Dr Spence describes his family as his real achievements. From left: Son Kenrick Anthony Spence II; Dr Spence, daughter Rachel and wife Wendy. - photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr Kenrick Spence is in the business of making people beautiful.

"When people look in the mirror and think they look good, they feel good and project that to you," he told Flair.

This is the most fulfilling part of his job. "Helping people project their most powerful and positive attribute."

Their gratitude, he explains, is evident in a smile or handshake when they get something fixed that has been bothering them all their lives. "We have come to appreciate beauty and the power it holds," he continued. Dr Spence offers a variety of services, from surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation to breast augmentation and liposculpture.

The Jamaica-born surgeon has a very busy practice at Hillcrest Skincare Centre in Orlando, Florida. However, his focus is always on quality, not quantity, so he sees a limited number of patients during working hours. In 2007, he was named top plastic surgeon in Orlando for the sixth consecutive year by readers of Orlando Magazine.

After graduating from the University of the West Indies, Mona, in 1984, with a degree in chemistry and physics, Dr Spence started dental school in Connecticut. For him, dentistry was a very focused part of medicine. However, his interest in anatomy and physiology increased as he got to do something different every day. He eventually made the switch and now, almost 20 years later, that's still his favourite part of his job.

Procedures

Breast augmentation and liposuction are the most popular plastic surgery procedures in America. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery, 364,610 breast augmentation procedures were performed in 2005. Dr Spence is known for his natural-looking augmentations. He uses three procedures: through the armpits, the folds of the breast or the nipples. "You have to be meticulous and pay attention to the sloping of the breast." He notes that, at the end of the day, it's a personal choice whether patients want an augmented or natural look.

Dr Spence takes his job very seriously and does not schedule a surgery until he has had extensive consultation on multiple occasions with a prospective patient. He then evaluates the risks for breast cancer, checks for lumps and orders mammograms and MRIs.

He notes that in his practice, he also has to be a psychologist. "If it is within reason, it is OK to fulfil a patient's desire. But we also have to be a psychologist; fixing a desire sometimes never fixes the problem. Trust has to be developed, then your patients will begin to realise that you have their best interest at heart."

He notes that, on occasion, he has had to refuse patients.

"Surgeons need to guide patients to what is best for them. I have seen patients and it was not the right time and they came back. If you don't have the time to spend with me, then you can go."

Liposuction

With the many new innovations in liposuction, Dr Spence has patented his SculpEase procedure. Unlike traditional liposuction, patients are not under general anaesthesia. They are awake and can even read a magazine while SculpEase is being performed. There is also no down time and within 24 to 48 hours patients can return to work and their daily activities. However, each patient is evaluated to see which procedure will render the best results. At Hillcrest, liposuction (like most of his services) is not a one-stop process. They focus on weight loss and nutrition and offer the services of a life coach.

Patient Education

In 2005, Dr Spence was named top plastic surgeon in Orlando, Florida, for the sixth consecutive year by readers of Orlando Magazine. - photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Dr Spence notes that many of the plastic surgery nightmares that are played out in the media may be due to a lack of patient education. "It's important for patients to do their research and ask questions. Often, they take the recommendation of a friend. Even the best doctors don't always have the best outcome." He notes that sometimes patients go to a doctor whom they trust, who may be a cosmetic surgeon but does not have the training and expertise of a plastic surgeon. He notes that they should also check to ensure that the surgeon is certified. Certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery and The American Board of Surgery, Dr Spence has an impeccable career spanning two decades.

Skin care for women of colour

In the next few months, Dr Spence will be launching a skin-care line in the Caribbean, specifically for women of colour. In his practice there has been an increase in facial procedures by women of colour. The line, not yet named, will not be available over the counter but through qualified aestheticians so that consumers can be educated about the proper use of the product. The line of topical (to be applied to the body) treatments will include cleansers, moisturisers and acne treatments. Speaking with Flair at the Pegasus hotel, Dr Spence dispelled the belief that persons of colour age better than Caucasians. He notes that they age differently, as persons of colour have thicker skins but, as we get older, our skin loses fat and sag. "Care of the skin is so important when you are young and vibrant. This is when we need to take care of our skin."

Family life

Married for 24 years, Dr Spence describes his family as his "real accomplishment". With a practice that is based on quality, not quantity, he makes time to spend with his wife, a fellow Jamaican, Wendy, his 13-year-old daughter Rachel and his nine-year-old son Kenrick Anthony Spence II.

His wife explains that every Friday is family fun time. The children don't have to do their homework, there is no talk of work and they just reconnect with their families.

In her mid 50s, this patient was concerned about her jowls (lower part of cheek) and brows and did not want Botox. She was given a lower facelift, temporal browlift and fat injections in her upper lip lines.

This patient had a non-invasive cosmetic procedure to minimise wrinkles and have a more youthful look. This was achieved by Restylane injected to the upper cheek area and Botox in the upper forehead and Radoesse injected to the nasolabial folds and lower cheek area.

Before and after pictures of a patient whose concerns were his nasal labial folds, fine lines and the lower part of the cheek. He had a facelift, temporal browlift, bilateral upper blepharoplasty (eyelid) and fat injections. He was also concerned about the redness and superficial veins. A licensed aesthetician at Hillcrest Skincare Centre treated him with Intense Pulse Light (IPL).