Today we’d like to introduce you to Sergio Gaitan MD.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Miami, Florida. I started practicing in 2017 and saw that insurance was limiting my care and providing the level of service that I wanted to provide for my patients. That is why I started a patient centered Dermatology practice, Certified Cosmetics and Skin Care.
Dermatology is a very objective field so it is very easy for patients to see whether they are getting results. Many of the medications or the labs that patients needed were not covered by insurance. So we would have to switch to medications that didn’t work and prove they didn’t work before the insurance would give us the medication I would recommend initially. Also, what I noticed from my own experience was that medications were more expensive with insurance than if I paid cash. So, I was paying money for them to charge me more. It did not make any sense, but it was the way the system works. The system of health care should favor the patient outcome.If the patient cannot get the medications they need the treatments won’t work. That is why I go above and beyond for my patients so they get the medications they need.
Another limitation came with procedures. When patients would ask how much a procedure would cost. I could not tell them because it depended on their insurance, and many would get surprise bills which I could do nothing about. The great news is at our practice you get a board certified dermatologist doing all your procedures. You know you’re getting my expertise and experience every time. I am able to perform the procedures you need without limitation to give you the best outcome. Cost can definitely be a limit to procedures, and that is why our pricing is transparent and we accept CareCredit and offer special promotions.
I also did not like the amount of time patients had to wait to see me. I felt it was disrespectful to my patient’s time. Waiting hours to see me was not acceptable. I believe in honoring appointment times so that you can have a pleasant experience every time. I also wanted to be able to communicate directly with my patients which is now possible at our practice.
Eventually, I saw the system was broken. So in May 2023 I opened Certified Cosmetics and Skin Care. An honest dermatology practice where you see a Board Certified Dermatologist. Our dermatology practice is located in the West Kendall area of Miami, Fl.
We do not take any insurance so all our prices are transparent. I also have made connections with specialty pharmacies that get my patients the medications they need at an affordable price. We also know where patients can go to get lab work done which is cheaper than if they get them with their insurance. We still use insurance for lab work needed in biopsies but I send my skin specimens where I know they are going to be looked at by a board-certified dermatopathologist. So patients get the best care at a transparent price. It truly is game-changing and our patients have loved the experience. My passion is aesthetics and I focus on skin rejuvenation.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We are very early in the road opening 6 months ago. We have been fortunate in that many of my previous patients appreciate my care and have come. Also the new patients at our practice like going to a doctor that is there to solve their problem.
When it comes to struggles it has been slower than I was used to when I did take insurance, but it is growing as word of mouth gets around about the type of care we provide. Our patients love the extra time I am able to spend with them, and most importantly the results we provide. Being able to practice medicine for the good of the patient has no substitute, and is the most rewarding part of my practice.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I take an artistic approach to skin rejuvenation. The main thing that I have become known for is my magic Botox results. I have been blessed with a level eye and use Botox to not only eliminate wrinkles but to help balance eyebrows all while maintaining movement. We say it’s the best-kept secret because no one knows you have Botox but your skin keeps healing itself. I have so many patients who say that they have gotten Botox before, but their face does not get the glow they get with my treatment. I named the special technique Precision Botox.
I was an engineer before medical school, so I apply engineering principles to my aesthetic work. That is what gives my patients the best results. We have this new technique that involves the combination of laser and microneedling. It delivers amazing skin tightening and skin rejuvenation. It is not painful and can be done with little downtime if microneedling is involved, or no downtime with just laser. The combination treatment gets better results then many heavily marketed treatments and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
The treatment is very tolerable, you don’t need any laughing gas. I think it will change the game of skin rejuvenation as the future of the field is heading towards skin healing itself. It is my new preferred treatment for smile lines because it gives the most natural results.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Yes, we need to spend as much time with our loved ones as possible and enjoy life because it is not promised.
Pricing:
- $150 New patient
- $100 Established patient
- $100 Cosmetic Consultation (applied to treatment)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.
certifiedcosmeticsmiami.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/gaitanmd/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ CertifiedCosmeticsandSkinCare - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
ccskincaremiami - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/@ CertifiedCosmeticsandSkinCare - Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/
biz/certified-cosmetics-and- skin-care-miami
