move on to the next thing.
And I'm in a field where, if Itake vacation for a week, we
don't make any money.
You know, right, like, like,like I have to literally working
with my hands for us, for theoffice, yeah, and we have to be
getting good results and allthat stuff.
So so it is a hard thing causeit's it's very, very difficult
to scale.
(27:57):
And I know that there's likethere's one group over in, I
think, north Carolina, who's gota pretty big group and they're
trying to figure it out.
But even they have a lot ofproblems, because the problem
with surgeons is, let's say, wewant to recruit another surgeon
is, we're all pretty smart, weall went to medical school, we
(28:19):
all want to be the hero of ourown story.
Everybody wants to build theirown thing.
It's hard to create a modelwhere you can scale and grow
that way.
To answer your question, I'mjust probably going to work
(28:41):
forever.
Chris (28:42):
Make good investments, make good investments, yeah,
exactly.
Christopher Costa (28:47):
I think, but seriously, I think that's where
it goes to creating the rightbrand, that it is true that our
results really are, I think,what have propelled us to our
level of success.
Like that we do get really goodresults, but it's that other
side of it.
It's that the infrastructureand the logistical side of how
(29:11):
you treat patients, how are youable, are we, we're able, to
manage a large number of people,of patients, and give them all
like an individualized and kindof in a personal experience?
that's hard to do like that'syou know and and being able to
kind of figure that part of themodel out is just as important
as learning how to be a surgeonor a doctor or you know, because
(29:35):
, like said, it's people, peoplehave a choice, they don't have
to come to you.
Chris (29:42):
So it's almost you got to create the demand, create the
experience and obviously givethe results, and ultimately, the
goal would be to have so muchthat you can raise prices, etc.
And that's what really drivesthe growth.
Christopher Costa (29:52):
Yeah, you know um I I hate this cliche,
but you know that plastic likewe're, like art meets science
and all that kind of stuff, likeit's very cliche but um you
know very true that you knowthat plastic like we're like art
meets science and all that kindof stuff, like it's very cliche
.
But you know, very true, thatyou know people pay very
different prices for artwork,right.
And it's very much based on, youknow, some of its reputation,
(30:13):
but obviously it's result andexpectation and there's a reason
why.
You know know some people cancharge exponentially more for a
surgery than other people and alot of it has to do with that.
You know they've shown thepudding.
Paki (30:30):
Yeah, and that kind of thing.
Christopher Costa (30:33):
So so there is.
There is some some of an extentof that and I think everyone.
It's based on your personalitytoo, you know, I think I think
my office uh attracts a certaintype of person and, um, you know
, and it's probably just basedon my own personality, like
people seeing my own personality, like on social media, um, uh,
(30:54):
people like said, like coming infor consults, and you know if
they like our office or if theydon't like our office, you know
I.
I always say, uh, you know,there's, there's a plastic
surgeon out there office, youknow.
I always say you know there's aplastic surgeon out there for
everybody, you know, and if youwere to take all the plastic
surgeons you know just in Vegas,for instance, we all have very,
very different personalities,and that's kind of the nice
(31:16):
thing about it, right.
Paki (31:17):
As a patient.
Christopher Costa (31:18):
You got choices and you know you can
find the person that you vibewith and that you like.
Paki (31:22):
Yeah, no-transcript.
Christopher Costa (31:39):
Do you feel like it's hurting the youth or
helping the youth?
So this is something that Ilike, have to like, deal with
every day right Cause I'm onsocial media every day and we're
showing our results every day.
And and then I'm also gettinglike the Instagram bots that are
um flagging my content sayingthat it's not safe for children,
you know that kind of stuff.
So so, trust me, like, I'm likevery very aware of like what of
(32:00):
that.
We need to be sensitive to that,and I have two daughters myself
.
I think the perspective ofkeeping it educational, that
these are the things that arepossible, these are the things
that we can do, and then alsotrying to be real with results.
Plastic surgery can create someamazing results, but like the
(32:25):
process you know, there, there,there can be a lot of there's
going to be a lot of fluid.
You know there can be a lot of,a lot of draining right, like
there's a lot there's likethere's there's a medical side
to it too, right, and so youknow being able to be open about
like hey, like this is a, thisis a procedure, this is what it
is, this is what it isn't.
You know making like, showinghonest photos, not not altering
(32:47):
any like content or somethinglike that, like just being real
with people.
And I think that you know, whenit comes to people having um
and then not attributingnecessarily like value to that
sort of result, like, like we'renot.
I'm not telling people like, oh, this person got a rhinoplasty
now they're so much better thaneverybody else.
(33:07):
Like you know and I think thatthat's important you know, if
content is being exposed to likea younger audience that they're
they're not perceiving thatsomehow getting plastic surgery
is going to like make them moreof a person or more of a human.
Paki (33:22):
I love that.
Yeah, do you have to talk withyour daughters about that,
because I talk to my boys allthe time, man.
Christopher Costa (33:27):
Well, luckily they're still very young
, they're three and four.
Paki (33:34):
What do you do if they come to you and say hey dad, I
want to get some breast implants.
Man.
Christopher Costa (33:37):
Would you try to talk them off the ledge
or would you applaud it?
No, again, applaud it.
No, I again, I I'm.
I'm totally for likeself-enhancement and improvement
.
I think it's more about likeunderstanding the motive behind
it.
So, same thing, even when apatient comes in my office and
they say they want, you know, arhinoplasty, sure, or a breast
augmentation, it's like why, whydo you want this?
What do you?
What's your goal with this?
Like, what are you trying to do?
And, like I said, like most ofmy patients are pretty normal
(34:00):
people, they have, they just saythe kind of like normal stuff.
And, and I appreciate it, it'swhen there's other answers like,
uh, oh, this is, you know, I'm,I got it, I'm, I'm in, I, I'm,
I'm trying to get into promotionwith my career and and I keep
getting passed over, and I thinkit's cause I'm not pretty
(34:21):
enough.
And you know they keep pickingthe young, pretty girls like
that kind of thing and that kindof secondary gain.
um, that's usually not good,because then they're they're
really attributing that value tolike, you know, a lot of their
external value, to likesomething that they're expecting
me to be able to get them,which it doesn't work that way.
Paki (34:38):
Yeah, there's a psychology side to it.
Yeah, it's tough yeah for sureI like how you were talking
about the education too, isreally sharing the education of
everything too, which is awesome.
That's good stuff.
What do you think is like thebiggest misconception about
plastic surgery?
Because I, like you, weretalking about like doing hand
surgery and nose surgery andbreast cancer and things along
those lines reconstructivesurgery.
(34:59):
But what do you think is themiss the biggest?
Christopher Costa (35:00):
misconception of plastering.
Okay, uh, it's probably thateveryone asks me uh, like the
first thing people say when theyhear a plaster, and oh did you
ever watch nip tuck like?
Nip tuck, like people who willimagine that guy driving the
lambo on miami beach like, andyou know, being a big womanizer
and um and it was like a realityshow this.
Chris (35:21):
No, it's like a scripted show.
It was a scripted show from,you know, from a big womanizer
and um, and it was like areality show this no, it's like
a scripted show.
Christopher Costa (35:24):
It was a scripted show from, you know,
from the 90s and like, andeveryone just assumes that it's
like this big flashy thing andactually, and actually that's
why I command actually like theshow botched.
Like I love like that showbotched because they're very
real on that show and like thoseguys are pretty like very real
and you know they they're allabout setting those expectations
and you know, and they're likejust kind of normal fun guys,
(35:47):
you know, and so, um, you know,the ability to uh like, like I
said, talking to people is it'swhen someone hears I'm a plastic
surgeon and they don't knowanything about pleasure.
It's always.
It's always men, by the way,right, women like girls know.
Paki (36:02):
That's me all day.
That's why I wanted to sit downwith you, because I have no
clue anything about plastersurgery, yet it's usually guys.
Christopher Costa (36:10):
It's usually the guys and it's like you just
have to be kind and, like Isaid, I think just normalizing
it.
Like you know, I got a job, Igo to work, I just try and do
whatever the best I can at workand then go home to my family.
Paki (36:26):
Yeah, it's got to be intense, man right, it's got to
be stressful, the position thatyou're in.
You know at times, I wouldassume, who's kind of like in
your circle, With us being VegasCircle like, who's in your
circle that you can kind of likebump things off, or mentors and
things like that that can kindof help you and kind of keep you
on the right.
You know, the right mindset andthe right going in the right
direction.
Christopher Costa (36:46):
Like nowadays yeah, nowadays yeah.
Paki (36:48):
Or maybe in the past, maybe it's something that
subconsciously you know can helpyou.
Christopher Costa (36:52):
Yeah, you're , you're totally right.
