There was a time when the words plastic surgery were associated with wealth and the affluent. However, the industry eventually dovetailed into mainstream life and has become more routine, likened to typical activities, such as going to the gym. Well-known plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Prada has been working magic on his clients for more than 16 years.
“If you think about it, 15 years ago talking about plastic surgery on TV would have been taboo. Now patients are excited about their looks and want to share their experiences,” says Dr. Prada.
After finishing a cosmetic surgery fellowship in D.C., he joined the clinical faculty team at St. Louis University before eventually joining St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Prada says he always gets gratification from making his patients happy.
“It’s incredible, they reach out whether it's through Instagram or on Facebook, and that makes it all very rewarding for me,” he explains.
When it comes to his cosmetic surgery patients, canceling an appointment is usually not an option. Dr. Prada laughs, “It’s funny, people will drive through snowstorms even if it's almost impossible for me to get to the surgery center. They'll call me and say the patient is waiting.”
It’s a medical field that's continuously evolving and changing, from the arrival of fillers and Botox to more involved advancements.
“Technology has changed dramatically over the last five or six years for us to be able to do a 3D image of a patient, and show them what they can look like before and after; 10 years ago we couldn’t do that,” he explains. “There are so many things that have changed since I started practicing, and I would say most all of them are for the better.”
The doctor credits his parents for their guidance and lessons learned. “Both of my parents came here from overseas and believed in education, hard work and doing well, so those things were an enormous part of who I was growing up,” he says.
Dr. Prada's parents also instilled in him a deep family bond that he has continued with his own family. “My wife and I spend a lot of time together, whether it's just going out to dinners or working out together or taking walks,” he adds.
He says he also spends a great deal of time with his two sons: “Our oldest son is a senior in high school going off to college at some point, and our youngest is a freshman at CBC."
The family keeps pingpong tables and foosball in their basement for family competitions, and they spend a number of weekends out of town attending their oldest son’s lacrosse tournaments.
“As I'm getting older, I think about trying to spend more time together and not making it all about work,” he confides.
Dr. Prada also says they are very happy calling St. Louis home. “We don't see it as a stepping stone to somewhere we would rather live. We are very comfortable living here and plan to be here for the foreseeable future.”