Dr. Howell Tiller, owner of South Beach Cosmetic Surgery, is world-renowned in the field of male plastic surgery. He is particularly well-versed in the fields of bicep and tricep implants, which have been all the rage over the past decade, as well as pectoral implants. A popular 
men’s magazine billed these procedures as “Dr. Tiller’s Signature Six Pack Procedure,” and the name stuck. He also offers surgical procedures to enhance the calves, buttocks, and of course the face. His goal is to make you feel better about yourself, and after thousands of procedures and just as many happy clients, his work truly speaks for itself.
I spoke with Dr. Tiller about his practice and the procedures he offers in this exclusive Hotspots interview.
Where did you pursue your higher education? What certifications do you have?
I was born and raised in Florida but I went to medical school at the University of Louisville. I’ve been practicing plastic surgery 30 years ago, and I have been board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery since 1987.
Tell us about the procedures you offer at your practice.
Since I am gay, I think I am more in tune with the male aesthetic. As a consequence, I’ve developed much of my work for men. There’s a marked distinction between what a man is going for aesthetically when they come in for plastic surgery as opposed to what a woman would want, even in procedures that both men and women get, such as facelifts.
I’ve developed techniques over the years that have been tailored specifically to the male aesthetic, such as the “six pack.” Men are very conscious about body contouring and I provide different kinds of implants to help provide an attractive contour, such as bicep and tricep implants and calf implants, just to name a few.
How do you make patients feel comfortable when they come in seeking a cosmetic procedure?
The first thing I want to do is to try to get into a person’s head, because I want to know what they want out of a specific procedure. What are they trying to achieve with a specific body 
implant? I find this out when I meet with them; we have a long conversation and I try to understand what they would like. After I get a good grasp on what their expectations are, that’s when I can let them know what the procedures entail, in terms of the size of the implant, the procedure itself, the healing process after the surgery, and of course any problems that may arise.
Out of all the different implants that you offer, which one is the most popular?
I’m often asked that and it’s hard to come up with a definite answer. Honestly, it can vary from month to month or year to year. A couple of years ago, butt implants were very popular, and now I’m noticing that I am doing a lot more bicep and tricep implants. Who knows, six months from now quadricep implants may be popular. It is hard to predict which implants may be popular down the line. I do notice that chest implants are consistently popular.
You pioneered a lot of different cosmetic surgery techniques. How much work did it take to get it from “the drawing board” to actual implantation?
It’s a process, to be sure. I have a degree in anatomy so I have a natural interest in that field. It’s a good foundation for conceptualizing different techniques. When I was doing necklifts, decades
ago, one of my patients asked me if there was any way he could get his arms to look bigger. That’s when I started doing biceps and triceps. I told him I’d done that procedure very few times before, but I’d be willing to help, and he agreed. It was the same thing with deltoids. A lot of the procedures I’ve developed, I credit in large part to patient interest.
Once the procedures are finished, how long does it take for people to heal?
I break it up into two aspects, the surgical healing process and the aesthetic heal. How long will it take for an incision to heal and how long will it take for the anesthesia to wear off? That process takes anywhere between 3 to 7 days. Muscles are pretty strong tissues, but you have to allow muscles and the surrounding tissues to heal before vigorous activity can resume. Now, it can take a few months for a patient to get used to how the implants look on their bodies. For a chest implant, that can take a couple of months. Contrast that with calf implants; that can take 6 to 8 months for people to feel fully comfortable with them.
South Beach Cosmetic Surgery is located at 1935 West Avenue, Suite 205 in Miami Beach. Call (305) 763-8927 to set up a free consultation. Want to talk with Dr. Tiller online? He has live chat sessions regarding his procedures every Monday and Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit doctorhtiller.com to learn more.