I mean, uh, there's definitelytimes where I feel like I am on
an Island.
Paki (37:03):
Yeah, by yourself, especially having the home
practice.
Christopher Costa (37:04):
Yeah, and I think anyone who is a business
owner can probably likesympathize with that, because,
uh, there's, there are justcertain stresses that are
involved with like running acompany, that and you can't, you
can't go to your employees tolike talk to them about it.
Yeah exactly you know what Imean.
Or or man, like you know it'sit's surgery, like complications
(37:28):
happen, like it's it's part ofthe, it's part of the what you
signed up for what we signed upfor Exactly, and that's, and you
know you can do.
You can do everything right andstill, like you know, if you
chose the wrong patient, youknow they just want to blame you
or you know whatever.
And I think the things that havereally helped me is number one
(37:48):
we actually do have a very goodcommunity of plastic surgeons
here in Vegas, Like I do knowyou know, the majority of people
around town and I know you know, and I know, that most of them
are good, so I know that if apatient comes in my office and
is trashing one of them, thatit's probably them and not the
surgeon, and that's reallyhelpful because it's always good
(38:13):
to have peers that you can talkto.
I have people that I trainedwith, mostly, that are in other
parts of the country, literallypeople from coast to coast, that
I can talked to.
I have people that I trainedwith, mostly you know, that are
in other parts of the country,literally people from coast to
coast, that I can talk to about,like hey, like, so I have this
case, you know, and it's it'salways like that, it's like
somebody is if I, if I'm callingsomebody or they're calling me,
it's usually because we got tolike we have an issue that we
(38:36):
want to like kind of likecollaborate on or, you know, see
if we can kind of get better.
I'm very fortunate that I didhave some really awesome role
models coming up through myeducation to that.
You know, I've had some reallybad role models too.
One of my, one of my one of themost interesting role models I
(38:56):
had was someone actually when Ilived in Baltimore and I was
doing a bunch of research andmoonlighting and I was working
under this insanely productiveorthopedic surgeon who had
multiple personality problems,just to put it like that, and he
said look, man, when you getout of here, you got to figure
(39:16):
out what I did.
You got to emulate my goodqualities and forget my bad ones
.
And if you do that, like you'regoing to be fine in life.
And I've kind of taken thatthat.
You know, everyone has somethingthat they can offer.
Um, figure out like who youknow, try not to try not to be
the smartest person in the room,try to surround yourself with,
with other people that you canlearn from.
But just because you are inthat situation, like see, and
(39:41):
and I think that really helpswith my approach with people too
is that like I've worked with alot of what people would
consider to be like very hardindividuals to work with or work
for.
Yeah, and I think that'sbecause if you go into any sort
of situation with the with themindset of like what can I what?
Why, like?
(40:01):
This is a person who's clearlysuccessful, like, how did they
get successful?
Like, what do they do?
Like?
What is it exactly that they,that they're doing like?
Maybe maybe it's the same thingthat why everybody hates them.
Paki (40:11):
You know like, but they're really good at what they
do, so figure out.
That's solid on it, right?
Yeah, that's a good point.
Christopher Costa (40:16):
So um, I, I have all I'm.
I'm actually not I'm.
We joke about my instagram.
I'm very much an introvert.
I'm not a like social, go meeteverybody type of person.
Yeah, and I think one of thereally cool things about being
alive today, or like, if you'relike, a youth coming up, is that
your role models don't have tobe people that you interact with
(40:37):
on a daily basis, like.
There are a lot of reallyawesome role models out there
that are like on youtube you cansee them 100%.
Paki (40:44):
Yeah, like online mentors in a way.
Christopher Costa (40:46):
Yeah, yeah I mean, and people, and so there
are people who I have, you know,been in, I've been exposed to
in my life that, honestly, like,didn't really want anything to
do with me but they had a bigimpact on my life because I saw
the value of what they had tooffer and I just tried to take
advantage of it, like everychance that I had to like, yeah,
(41:07):
they weren't, they weren'tactively trying to mentor me or
give me advice or show me how torun a business or you know any
of that stuff.
Right, it was.
It was just something that Ikind of internalized myself.
Paki (41:18):
For sure.
Yeah, for, like, businessadvice, right, like is there's
so many different ways peoplecan go right, so what would you
leave somebody out on?
Maybe they want to go tomedical school, maybe be a
plastic surgeon.
They have something else thatyou know, a dream that they want
to accomplish.
What's a nugget that you cankind of leave for them, that, uh
, if you want to go intobusiness?
Christopher Costa (41:36):
don't go to medical school.
Paki (41:37):
We'll start there.
Chris (41:39):
We'll start there, the loans are crazy.
Christopher Costa (41:41):
Yeah, if your goal is to be successful
and make a lot of money, there'sa lot of other ways to do it
that are probably going to bemore successful.
So obviously go into medicine ifthat's what you really care
about.
But you know, I would say whenit comes to like let's.
(42:01):
I'll kind of rephrase thequestion Like one question I get
from a lot of people are peoplewho are maybe in residency and
they've seen what I've done,which is like go out on my own
and start my own practice, andthey're like man, I kind of want
to do what you're doing.
I don't want to work forsomebody else, I don't want to
work for the university orhospital, like what is some
(42:23):
advice that you could give me,and so I think the first thing
I'd say is YouTube.
All right, do your own research.
Do your own research.
I literally learned how to runa business from YouTube.
Chris (42:35):
I learned like you know YouTube.
Christopher Costa (42:39):
I love that you're saying this how do you
start a business in Nevada, likeyou know, you're, you know, and
then there's a five minutevideo on like these are the
things you need to establish abusiness.
And then um, and, and you juststart doing research like that
on your own and I think that, um, there there is.
I mean, I know that's cliche,but there is no limitation today
(42:59):
to start doing anything thatyou want to do.
You can literally look it up andkind of do it yourself you know
, like it goes to show thatthere are some, though, for
instance, like there are so manyhighly successful entrepreneurs
, people out there, right, likedoctors, people who went to law
school, medical school, but likethey can't take that extra step
(43:21):
, right, like they're, they'realways going to like just kind
of work for an institution or um, or something along those lines
, and they're never going tokind of like excel to that next
level.
And maybe they don't want to,and that's fine too, um, but uh,
but that the research showsthat it's a very small
percentage of people who stepout and do that next thing and
(43:43):
start a business and I think mydad told me.
He said that 95% of allbusinesses are the exact same
they are, and he's totally right.
Like it's, you know, there'sobviously costs, expenses.
Chris (44:00):
There's revenue uh, you know marketing uh and then.
Christopher Costa (44:04):
But then there's also like managing
people, Like how do you treatpeople?
How do you, how do you generatelike value, how do you generate
loyalty, how do you like?
All of these things are um,they're, they're universal, it
doesn't matter what you're doing.
Yeah, it really doesn't matterif you're a plastic surgeon, or
if you're an auto repair shop.
Paki (44:25):
That's true.
Yeah, that's very true.
Christopher Costa (44:27):
It's all really the same stuff.
It's just a matter of like whatyou're, what, what service it
is that you're providing, so, um, so I, from that standpoint, uh
, it's, it's really just likeempower yourself, to like learn
it yourself, and that you, youknow, if you can, if you can
figure out medical school, youcan probably figure this part
out too.
There's, there's a lot ofpeople who didn't graduate high
school that are running verysuccessful businesses because
(44:47):
they get people.
Paki (44:48):
Yeah, I get it.
I love that you're saying.
I love what you said aboutYouTube Cause college and
everything, but I wish I wouldhave had better YouTube back in
the day.
Christopher Costa (44:57):
Me too.
Paki (44:58):
I wouldn't have to read so much Good stuff,
transitioning a little bit, wealways ask our guests about
restaurants.
What's your favorite restaurantin Vegas?
Christopher Costa (45:06):
I've had to think about this because there's
a lot of good restaurants inVegas.
Paki (45:09):
Amazing food in Vegas.
Christopher Costa (45:10):
Right now.
For sure, though, I had to askmy wife, it's probably La Strega
.
Paki (45:19):
Oh, it's probably La Strega.
La Strega it's a town center,very good Italian place we've
been there multiple times.
They're handmade pasta andstuff that sounds fantastic what
was the other owner, harlow?
Same chef for downtownSummerlin, harlow, la Strega so
good.
Christopher Costa (45:37):
I'm Italian, I've lived in a lot of places
with really good on Summerlin,harlow, and then you're right,
la Strega Excellent food.
Yeah, so good, like I'm Italianand I've lived in a lot of
places with really good Italianfood.
Yeah, and I don't get me wrong,there's a lot of very expensive
Italian restaurants in Vegas.
Paki (45:49):
It is yeah.
Christopher Costa (45:50):
But I haven't really liked a lot oflla
.
