Who was born first?
Maurizio and Roberto are not only identical twins – Roberto is the younger by 10 minutes – but also a leading cosmetic surgeon.
They have been in the industry for a while!
They established their smart Harley Street clinic, London Centre for Aesthetic Surgery (WWW.LCAS.COM), in 1990. Now they are based in London, Dubai and Ireland. Dubai was established in 2008 (WWW.LCAS.AE)
The “Nip-Tuck Twins”. Is that a name you made up yourself?
No, it wasn’t a name that we made up but it was as a result of the hit US TV series “Nip Tuck” that was popular at the time patients and the media started taking notice of our work. Back then and now, we are still the only twin cosmetic surgeons in the world which we think made them coin the phrase the ‘nip tuck twins’
They like to wear florals and printed scrubs during operating.
I think being Italians we like to put a little aesthetic edge to the usual mundane blue or green scrubs. My brother and I have probably 3 – 4 colourful scrubs each, and we find that it puts a smile on the patients face and almost puts them at ease before the surgery.
How does fashion play a role in your lives and work? And are there ‘fashion-trends’ in cosmetic surgery?
As you know Italians have a strong sense of fashion and aesthetics. My brother and I have been exposed and taught to appreciate the arts, architecture and fashion from a young age. Cosmetic surgery, for us, feels like a piece of fashionable art. Each body canvas, can be thought of like a piece of couture, where each body is uniquely designed for an individual as each person has different proportions and expectations. The key is not to create a ‘factory look’ where all the patients look the same, but to carve each individual to enhance their own features rather than to change them. Yes, there are definitely ‘fashion-trends’ in cosmetic surgery but we try not to follow them but to create each look for the individual. For example, in the Middle East, they prefer rounder bottoms whereas in Europe they want smaller bottoms but we only agree to them if it is suitable and in proportion for each patient.
What do you like about your looks?
We are fortunate that from the Venetian side of our family, they have always looked genetically younger than their biological age. It used to bother us when we were younger as everyone thought we were younger than we were, but we now can appreciate this. From our mother’s side of the family, they always has good quality skin that with extra care keeps well, but from our father’s side we are lucky that we got their height.
Have you ever considered to change something in your face yourself? Do you do treatments like botox to yourself?
Maurizio: I have always done botox to my face whilst my brother hasn’t done any. It was an interesting experiment especially as we are identical. However, I would never inject myself – that wouldn’t be right. My brother usually does the botox for me.Roberto: I think I have to do botox soon especially when my 16 year-old daughter has told me that I need it!
I read that Dr. Roberto did operate Maurizio once. How was that for you Dr. Roberto, to operate on your own brother? And for Maurizio, how did that feel?
Roberto: Yes, I did Maurizio’s nose many years ago. As doctors, there are some of us we can separate the emotional from the physical. I saw my brother as a patient, and could work without being emotionally involved. However, there are surgeons who don’t feel the same way, and in those cases I would advise them not to operate on family.Maurizio: I trusted Roberto. I know his work.
What is the question (potential) clients ask most?
That’s a hard one to answer as it varies so much, but I think most people want to know what the results of the operation will be like, and I think it is important to explain it to them and to manage their expectations.
For what are people the most afraid? And what do you tell them?
People fear general anaesthesia the most but plastic surgery techniques have come a long way over the past 10 years. Most cosmetic surgery procedures, like 90%, of our procedures are not performed under general anasethesia but under sedation where the patients are placed under a deep sleep through an IV drip; when the anaesethist stops adding the sedation medicines to the IV drips the patients will wake up slowly from a slumber but the benefit is that they will not remember anything about the procedure.
Who is a typical client?
Our clients vary in background and age we have no typical client, but do tend to see more men in the Middle East than in London!
What are they best known for?
Penoplasty which is big over here in the UK! We have a huge waiting list. This process never stops being in demand.
Are they pioneers of anything? We pioneered VASER Lipo in the UK.
What’s their most popular treatment?
For women breast augmentation and the MACS Facelift, for men its VASER Lipo and of course Penoplasty.
Why do you think there has been an increasing interest in female plastic surgery over recent years?
The beauty industry has grown hugely over recent years, and there is a lot of pressure from the media and celebrity icons to look unrealistically perfect, and the growth of treatments has also become more accessible to people as prices have come down and there are more choices of treatments. Therefore, it makes it even more important for us cosmetic surgeons, like my brother and me, to ensure that we manage our patients’ expectations.
What procedures do you find are the most common at your practice?
Botox, fillers, PRP Facial Rejuvenation and fat grating are extremely popular choice of treatments as there is a huge demand for youthful complexions and rejuvenation. Also, for surgical procedures, breast augmentation and liposuction are still very much in demand as techniques have changed and improved allowing the patients to have less pain, and more natural looking results.
Is the number of women receiving surgery a sign that the world is steadily becoming more obsessed with our appearance?
Beauty magazines, the fashion industry and social media certainly play a part. I see that some patients do feel the pressure from it, which is why we make sure we always carry out a full assessment and consultation before agreeing any surgery with a patient. It’s important that they are in the right state of mind, and that they are doing the procedure for the right purposes. It is also important to manage the patient’s expectations, and to turn away patients who do not have realistic expectations or are asking for treatments to treat an emotional issue.
What is the most complicated procedure to perform and why?
Rhinoplasty is probably the most complicated followed by breast reduction and tummy tuck. For breast reduction, complications include keeping equal volume and similar shapes, and to explain to patient’s the impact of the scars. In aesethetic plastic surgery, the abdominalplasty tummy tuck (this is not to be mistaken with liposuction – tummy tuck is the removal of the excess skin) has the highest rate of complication out of any surgery.
Drs. Maurizio and Roberto Viel have over 25 years of experience in the field of cosmetic surgery industry and are known for their expertise in cosmetic treatments and surgeries.
To book an appointment, or consultation in Dubai at our LCAS Dubai Healthcare City Clinic, please contact 04-375 2393, WhatsApp +971 52 915 1461or email gulf@LCAS.com
To book an appointment at our LCAS 15 Harley Street, London practice, please call +44 207 636 4272 or email info@LCAS.com