 When I embarked on the path of cosmetic surgery recently, all signposts pointed to the New Me Institute. At the age of 51, even the name conjures up an inviting image. I knew I was not alone in seeking to re-invent myself. Was NEW ME the ultimate destination? You bet!
Everywhere I looked I was bombarded both by word-of-mouth and in the print media. Inundated with positive feedback about the New Me Institute, my Internet research convinced me all the more. My original plan was a complete overhaul, not just a tune-up and lube job so to speak. It doesn’t hurt to be thorough. If my self-image has always been that of one with depth and substance, I must admit that in some areas it is only skin-deep.
The first of several scheduled procedures was an extensive facelift. More precisely I chose the deluxe model; an eyebrow lift, a facelift and a neck lift. The finishing touches were several fat transferals to get rid of those nasty Winston Churchill jowls and lines around my lips, the legacy of an ex-smoker.
If I have temporarily scaled back with my self-improvement strategy it is not because of any negative reactions or after-effects. Quite the contrary. The results from this initial surgery were so far beyond my expectations that I am content to rest on my laurels for now. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, in the wink of a new and shapely eye.
The New Me Institute has the reputation as “the fastest growing cosmetic surgery corporation in Southern California”. Established in 1996, NEW ME, synonymous with NEW IMAGE, has served upwards of 20,000 patients since its inception.
Founder Dr. Shane Sheibani’s credentials are impressive enough to stand on their own. The roster of no less than six medical Specialty Boards with which he is affiliated such as the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and The American Board of Laser Surgery is massive.
A kind of medical Renaissance man, the Persian born physician also maintains Fellowship status and membership in five elite societies of wider scope. He is a Fellow of the reputable American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and the elite American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery.
After completing medical school at the unheard of age of 23 and training in surgery at one of the affiliated hospitals of Yale University, Sheibani struck out on his own, going solo with a new vision in the business of beauty. The NEW ME dream of being “the original source for affordable, five-star cosmetic surgery” was born and subsequently flourished.
Obsessed with detail and perfectionism in his work, Sheibani covers all bases. That approach, naturally, is of instrumental benefit to his clientele. A classic overachiever, an admitted workaholic who labors virtually 24/7, Sheibani sandwiches a brief interview in an overflowing schedule of appointments. Reticent about publicizing his own individual achievements, he is careful to give credit to all members of his group, from his colleagues and his staff to the patients themselves.
When asked if he has met his intended goals for the New Me Institute, Sheibani explains, “I have very high standards. As soon as I meet one self-imposed task, some new challenge arises. It is a never-ending quest.”
The NEW ME concept is simple and direct: create a win-win situation and make it a viable option for everyone. In response to my question, “What’s special about your patients?” Sheibani smiles. He states, “What I like about the New Me patients is that they are the SMARTEST patients. They get five-star Beverly Hills quality cosmetic surgery at the most competitive prices.”
Precocious in marketing as well as his medicinal specialization, full-page color ads are a standard fixture in the most discriminating Los Angeles publications. His pat motto, “The better my patients look, the better I look!”, as all platitudes rings true.
If there are two kinds of people in the world, or at least in L.A., there are those people who believe in plastic surgery and those who cringe at the thought. Strong opinions prevail. For the rare bird that is on the fence, the New Me Institute may be just the thing.
Obviously I am in the former group, joined by those who cannot resist the latest in high-tech cosmetology. That first category also contains a specialized substratum of increasingly younger upwardly mobile professionals. The yuppie factor is a key target group of NEW ME. They revel in the vast array and up-to-date services offered by Dr. Sheibani’s baby.
In the areas of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, two disciplines that are now both regarded as savvy rather than frivolous, the New Me Institute is in the forefront of cosmetic samplings.
My surgery has met the criteria for success on two fronts. The operations on my face were reconstructive in the sense of rejuvenating and resurrecting an ego that was rapidly deflating (although that is probably a good thing). Almost as a bonus, they were aesthetically sound. I am mesmerized by the transformation as promised.
I look much more how I feel than I have for too long a time. They don’t tell you when you are 21 (also probably a good thing) that when you are 51 your insides and outsides will be a mismatch.