Paki (45:56):
I don't think anybody brought that up.
That's good yeah.
Christopher Costa (45:58):
They make all their own pasta.
They make all their own sauce,like it's it's really really
good.
Paki (46:03):
I've never been there.
It's very good.
We've been there multiple times.
It's reasonable.
It's not like too crazy.
Yeah, I would have said yourname, was it Gina?
Gina, I'm sorry.
Christopher Costa (46:17):
Chef.
Paki (46:17):
Gina yeah, we met her.
Before I apologize, Gina.
Christopher Costa (46:19):
I think I met her too.
Paki (46:20):
She's great.
What else is up for you, man?
What else is that we forgot tothat you want to leave us out on
, man, that we didn't ask you?
Christopher Costa (46:31):
If anything.
I feel like a lot of stuff wetalked about is you of?
Like, that's just the side.
Chris (46:36):
Sure.
Christopher Costa (46:37):
That's the stuff that we do you know, what
I mean, but you know, a lot ofit is more of the ins and outs
of like the run in the businessand you know I think that that's
really important.
Chris (46:48):
I think you said a great point about you know all
businesses are the same but theservice is what changes and I
think that's really focusing onthose pieces of what drive a
business are extremely important.
Christopher Costa (46:56):
Oh, I cried for that.
Yeah, that's a good one.
Paki (46:58):
That's a great one yeah.
Christopher Costa (46:59):
That's awesome, yeah, yeah.
Paki (47:00):
What's your social?
Handles man that um yeah, so uhyou can find me on.
Christopher Costa (47:04):
Instagram is where I post most of my stuff.
That's Dr Costa underscoreplatinum.
Uh, I A lot of fun times yeah,you know, as long as we're not
getting banned by the Instagrambots and all that kind of stuff,
obviously we're looking atgrowth.
We're definitely looking atexpanding.
We are, you know, kind of thatquestion about like how do you
(47:29):
scale in surgery?
It's literally something I'vebeen asking myself like for the
last like five years, and I knowthat some people have done it,
but I've also seen them not doit very unsuccessfully, you know
, and and lots of hurt feelings.
And sure, um, there's somestatistic like very high
(47:50):
percentage, like over 80 ofpeople who join a practice uh
will leave within the firstthree years, like, um in in our
field at least.
Yeah, it's very, very true.
So it's trying to find a modelthat will be successful for
growth and longevity but alsotreats people fairly and keeps
(48:11):
people happy to where they wantto stay in it and they don't
feel the need to leave.
Because there is a paradox ofif you're starting a business
and you find someone who's verysuccessful or who's very good,
you want them to kind of likethat's who you want to hire
right, but if they're very good.
They probably want to our MAsand everything is is trying you
know, finding and retainingtalent like which I know, is
(48:43):
something that people talk about, but like it's, something like
it's it's definitely hit me alot over the last couple of
years, in the sense that likeyou can't, you can't grow almost
until you have those pieces inplace, and and it's almost like
anytime you lose someone likethat, you have to restart you
have to almost restart rightyeah, exactly, and yeah, and
(49:03):
it's like okay, like you know,trying to move forward.
So that's that's the goal is istrying to trying to grow in a
way that is going to um be besuccessful and and long doing it
the right way and doing it theright way, yeah, doing it the
right way, which means like longterm and you know where it's
sustainable.
(49:23):
And yeah, hopefully I can maybetake a little vacation.
Paki (49:27):
Yeah, take a break.
Yeah, take a break, man.
Well, we applaud you, man, weappreciate you sitting down with
us, man, and shout out toConnected that's Lindsey Feldman
with Brand Bomb PR.
I've known her for a while, butwe appreciate you, man, and
definitely check us out atthebakercircuitcom.
Christopher Costa (49:39):
So thanks for your time.
Thank you so much, I appreciateit.
That was good stuff.
Chris (49:42):
Yeah.
Welcome to Vegas Circle Podcast with your hosts, paki
and Chris.
We are people who arepassionate about business,
success and culture and this isour platform to showcase to
people in our city who make ithappen.
On today's podcast, we have inthe circle top plastic surgeon
who specializes in a scar-freebreast augmentation, tummy tucks
and BBLs.
Let's dive into thetransformative world of cosmetic
surgery.
(00:31):
We welcome in the founder ofPlatinum Plastic Surgery, dr
Christopher Costa.
Good to have you in the circle,my man.
Christopher Costa (00:38):
Thank you very much.
I'm so excited to be here.
Paki (00:40):
You got a great social media man.
I was laughing when I was doingmy research on you man.
Christopher Costa (00:44):
You guys have a lot of fun in your office
, man I was seeing so I thinkthat's like super important
actually um you know there's, uh, there's a lot of, I think,
office culture, like you know,even as a as a medical office.
Yeah, uh, you know the peoplethat are there, like you know,
that energy, like patients seethat For sure, like they feed
(01:05):
off that.
So we try to make it.
As you know, it's stillobviously a serious place, sure.
Paki (01:12):
Like there's still work.
Christopher Costa (01:13):
that has to be done.
But we do try to like, make itfun and like not just that
corporate, oh, like it's fakefun, but like you know?
Yeah, try to find people whoenjoy what they're doing, for,
you know, try to find people whoenjoy what they're doing For
sure.
Chris (01:25):
You kind of bring up a good point there right off the
bat is that you know medicalbusiness in general.
Every time I've gone to amedical office I kind of had
that experience where it's veryquiet, very serious, I'm like I
get a little nervous just beingthere.
It doesn't create like anexciting atmosphere.
Do you put a lot of effort intodoing that for the practice as
a whole?
Christopher Costa (01:40):
Yeah, we definitely.
We spend a lot of time with ourwhole staff talking about the
experience.
Okay, like you know, as opposedto a medical office, like you
get diagnosed with something,you have to go somewhere.
You have, no one needs to cometo my office.
Nobody needs plastic surgery.
Chris (01:56):
Good point yeah.
Christopher Costa (01:56):
You know what I mean.
So so everyone is there becausethey want to be there and
because they're interested inyou know in.
In selecting our office, and alot of it does come down to,
results are important, likesurgical results are important
right.
But for a lot of patients, it'sabout that feeling that they
get when they're in the office.
This is a place that you'regoing to want to come back to
for your follow-up appointments.
(02:18):
If you have a problem, these arethe people you're going to be
talking to on the phone if theprescriptions don't get filled
right or something like that.
So we try to create thatseamless kind of experience and
hopefully it's reflected like inthe social media too.
Paki (02:35):
Yeah.
Christopher Costa (02:38):
Because everybody is kind of on that
same page, like it's allobviously about the patients,
sure, but it's not just aboutthe medical side of it For sure.
Yeah, making sure that everyonehas a good experience, that's
good stuff.
Paki (02:48):
Yeah, so you're originally from Nevada, right?
Yep, okay.
Christopher Costa (02:59):
So born and raised your whole life in this
area.
I grew up in Reno.
Okay, oh, awesome Okay.
Paki (03:04):
So uh, grew to Hawaii actually.
So that's a big yeah, that's ahuge difference yeah.
Christopher Costa (03:07):
Uh, you know , jumped on an airplane and just
said, okay, like, uh, I want itto be in the most totally
different place that I can love.
Uh, and spent, you know, a lotof my time kind of like figuring
out who I was like out there.
That's awesome, yeah, yeah, Iwas out there for through
undergraduate and medical school, okay, and then I traveled all
(03:28):
over the country for my medicaltraining, so I spent a lot of
time on the East coast.
Um, I was at um in Boston for alittle bit.
Paki (03:36):
Okay, what part, yeah, what, what, what area?
I lived in New England for along time.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, awesome.
Christopher Costa (03:42):
Okay, trained at Beth Israel Deaconess
, one of the Harvard hospitals,and then from there I went to
Hopkins in Baltimore.
So I spent a few years inBaltimore.
Paki (03:49):
Awesome.
Christopher Costa (03:50):
Okay, and then after that moved to Texas
and spent a long time in Dallas.
Actually, that's awesome.
All over.
Paki (03:57):
Look, I applaud you, man.
I did an internship at TuftsMedical for three years and I
was like I can't do that.
I couldn't do the blood, Icouldn't do the anatomy labs.
I was like I'm not built forthis.
Christopher Costa (04:06):
And I'm happy I did the internship it
was the most intense thing I'vedone.
Yeah, it was very intense.
Paki (04:12):
Yeah, that's good stuff, man.
So what made you get intoplastic surgery?
What was that decision?
Christopher Costa (04:20):
I usually tell patients plastic surgery
shows me I didn't really chooseit.
I actually wanted to be anorthopedic surgeon.
