This year, MAFAC was held at Leiden University Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
This year, MAFAC was held at Leiden University Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The lab facilities were excellent, and the cadavers were of high quality. Working with the American publisher QMP again was our second collaboration after last year, and it went really well in many ways. Mr. Andrew Berger, the representative from QMP, took the lead with strong support from the local directors of the Netherlands, Dr. Berend Van der Lei and Dr. Ali Pirayesh.
MAFAC took place in Amsterdam and most of the attendees were from Europe. The event sold out fast. In the group I was in charge of, there were four students: Dr. Soueid from Great Britain, Dr. Gumuscu from Sweden, Dr. Bendor-Samuel from Canada, and Dr. Gagliano from Colombia. They all showed great skill and enthusiasm. I helped them out during the cadaver dissection and we talked about different things and asked questions. There was a lot of interest in my clinical skill of the “Deep Plane Facelift” technique, especially when it comes to Asian facial features. I shared my surgical videos openly, helping to create a welcoming and inclusive culture at MAFAC, which drives our ongoing innovation.
This 30th edition of MAFAC was actually pretty special. MAFAC has been growing and developing since it started in 2008, leading up to today’s event. Over the years, lots of plastic surgeons from all over the world have taken part, making it an educational and research institute for the latest insights into Facial Rejuvenation Surgery and Anatomy.
I first learned about MAFAC in 2011, and becoming a MAFAC Faculty in 2016 was a lucky break in my career. Continuing Dr. Mendelson’s spirit and legacy, I see it as my duty to redefine facelift theories and techniques tailored to Asian facial characteristics. I’m thankful as I move forward with each step.
MAFAC always invites a couple of respected Invited Faculty members to keep things open and inclusive, bring in diverse perspectives, and stay updated with the latest insights from around the world. In the past, we’ve had guest speakers such as Dr. Sam Hamra, Dr. Jerry O’Daniel, Dr. Andrew Jacono, Dr. Giovanni Botti, and Daniel Labbe. This time, Dr. L. Mike Nayak from the United States was with us. Dr. Nayak discussed Deep Plane Neck Lift & Submentoplasty and demonstrated the procedure on a cadaver. After learning from Dr. Andrew Jacono, he now does Deep Plane Facelifts in his own style.
After finishing up the cadaver dissection, I went to the MAFAC Faculty Dinner. Andrew, the CEO of QMP, hosted a dinner that brought together Dr. Ali Pirayesh and Prof. Berend Van der Lei from the Netherlands Faculty, as well as other members of the MAFAC Faculty.
We were happy to have Dr. Pascal Castus, President of the Belgian Society, join us at the Faculty for the first time with invited faculty member Dr. L. Mike Nayak. We gave him the only copy of Dr. Tord Skoog’s book with a signature from Dr. Mendelson to celebrate his joining the MAFAC Faculty.
The trip to the Netherlands was mainly focused on attending the MAFAC Amsterdam event, and also included events like the Ph.D. defense of a MAFAC Fellow and a meeting with QMP.
Today just so happened to be my birthday, and there was a little celebration for me. I got congrats from top plastic surgeons like Dr. Foad Nahai, Dr. Berend Van der Lei, Dr. Patrick Tonnard, and the rest of our MAFAC crew. It was one of the best birthday parties I’ve ever had.
Dr. Lennart Minelli, who was fellow in the Mendelson Advanced Facial Anatomy Course, had his Ph.D. Ceremony at the University of Groningen. Dr. Bryan Mendelson, Dr. Foad Nahai, Dr. Brende Van der Lei, Dr. Patrick Tonnard, the MAFAC Faculty, and also family and friends, were there either in person or on video.
The theme was about revisiting facial anatomy. It gave new ideas about familiar concepts like Facial Layer, Muscle, Ligaments, and SMAS, showing excellent research results. Dr. Mendelson’s legacy is all about always exploring facial anatomy, not as set structures, but with a sense of curiosity for surgery and function. I want to congratulate the MAFAC Family on their big achievement. When colleagues give passionate performances, it inspires and motivates everyone to keep making academic progress.
The discussions at the University of Groningen, with its long history, were engaging and carried out in a serious and traditional manner. The questions and arguments from the experts were really interesting, like a game discussing the latest knowledge. We had a great time talking about the questions that came up while I was reading on the plane. I expect the MAFAC Faculty to achieve even more in the future.
