Dr Debbie Norval and Paola Chellew have a conversation on work, life in general, and the dynamic field of aesthetic medicine.
When did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in medicine? Was there a certain moment or did you gradually decide that a career in medicine was what you wanted to do?
I wanted to be a vet as a child since I grew up on a farm in Mpumalanga and enjoyed helping my dad with the animals. Later, I had a change of heart and decided that I wanted to help people, so I turned to medicine. Though I adore both art and science, I had to choose between studying medicine and fine art for my matric. My wise father advised me to choose medicine. He told me that as a doctor I could always do art as my hobby. But if I studied art, I wouldn’t be able to do medicine on the side! He was right- and I’m so glad I listened to him.
Where did you begin working when you were a fresh graduate?
As a young doctor working in government hospitals, I was very troubled by the lack of care for patients with end-stage disease. The phrase “there is nothing more that can be done” was frequently used before sending them home to die. I think a doctor’s responsibility extends beyond simply curing patients. So, shortly after receiving my degree, I completed a postgraduate diploma in palliative medicine via the University of Wales, and then a Master’s degree in palliative medicine through the University of Cape Town. I spent nearly 15 years working at Hospice Witwatersrand providing palliative medicine, which is care for terminally ill patients.
Why did you choose to practise aesthetic medicine?
I needed a change after working at Hospice for many years. I was so burned out. I made the decision to go completely against the grain and focus on wellness and healthy patients. Restoration and rejuvenation are the main focuses of aesthetic medicine. It is good for my soul to be able to do positive and life-affirming work. Aesthetic medicine enables me to merge my love of medicine and my passion for art.
I continued my education and completed a two-year Advanced Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine in order to be the best and safest doctor I could be. I was lucky to be part of the first-ever group of doctors in South Africa to do this course in 2012.
Share your passion for the arts and how it has benefited you in the practice of Aesthetic Medicine.
Aesthetic Medicine is 50% art and 50% good medicine. One requires both cutting-edge science and an artist’s eye to achieve the greatest outcomes. My artistic background aids in my 3D analysis of facial anatomy. Structure, light, shadow, texture, shape, symmetry, and proportion are all things that come to mind immediately. This helps enormously, because my job involves sculpting patients’ faces!
There is a saying: “True art conceals its own creation”. It takes a competent artist a lot of time, skill, and effort to make their work appear as unplanned as possible. This holds true for the practice of aesthetic medicine as well. My goal is to execute procedures that have an impact while still leaving the patient’s appearance completely harmonious and natural. The ability to be subtle is also necessary. I always say that if you can see that someone has had something done, they have done too much. My artistic eye helps me know when to stop.
The opposite is also true: An understanding of anatomy is crucial to being a good artist and so medicine has helped me to be a better artist!
Dr Debbie’s art
2019 saw your election as AAMSSA’s President, and now you’re currently on the exco board. Tell us about your role in the association and why it’s important.
AAMSSA is a medical organisation that represents physicians with a special interest in Aesthetic and Anti-ageing medicine. The society is committed to the scientific and legitimate practice of Aesthetic Medicine in South Africa and is a representative voice for doctors working in the industry.
In order to join the AAMSSA, doctors must go through an accreditation process where their education in aesthetics is evaluated, together with their knowledge and experience. The public can be confident that their aesthetic doctor will be suitably experienced and adhere to strict norms and safety protocols if they are an AAMSSA member.
As AAMSSA president, it was my responsibility to lead and support efforts to improve the level of clinical, educational, and professional standards of care in South African aesthetic medicine. I am the team leader of a vibrant group of doctors who volunteer their time to various projects for the society.
We have five main areas of focus. The society supports academic medicine, which includes journal clubs, conferences, publications, writing, research, and training. By offering guidance and informative materials, we protect the public. Regular articles teaching the public about the safe and ethical practice of aesthetic medicine are published in the popular press and on social media. The society also networks and collaborates with associated organizations and groups, both locally and internationally.
AAMSSA actively promotes best practice standards and works to ensure that physicians operate as safely as possible. For doctors, there are many guidelines available in the various branches of aesthetics. AAMSSA offers assistance with any difficult cases and complications using top-notch protocols as a member of the international organisation CMAC (Complications in Medical Aesthetics Collaborative).
Dr Debbie with Karen Nel
In 2020, you presided over AAMSSA amid a period of unparalleled change. How was the Covid pandemic handled by AAMSSA in terms of aesthetic medicine?