I was really into, like youknow, the bros and the heavy
machinery equipment and thedrills and stuff and they were
like you're just like a scrawny,like you can't catch a ball,
like I don't know, that'shilarious, I just didn't like
(04:45):
connect like with that group ofpeople I guess.
And so I was kind of followingmy passion, going through more
trauma stuff.
I wanted to be that guy thatcould save the life of somebody
who shows up a bloody mess orsomething in the ER.
So that's kind of the directionI was headed.
But a lot of my mentors andpeople they were like, have you
ever thought aboutreconstructive surgery?
But a lot of my mentors andpeople they were like, have you
(05:06):
ever thought aboutreconstructive surgery?
You just seem to have kind of agood you'd be a good fit for
that and I thought it was alittle crazy.
And then things just kind offell into place and that's you
know.
I started off really with apassion more for hand surgery
and for reconstructive surgery,reconstructive breast surgery,
(05:28):
like after I had breast cancer,and that's really where it kind
of stemmed and started.
And as it evolved I moved toVegas with the plan of working
more on the reconstructive sideand the aesthetic side of my
(05:52):
practice, really just kind offlourished and I love doing it.
I love our patients.
I feel like I get to reallymake a lot of difference for a
lot of people.
Paki (06:00):
I bet yeah.
Christopher Costa (06:02):
And in a way that you know, they're so much
more appreciative almost thanthe guy who gets three gunshot
wounds.
Paki (06:11):
Yeah, that makes sense.
Yeah, that's very true.
Christopher Costa (06:15):
So it's a stark contrast to kind of like
where I started, but a lot ofthings are still the same, like
in terms of being able to helppeople in a different way and in
almost in a way that I'm reallylike under the microscope right
, because everything we do in myfield, whatever I do, it gets
posted on Instagram.
Paki (06:36):
Oh that's a good point.
Christopher Costa (06:37):
You know like whatever that patient has,
like they're telling theirfriends about it.
You know they're showing theirfriends like if you got your
gallbladder out, like nobodyknows if they did a good job or
a bad job right.
Everything I do is really underthe microscope from not only my
peers but just people in thecommunity, and that kind of
thing.
I like it because it's aconstant challenge.
(06:59):
You constantly have to evolve.
I think that's part of whywe've been successful is just
because I'm always trying to getbetter.
Chris (07:09):
And do you have like an option to do one or the other
Like, or do you have acombination of both?
Is it just all aesthetics or isit all you know like
reconstructive?
Christopher Costa (07:17):
Yeah, no.
So at this point in my careerI'm like 99% Got it, yeah, Got
it.
Chris (07:22):
So even like you know, just from my own understanding,
like when you pick a field andyou become an expert in that
field, like do you still havethe capabilities to jump into
different things if you want to,or like are you pretty much
pigeonholed now?
Christopher Costa (07:34):
Yeah, that's a good question.
You know, the most traditionallike kind of branching point
really is like when you finishmedical school and go into
residency, and that really doesusually kind of like determine
the track that you're going tostay on.
But you know, in surgery, forinstance, there's, you know,
eight to 12 different surgicalsubspecialties.
(07:55):
So there is some flexibilitythere.
And then you know, my story islike I said, it's just a little
unique because I did really, Iwas really passionate kind of
about one thing and then I wasable to be fortunate enough to
kind of like step back and justkind of pivot a little bit and
(08:16):
take a different course.
So I didn't start off wantingyou know, coming from a
background of plastic surgeonsand saying I was going to be a
plastic surgeon.
I came from a background ofnothing.
Chris (08:31):
You chose your own lane.
Christopher Costa (08:33):
I just had to figure it out on my own.
I'm really fortunate that Ifound something that I really am
passionate about and that Ireally enjoy getting up and
going to do every day.
Paki (08:42):
Backtracking a little bit .
You talk about breast cancerand stuff like that and you have
to reconstruct it.
That has to be powerful,Because that changes people's
lives a lot of times, man, andgives them some confidence back.
Christopher Costa (08:52):
It truly was .
There's amazing centers acrossthe country that are doing this
type of work and stuff.
It's more about getting withoutgetting too controversial.
It's more about getting notgetting like too, uh,
controversial, like you know.
It's more about getting likethe health insurance companies
to kind of help participatethough yeah, which which is why
I'm.
I just didn't want to even beinvolved in that headache
(09:15):
anymore.
So yeah I like I almost feel youknow the big complaint people
have about medicine is like youshow up for a service and nobody
knows like what the bill isright.
Like it's like they charge oneperson one thing, yeah, person
another thing.
I feel like I'm in the most,I'm in the purest form of that
business because everything I doyou're gonna like there's a
price and you get that price.
Paki (09:36):
Yeah, exactly what's on the paper.
You?
Christopher Costa (09:38):
know there's no like shell game.
There's no switching and fixingit's just very like clear cut,
like what, where everybody endsup.
Chris (09:46):
That's great.
How do you like navigate thepressures of it?
Because it is elective and itis cosmetic and people go in
there with a big expectation ofhow they want to look or how
they want they want to feel, andit's not one of those things.
You could do it and then, if it, you know you mess up, it goes
a different direction.
Like you're pretty much you know, locked in at that point.
So to me it's a lot of pressureand obviously you're very
experienced at what you do.
But how do you navigate thatsituation?
Christopher Costa (10:07):
a little bit yeah, so there's two things,
and the first thing is very muchwhat you actually are.
You kind of alluded to it ismanagement expectations.
Um, from the moment we I meet aperson to talk about what
they're looking for, you know, II want to, I want to assess,
(10:28):
like, what their end goalresults are and I want to make
sure that their expectations areappropriate.
Um, my office, uh, you knowthis leads into.
The second thing is that I'mvery uh pessimistic, okay, so,
like I'm, I'm always thinking ofkind of like what's the worst
case scenario?
Um, when I'm talking withpeople, cause, like I don't want
to disappoint, I don't want todisappoint someone you know
(10:51):
who's coming to me and likethey're putting their trust in
me or whatever.
So, um, so I tend to be verymuch like you know when, when
I'm meeting with them, I'm like,okay, well, this can go
(11:14):
perspective that this is surgery, that everyone's human anatomy
is different, that there'ssometimes things we can't
predict Now, that being said,usually everything's great, yeah
, and from that standpoint I'meven pessimistic about myself.
I'm like man, all right, what isthis patient not going to like
about their result?
Like when I'm looking at themon the operating room table.
Sometimes that means I got tolike take those stitches out and
like redo it or reclose it orcut some more skin out here,
change the shape of the nose alittle bit, because I know like,
(11:38):
okay, I don't want this.
I want this person to be happyand I don't want them coming
back and expressingdisappointment.
Maybe I'm a little bit of apeople pleaser.
I think that probably factorsinto it a little bit, but I
think for most people I don'tthink it matters what type of
career you're in.
I would say an overwhelmingmajority of people just go to
(11:58):
work and they just kind of gothrough the steps.
And they don't think about thesteps, and I think a big part of
success, in whatever fieldyou're in, is just just pausing
at each step of you know,whatever you're doing and just
evaluating yourself andevaluating your result, and
evaluating what you're doing andsaying, you know, having that
self-reflection to uh realizelike, okay, is this going the
(12:20):
way I?
Paki (12:20):
want it to or do.
Christopher Costa (12:22):
I need to make an adjustment or pivot a
little bit so um so, and I thinkin my field that's like very
important you know, does it seemlike?
Paki (12:30):
it's like, for example, like I think it was uh, Korea,
right, South Korea is like thebig, that's like the capital for
cosmetic surgeries and thingslike that.
How do you feel we compare, youknow, in the States compared to
what they're doing there andthe transition with technologies
and things like that?
Christopher Costa (12:46):
In terms of cosmetic surgery.
Paki (12:48):
Yeah, cosmetic surgery.
Christopher Costa (12:50):
No, we are just as good, if not better,
when it comes to developing newtechniques and all that kind of
thing.
The difference is that healthcare in the United States is
obviously very, very expensive,right?
Chris (13:03):
Yes.
Paki (13:04):
I was getting that.
Christopher Costa (13:04):
It's very, very expensive.
And in other countries, becausethey have different standards
of everything, not in a bad way,necessarily, but the cost of
doing business is just so much,so much less, and so the cost of
those procedures is less.
Paki (13:20):
They are versus here, yeah.
Christopher Costa (13:21):
So the barrier for entry is much, much
lower, which just means thevolume is much higher, and when
you really increase volume,you're going to get better and
you're going to be known asbeing the place to get something
done.
So the volume in places likeKorea and Taiwan is just so much
higher because they are able todo those procedures for at a
(13:44):
fraction of the cost that we dothem here in the United States.
It doesn't necessarily mean thatthey're better, like when we
look at, you know, in ourmedical journals, like you know
who's doing the cutting edgeresearch, who are the people who
develop these techniques.
