Dr. William Goldstein, Midwest Vein Care Center and Medical Spa in Chesterfield, MO, wants to help patients with medical and cosmetic problems from varicose veins to brown spots.
A board-certified phlebologist, Goldstein graduated from the University Of Missouri Medical School, and, by his own admission, was not quite sure where he would land.
“Being from a Jewish family, a doctor was the big thing,” he said. “But I’m a rebel at heart, and I wanted to be a forest ranger, an architect, an artist, maybe a jazz musician or short stop for the St. Louis Cardinals.”
When his family moved from one home to another, Goldstein ran across a small book he had written when he was about six or seven titled “My autobiography,” and in it, he had written, “I’m going to be a doctor.”
In his third year of medical school, Goldstein’s father died of brain cancer which had a profound effect on his view of medicine.
“He was my best friend,” Goldstein said. “I watched what he went through, his interface with the medical community, and kept wondering, ‘Where’s the compassion?’
“It impacted the direction I took,” he said.
The road from that time to the present twisted and turned from general surgery, to orthopedics, to emergency room physician to an urgent care center.
“When I was working all these different jobs, I saw there was a great lane for merging medical and wellness,” he said. “I’ve always believed in holistic therapies, fitness training, moderation, basically taking care of yourself so you can stay away from doctors.”
Goldstein worked with Dr. Mark Blumenthal, founder of Vein Center and CosMed, for several years before opening his own practice nine years ago at 6 McBride and Son Center Dr.
“When general and vascular surgeons started fixing varicose veins, they would just yank them out which was very invasive and painful,” Goldstein said. “Veins are much different than arteries, in that they’re very small, flimsy and difficult to fix.
“I went from being not interested to loving it, and now, I’m like a vampire!” he said. “I found my niche.”
“Our philosophy is working with people,” he said. “I talk to them and listen, and not just about their wrinkles or red dots,” he said. “I listen to the whole person, where they’re coming from, what’s their life and financial situation, and what are their expectations?”
Sometimes, a person will present wanting an esthetic procedure, and Goldstein will find a medical problem that needs attention.
“Other times, people will come in for a medical procedure and when they see what all we do, they’ll decide to look at those services,” he said.
Cosmetic and medical Sclerotherapy is the most popular service, followed by chemical peels, microdermabrasion and intense pulse light facials.
For more information, call the Midwest Vein Care Center and Medical Spa at 636-536-0241 or visit veincarestlouis.com