Azure Plastic Surgery & MedSpa is about to get a facelift, so to speak – in that it is moving to a new location in Clay Terrace.
The move enables the facility to expand its footprint, double the square footage, and provide additional treatment options on the spa side, including aestheticians who can do HydraFacials, waxing and hair removal.
The opening of Azure in Clay Terrace is one foothold for the leadership at Riverview Health, who are trying to expand their service offerings within Hamilton County, which has experienced extensive growth in recent years and is expecting even larger growth in the future.
“As population increases, demand for health care in Hamilton County will increase,” says Jason Kaufmann, director of marketing and communications at Riverview Health. “Even with the current substantial presence, there’s still a challenge for health care in Hamilton County, with expected shortages of providers in the future to meet growing demand.”
Not only is the plastic surgery and med spa industry gaining popularity, but patients also want to receive health care close to where they live. The Clay Terrace location gives patients close, convenient access. Azure is a full-service location that offers face surgery, nose surgery, ear pinning, as well as surgery for breasts, abdomen, buttocks and thighs. Dr. Joshua Tieman is the plastic surgeon who will be leading the team at Azure.
Tieman, an Arizona native, did much of his training on the west coast, but has grown to love Hamilton County and the warm hospitality of those who live here. An artist since he was a young boy, Tieman was drawn to the artistic side of plastic surgery.
“Being able to put a personal touch on plastic surgery has always intrigued me,” he says.
Often folks associate plastic surgery with an attempt to stave off aging, and while that is valid in its own right, there are numerous procedures patients undergo such as fixing cleft palates, bone and jaw surgery, skull surgery, hand surgery – and all of the head-to-toe reconstructive aspects of plastic surgery following traumatic accidents, or a cancer diagnosis. Tieman’s practice is 60/40 split on reconstruction and elective surgeries.
“Helping my patients feel better about themselves is what gives me the most satisfaction,” Tieman says. “It might be a procedure someone has wanted to do since they were 16. Now they’re 45 and can finally afford it, or are done having kids or whatever.”
While Tieman loves the variety of surgeries he does, he says breast cancer reconstruction is the most humbling part of his job.
“Breast cancer and breast cancer reconstruction has been a passion of mine since I was a medical student,” he says.
When he initially meets with a breast cancer patient following their diagnosis, he discusses their possibilities.
“I’m not selling them any particular thing or convincing them that they need my services,” he says. “I simply tell them what is and isn’t possible, as well as what is and isn’t safe. Other than that, breast reconstruction is a very personalized journey.”
He lets them know it’s perfectly OK not to have breast reconstruction surgery following breast removal, and to wear a prosthetic if it’s what they choose to do. By the same token, if someone shares they have always had a B cup and would prefer to be bigger following a mastectomy, it’s an option too.
“This is the perfect time to make something better out of a terrible situation,” Tieman says. “Being able to get them to what they had always wanted to be, despite their cancer diagnosis, is a neat thing. Going through that process with them is such an honor.”
Kaufmann says it’s important to find a surgeon who understands the challenges a patient faces who has undergone a traumatic event like breast cancer.
“The mental strain of undergoing surgery and treatment for breast cancer is significant,” Kaufmann says. “To have someone who can help walk you through that ordeal is pretty special. It puts Dr. Tieman, his skills, and his practice in a different light.”
Tieman maintains that it takes a lot of courage for someone to schedule a consultation and admit that they are unhappy with the size or shape of their breasts, but the outcome following surgery can be life changing for the patient. For instance, breast reduction surgery can make a dramatic difference in a patient’s self-esteem. It also affects them physically in that they no longer have to suffer from aching backs, necks and shoulders. Plus, they can comfortably exercise and even change their wardrobe.
“My breast-reduction patients always come in after their first visit, eager to tell me that they can now wear button-up shirts,” Tieman says. “It sounds so small, but it’s such a huge thing for them.”
Tieman says that one day he’d like to put together a mixtape of responses from his patients who were asked, “If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 20-year-old self?”
They all said, “I would have told myself to do this 30 years sooner!”
Azure Plastic Surgery & MedSpa is located at 14300 Clay Terrace Boulevard, Suite 200A in Carmel. The grand opening at Clay Terrace will be in mid-June. For more information, call 317-214-5795.
