Our most recent episode of Arbrea-Gespräche is with Dr. Villafranca, who has his own clinic in Mexico City. The main topic will be about how to stand out from the competition by creating a premium patient experience. Especially how Arbrea Labs’ software solution helps with that.
Distancing Yourself From the Competition with a Premium Personalized Experience
First of all, I’d like to point out that I have been using your platform since last year, August of 2024 to be more precise. My practice is around 80% breast surgery. And this creates a problem for me, since all plastic surgeons can do breast implants. I want to stand out by giving my patients a premium experience. But how?
As I understand it, providing this premium experience means giving such a curated and personalized experience that it exceeds patient expectations. I’m not talking only about a good surgical result but guidance from the very first consultation. Here we include choosing the ideal implant for them. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, I believe that many plastic surgeons overlook this and choose based on our own preferences. But we forget that it needs to be centered around the woman.
That’s why I always let my patients know that I am providing the tools for them, but they will be the ones to choose. You need to be comfortable with your choice. And with Arbrea, it is easy to do this. It’s also easier to achieve my goal of going beyond the standard experience and providing a personalized one.
The Impact on Your Consultation Process and Patient Reaction
It has changed a lot, to be honest with you. Patients come with fear in their eyes. Especially in their first consultation. Their biggest fear, of course, is the operating room. I try to reassure them by explaining every part of the process is extremely safe, including anesthesia and surgical risk.
The second biggest fear is not looking like the result they had imagined for themselves. They fear how they will look. Too big. Too small. So if I say “300 cc, moderate profile,” I get nothing but a blank stare. That’s normal too. The issue is they trust me blindly, and it can lead to disagreements.
Introducing Arbrea in my consultation process is a life changer, as it gives my patients that much-needed clarity and peace of mind. It helps to center the experience around the woman. Arbrea, to me, is like a translator between myself and the patient. Because we speak two different languages. We give useful information, but the patient doesn’t understand it as they can’t visualize it. And Arbrea steps in by aligning patient expectations with what I am offering in an accurate way.
Why Other Plastic Surgeons Should Be Less Hesitant about Arbrea’s Platform
Don’t get me wrong. I still use traditional 2D methods of visualization, like external sizers, sketches, and before-and-after pics. My consultation process usually lasts an hour. Or maybe even more. For the first 30 minutes, I will discuss the surgery with my patients, and the rest of the time, I will be picking the right implant size with them. Nonetheless, I still use external sizers because I find them very useful. Arbrea’s platform, the 3D simulator, is just the cherry on top.
Let’s say I choose the implant size and run the simulation. It looks great. However, the feeling of how that particular size fits the body still matters. This is the reason I still use external sizers. My patients will say this implant feels too big, this one too small. In the moment, we narrow it down, I take their measurements, and I go ahead with the simulation. I combine the old with the new and find that sweet spot.
Plus, doing the simulation gives them that personalized premium experience and a reassurance that can’t be beaten. Seeing your own body in the simulation is a next-level experience. Sometimes the patients will recognize a tattoo, birthmark, or necklace and immediately go, “Yes, that’s me!”
Some of them might say maybe this won’t be replicated 100% in real life. I counter with if the result is the same, it’s great, but a 70% match should be expected and is still pretty good. The simulation software is here to help them choose and lets them be more comfortable with the choice.
A Specific Case Where Arbrea Helped A Patient Decide
More than one, actually. A lot of patients come my way after going to another plastic surgeon or even two. These patients have never seen a simulation of themselves. And they complain that the surgeons chose the size for them. No simulation, or not even external sizers. It feels like we are back in the ’90s or 2000s, where the patient doesn’t have a say in anything.
A specific case I have in mind is from around one year ago. A patient came to me after speaking to an older and more experienced plastic surgeon. He had more before and after pics to show, so more credibility. But in the end, she opted to have the breast surgery with me. Why? I took the time to use the tools, like the external sizers and Arbrea’s platform. And all because she insisted that she was getting a large implant, and she was unsure how it would look on her. We tried the implant he had suggested, and she was very against it. It was too big, and it would be uncomfortable for her.
After using the external sizers and Arbrea, we chose a much smaller implant. And she is to this day one of my happiest patients. This is the point of our practice. To make sure the patient gets what she really wants.
Setting Your Practice Apart From other Plastic Surgeons through Personal Branding
Standing out is as easy as it is hard sometimes. We need to understand what helps us to stand out. And it’s exactly through offering a different kind of experience that focuses more on listening and talking to the patient. I think the case I mentioned above is truly important as it shows what might happen when comparing different plastic surgeons and approaches.
Besides this, I use Arbrea to stand out in my social media marketing strategy. I try to stay consistent in the way I post. Also, I include in my posts, “This is my patient six months post-op or three months after surgery,” and compare the results with the simulation. It’s really important.
Even during consultations, I ask my patients whether they have had any simulations before, what they like about it, whether were they happy to use it to choose their implant size, or whether they are more clear with their decision. The answers are always positive.
Obviously you need to put it out there, upload it to the platform, share it on Instagram, and post the simulations. That is the only way people will understand I am speaking their language. Before, whatever the doctor said was final. I think it will look good on you, and it was done. Back then, we were speaking only the plastic surgeon’s language.
