Plastic surgeon brings skills to Albert Lea Medical Center

Published 12:03 pm Sunday, March 1, 2009

Albert Lea Medical Center has something new once a month — a plastic surgeon.

Plastic surgeon Rene Recinos has been helping with breast reconstruction at ALMC for about two years on an as-needed basis, but he will now be coming up one Friday a month for all kinds of cosmetic surgery.

Recinos said other than breast augmentation, he also does face lifts, liposuction, body recontouring and hand surgery for people who have wrist pain, fractures or arthritis.

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“I do a variety of things. My area of interest is in cosmetic surgery and hand surgery,” he said.

Recinos practices full time at the Mason City Clinic in Mason City, Iowa, and has been there for four years.

Recinos, whose father is a surgeon, said he originally went to school to become a musician, but in his first year he found that he would have to practice four hours a day with no guarantee for steady work. He decided to add a science degree as a back-up and found out that he really liked doing things with his hands. He got a Ph.D. in biochemistry and during the residency training he rotated in plastic surgery and really liked it. Recinos is board certified in plastic surgery and had originally thought he wanted to teach, but he just loved to operate so much that he decided against the academic route, he said.

Recinos said he likes the variety of all of the procedures he does, but he especially enjoys performing hand surgery. Recinos said he knows the importance of hands because he is a jazz musician. Recinos had his residency in Milwaukee, which was the birthplace of hand surgery, he said. He does hand procedures like joint replacement and arthroscopy, many things having to do with problems from arthritis.

Recinos said something else interesting that he does is body recontouring. This is for people that have lost a lot of weight but have a lot of wrinkles or excess skin. Recinos said the people tell him that they don’t look they way they feel.

The surgeon said people in the Midwest are not as comfortable with openly discussing cosmetic surgery as they are on the coasts, but he said he is going to try to hold some seminars for the public at ALMC on a variety of topics in cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery and hand surgery for those curious about it.

“People often underestimate the importance of their body. The body is the most expensive equipment you’ll ever own,” Recinos said.

He said if you want to look better in your clothes or have a better balance you should consider cosmetic surgery.

As far as horror stories of cosmetic surgery gone wrong, Recinos said that people should take their body to someone who knows what they are doing and that they are comfortable with. Most of the horror stories are about doctors who were not qualified.

The surgeon said he enjoys being at Albert Lea clinic.

“People are very friendly and helpful. It’s a great facility to be working in,” he said. Recinos said he doesn’t get to spend too much time in Albert Lea outside of ALMC, but has enjoyed driving around and getting to know the town.

Recinos has been married to his wife, Paula, for 20 years. They have two boys, Miguel, who is 13, and Marco Antonio, who is 11.

In his free time he likes to play jazz music. He plays saxophone and flute. He is in a jazz group called Five Friends. Five Friends plays once a month at Toast Bar in Mason City as well as at parties and events.

He also loves soccer and enjoys coaching his kids’ soccer teams.

To make an appointment with Recinos call 379-2130.