We also interviewed Dr Benjamin Ascher in 2019 - click here to read the article.
We were delighted to catch up with Dr Benjamin Ascher, an esteemed Plastic Surgeon from France, about his career and passion for education.
Dr Benjamin Ascher.
What led you to choose a career in the field of plastic surgery?
My journey into plastic surgery began with a strong passion for medicine during my university studies. Key mentors, particularly Paul Tessier, the pioneer of craniofacial surgery, and Thomas Baker, played crucial roles in guiding my career. These encounters, starting from my early fellowship years, shaped my path. Early in my career, I was very active in exploring new areas within the profession, especially minimally invasive techniques. I believed that the future of our field lay not solely in traditional surgery but in combining high-level surgical skills with extensive knowledge of minimally invasive procedures. My patients quickly embraced injectable treatments like toxins and fillers, reinforcing this belief.
What has been the best piece of advice that you have received in your career and what advice would you offer to those following in your footsteps?
The best advice I received was to always be a compassionate human being and respect the ethical code of being a doctor. It's entirely possible to be a top-notch scientist and maintain high levels of humanity.
My advice to young colleagues is to be innovative and not strictly adhere to conventional norms or staying politically correct to avoid being blocked by the ‘father figures’. When I first introduced toxin injections and fillers in plastic surgery 40 years ago, many peers were skeptical. They questioned why we needed to inject when we were surgeons. However, over time, these techniques have become integral to our daily practice, significantly enhancing patient satisfaction.
What do you think have been the most important scientific developments in the field during the last decade?
Firstly, the rise of blockbuster injectables over the past 20 years has revolutionised our field, proving that non-surgical solutions can be both safe and effective. Secondly, the advancement of regenerative medicine, particularly the use of exosomes, holds great promise across specialties like plastic surgery, dermatology, and aesthetic medicine.
The next major challenge involves integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning into our practices. A significant development in this area is ultrasound-guided injections, a technology my team has been innovating with our new game-changing system, SibUS, which we plan to unveil in Q4 of 2024.
You have long been associated with high-quality education; what led to you being involved in first IMCAS and now ThinkIn?
At the inception of IMCAS (International Master Course on Aging Science) 25 years ago, for which I still remain as Honorary President and Founder, we were a small group focused on integrating various aspects of ageing science, including surgery, injectables, energy-based devices, pathology, anatomy, the economics of our profession, and many more.
ThinkIn represents a new challenge adapted to real needs. Unlike large congresses such as IMCAS, ThinkIn aims to create specialised, VIP-focused classes with hands-on activities, particularly ultrasound-guided injections and hands-on injections on simulator. Additionally, we are launching the Medical Aesthetic Injectable Summit, which will provide in-depth education on injectables and foster strong networking opportunities through an advanced AI platform.
Thinkin is launching its first Medical Aesthetic Injectable Summit this October in Marbella; is this bringing something new to the aesthetic medicine scene?
The Medical Aesthetic Injectable Summit (MAIS) is groundbreaking in our field – encompassing plastic surgery, dermatology, and aesthetic medicine – by bridging academia, business, and networking. It will present high-level scientific data on injectables like toxins and fillers, alongside valuable business insights. Additionally, it will offer opportunities for professional connections through the AI-enhanced ‘Business Speed Matching’ activity, facilitating strategic appointments with key companies. All of this is concentrated in two days, and this event was made possible thanks to my co-organisers, Humberto Antunes, Fauad Hasan, and Marina Landau.
What truly sets this Summit apart is the diverse range of participants dedicated to injectables who will gather at this event. We will welcome key opinion leader physicians, high-level scientists and Ph.D.s, C-suite executives, regulatory specialists, innovators and startups, experts in funds and private equity, and market analysts. This broad and varied assembly of stakeholders for discussions on injectables is unprecedented and unique.
And finally, if you have any spare time, how do you relax?
I try to exercise daily to stay in good shape, not as a serious sportsman, but to maintain my health. And of course, I try to maintain a good way of life with diet and nutrition. And then, I am still a beginner, but I also enjoy playing golf and swimming.
Balancing these hobbies with my professional responsibilities, such as injecting patients, conducting clinical studies on minimally invasive products, and leading ThinkIn and the Medical Aesthetic Injection Summit, helps me relax. I'm also excited about developing new technologies like SibUS for ultrasound-guided injections, which I look forward to sharing with my colleagues soon.