I feel revived. The exhilaration at not having my face crack when I smile has not lessened since my first visit to NEW IMAGE. Not having my self-confidence go south when I look in the mirror seems to be a permanent change.
A proletariat philosophy of the god-given inalienable right to look young and be beautiful allows for the heretofore unheard of discount and highly affordable procedures. The price tags are remarkably accessible for everything from the ultra-trendy cool laser, radio-wave techniques and their dermal reconstructive abilities to the standard, meat and potatoes facelift, breast augmentations, liposuctions and tummy tucks. As a grand total, the bill does not match a traditional, tony Beverly Hills address.
In the standard one-time billing format for all cosmetic surgeries, “Dr. Shane”, as he is affectionately called, does not stint on time spent with the individual. From the initial free consultation to the aftercare visits, appointments are determined solely on an “as needed” basis rather than bowing to time constrictions.
At the main West Wilshire office, a bulky book of testimonials graces the waiting room. It is headed by an L. A. Times article on Betty Ford’s stunning facelift some 20 years ago. The inclusion highlights Dr. M. R. Mazaheri, the former First Lady’s surgeon as Sheibani’s senior associate and mentor.
More directly, it is filled with copious thank you notes and well wishers for Sheibani himself. One patient signs herself “…the new, sexy, skinny, happy…” unable to say enough. Another writes a lengthy letter lauding the “…safe, natural, relatively painless procedures”.
If I don’t actually look 21 today, I can still empathize with one gushing letter after another declaiming Sheibani’s restorative magic. My face expresses my renewed feeling of boundless energy. A satisfied customer waxed eloquent about the physician’s skills. “He could perform a facelift, blindfolded with one hand tied behind his back. He wouldn’t, but he could.”
A prime question in the New Me Institute’s patient survey concerns customer service. A premium is placed on staff decorum. That is obvious in the warm and welcoming attitude of all who greet you. If it smacks of “your-service-is-free-if-we-don’t-let-you-know-how-delighted-we-are-to-see-you”, all the better. In my countless post-op visits the staff never failed to notice the improvements in me each time whether minute or significant.
The various office workers are uniformly fresh and attractive. The blanket impression is good for business. Employees are usually peddling a sterling product when they act like they would work pro bono. If they have been clients of Dr. Sheibani, their presence provides invaluable, gratuitous advertising.
They are also uniformly adoring to the point of sycophancy of Dr. Sheibani’s efforts. “He is an artiste” one assistant proclaims, reassuring words to what otherwise might be a squeamish setting for a prospective patient.
All aspects of this venture have been superb and extraordinary. WOW! I say that quite sincerely. And sincerity is a main ingredient in the New Me Institute mix.
The upbeat attitude encourages the individual to improve his person. More is better. More is encouraged with discount in volume. My girlfriend, who was part of just one of NEW ME’S networks, has a mindset similar to mine. She made the comment about “buying in bulk”, an analogy fitting a town that thrives on illusion. Like me, she loves to dabble in the cosmetic palette, having already had one procedure with several more planned for the future. And she is 31.
With fantasy as its mainstay, Dr. Sheibani caters to a discerning group. Foremost, he strives to do it safely, effectively and economically. By sheer necessity, his diagnostic skills are excellent. He can usually tell at a glance what needs to be done and the optimum way to achieve it. Always current, always efficient, a patient routinely undergoes a startling satisfying metamorphosis.
If I was slightly bewildered at first by overly simplistic metaphors in explaining different surgeries, any misconceptions were quickly dispelled. The sense of genuine caring is soon evident. Not everyone lives and breathes his profession, forging ahead with single-minded purpose.
Dr. Sheibani has an exceedingly democratic desire to communicate with all who seek his services. This attitude infiltrates the atmosphere from the good doctor throughout his staff.
The New Me Institute’s networks are vast, with two branches at present in the L.A. vicinity. Sheibani’s consulting practice, however, is pervasive throughout the Southland.
Future plans include (what else?) but to expand this highly desirable franchise. For more information on the New Me Institute, log on to www.newmeintstitute.com or call 1-800 NEW ME34.
If I were you, I’d call the New Me Institute and go for it! After all you only live once, you might as well be fresh and new as you can be while in this journey we call life.
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