You know a lot of it did comeout of the United States, not to
say, but you know they're doingsome awesome stuff over there
too.
Paki (14:07):
For sure You're seeing like a lot of people now you're
to your point going to placeswhere it's a little bit cheaper,
like turkey and mexico and alot of those are very you know
nervous, but I'm seeing evenmore and more people here
locally going to mexico forsurgeries like how do you, yeah,
so this is obviously like avery touchy subject yeah
Christopher Costa (14:21):
because, um, it's there's.
When you look at it on paperyou're like, oh, I can go here
and it's, it's a fraction of thecost, maybe, that it is here,
but, um, but the standards ofwhat what are offered are very
different.
You know, when I do surgeryhere, you know I am in a state,
certified, accredited surgicalfacility with every life-saving
(14:42):
measure like known to man.
That if you know, if, if thelights go off in all of vegas I
have, you know the capability inthe facilities that you know
there's going to be power in myoperating room and there's a lot
of like life-saving technology,that's like available, and
that's because that's we're inthe united states.
Paki (15:00):
I would have never thought of that.
I would have never thought ofthat.
That's the standard here, right, and so that's the standard
here, right, and so that's notthe standard.
Christopher Costa (15:05):
when you go to Mexico, that's not the
standard.
And not to say that those likeI said that they don't have good
doctors and good facilities,but it's different.
Anyone who's been to Mexicojust knows you go into any sort
of restaurant, it's different.
So those are the kinds ofthings I think that people
(15:26):
sometimes willingly overlookbecause they're just very
focused on price and cost.
And I usually say there'scertain things that you want to
try and find the best product on?
Chris (15:36):
Yeah, that's not one of them.
Maybe this isn't one of them.
Christopher Costa (15:39):
And because that cost correlates to
something, there's a reason whythings just are more expensive
here.
Um and so, uh, you know,there's uh, there.
There's obviously been horrorstories of people going to other
countries.
I know like recently there wassomebody who went to get a tummy
tuck in Turkey and they tookout our kidney and like yeah, so
(16:01):
there there is like that kindof stuff that happens, um, our
kidney and like, yeah, so there,there is like that kind of
stuff that happens, um, you know, but uh, and, and that doesn't
happen in the united statesdifferent countries all the time
.
So uh, so there is.
You know the reality.
Like you guys talk aboutbusiness and stuff like that,
the reality is there's, there'sa market for everyone, and I
(16:23):
mean the people who are going toprioritize that, like if cost
is like your ultimate, likepriority, like that is the thing
that is most important to you.
Paki (16:31):
It's not a lot of times it moves in safety.
Christopher Costa (16:33):
Then you're probably not the right patient
for me because, like that's notwhat I'm focused on, Like my my
goal is not to do your surgeryas quickly as possible.
My goal is to do to get you thebest result.
So that's going to be.
It's almost like aself-selecting thing, Got it?
Paki (16:49):
Okay, I'm glad you brought that up.
So you have a specialty withthe scar-free breast
augmentation right?
I did not know you do this.
Is it underarm, in the creaseof the underarm?
Christopher Costa (17:00):
Yeah, Okay so you know we're in Vegas.
There's a lot of entertainment.
You know a lot of people whowork at, like you know, cocktail
waitresses people who work atthe day clubs and stuff like
that.
People don't want scars.
Like we're in Vegas, we show alot of skin right, so a lot of
my patients do.
They want to have those results, but they don't want the stigma
(17:22):
of having undergone surgery.
So a technique I learned when Ilived in Texas was how to do
breast augmentation using anendoscope, going through an
underarm incision, and that, forme, I just said, hey, if I was
a woman, this is the way I wouldwant it done.
These results are really,really awesome.
Woman, this is the way I wouldwant it done.
(17:42):
Like, like, these results arereally really awesome.
So it's something that I, uh, I, I personally like went out and
looked into and tried to learn,um, and, and kind of, you know,
put my own energy into it.
Um, you know, it's notsomething that's commonly done.
I never heard yeah when.
Paki (17:56):
I was doing.
Christopher Costa (17:57):
I was like, wow, I didn't even know you
could do that yeah, there's afew barriers, like from as a
plastic surgeon, like number one.
There's some special equipmentthat you have to have and that
you have to kind of be trainedon how to use, and so that's a
that's a big limiting factor fora lot of surgeons, sure, um,
the other thing is, uh, most,most surgeons who do a lot of
breast augmentation, um, uh,they do a lot of them very
(18:17):
quickly and, and obviously,going through this technique
takes a little bit longer, andso, um, so some there's just
people that are like I'm gooddoing it, sure do it and again,
like you know, I we offer, weoffer every different sort of
incision, but the thing thatpeople travel here for, you know
, if they're coming to me for anaugmentation, it's usually
because they're like hey, you dothis and you do it well.
(18:39):
Like you know, um are with, withsome of the new advancements in
our newer implants, the use offunnel devices, our
understanding about, like um,some of the long-term
complications associated withimplants, like that's what I
wanted to ask you about.
Yeah, I can get I get the sameresults, if not my, if not
better, like you know, usingthis approach um in my patients
(19:01):
than I do with you know otherapproaches.
So it's something that, like Ilike it because, like I said, if
I was doing a breastaugmentation, that's the way I
would probably work.
Paki (19:10):
Yeah, yeah, very interesting.
How does it like?
Because you hear a lot aboutthat, right.
You hear about people getting,you know, breast implants and
things like that, and then youhear them being removed for some
reason.
Right, maybe it is the, I don'tknow what you would call them,
not the material, but what?
What are you putting inside?
You know a person's body Like,what is it that's actually going
inside their body, that thatit's getting better, if that
(19:31):
makes sense.
I don't know if I'm asking theright question, cause I'm
hearing a lot of stuff about,like, the stuff that you used
back in the day was horrible,and then I'm going to take it
back.
Christopher Costa (19:38):
So the first .
So going back to like what thefirst breast augmentation was,
the first breast augmentationwas done with a sponge.
Paki (19:45):
Oh, okay, a sponge.
Yeah, that makes We've come along way.
Yeah, okay, very good point,yeah.
Christopher Costa (19:49):
So you know now we're using highly cohesive
medical grade.
You know silicone is.
You know what most surgeonsprefer.
There are still like salineoptions out there, but like, if
you cut this thing in half itjust stays there, it's not going
to like leak through your bodyokay, you know so so the
implants we have are very safe.
You know, the reality is is, uh,there's a moratorium put on
(20:12):
silicone implants in the 90s andeveryone had to use saline and
you know there was thoughts thatsilicone implants may cause
cancer, may cause yes, all thesethings right.
This is one of the very fewdevices that the FDA has ever
like come back and said like youknow, we did a lot of research
on this, we did multiple studies, we looked at all the data from
(20:32):
Europe and all over the worldand we don't have anything to
say that this should not be FDAapproved, got it.
So it's very rare for the FDA tolike turn and then come back.
You know what I mean, so, um,so, so I feel very confident in
the safety of, you know, of thedevices that we use and the and
the prostheses we use.
Um, now, there's no doubt that,uh uh, that there are.
(20:58):
There's a very small group ofpatients that have something
called like breast implantillness, which, where they are
having symptoms of that, arevery nonspecific and and they,
you know, really feel like it'stheir implants that are creating
those symptoms.
Paki (21:16):
And I hear that multiple times.
That's why I wanted to ask youthat.
Yeah.
Christopher Costa (21:18):
Now, the, the, the, the.
The hard part about this isthat these are very non-specific
symptoms and these are verylike inability to focus, um,
restlessness, hot heatintolerance, cold intolerance,
waking, mental fogginess.
These are all things that, likeI don't know about you, but
like adds to your balance, toyour body yeah that's me all the
(21:38):
time.
Chris (21:38):
That's just me, you know , like that's just that's just
me not being 20 years oldanymore, right.
Christopher Costa (21:44):
So there is some it's very, you know doing
all the things that we do, we'renot really able to like to
really hone in exactly on, likewhat's happening.
But my approach to this is just, you know, if you feel like
this could be a factor like thiscould be creating this problem,
(22:05):
you know we'll take them out.
It's not a big deal and um, andI can tell you that you know,
for for a lot of patients, thatjust gives them that peace of
mind.
Um, now I will say also thatthere is a little bit more of a
trend of patients who are, um,just you know, they've had their
implants in for 10, 20 yearsand they're like it's done with
them.
(22:26):
It was fun when I was 20 yearsold or 25 years old, and now
they're in their 40s and theyhave some extra weight and they
just kind of want to be smallerbuses.
So it's not uncommon to removethe implants and you know, and
do a lift or, you know, dowhatever we need to do.