I visited the University of Groningen and explored the nearby areas. The old buildings and winding streets with different stone pavements have a ton of history, going back as far as the 12th century to structures over 100 years old. The new buildings and renovated ones complemented each other nicely. The buildings destroyed during World War II bombings have been turned into open spaces, while the surviving structures still have their old-world charm.
While exploring Groningen, we saw students riding their bikes to school during our city tour. Their bikes all came in a line, and when they saw us, they stopped. After we let them pass, they rode past us one by one. The way they rode their bikes felt like small cars, and their focus on pedestrians really struck a chord with me.
I stayed at a hotel near the university town and saw a big statue in front of it. It depicted King George slaying a dragon with a sword. The dragon’s head was right under his foot, and the statue looked really fierce, it kept catching my eye.
While we were touring, I couldn’t help but notice that Dr. Foad Nahai and his wife held hands the whole time. It was really sweet seeing that elderly couple walk hand in hand.
MAFAC is constantly moving forward!
The MAFAC Faculty Meeting in Amsterdam was a great chance to look back on what MAFAC has accomplished and talk about what’s coming up next. In 2023, we had meetings in April in Miami, August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, October in Brisbane, and December back in Amsterdam, showing our expansion and growth. The MAFAC at Mayo Clinic in July 2024 is set, and we’re still figuring out the details for MAFAC events in Australia and Europe. Everyone connected with Dr. Bryan Mendelson’s spirit and legacy in fostering an open and inclusive culture within MAFAC, which all our faculty members should strive to maintain. At the end of the meeting, I brought up techniques and manuals which led to some lively debates.
MAFAC is constantly moving forward!
The ‘Deep Plane Facelift’ is the hot trend in facelift surgery worldwide, and plastic surgeons everywhere are excited to learn about this technique. Surgeons have different ways of interpreting surgical anatomy and techniques, and academic conferences are meant for sharing and discussing these differences.
Focusing too much on surgery results can cause issues. What should be prioritized over excellent surgical results are ‘ensuring safety’ and ‘minimizing sequelae’. This is why it is important to ensure thorough dissection of the skin and SMAS in a Deep Plane Facelift. I mentioned and stressed this during yesterday’s meeting with the MAFAC faculty. It is important to prioritize safety and minimize mistakes for colleagues who come to learn at MAFAC. It is important to understand why Dr. Bryan Mendelson is passionate about the composite concept. Dr. Foad Nahai and Dr. L. Mike Nayak also felt the same way I did during the conference. They always talked about it in their lectures and discussions. It feels like there’s a consensus forming on the theory and techniques of the Deep Plane Facelift. We should understand and implement the shared opinions of the experts.
I was really happy to have Professor Choi Jong-woo from Asan Medical Center as an Invited faculty, and I especially enjoyed having him here. He gave really great lectures on Asian facial contour surgery and rhinoplasty that were really inspiring. During the MAFAC cadaver dissection and QMP conference in the Netherlands, Professor Choi and I were the only Asian faculty members. We had Korean barbecue, kimchi stew, and soju at a Korean restaurant in Amsterdam and had a great time. I learned a lot and felt even more responsible through the MAFAC conference in Europe.
Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the national museum of the Netherlands.
It was my first visit to the country, and I felt it would be unfair to leave without exploring a bit beyond work and study. While I was heading to the airport, I decided to pop into the Rijksmuseum for a quick visit. I wanted to visit the Van Gogh Museum, but the tickets were sold out, so I’ll have to try again another time.
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam had a grand and classical exterior, while its modern interior design left a strong impression on me. It looked like the museum was mostly showcasing Rembrandt’s artworks.
He is known for being a top painter during the Golden Age, using the chiaroscuro technique in his dramatic masterpieces.
The “Night Light” surrounded by a fence was prominently displayed, with stories of hardship and explanations of artwork placed nearby.
A single piece of Van Gogh’s work, the ‘Self-portrait,’ was visible, and familiar images from old books caught my eye.
When I travel, I usually check out some basic info or grab a couple of books. But this time, I came to the Netherlands quickly without any preparation.
I walked around the museum without knowing much, but I would’ve felt bad if I left Korea without seeing it.
Next time, I can’t wait to take a boat ride on the canals and wander around the alleys and streets on foot.
See you again, Amsterdam!
