Interview with Dr Nicolas Zwillinger
Doctor Zwillinger, France’s leading specialist in lipedema, tells us about his career and the reasons that led him to take an interest in this little-known disease.
Hello, could you tell us about your job?
It’s a profession that can change on a daily basis, but its specificity remains its technical nature. We offer surgical solutions to aesthetic concerns or those linked to malformations. There is no “rule” »: whether these defects are visible or barely visible, the important thing is that they give patients complexes.
These defects may therefore be non-standard (asymmetries, hypertrophies, losses, excesses) or cause concern, even if they’re not abnormal, because they don’t fit into the patients’ aesthetic framework – into their beauty criteria.
I tend to see my job as that of a body repairer: when people are suffering with their appearance, and need help, they call on me to change aspects of their body – a bit like car parts, if I may put it that way.
So, above all, it’s a very manual profession – in fact, more technical than scientific. That’s why it’s so important to keep abreast of the latest innovations.
What made you decide to become a surgeon?
What really triggered my interest in the profession was when I saw a documentary about the daily lives of surgeons. I must have been 8 years old. It was love at first sight.
I remember thinking how incredible it was to work with living matter, to discover the hidden aspect of the human body. I felt like Alice in Wonderland.
This work on the body led to another eminently mysterious question: what exactly is life?
For me, understanding the body’s mechanism (again, a bit like a car!) is already the first answer to this question.
And of course, there’s the repair aspect behind it: it’s not a neutral discovery of the human body: it’s an act that will repair the body, and therefore be extremely beneficial.
I also loved playing Dr. Evil, so maybe that’s where it all came from!
How did you become a surgeon?
I began my studies in medical school, between 1992 and 1994. After those first few years, I decided to take a preparatory course in Political Science, another field I was very attracted to – and which seemed less theoretical and cold than medicine. In the end, I missed it and quickly went back to it.
I studied medicine for 6 years – but with the aim of becoming a surgeon, with a further 6 years needed to specialize. As I had passed my internship exams quite well, I was able to stay in Paris and operate in the surgical departments.
Why did you choose to specialize in the treatment of lipedema?
What I initially wanted to do was help people overcome their complexes. I soon became interested in fat tissue. At the time, we were talking about fat transfer – what we call lipofilling. This led me to work on stem cells: the fascinating thing about fat cells is that they can produce different types of growth. They can help repair the body. Simply put, fat cells are like mini-surgeons.
I then acquired a BodyJet in 2012: it’s an incredible machine that transfers fat perfectly safely. It’s actually very useful for the treatment of lipedema. Little by little, patients came to me with this problem, knowing that I had this expertise.
So I started working a lot on WAL Liposuction, which is both highly aesthetic and functional. What particularly excited me was that this surgery goes beyond appearances and other “ordinary” complexes ». It’s a surgery that can, in fact, alleviate physical suffering, which is a novelty in the genre.
Can you tell us about the WAL liposuction technique, which you pioneered in France?
The term stands for “Water Assisted Liposuction” ». It works a bit like a Karcher method: as if lots of water were going to clean the wall under pressure. In fact, the water here will be “injected” » into the diseased “fat” », and will cause it to move with suction. It’s a highly effective method, but not yet widely used in France. Few surgeons have invested in this technology.
What do you love about being a surgeon?
It’s an adventure, a challenge, that involves a lot of questioning, daily learning and constant discovery. You have to adapt to all kinds of new techniques.
There’s also the lesser-known aspect of teamwork. You learn every day from your colleagues: there’s an aspect of collegial work, where you draw inspiration from others.
Finally, what also motivates me is the concentration, finesse and precision that the work demands. I have to surpass myself, day after day.
Dr Nicolas Zwillinger What do you think are the drawbacks of this job?
Well, if I had to pick one disadvantage: you can’t hold a grudge.
What I mean by that is that surgery is a difficult, time-consuming and painful business. They’re stressful: sometimes there are abnormalities, but of course you can never give up. You have to find a solution, whatever it takes, right away.
You have to be physically and mentally strong not to break down during these operations – which are performed on a living being who trusts us, let’s not forget!
As soon as you leave the OR, you have to be able to forget those moments. All you need to retain is the satisfaction, the sense of duty accomplished, and be ready to go back in the next day. Pressure has to be completely managed – it must never become harmful to the patient.
What advice would you give to a student wishing to become a surgeon?
I’d advise him to be sure he can accept the inconveniences listed above. He must also be willing to work with blood – because he will see a lot of it, and sometimes have some on him.
If he feels that his motivation is strong, that he has a desire to put himself to the test every day, then he must not give up. Let him keep in mind the goal of accomplishing his duty – it’s long, it’s tedious, but it’s incredibly rewarding.
And in any case, he’ll need to combine determination, courage and character. This is what will help him to be as efficient and healthy as possible in his approach to work.
To conclude this interview with Dr Nicolas Zwillinger, any final words?
To discuss your lipedema or any other surgical project, I invite you to make an appointment…
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