(22:46):
And I think that that's awesomebecause I think we're seeing,
like I said, like, just becauseyou have an operation when
you're 20, it doesn't mean youhave to, like, keep getting
implants till you're 90 yearsold or whatever we can always
take them out and you knowdifferent phases in life.
I think one trap peoplesometimes get caught in is you
(23:08):
know they're like, oh well, Iwant to do procedure X, but I
got to wait till this happens inmy life, or I'm done having
kids or I'm done.
You know, and the truth is isyou know you're only going to be
this age today.
You know.
So if you want to, you know, ifyou want to enjoy that, you
know, live in the moment, thatkind of thing Like it's, you can
(23:29):
.
We can always do other stufflater.
You know we can always takethem out or or or change things.
You know there's obviously some, some exceptions to that.
You know we don't want to likebe doing tummy tucks and people
are going to have more kids.
But enjoy it now.
Our goal is really to enhanceyour natural anatomy and your
(23:53):
natural self.
So just make you kind of thebest version of yourself where
you are today.
If you're 25, I can make youthe best version of your
25-year-old, but when you're 35,I can't make you the best 25
year old.
Paki (24:02):
That's a good point.
So you're honest, Like go backto Chris's point.
We was asking you earlier Doyou have to tell a lot of people
no?
Like hey, this is not realisticon what you're trying to
accomplish?
Christopher Costa (24:12):
Luckily I do not, because I'm very fortunate
that I just have a lot ofreally normal patients.
Paki (24:18):
That's good, okay, normal patients.
Christopher Costa (24:19):
That's good, okay.
Yeah, it's not like what yousee on tv.
Uh, like you know, beverlyhills and everything's
exaggerated with their giantlips and they're like, yeah, you
know, whatever, and they all,they're all crazy or whatever
it's.
It's really just a lot ofnormal people.
It's just, you know, I got twokids at home, I'm, you know, I I
work out six days a week orfour days a week and I just
(24:39):
don't, I just can't hold it alltogether.
Kind of the same way, like youdid before.
So they're looking for a littleliposuction, they're looking for
things to be a little tightenedup and, like I said, they're
just so.
I am very lucky.
I don't know about otheroffices, but for the most part I
have very normal patients andthey're normal people.
Paki (24:56):
Yeah, what's the percentage of men that you work
on?
Do a lot of men get you knowplastic surgery that they're
getting done?
Christopher Costa (25:04):
So I think I think At your office.
Paki (25:06):
I'm saying this is just a general, yeah.
Christopher Costa (25:07):
Yeah, nationally it's probably like
10% In my office it's more like20 to 20.
Oh, so you?
Do a good amount we're veryhigh.
Oh, okay, I didn't realize thatIn that sense for a few reasons
.
One, I do a lot of rhinoplasty.
I do a lot of men for noses,and then I also specialize a
little bit in gynecomastiasurgery, which is male breast
(25:30):
tissue, which has been one ofthe most gratifying procedures I
do, because it is literally alifestyle debilitating kind of
thing for the men that I see.
See in the sense that they'relike I can't wear certain
clothes, I'm really nervous totake my shirt off at the pool.
I just don't feel comfortablewearing certain things and how
(25:53):
my chest is going to showthrough.
And it's this super commonthing that guys do not want to
talk about.
We don't all sit together andtalk about it.
Paki (26:02):
I didn't even know that was a thing.
I didn't even know it was athing until you just brought it
up right now.
Christopher Costa (26:05):
Yeah, and so , um, you know it's uh, but when
guys start finding it or startlooking for it you know we they
usually come across our websiteand we just have lots of
pictures.
We have.
We have hundreds of before andafter photos of every person.
So you know, they kind of getthe idea that we treat a lot of
men and to that point, like Itry to keep our office
(26:28):
relatively gender neutral, Iguess you'd say just because
like there's no reason the guyscan't look good too.
You know, I mean we all,everybody there's when you, when
.
It's not about vanity and it'sjust about being like the best
version of yourself, like that'severybody.
It's not about vanity and it'sjust about being like the best
version of yourself, like that'severybody.
That's not just a woman thing,that's all of us.
You know we all kind of whetherit's doing it in the gym or you
(26:52):
know diet or you know like it'sa synergistic thing.
Like you know, we try to addall those things together.
It's how you get to the bestversion.
Chris (27:04):
One thing I'm curious about is, like you know, you're
one person right and I feel likeit limits the amount of growth
opportunity from a businessperspective.
You know, as you continue towant to drive and promote and
compete and, you know, try toget people into the office, you
know, by doing the right things,but really isn't there a
ceiling of how much you canrealistically do and how do you
manage that expectation of howyou want to grow?
Christopher Costa (27:19):
Yeah, 100%.
So you hit the nail on the head, right, I mean among most
surgeons, not just plasticsurgeons, obviously, but
everyone in their respectivefield is always thinking of,
like, what's the exit strategy?
Paki (27:35):
Of course.
How am I going to?
Christopher Costa (27:36):
move on to the next thing.
And I'm in a field where, if Itake vacation for a week, we
don't make any money.
You know, right, like, like,like I have to literally working
with my hands for us, for theoffice, yeah, and we have to be
getting good results and allthat stuff.
So so it is a hard thing causeit's it's very, very difficult
to scale.
(27:57):
And I know that there's likethere's one group over in, I
think, north Carolina, who's gota pretty big group and they're
trying to figure it out.
But even they have a lot ofproblems, because the problem
with surgeons is, let's say, wewant to recruit another surgeon
is, we're all pretty smart, weall went to medical school, we
(28:19):
all want to be the hero of ourown story.
Everybody wants to build theirown thing.
It's hard to create a modelwhere you can scale and grow
that way.
To answer your question, I'mjust probably going to work
(28:41):
forever.
Chris (28:42):
Make good investments, make good investments, yeah,
exactly.
Christopher Costa (28:47):
I think, but seriously, I think that's where
it goes to creating the rightbrand, that it is true that our
results really are, I think,what have propelled us to our
level of success.
Like that we do get really goodresults, but it's that other
side of it.
It's that the infrastructureand the logistical side of how
(29:11):
you treat patients, how are youable, are we, we're able, to
manage a large number of people,of patients, and give them all
like an individualized and kindof in a personal experience?
that's hard to do like that'syou know and and being able to
kind of figure that part of themodel out is just as important
as learning how to be a surgeonor a doctor or you know, because
(29:35):
, like said, it's people, peoplehave a choice, they don't have
to come to you.
Chris (29:42):
So it's almost you got to create the demand, create the
experience and obviously givethe results, and ultimately, the
goal would be to have so muchthat you can raise prices, etc.
And that's what really drivesthe growth.
Christopher Costa (29:52):
Yeah, you know um I I hate this cliche,
but you know that plastic likewe're, like art meets science
and all that kind of stuff, likeit's very cliche but um you
know very true that you knowthat plastic like we're like art
meets science and all that kindof stuff, like it's very cliche
.
But you know, very true, thatyou know people pay very
different prices for artwork,right.
And it's very much based on, youknow, some of its reputation,
(30:13):
but obviously it's result andexpectation and there's a reason
why.
You know know some people cancharge exponentially more for a
surgery than other people and alot of it has to do with that.
You know they've shown thepudding.
Paki (30:30):
Yeah, and that kind of thing.
Christopher Costa (30:33):
So so there is.
There is some some of an extentof that and I think everyone.
It's based on your personalitytoo, you know, I think I think
my office uh attracts a certaintype of person and, um, you know
, and it's probably just basedon my own personality, like
people seeing my own personality, like on social media, um, uh,
(30:54):
people like said, like coming infor consults, and you know if
they like our office or if theydon't like our office, you know
I.
I always say, uh, you know,there's, there's a plastic
surgeon out there office, youknow.
I always say you know there's aplastic surgeon out there for
everybody, you know, and if youwere to take all the plastic
surgeons you know just in Vegas,for instance, we all have very,
very different personalities,and that's kind of the nice
(31:16):
thing about it, right.
Paki (31:17):
As a patient.
Christopher Costa (31:18):
You got choices and you know you can
find the person that you vibewith and that you like.
Paki (31:22):
Yeah, no-transcript.
Christopher Costa (31:39):
Do you feel like it's hurting the youth or
helping the youth?
So this is something that Ilike, have to like, deal with
every day right Cause I'm onsocial media every day and we're
showing our results every day.
And and then I'm also gettinglike the Instagram bots that are
um flagging my content sayingthat it's not safe for children,
you know that kind of stuff.
So so, trust me, like, I'm likevery very aware of like what of
(32:00):
that.
We need to be sensitive to that,and I have two daughters myself
.
I think the perspective ofkeeping it educational, that
these are the things that arepossible, these are the things
that we can do, and then alsotrying to be real with results.
