Dr Jeremy Hunt is Supervisor of Plastic Surgery Training at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
With a 100% rating of 5 out of 5 star reviews on our website, Dr Jeremy Hunt is also considered one of the top plastic surgeons in Australia by not just happy patients, but other surgeons and industry members. We were lucky enough to sneak some of his time at the ASAPS Conference held in Sydney and ask him some questions.
PSH: Tell us a little about yourself…
Dr Jeremy Hunt: I’m happily married with four beautiful daughters. I’m Sydney born and bred. I trained at Sydney University and did my Plastic Surgery training here after doing my General Surgery training. I then went to the United States for the best part of two years, doing a Fellowship in Craniofacial which allows me to work at Sydney Children’s Hospital as one of the Craniofacial Surgeons; and then the other aspect (of my training) was in Cosmetic and Aesthetic Surgery.
PSH: What are your hobbies?
Dr Hunt: Surfing. I am absolutely addicted to salt water! So if I don’t see salt water, smell salt water or get in salt water on a daily basis I start to become a little withdrawn; so I’m a little attached to Sydney and all that the lifestyle offers.
PSH: What inspired you to be a surgeon?
Dr Hunt: My decision to be a surgeon was based around always having an interest in using my hands. So I quickly realised at University that there are the doctors who use their minds and the doctors who use their hands – and I’m definitely the artisan craft type. So, from building model aeroplanes as a child and all of those (sorts of) things, surgery was the logical path. Then, after doing General Surgical training, moving through Cardiothoracic and all the sub-specialties, it was plastic surgery that appealed to me the most and it was the ability to change lives for the better. We could alter people’s lives and the quality of their lives so immensely and that was just the most rewarding thing I had ever been involved in – and that was what led me to decide to go down the path of plastic surgery.
PSH: Please tell us your most interesting experience with a plastic surgery procedure?
Dr Hunt: So, my most interesting experiences are going to be a mixture of the greatest triumphs and some of the most unfortunate cases I’ve been involved with. The greatest triumphs are when you can achieve a life-changing result for a patient form a procedure, that’s fantastic. They are often long, complicated operations that might take 10 or 12 or 14 hours and are life-altering for the patient. And the ones that are often the most interesting are the ones that stretch you personally and professionally. Working at the Sydney Children’s Hospital I might be involved in some cases where the outcomes may not be ideal but will absolutely build the foundation of who you are to be involved in those cases. It will prepare you for the next time you face an adverse event; and it makes you a stronger person, and a stronger and better surgeon. To me, that is all about moving forward and getting better and better at the skill I provide.
PSH: You perform many different cosmetic surgery procedures, which is your favourite, and why?
In terms of the cosmetic practice I provide I do like to offer patients a variety of procedures. I’m trained to operate on facial cases, facelifts, Rhinoplasty; I enjoy the breast work that I do, the abdominal contouring work that I do, so I’ll offer patients the full, wide spectrum of cosmetic surgical procedures. That way, in my mind, I think I can look at things from a wider perspective than just having one specialty group. I can offer patients multiple procedures at the same surgical setting. That way – one visit to hospital, one anesthetic and one recovery time; and for patients who are busy and time poor, often getting multiple procedures done at once is the key to success.
PSH: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
This job has the ability to offer patients results that can change lives for the better, and achieving that outcome is without doubt the most rewarding aspect of this job.
PSH: What advice would you give someone looking to undergo major cosmetic surgery?
Dr Hunt: My advice for someone who is contemplating undergoing a cosmetic procedure is: do your research, do your research, do your research. In Australia, there are a number of practitioners who can offer a cosmetic procedure; but as a plastic surgeon who is a member of the Australasian College of Surgeons; patients can be assured that they are receiving the highest quality of care in the safest possible environment. I think if patients want a good outcome they really do need to invest the time into looking into the doctor who is providing that service for them, where that doctor is going to be providing that service, and just making sure they are getting the best they possibly can.
PSH: What advice would you give someone who is under the age of 18 and looking to undergo cosmetic surgery?
Dr Hunt: Decisions often made when you are under the age of 18 may seem like a good idea at the time but in later years they may not have been the best move you could have made. I think if you are under the age of 18 it’s imperative that you have the involvement of your parents with regards to any decision you make when it comes to cosmetic surgery. I think you need to consider that your body is still developing so although you think something is an issue now, it may not be an issue in a number of years time.
I often see patients considering a rhinoplasty under the age of 18 and I do think this is a reasonable procedure as long as the patient is fully skeletally mature. I also see young girls under the age of 18 who are giving consideration to a breast reduction. I can appreciate that at the age of 16 or 17, being the one girl in the class who has a G cup while everybody else is still developing can really limit someone’s psychological development. I will give consideration, with the family’s involvement, to performing a breast reduction just to alleviate the psychological as well as physical stress they can cause.
PSH: Do you provide any support for patients after surgery?
Dr Hunt: I think that patients need to consider surgery as being a long term relationship with their doctor. There is the consultation before surgery, there is the actual procedure, and then most importantly there is the follow up. So the surgical results might not be absolutely clear until potentially 12 months after the operation. So, it’s my job as the surgeon who performs the operation, to ensure that I follow those patients up. And I do think that follow up care is imperative to getting the best result possible.
If you would like more information visit the Dr Jeremy Hunt website or see his listing on PS Hub, or to arrange a consult phone his clinic directly on 02 9327 1733.