Meanwhile, now I include the patients in the conversation by using Arbrea’s platform and talking about it as much as I can. This has helped me, as some patients come in just from this. They have seen the simulation, and the before and after looked identical, so they decided to book a consultation with me. To me it’s clear as daylight that it helps with expectation alignment.
”As a plastic surgeon in Mexico, I use Arbrea Labs to differentiate myself from the other 3000 plastic surgeons in the country.
Dr. Roy Villafranca
The Future Of Arbrea
I like Arbrea’s platform as it is, but I can feel that this is only the beginning. I can imagine in 5 or 10 years that whatever you input for the simulation might also come out as a 3D-printed model. Something the patient can hold and say, “This is me. This is how I’ll look.” More tangible. A whole complete playing field of personalization.
It could also help you be more in sync with the patient. Truly help them understand the outcome, because they will hold it, see it, and be able to say with confidence that they want that. From there, as a plastic surgeon, you know that you just have to get that result for them.
However, even now I love using the platform. When I show them their simulation, I know it will be a special moment for them. They won’t burst into tears or anything crazy, but I can feel the calmness entering the consultation. A sense of calmness coming directly from the patient. And when they confirm that they like that size, it’s a win for me. No matter how small the difference might be. Even a little might mean a lot for that patient. And taking care of small details makes the picture full and clearer for them.
Patient’s Reactions When They See Their 3D Simulation
My consultation room has a lot of implants on display. Patients can touch them and feel them. After exploring for a bit, we use the external sizers. They see themselves with them on, look in the mirror, take pics, and ask their mother or partner how they look with them.
I, on the other hand, tell them that you need to feel comfortable with the external sizers. That’s my goal. Then, we go ahead with the simulation part. Here, I make it as quick as possible because I want the experience to feel comfortable. It’s obvious that being in a consultation with a total stranger watching you can be uncomfortable. So the part where I take the pics, I do it super quick. I let them change clothes and show their simulation.
This is where the magic happens. From going through that discomfort, measurements, they snap back to being totally relaxed. Their words are usually, “That’s me, right? Let me see it from a different angle,” or “Show the before and after again.” Then they ask if I can send the simulation to them. I use the screenshot option and just send it to them. And they leave calm from the whole process. That’s what I want every patient of mine to experience.
First Consultation Importance
To set the scene for why the first consultation is so important. The patient doesn’t know you. They have been stressed, searching for the perfect plastic surgeon online. They might have been dreaming for 5 or 10 years for this change. And then they finally find a plastic surgeon who creates a personalized premium experience for them with the 3D simulator. Not only that, but also reassures them, builds trust, and has a straightforward conversation.
All of those details in the end add up to the whole experience being great. Plus there’s also the peace of mind that comes from them being able to reflect and think about it at home. So they get the 3D images, they look at them, and they talk about them with their partner, mother, or friends. The first consultation’s impact carries on after the consultation is done. It helps them even in the privacy of their own home. These moments are the ones that carry the true weight of decision-making.
Patient Satisfaction Being Crucial Over Everything Else
I would be lying if I said that I want everything to be flawless in the OR. So no bleeding, no contraction, no pain. However, if the patient comes back 3 months later and complains about the size being too big. That’s it for me. Yes, the procedure was a success, but I want them to be satisfied with everything.
I imagine surgery as a circle. What I mean is, the patient and I choose the implant size together, then I do the surgery, where everything goes perfectly as intended. And after 3 months, the patient is happy because we chose the right implant size.
Now let’s say I think I understand what the patient wants, but I don’t have any visualization tools. Even if I do everything perfectly, the patient might complain that they wanted something more noticeable or that it’s too big for her. That’s why I think Arbrea’s platform is a great solution. It helps to complete the circle in a perfect shape, no errors, no complaints, no need for dissatisfaction.
Because, as we all know, happy patients are like a personal business card. They will refer you to friends, colleagues, family, or whoever wants to do a similar change. Word-of-mouth marketing through happy patients is the best we could ask for.
Professional Look From Using Arbrea Labs
Without a doubt in my mind, I know that being professional means staying up to date with every update and tech development that helps improve our workflow. All plastic surgeons strive for that. It’s the only way to deliver good results in a consistent way. Besides, this is how you can offer a premium personalized experience to your patients.
In today’s world, we have challenges in the level of demand we face, the amount of competition out there, and with everything people see on social media. It’s a no-brainer that the best experience is delivered by those who have the best solutions in their consultation.
Schlussfolgerung
Dr. Villafranca’s approach shows that what truly sets a plastic surgeon apart today isn’t just skill. But the experience you create. By using Arbrea’s 3D simulation, he offers patients clarity, confidence, and control over their choices.
This technology helps bridge the gap between vision and outcome, making consultations more meaningful and results more satisfying. In a crowded market, delivering this kind of personalized, premium experience is what keeps patients coming and also referring others.
The message is clear. Start using Arbrea Labs and elevate your patient experience.
About Dr. Roy Villafranca
Dr. Roy Villafranca is a board‑certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Mexico City. He specializes in advanced breast surgeries, particularly breast augmentation. He also does abdominoplasty (including triple-corset techniques), and rhinoplasty. Dr. Roy Villafranca practices at Hospital Angeles Santa Mónica in Polanco, offering personalized consultations grounded in both trust and innovative visualization software solutions like Arbrea-Suite. His compassionate, supportive approach shines through in patient testimonials, which highlight his attention to detail and the ability to exceed expectations. Not just technically, but emotionally too.
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