Plastic surgery can create someamazing results, but like the
(32:25):
process you know, there, there,there can be a lot of there's
going to be a lot of fluid.
You know there can be a lot of,a lot of draining right, like
there's a lot there's likethere's there's a medical side
to it too, right, and so youknow being able to be open about
like hey, like this is a, thisis a procedure, this is what it
is, this is what it isn't.
You know making like, showinghonest photos, not not altering
(32:47):
any like content or somethinglike that, like just being real
with people.
And I think that you know, whenit comes to people having um
and then not attributingnecessarily like value to that
sort of result, like, like we'renot.
I'm not telling people like, oh, this person got a rhinoplasty
now they're so much better thaneverybody else.
(33:07):
Like you know and I think thatthat's important you know, if
content is being exposed to likea younger audience that they're
they're not perceiving thatsomehow getting plastic surgery
is going to like make them moreof a person or more of a human.
Paki (33:22):
I love that.
Yeah, do you have to talk withyour daughters about that,
because I talk to my boys allthe time, man.
Christopher Costa (33:27):
Well, luckily they're still very young
, they're three and four.
Paki (33:34):
What do you do if they come to you and say hey dad, I
want to get some breast implants.
Man.
Christopher Costa (33:37):
Would you try to talk them off the ledge
or would you applaud it?
No, again, applaud it.
No, I again, I I'm.
I'm totally for likeself-enhancement and improvement
.
I think it's more about likeunderstanding the motive behind
it.
So, same thing, even when apatient comes in my office and
they say they want, you know, arhinoplasty, sure, or a breast
augmentation, it's like why, whydo you want this?
What do you?
What's your goal with this?
Like, what are you trying to do?
And, like I said, like most ofmy patients are pretty normal
(34:00):
people, they have, they just saythe kind of like normal stuff.
And, and I appreciate it, it'swhen there's other answers like,
uh, oh, this is, you know, I'm,I got it, I'm, I'm in, I, I'm,
I'm trying to get into promotionwith my career and and I keep
getting passed over, and I thinkit's cause I'm not pretty
(34:21):
enough.
And you know they keep pickingthe young, pretty girls like
that kind of thing and that kindof secondary gain.
um, that's usually not good,because then they're they're
really attributing that value tolike, you know, a lot of their
external value, to likesomething that they're expecting
me to be able to get them,which it doesn't work that way.
Paki (34:38):
Yeah, there's a psychology side to it.
Yeah, it's tough yeah for sureI like how you were talking
about the education too, isreally sharing the education of
everything too, which is awesome.
That's good stuff.
What do you think is like thebiggest misconception about
plastic surgery?
Because I, like you, weretalking about like doing hand
surgery and nose surgery andbreast cancer and things along
those lines reconstructivesurgery.
(34:59):
But what do you think is themiss the biggest?
Christopher Costa (35:00):
misconception of plastering.
Okay, uh, it's probably thateveryone asks me uh, like the
first thing people say when theyhear a plaster, and oh did you
ever watch nip tuck like?
Nip tuck, like people who willimagine that guy driving the
lambo on miami beach like, andyou know, being a big womanizer
and um and it was like a realityshow this.
Chris (35:21):
No, it's like a scripted show.
It was a scripted show from,you know, from a big womanizer
and um, and it was like areality show this no, it's like
a scripted show.
Christopher Costa (35:24):
It was a scripted show from, you know,
from the 90s and like, andeveryone just assumes that it's
like this big flashy thing andactually, and actually that's
why I command actually like theshow botched.
Like I love like that showbotched because they're very
real on that show and like thoseguys are pretty like very real
and you know they they're allabout setting those expectations
and you know, and they're likejust kind of normal fun guys,
(35:47):
you know, and so, um, you know,the ability to uh like, like I
said, talking to people is it'swhen someone hears I'm a plastic
surgeon and they don't knowanything about pleasure.
It's always.
It's always men, by the way,right, women like girls know.
Paki (36:02):
That's me all day.
That's why I wanted to sit downwith you, because I have no
clue anything about plastersurgery, yet it's usually guys.
Christopher Costa (36:10):
It's usually the guys and it's like you just
have to be kind and, like Isaid, I think just normalizing
it.
Like you know, I got a job, Igo to work, I just try and do
whatever the best I can at workand then go home to my family.
Paki (36:26):
Yeah, it's got to be intense, man right, it's got to
be stressful, the position thatyou're in.
You know at times, I wouldassume, who's kind of like in
your circle, With us being VegasCircle like, who's in your
circle that you can kind of likebump things off, or mentors and
things like that that can kindof help you and kind of keep you
on the right.
You know, the right mindset andthe right going in the right
direction.
Christopher Costa (36:46):
Like nowadays yeah, nowadays yeah.
Paki (36:48):
Or maybe in the past, maybe it's something that
subconsciously you know can helpyou.
Christopher Costa (36:52):
Yeah, you're , you're totally right.
I mean, uh, there's definitelytimes where I feel like I am on
an Island.
Paki (37:03):
Yeah, by yourself, especially having the home
practice.
Christopher Costa (37:04):
Yeah, and I think anyone who is a business
owner can probably likesympathize with that, because,
uh, there's, there are justcertain stresses that are
involved with like running acompany, that and you can't, you
can't go to your employees tolike talk to them about it.
Yeah exactly you know what Imean.
Or or man, like you know it'sit's surgery, like complications
(37:28):
happen, like it's it's part ofthe, it's part of the what you
signed up for what we signed upfor Exactly, and that's, and you
know you can do.
You can do everything right andstill, like you know, if you
chose the wrong patient, youknow they just want to blame you
or you know whatever.
And I think the things that havereally helped me is number one
(37:48):
we actually do have a very goodcommunity of plastic surgeons
here in Vegas, Like I do knowyou know, the majority of people
around town and I know you know, and I know, that most of them
are good, so I know that if apatient comes in my office and
is trashing one of them, thatit's probably them and not the
surgeon, and that's reallyhelpful because it's always good
(38:13):
to have peers that you can talkto.
I have people that I trainedwith, mostly, that are in other
parts of the country, literallypeople from coast to coast, that
I can talked to.
I have people that I trainedwith, mostly you know, that are
in other parts of the country,literally people from coast to
coast, that I can talk to about,like hey, like, so I have this
case, you know, and it's it'salways like that, it's like
somebody is if I, if I'm callingsomebody or they're calling me,
it's usually because we got tolike we have an issue that we
(38:36):
want to like kind of likecollaborate on or, you know, see
if we can kind of get better.
I'm very fortunate that I didhave some really awesome role
models coming up through myeducation to that.
You know, I've had some reallybad role models too.
One of my, one of my one of themost interesting role models I
(38:56):
had was someone actually when Ilived in Baltimore and I was
doing a bunch of research andmoonlighting and I was working
under this insanely productiveorthopedic surgeon who had
multiple personality problems,just to put it like that, and he
said look, man, when you getout of here, you got to figure
(39:16):
out what I did.
You got to emulate my goodqualities and forget my bad ones
.
And if you do that, like you'regoing to be fine in life.
And I've kind of taken thatthat.
You know, everyone has somethingthat they can offer.
Um, figure out like who youknow, try not to try not to be
the smartest person in the room,try to surround yourself with,
with other people that you canlearn from.
But just because you are inthat situation, like see, and
(39:41):
and I think that really helpswith my approach with people too
is that like I've worked with alot of what people would
consider to be like very hardindividuals to work with or work
for.
Yeah, and I think that'sbecause if you go into any sort
of situation with the with themindset of like what can I what?
Why, like?
(40:01):
This is a person who's clearlysuccessful, like, how did they
get successful?
Like, what do they do?
Like?
What is it exactly that they,that they're doing like?
Maybe maybe it's the same thingthat why everybody hates them.
Paki (40:11):
You know like, but they're really good at what they
do, so figure out.
That's solid on it, right?
Yeah, that's a good point.
Christopher Costa (40:16):
So um, I, I have all I'm.
I'm actually not I'm.
We joke about my instagram.
I'm very much an introvert.
I'm not a like social, go meeteverybody type of person.
Yeah, and I think one of thereally cool things about being
alive today, or like, if you'relike, a youth coming up, is that
your role models don't have tobe people that you interact with
(40:37):
on a daily basis, like.
There are a lot of reallyawesome role models out there
that are like on youtube you cansee them 100%.
Paki (40:44):
Yeah, like online mentors in a way.
Christopher Costa (40:46):
Yeah, yeah I mean, and people, and so there
are people who I have, you know,been in, I've been exposed to
in my life that, honestly, like,didn't really want anything to
do with me but they had a bigimpact on my life because I saw
the value of what they had tooffer and I just tried to take
advantage of it, like everychance that I had to like, yeah,
(41:07):
they weren't, they weren'tactively trying to mentor me or
give me advice or show me how torun a business or you know any
of that stuff.
