BEVERLY HILLS, May 03, (THEWILL) – Renowned plastic surgeon, inventor and founder of Renew Aesthetics Clinic, Dr Torngee Malu, speaks with IVORY UKONU about his job and his foray into politics, among other issues. Excerpts:
Your attempt to secure a senatorial seat under the Social Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections didn’t yield the desired results. Why is a successful plastic surgeon like you interested in politics?
I want to be in a leadership position where I can help to correct some societal problems and solve other people’s problems. My dream of becoming a plastic surgeon was to change and improve people’s lives through their bodies and by extension, the lives of the less privileged. So, changing lives is beyond the glamour and the money that comes with it. I came from a very poor background. I was raised by my uncle who is also a professor of medicine. He is my mentor. He changed my life by giving me the opportunity to go to school. The same opportunity I got is what I want to give to people all around me. As much as plastic surgery solves a lot of problems, it doesn’t take care of the need of the common man on the street. I was once a common man on the streets until God used my uncle to change my life.
I am interested in politics not for myself, but because I count myself blessed and privileged. My career has given me so much than I ever thought I could have and I am very okay with what God has given me and my family. But life is beyond you and your family; it is about how many lives one is able to affect. That is why, despite the fact that I am doing very well in my practice, I want to positively impact on more lives through political leadership.
Don’t you think you could make greater impact without having to get in the ‘ring’?
I am doing the best I can already within my senatorial district and even beyond, but I believe that I will actually make greater impact on my senatorial district when I get into a position of authority. Yes, plastic surgeons make a lot of money, but, like I said before, money is not everything. There is something about policies. Policies affect lives much more than money. Being in a position of authority will afford me the opportunity to effect policies that will change lives, in terms of health, agriculture, education etc, and also help other people to build their own wealth. My uncle didn’t give me money, but he helped me to build a career. That is what leadership can help people to achieve.
Having lost out in the election, are you looking at giving it another try?
Yes, I will try again. I want to follow what I believe in
Who will manage your practice if you eventually win, given that most of your clients prefer your personal touch?
Doctors don’t retire. Once a doctor, always a doctor and you remain a doctor for life. Anywhere you are, you can practice. I know that being in a position of authority will be challenging. It will make me to be less available for surgeries. Fortunately my hospital, which is purpose built, is well structured to carry on with minimal supervision and with capable hands who are learning from me. I know people still prefer my personal touch and I hope that I would be able to attend to them personally, from time to time. But I would rather teach others who are interested, my skills and then focus on changing lives at a bigger level.
Only a few people are aware of your philanthropic gestures. How did this aspect of your life come about and what prompted it?
It stemmed from the same passion for changing lives, which was nurtured by my uncle. I mention him a lot because he played a big role in my life. He changed my life. When I look back, I realise that at one time, it didn’t look like I stood a chance of succeeding, but he gave me the opportunity. Now you can see how far I have come. I have seen that a lot of people equally need that opportunity and that is why I try to help as many people as I can. It started shortly after I graduated from the university. I picked up two boys whom I raised. Both of them are now graduates. There are may other people who have benefited from my assistance, especially in the area of education. After the general elections, I started a local cooperative scheme that gives out small loans to people. I have invested millions of naira in that venture, basically to help people to start up business, manage their business and to help them discover their God-given talents and exploit it.
I also have a non-governmental organisation that trains people on basic skill acquisition and make them independent without having to rely on support from the government. It gives me joy to do these things.
It is a good thing you got more international training and exposure in your field and chose to come back home to set up private practice. Most people in your shoes wouldn’t have returned home
There is no place like home. It does not matter how well you are doing in a foreign country, you are still a second-class citizen in that country. But when you think about others more than yourself, it becomes a valid reason why you should come back home and put in your best. Beyond that, I think that Nigeria is a very blessed country. There are more opportunities in this country than any other place in the world. I decided to set up private practice in Nigeria because I saw an opportunity for growth and for affecting human lives positively.
Why plastic surgery/body enhancement and not any other field of medicine?
I would rather call what I do beautification and not body enhancement. This is because most beauty procedures do not need enhancement. It is more of renewal or bringing out the inner beauty that is hidden by virtue of habits, such as late-night feeding, which causes excess tummy fat. I don’t not consider taking fat out of the body as body enhancement. I would describe it as fat removal instead. That procedure helps to bring out the beauty in the person which is what we are known for at Renew Aesthetics Clinic. We make people look better. We renew people’s physical bodies in a way that one will remain natural and beautiful. I choose this field of medicine because I deal with a lot of women and I see how a lot of them suffer from body shaming. They lose their self-confidence, not by their doing but, perhaps, by having several kids, which alters a woman’s body, or some other things that makes them feel uncomfortable with their bodies. I help them to like their bodies again and restore their confidence. That positively affects everything around them.
Why do you think a lot of Nigerian women and men suddenly found the need to aesthetically alter their bodies?
Like I said earlier, I do not like to use the word alter. I prefer to use the phrase, ‘aesthetically improve their appearance’ because when you use the word ‘alter’, it attracts a stigma. As a child you keep growing. Between the ages of 16 and early 20s, you may probably look your best, but after that period, say in your late 20s or 30s, nature, time, environment, habits set in and these factors are responsible for altering the body. So, what we do is to try and restore the body. I think both Nigerian men and women have realised that there is a solution and whatever we start in Nigeria, we always go for the best. That is why I think the best plastic surgeons in the world are Nigerians. Personally, I have clients that come in from the United States of America, Canada and Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, Ireland and Austria, as well as from other African countries. Because they see the result of my work, they would prefer to get their body works done here. Before now, a lot of Nigerians preferred to travel out of the country for these procedures. But when they discovered that they can be done here and with excellent results, they decided to stay back and get it done. Those who travel out of the country come back here to get their body fixed. There is hardly any month that we don’t have people coming from the USA and Europe for surgery here. It is because they have seen that it can be done locally and you will get the same result as you would get abroad.
