As both an emergency doctor and cosmetic practitioner, Dr Sean Arendse sees the gamut of cases, from saving lives at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, to ensuring cosmetic satisfaction at his Flawless Rejuvenation clinics.
Work life balance is a much overused term these days, but with good reason.
Very few of us are able to manage it. For Dr. Sean Arendse, who is a senior emergency doctor at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and who for the past 10 years has been the owner/ operator of private cosmetic clinic, Flawless Rejuvenation in both Hampton and Toorak, Melbourne, it’s even more of a delicate balancing act. Although, he seems to manage it with ease and grace.
Laughing at the suggestion, he says, ‘I don’t think that I have the balance right yet. I always feel that I should be spending more time with my family, but it’s something I’m working on!’
He then becomes slightly serious and somewhat proud, as he has every right to be, adding, ‘I love both of my jobs and feel very privileged to be able to work in two such vastly different Specialties. I work with the amazing team at The Alfred Hospital Emergency Department, which allows me to heal and help patients that are often the sickest in the state. Emergency medicine can be mentally and physically demanding, and emergency physicians have one of the highest burnout rates in the medical profession.
‘However, the facilities, expertise and passion of my colleagues allows us to deliver world class care, ensuring the best possible outcome for each and every patient who comes through our doors.’
From emergency to Rejuvenation
‘The cosmetic field is a little less stressful,’ Sean continues. ‘It allows me to spend quality time with each and every one of my patients, without rushing off to the next emergency. At my Flawless Rejuvenation clinics, I am able to engage and address all my patients’ cosmetic concerns in a state of the art environment, with upto- the-minute equipment and with no time constraints.
‘I am again very privileged to be part of another amazing team of people, who are extremely invested and driven to achieving the best outcome for every client with regards to skin appearance, skin health as well as their overall aesthetic appearance.
‘Variety is the spice of life and there is no shortage of variety in my everyday life or working week. I think that being able to work across these two specialities will afford me longevity in both of my chosen career paths.’
Indeed, the satisfaction and happiness his work brings him is evident on his face when he speaks, his eyes sparkling as he talks about helping patients recover from life threatening situations, or restoring the confidence of a cosmetic patient. And if the two areas already discussed aren’t enough, Dr Arendse also specialises in Cosmetic Dermatology, although he does (very humbly) stress that the three specialities fit together without him having to perform too much of a balancing act.
‘I find that there is quite a bit of overlap with regards to general dermatology, cosmetic and emergency medicine. In the Emergency Department we commonly have patients present with skin conditions that need treatment. We are also unfortunately seeing more and more complications of cosmetic treatments. I think this is due to the fact that all cosmetic treatments are becoming more acceptable to society and thus more popular. Couple this to the fact that the number of providers is increasing who may have very variable levels of expertise and training.
‘In the cosmetic medicine area, every practitioner should have a sound knowledge of the common dermatological conditions such as acne, rosacea, melasma, peri oral dermatitis, to name a but a few. More importantly, it is crucial to identify exactly what a lesion is before treating it with any energy-based device, and I am constantly being asked by my cosmetic clients to look at ‘this rash’ or ‘that lesion’.
Advanced technology
Dr Arendse says this kind of treatment has certainly become easier to manage due to advancements in medical and cosmetic equipment and products over the past decade.
‘There have been many advancements over the past 10 years that have excited me. For example, the research and development with regards to dermal filler over the last 10 years which has produced so many amazing and diverse dermal fillers. It’s no longer a case of ‘onefiller- fits-all’. We are now able to pick the right filler for the right job. ‘I have as well been front and centre as an early adopter of Cryolypolysis. The global interest in body sculpting has produced some truly wonderful and innovative technologies to help us achieve this, from cryolypolysis to radiofrequency devices. This year, we saw the launch of EM Sculpt [which aims to sculpt muscle as it melts away fat], which I think could be another game changer.
‘The other huge advance has been the shortening of pulse duration with lasers, from millisecond to nanoseconds and now to picoseconds. This has allowed us to treat more cosmetic indications, more consistently and more safely than ever before.’
Team work
Repeatedly throughout our conversation, Dr Arendse speaks of his teams – both at The Alfred and at Flawless Rejuvenation, the latter of which he hand-picked to ensure he is supported by people he believes are the best at what they do.
‘I am very lucky, as we have assembled a highly experienced, professional and friendly team at Flawless. We are all very passionate about skin health and looking after our clients. We really strive to provide not only the best treatments but also a safe space. Across our two locations we have a team of doctors, nurses, dermal clinicians and customer support.
Working as a multidisciplinary team is what really allows us to provide our clients with the best level of care.’ ‘It brings me so much satisfaction to be able to change the way patients see themselves. Improving their overall skin health and aesthetic appearance often gives them more outward confidence and overall happiness. The most challenging issues I have are dealing with the body dysmorphic clients, which are becoming more and more frequent in the current climate. ‘I do think this is being driven by social media platforms, and a distorted view of one’s life that is portrayed through these platforms. These sites frequently make us feel inadequate when it comes to our appearance or lifestyles, but in reality are often a airbrushed staged snapshot of a situation which is far from actual reality.’
Time out
As any professional person knows, time outside of work is essential, and having a hobby that allows us to use another part of our brain and being, our heart and soul, truly helps complete our lives. For Dr Arendse, this hobby is vintage cars and really good music!
I have a huge passion for vintage and supercars. I love looking at them, driving them and just being able to sit in them! Music is another big passion. I grew up with my parents constantly playing music, anything Soul and Funk. I basically put myself through med school by DJ’ing three nights a week. I always make an effort to see my favourite artists if they visit Australia, or if I am travelling to other countries, I always look to see who is playing when I am there.’
On that note, travel is something Dr Arendse values highly, too.
‘Every holiday creates great memories,’ he smiles. ‘I love being able to travel to different places around the world with my family. We recently did a trip to Whistler with a great group of friends and had a wonderful time enjoying the slopes in Canada. We also love the sun and have been fortunate enough to travel to Greece and enjoyed the beautiful landscapes the islands have to offer, as well as the amazing hospitality and cuisine. We did not want to leave!’ AMP
Partnering with Medpro
Dr Arendse allied his practice with Medpro Finance some years ago and he says he has never looked back. ‘I bumped into director, Ross Andrews, a few years ago at a conference and he and his team have supported my business ever since. If I need any financial support, Ross is one phone call away and within a day or two everything has been done. All I have to do is sign on the dotted line, which is so important to me with my busy, time poor lifestyle.
The partnership with Medpro allows me to deliver an outstanding standard of cosmetic treatments in my clinic, with state of the art equipment in a luxury environment. The comfort in knowing that I have outstanding financial support in whatever direction I want to take my business is incredible.’
Article sponsored by Medpro Finance. For more information contact ross.andrews@medprofiinance.com.au, or visit www.Medprofinance.com.au
A Few of My Favourite Things
My perfect weekend is… being able to spend quality time with my family and friends, whether that be entertaining at our home or going out to one of our favourite restaurants.
My favourite place to eat is… Donovans in St Kilda, Melbourne.
My favourite car is… Porsche 911
My favourite place to travel is… Island hopping around the Greek islands
My favourite way to let off steam is… by spending time with my family and friends
I reward myself by… allowing myself and my family to have a decent getaway each year, and our next European holiday will hopefully be Italy and Croatia!
If I had more time I would… spend it with my wife and two gorgeous daughters.
I’m most proud of… my children and what great human beings they are becoming!
If I wasn’t a doctor I would be… A Formula 1 driver (in my dreams!)!