Right, it was.
It was just something that Ikind of internalized myself.
Paki (41:18):
For sure.
Yeah, for, like, businessadvice, right, like is there's
so many different ways peoplecan go right, so what would you
leave somebody out on?
Maybe they want to go tomedical school, maybe be a
plastic surgeon.
They have something else thatyou know, a dream that they want
to accomplish.
What's a nugget that you cankind of leave for them, that, uh
, if you want to go intobusiness?
Christopher Costa (41:36):
don't go to medical school.
Paki (41:37):
We'll start there.
Chris (41:39):
We'll start there, the loans are crazy.
Christopher Costa (41:41):
Yeah, if your goal is to be successful
and make a lot of money, there'sa lot of other ways to do it
that are probably going to bemore successful.
So obviously go into medicine ifthat's what you really care
about.
But you know, I would say whenit comes to like let's.
(42:01):
I'll kind of rephrase thequestion Like one question I get
from a lot of people are peoplewho are maybe in residency and
they've seen what I've done,which is like go out on my own
and start my own practice, andthey're like man, I kind of want
to do what you're doing.
I don't want to work forsomebody else, I don't want to
work for the university orhospital, like what is some
(42:23):
advice that you could give me,and so I think the first thing
I'd say is YouTube.
All right, do your own research.
Do your own research.
I literally learned how to runa business from YouTube.
Chris (42:35):
I learned like you know YouTube.
Christopher Costa (42:39):
I love that you're saying this how do you
start a business in Nevada, likeyou know, you're, you know, and
then there's a five minutevideo on like these are the
things you need to establish abusiness.
And then um, and, and you juststart doing research like that
on your own and I think that, um, there there is.
I mean, I know that's cliche,but there is no limitation today
(42:59):
to start doing anything thatyou want to do.
You can literally look it up andkind of do it yourself you know
, like it goes to show thatthere are some, though, for
instance, like there are so manyhighly successful entrepreneurs
, people out there, right, likedoctors, people who went to law
school, medical school, but likethey can't take that extra step
(43:21):
, right, like they're, they'realways going to like just kind
of work for an institution or um, or something along those lines
, and they're never going tokind of like excel to that next
level.
And maybe they don't want to,and that's fine too, um, but uh,
but that the research showsthat it's a very small
percentage of people who stepout and do that next thing and
(43:43):
start a business and I think mydad told me.
He said that 95% of allbusinesses are the exact same
they are, and he's totally right.
Like it's, you know, there'sobviously costs, expenses.
Chris (44:00):
There's revenue uh, you know marketing uh and then.
Christopher Costa (44:04):
But then there's also like managing
people, Like how do you treatpeople?
How do you, how do you generatelike value, how do you generate
loyalty, how do you like?
All of these things are um,they're, they're universal, it
doesn't matter what you're doing.
Yeah, it really doesn't matterif you're a plastic surgeon, or
if you're an auto repair shop.
Paki (44:25):
That's true.
Yeah, that's very true.
Christopher Costa (44:27):
It's all really the same stuff.
It's just a matter of like whatyou're, what, what service it
is that you're providing, so, um, so I, from that standpoint, uh
, it's, it's really just likeempower yourself, to like learn
it yourself, and that you, youknow, if you can, if you can
figure out medical school, youcan probably figure this part
out too.
There's, there's a lot ofpeople who didn't graduate high
school that are running verysuccessful businesses because
(44:47):
they get people.
Paki (44:48):
Yeah, I get it.
I love that you're saying.
I love what you said aboutYouTube Cause college and
everything, but I wish I wouldhave had better YouTube back in
the day.
Christopher Costa (44:57):
Me too.
Paki (44:58):
I wouldn't have to read so much Good stuff,
transitioning a little bit, wealways ask our guests about
restaurants.
What's your favorite restaurantin Vegas?
Christopher Costa (45:06):
I've had to think about this because there's
a lot of good restaurants inVegas.
Paki (45:09):
Amazing food in Vegas.
Christopher Costa (45:10):
Right now.
For sure, though, I had to askmy wife, it's probably La Strega
.
Paki (45:19):
Oh, it's probably La Strega.
La Strega it's a town center,very good Italian place we've
been there multiple times.
They're handmade pasta andstuff that sounds fantastic what
was the other owner, harlow?
Same chef for downtownSummerlin, harlow, la Strega so
good.
Christopher Costa (45:37):
I'm Italian, I've lived in a lot of places
with really good on Summerlin,harlow, and then you're right,
la Strega Excellent food.
Yeah, so good, like I'm Italianand I've lived in a lot of
places with really good Italianfood.
Yeah, and I don't get me wrong,there's a lot of very expensive
Italian restaurants in Vegas.
Paki (45:49):
It is yeah.
Christopher Costa (45:50):
But I haven't really liked a lot oflla
.
Paki (45:56):
I don't think anybody brought that up.
That's good yeah.
Christopher Costa (45:58):
They make all their own pasta.
They make all their own sauce,like it's it's really really
good.
Paki (46:03):
I've never been there.
It's very good.
We've been there multiple times.
It's reasonable.
It's not like too crazy.
Yeah, I would have said yourname, was it Gina?
Gina, I'm sorry.
Christopher Costa (46:17):
Chef.
Paki (46:17):
Gina yeah, we met her.
Before I apologize, Gina.
Christopher Costa (46:19):
I think I met her too.
Paki (46:20):
She's great.
What else is up for you, man?
What else is that we forgot tothat you want to leave us out on
, man, that we didn't ask you?
Christopher Costa (46:31):
If anything.
I feel like a lot of stuff wetalked about is you of?
Like, that's just the side.
Chris (46:36):
Sure.
Christopher Costa (46:37):
That's the stuff that we do you know, what
I mean, but you know, a lot ofit is more of the ins and outs
of like the run in the businessand you know I think that that's
really important.
Chris (46:48):
I think you said a great point about you know all
businesses are the same but theservice is what changes and I
think that's really focusing onthose pieces of what drive a
business are extremely important.
Christopher Costa (46:56):
Oh, I cried for that.
Yeah, that's a good one.
Paki (46:58):
That's a great one yeah.
Christopher Costa (46:59):
That's awesome, yeah, yeah.
Paki (47:00):
What's your social?
Handles man that um yeah, so uhyou can find me on.
Christopher Costa (47:04):
Instagram is where I post most of my stuff.
That's Dr Costa underscoreplatinum.
Uh, I A lot of fun times yeah,you know, as long as we're not
getting banned by the Instagrambots and all that kind of stuff,
obviously we're looking atgrowth.
We're definitely looking atexpanding.
We are, you know, kind of thatquestion about like how do you
(47:29):
scale in surgery?
It's literally something I'vebeen asking myself like for the
last like five years, and I knowthat some people have done it,
but I've also seen them not doit very unsuccessfully, you know
, and and lots of hurt feelings.
And sure, um, there's somestatistic like very high
(47:50):
percentage, like over 80 ofpeople who join a practice uh
will leave within the firstthree years, like, um in in our
field at least.
Yeah, it's very, very true.
So it's trying to find a modelthat will be successful for
growth and longevity but alsotreats people fairly and keeps
(48:11):
people happy to where they wantto stay in it and they don't
feel the need to leave.
Because there is a paradox ofif you're starting a business
and you find someone who's verysuccessful or who's very good,
you want them to kind of likethat's who you want to hire
right, but if they're very good.
They probably want to our MAsand everything is is trying you
know, finding and retainingtalent like which I know, is
(48:43):
something that people talk about, but like it's, something like
it's it's definitely hit me alot over the last couple of
years, in the sense that likeyou can't, you can't grow almost
until you have those pieces inplace, and and it's almost like
anytime you lose someone likethat, you have to restart you
have to almost restart rightyeah, exactly, and yeah, and
(49:03):
it's like okay, like you know,trying to move forward.
So that's that's the goal is istrying to trying to grow in a
way that is going to um be besuccessful and and long doing it
the right way and doing it theright way, yeah, doing it the
right way, which means like longterm and you know where it's
sustainable.
(49:23):
And yeah, hopefully I can maybetake a little vacation.
Paki (49:27):
Yeah, take a break.
Yeah, take a break, man.
Well, we applaud you, man, weappreciate you sitting down with
us, man, and shout out toConnected that's Lindsey Feldman
with Brand Bomb PR.
I've known her for a while, butwe appreciate you, man, and
definitely check us out atthebakercircuitcom.
Christopher Costa (49:39):
So thanks for your time.
Thank you so much, I appreciateit.
That was good stuff.
Chris (49:42):
Yeah.
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