The Future of Beauty: Dr Kerim Ünal On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Beauty Industry
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Love Yourself. If you are able to love yourself from the inside out, then your true, radiant confidence will shine through and attract new, advantageous opportunities wherever you go.
As part of our series about “Brand Makeovers” I had the pleasure to interview Dr. Kerim Ünal, M.D., F.E.B.O.P.R.A.S.
Dr. Kerim Ünal is an internationally recognized plastic surgeon from Turkey with a special interest in cosmetic surgeries of the face, breasts, and body. After completing medical school at Istanbul University, he attended Akdeniz University, where he studied under the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, & Aesthetic Surgery during his residency. Dr. Ünal is now a certified member of the European Board of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and is based in Istanbul. He has performed thousands of surgeries throughout his career,with recent notable procedures being his work on reality TV stars Darcey and Stacey Silva. Furthermore, Dr. Ünal was a part of the team that completed the first successful face transplantation in Turkey and has since participated in five face allotransplantations, two hand allotransplantations, and one womb allotransplantation procedure. Although fluent in Turkish, he also speaks English and is learning to speak German to serve his clientele better. Dr. Ünal specializes in rhinoplasty, breast aesthetics, liposuction, and body contouring, and ultimately, his passion is helping people look and feel their best.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Absolutely! Like many things in life, I came across this career path by chance. I always knew that I wanted to help people, but I was never exactly sure how. So when I was presented with the opportunity to become a plastic surgeon, I soon realized my ideal career path had actually found me. One of the best aspects of the job is helping a person become more self-confident and increasing their quality of life, and that’s why I love what I do.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I was a part of the team that performed the first face transplantation in Turkey. Since total face transplantations are rare, some were skeptical during the operation. However, afterward, the whole team was shocked and amazed when it turned out perfectly. That was one of the first times I realized just how much of a difference we can make in people’s lives with plastic surgery and that feeling is what drives me forward every day.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
I wouldn’t necessarily say there was a tipping point. However, I would credit my success to consistent hard work over time. By committing yourself to be the best at your craft that you possibly can, success will start to come your way. If anything, when I began to see success, I worked even harder. It is important for me to set an example for my daughter that you can accomplish anything if you work hard and put your mind to something.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I would have to say my mentors and colleagues, for one. Without their effort, help, and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s important to find the right team of people in your life, whether personal or work, and keep them close. I also have to say that my daughter has heavily inspired my success along the way. I remember the day I found out I was going to be a father, and at that moment, I became committed to providing for her needs and being a good role model. Having someone that relies on you means that failure is not an option and the only option is hard work and determination.
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?
One of the best pieces of technology that we have access to today is increasingly accurate surgical simulations. These simulations allow us to meticulously plan pre-operation and reduce overall surgery times in relevant cases. By reducing surgery time, you decrease the risk of any complications, particularly with the anesthesia. Ultimately, this emergent technology allows us to exercise efficiency in the operating room, which benefits patients both during and after the operation.
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
Thankfully this technology allows us to plan more thoroughly so we can do our best to anticipate any consequential effects and avoid them ahead of time. With things like “Black Mirror,” bodily alterations are underwent without full due concern for the consequences or unanticipated results. In our professional practice, we are not only committed to providing the best services possible, but, above all else, the client’s health and safety are our main concerns during all of our procedures.
Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?
In my opinion, the three most exciting procedures in my field are rhinoplasty, breast augmentations, and tummy tucks. These are my favorite operations to perform because they can change everything in a patient’s life. Not only do these procedures increase their self-confidence but it also benefits their overall health and quality of life. Seeing how my work can change someone’s life for the better is what excites me and why I enjoy this career path so much.
Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?
I think one of the most concerning things is how the industry is portrayed on social media. With the popularization of certain surgical procedures on social media, people are given pre-conceived notions about the industry that are not necessarily true. For this one, the suggestion is simple; don’t believe everything you see on social media. Secondly, patients need to manage their expectations and realize that these procedures won’t fix what they’re feeling on the inside if they’re hurting. While these procedures can resolve aesthetic concerns, increase confidence, and improve a patient’s health, they are not a substitute for professional therapy or actively working through your problems. Finally, patients often don’t do enough research beforehand, which can result in botched work or other undesirable outcomes. It is best to consult with at least two surgical offices before deciding which one best suits your needs. Furthermore, this process forces someone to truly consider all aspects of the surgery, not only what the final product will look like.
You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)
1. Love Yourself. If you are able to love yourself from the inside out, then your true, radiant confidence will shine through and attract new, advantageous opportunities wherever you go.
2. Stay in Your Lane. Don’t pay any mind to what other people think about you! If you want to feel beautiful and live your best life, you need to do whatever makes you happy in terms of your beauty regimen, not what you think society expects from you.
3. There is No Other YOU. Remember that you are a rare and beautiful specimen that deserves to feel as such. If you keep this in mind, you will feel more beautiful and be able to see the beauty around you more easily.
4. Indulge in Self-Care. Self-care will look different for everyone, but it is essential to help you look and feel your best. Experiment with various self-care methods and find what works best for you!
5. Enjoy Your Life! Get rid of things or people that no longer serve you or the path you’re on. Focus on staying present in every moment, and your inner beauty and the beauty of the world around you will begin to reveal themselves to you.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Honestly, I would love to look at expanding my practice so that my expertise and skills would be more widely available to clients. I believe the work I do not only helps people look their best but also feel their best, and I want to spread that positivity even more.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“If you are too lazy to plow, don’t expect a harvest.” None of my success would have been possible without dedication, determination, and a lot of hard work. These are the values I want to instill in my daughter, regardless of what her passion becomes when she grows up. By setting your mind to something and putting in consistent work, you can achieve all of your dreams and more. This has been the biggest life lesson that I want to instill in my family.
How can our readers follow you online?
I can be found on Instagram at @drkerimunal, where I share before and after pictures of procedures as well as a behind-the-scenes look at my work and personal life. I also have a professional website that will be up and running soon. The domain for that is www.kerimunal.com.
Thank you so much for these excellent insights! We wish you continued success in your work.
The Future of Beauty: Dr Kerim Ünal On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Beauty was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
