I wanted to share my experience with Dr. Slenkovich and his staff in the event that it might provide other men with some insight as they consider dipping their toes into the rather foreign waters of cosmetic surgery. First and foremost, in the hopes of providing some context, I tend to be a fairly pragmatic guy. I work in an industry that one might consider to be rooted in heritage Americana. I only mention this because I feel that for a lot of men, there is an instant barrier of ego and societal expectation when considering a procedure that ultimately improves their appearance and the ways in which they interface with the world. Without playing into sexist overtone or gender stereotyping, I think too often it’s easy for men to write off cosmetic enhancement as something that only women find inherently valuable. I too faced this struggle for a number of years, and hopefully my story sheds some light upon why I wish I had embarked on this journey sooner.
When I was 17 years old, I put on a significant amount of weight in a very short period of time (approx. 135lbs in about 12 months). While I was always a confident sort growing up, naturally it had a massive impact on how I interacted with others in my day-to-day dealings. It would be year or two, but the weight fell off when I was diagnosed with a thyroid tumor that was subsequently removed. While the pounds were gone, the damage to my skin and musculature had been done, and for years, I hid this from everyone – even loved ones. I can’t begin to count the times that I avoided common summertime events and clothing choices because I didn’t want to be “discovered” as having what I viewed as a substantial deformity.
At 39 years old, I took a leap of faith in reaching out to Colorado Plastic Surgery Center. Very few things intimidate me, but my initial outreach was terrifying. I try to be a man’s man, but the stigma that I associated with cosmetic enhancement was quickly, and surprisingly, eased in my conversations and consultations with Sierrah. While the process of having some of my biggest insecurities examined in detail was daunting, Sierrah and Dr. Slenkovich were remarkably professional and compassionate in my first interactions at the clinic. They reviewed my objectives for the surgery and provided honest feedback regarding what I could respect of the end results and total costs for the procedure. I spent a few weeks researching other surgeons; more or less attempting to educate myself on the road ahead. In a long conversation with a childhood friend who is also a surgeon, he implored me 'to pick the provider who you feel has the greatest technical mastery of the procedure.' To that end, I picked Dr. Slenkovich and his team, and absent of hyperbole… It was a decision that has absolutely changed my life for the better.
Simply put, the scope of my surgery was one hell of a recovery (full body lift w/ circumferential liposuction around the torso and an arm lift). All in, I took close to six weeks off of work. But from Dr. Slenkovich’s front of house team, including my initial on-boarding with Sierrah to my continued scheduling and patient liaison needs with Sam… To my day of surgery care with Rebecca and J… To my follow-up appointments with Jessica, Pam and Brianna… To Dr. Slenkovich himself… I received REMARKABLE care, service and follow-up from everyone in this practice. Rarely have I seen such collaboration in any of my doctor’s offices. It’s clear that Dr. Slenkovich has built a culture in which patient well-being is a cornerstone.
And while it has taken some time to write this review, it’s only because the entirety of the procedure and recovery has been nothing short of a transformative and nearly transcendent experience. If you’re a male, and at all considering some kind of cosmetic enhancement, please, please, please give this practice a call. And to Dr. Slenkovich and his staff: THANK YOU! I am so eternally grateful.
