A Little Work: Behind the Doors of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon [Hardcover]

Z. Paul Lorenc F.A.C.S. M.D. (Author), Trish Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2004

If walls could talk! Beyond TV's Extreme Makeover and Nip/Tuck, this no-holds-barred account of what goes on in the most private of plastic surgery practices gives the inside story in a way we've never heard before. Who are the serial surgery seekers? What really happens in a consultation? What is the difference between a tummy tuck and liposuction and who is more suited for which? What mistakes have doctors made and can they be corrected? Dr. Paul Lorenc not only supplies answers but analyzes what drives people-women and men alike-to increasingly request his services. Dr. Lorenc also describes:
- Why never to have plastic surgery on a Friday
- What post-surgical recovery really involves
- The truth about Botox and other "injectibles"
- Why expensive skin-care products don't work
- The myth of "lunch hour" procedures and quick recovery

Now at the top of his game, this well-established, dynamic surgeon is perfectly positioned to tell it all.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A plastic surgeon for 16 years, Lorenc, with New York Times "Escapes" editor Hall, effectively communicates his love for the complex work he does in this sometimes entertaining saga of liposuctions, breast implants, face lifts and other cosmetic surgical procedures. No doubt many women will want to read the case histories, since, as the doctor points out, plastic surgery, once the province of the elderly rich, is now pursued by younger women of all income levels. Lorenc comes across as honest and trustworthy, saying no, for example, to a woman who requested liposuction when he felt it was inappropriate, and, more amusingly, to patients who flirt outrageously with him. He condemns physicians who promote plastic surgery as risk-free and insists that Botox injections should be given only in the safety of a medical office. Among other nuggets of useful information the author offers is that high-quality plastic surgery is neither pain-free nor cheap, and probably will not last a lifetime. Lorenc also shares some stories about famous patients, such as Katharine Hepburn, whose face he reconstructed several times after skin cancers were removed. He devotes some space to a discussion of male patients, whom he considers more whiny and difficult than females.
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From the Back Cover

"Breathtakingly candid and eye-opening." -New York Post

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (September 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312315244
• ISBN-13: 978-0312315245
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,768,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars a little dissapointing, November 12, 2004

By 

A reader from Canada (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Little Work: Behind the Doors of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon (Hardcover)

I just finished reading this book and despite its recent media attention, I have to say that I was quite dissapointed. While entertaining, this books fails to offer practical information and the information the authors do share is not very sophisticated. For pure enjoyment, this book is OK. If it is practical information you are in search of, this book is not for you. No pictures are offered and the authors recommendations are vague. I much prefered Secrets of a Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgeon by Dr. Robert Kotler. I highly reccomend his book for those interested in practical information on cosmetic surgery.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Highly Skilled Doctor, Poor Editing!, August 16, 2009

By 

Baazumi (New York City, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Little Work: The Truth Behind Plastic Surgery's Park Avenue Façade (Paperback)

This book was interesting, insightful, and slightly strange. Interesting and insightful in providing practical information on the myths of plastic surgery, descriptions of procedures, how important it is to follow the doctors advice, general overall information of what goes on behind the doors of a surgeons office and how clients are handled, Dr. Lorenc's strong work ethic, and his personal background which is excellent reading. This includes his medical training, and his turbulent early life history where he and his family escaped Poland,and started over.

What I find strange about the book is the promotion of Trish Hall, an editor at The New York Times. Now everybody knows the New York Times has a great reputation, and this should mean the editor is highly qualified to edit this book, but the book doesn't reflect great editing. Not at all. The author repeats himself far too much throughout the book and had there been better editing, it would have made for a more focused, easier and more enjoyable book to read. The first half of the book reads cool and detached, and it isn't until the second half of the book where Dr. Lorenc talks about his various patients and their procedures does the reader get a "feeling" for the man. He's very into self-promotion, but if I ever wanted plastic surgery, he'd be the first on my list to check out.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it!!!, October 13, 2004

By 

Debra Bowe "Mandersss" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Little Work: Behind the Doors of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon (Hardcover)

I bought this book tonight and couldn't put it down. It has a very insightful view on the world of plastic surgery, along with its downfalls. I Absolutly loved it from the start to finish. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this subject.