Have you at any time felt that your efforts didn’t turn out well or your client wasn’t satisfied?
We have developed many good techniques that are not practiced elsewhere in the world. We started the scarless liposuction technique because we didn’t like the scars that usually appear on the back of patients. So we developed a technique where you don’t have to see liposuction marks. It is very technical and quite difficult to achieve, but it always turns out well. In terms of client satisfaction and efforts not turning out well, this happens more frequently than most people know. It can happen to any good plastic surgeon. But I must say that we have a very dynamic team. What we try to do is to give the best that everyone’s body can carry and that is very important.
What are some of the most important things you consider before allowing a client on your operating table?
First is the client’s expectation. Is it realistic or not? Secondly, the medical condition of the person is of utmost importance. The client has to be medically, psychologically and physically fit for the surgery. I avoid anyone with liver and kidney problems. Then there are those who are on some kind of compulsory medication. That is why the need for a proper consultation before surgery cannot be over-emphasised. It is important to sort out the health condition of the client and the expectations of the client. That way we are able to determine whether the client can undergo surgery or not.
Some people won’t go under the knife because they are afraid of the after effects of plastic surgery as they grow older
It is even better to go under the knife so that you can live longer because as you remove fat out of the body, a lot of problems also go out with it. Many of those who couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs because of fat are now able to do so because they removed the fat surgically. They have a better life style. Some have had very difficult relationships and after going under the knife, that has improved. So it is better to do it and have a better life.
Does your philanthropic gesture also involve procedures on people who have suffered body disfigurement?
My philanthropic works in health mostly involves children who need medical attention. Because I am in surgery already, there are some areas in medicine I cannot dabble into. So I try to partner with people, who are helping children like the Aisha Foundation based in Abuja. The foundation helps children who are sick with cancer, afflicted with other ailments or are simply unable to pay their medical bills. I would really love people to partner with her. She is doing a fantastic job with the foundation. Aisha Khaled is a young beautiful lady who is doing a great job changing children’s lives
Let’s talk about some of your procedures. Considering that breast augmentation requires an insert, can the insert remain there permanently, especially with improved technology?
Breast implants are not permanent, despite improved technology. They can be taken out after 10, 15 or 20 years.
For someone who desires a Brazilian butt and doesn’t have enough fat to do a transfer, how would you go about it?
Many people actually have enough fat for a Brazilian butt, but they don’t just know that they do. When they come in for consultation with me, that is when they realise this.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Changing lives such that people are amazed at the transformation. The smile on client’s faces when they come for a follow up checkup….that for me is my greatest achievement. As I speak with you, I saw a patient earlier today who was operated on six weeks ago and the transformation is something else. You can tell from her smile that she is satisfied.
What is your greatest challenge on the job?
Managing unrealistic expectations of clients who have failed to understand that everyone is different and everyone is beautiful in their own way. All we try to do is to bring out a better version of you through these procedures, but some fail to understand this, no matter what you do. For instance, they may be so fixated about fat transfer to the hips but fail to understand, even after explaining to them, that no matter what you do in trying to transfer fat to the hips, the fat will be lost over time. Satisfaction for a job well done comes from expectation. Some people have a very wrong expectation of their outcome in different levels. Some want to look like another person whose frame is completely different. I try to advise these set of people from the beginning that it is not always possible because God has made everyone unique and it is not possible to have the same body with another person. Then there is another expectation that clients have, which is that immediately they come out of surgery, they expect to see their final result and this is very difficult to erase from their minds. Such people need a lot of convincing to make them understand that the result will take time to manifest, at least within the first six weeks after operation, as it isn’t automatic because of the bruising and swelling. It is difficult for clients to be patient but then they see the ultimate result and are happy. But there is still another set of people that will never be happy, no matter what you do. With such people, you just learn to deal with it. Also, this job takes a lot of time and I would really love to spend more time with my children and my wife, Lois.
What does your wife do?
Besides taking care of our children, she runs a logistics business we own together, Area Bus.
What was the turning point for you that made you leave University of Abuja Teaching Hospital after putting in 10 years of service?
I was dissatisfied with the entire government system. I realised that the longer I stayed in a teaching hospital, the more I wasted my talent. So I made up my mind to leave. I knew that I could do better than I was doing at the teaching hospital. I had more to offer, but many people didn’t understand why I had to leave. I tried to change things while I was there, but I discovered that I was just kicking against the wall because the government had its own system of doing things and it wasn’t going to get better.
What would you say must have significantly shaped you to be who you are today?
Jesus Christ. Whatever I am today is as a result of knowing Jesus. I discovered Christ through my uncle, but from the moment I met him, he changed my life. He guides me, leads me in everything I do. Jesus told me when to resign from my government work and what next to do.
How do you let off steam when you aren’t working?
I just stay at home and spend time with my family. I love playing with my children. I love being at home. I love my wife so much. So when I am not at home playing with my children, I am out with my wife on a dinner date. My life is that boring.
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