Aesthetic doctors have been employed throughout the Covid Pandemic, with the exception of the first level 5 lockdown. AAMSSA provided guidance to its members on how to control their practices at various levels of lockdown in order to support them. Training evolved online, and AAMSSA regularly sponsored Zoom meetings to inform doctors about hot-button subjects. In 2020, the annual AMCSA congress was a hybrid event with both online and in-person participation. For several months following the congress, doctors could watch the conference proceedings online.
AAMSSA has released guidelines on the dangers of receiving cosmetic procedures after contracting the Covid-19 infection and receiving the Covid vaccination. During the pandemic, AAMSSA conducted additional study on the impact of COVID-19 on aesthetic procedures and searched for aesthetic-related vaccination adverse events.
Members of the AAMSSA were able to communicate and bond over the whole epidemic through a nationwide WhatsApp group, despite the fact that we barely ever physically interacted during that time.
Dr Debbie with Dr Cobus Van Niekerk
Why was the Aesthetic Doctor’s Journal Club essential to you when you created it in 2015?
This journal club is a member of the AAMSSA’s national network of journal clubs. Any AAMSSA member is welcome to join or launch a journal club in their community.
Our journal club, which is made up of 14 doctors from Johannesburg, meets every two months to discuss the most recent studies in journals that deal with aesthetic medicine. When we get together, we have brainstorming sessions, share knowledge, and practise new skills. We adhere to the principles of evidence-based medicine, which implies that the work we conduct is supported by empirical data. Aesthetic medicine is a branch of medicine that is developing quickly. Journal club enables us to stay current on new developments and optimise the security and effectiveness of our therapies.
The journal club is an invaluable source of inspiration and support. We often discuss our challenges, successes, jokes, new ideas, and lots of encouragement in our active WhatsApp group.
Dr Debbie on training
Along with being a wife and mother, you also find time to train other doctors. Do you make an effort to get away or take time off to be with your loved ones, or is it difficult to find time for yourself and your family?
I love teaching and it’s a privilege to train other doctors. My favourite form of training is small group practical training or one-on-one mentorship. I also do a lot of conference speeches and conduct virtual or Zoom training. My time is primarily spent on writing, teaching, and working for the AAMSSA. This is on top of a busy clinical practice and being a mom of two.
I manage by committing each day to God and relying on His strength, not my own. It really helps that I set aside one non-clinical day a week dedicated to admin and training. I also set time aside each week for art and creativity. I exercise regularly and enjoy powerwalking and yoga. I try to practice gratitude and remain present when with my family, but I don’t always get it right! As a family we take regular breaks, often to the bush, which helps me to breathe and unwind. Last but not least, I couldn’t manage without my very loving and supportive husband who gives me the freedom to do what I love.
Dr Debbie with husband Piet
Paola Chellew is a freelance journalist and regularly writes for a number of publications. A former professional contemporary dancer, she has always loved the arts in all their forms. She has been a freelance writer for many years and has been published in various magazines including Live Out Loud, Private Life and Do It now magazines. Her passion for beauty and skincare started in her teens, when she would read every beauty editor’s picks and reviews. Serious about skincare, she has researched medical-grade products for over ten years, as well as aesthetic treatments to restore and repair skin to look its best. Having turned 60 last year, she has dedicated her blog to the “over 50s and beyond Club”, shining a spotlight on a generation that is seemingly side-lined by the beauty industry. “There is no age limit for when you stop being beautiful – a gorgeous lipstick, a sexy fragrance, radiant skin- these are not synonymous with youth- they are just things that add an extra sparkle to my day”.
📸 Profile photo credited to Lerissa Kemp Photography
- Paola Chellewhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/paola-chellew
- Paola Chellewhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/paola-chellew
- Paola Chellewhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/paola-chellew
- Paola Chellewhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/paola-chellew
MBBCh (Rand) Dip Pall Med (cUK) M Phil Pall Med (UCT) Adv Dip Aesthetic Med (FPD)
Dr Debbie Norval graduated as a medical doctor from the University of the Witwatersrand, in 1991. Post graduate training includes a Diploma in Palliative Medicine through the University of Wales, Masters of Philosophy from the University of Cape Town, an Advanced Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine through the Foundation for Professional Development and a City and Guilds Diploma in Adult Teaching and Training.
Dr Norval is the convenor of the Johannesburg Aesthetic Doctors Journal Club and sits on the scientific committee of the Aesthetic Medicine Congress of South Africa (AMCSA). She is the Past President of the Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine Society of South Africa (AAMSSA) and serves on the International Advisory Board of CMAC (Complications in Medical Aesthetics Collaborative).
“Dr Debbie Norval Aesthetics” is a busy clinical practice in Parktown North, Johannesburg.
Please note Dr Debbie is not taking on new patients at this time.
- Dr Debbie Norvalhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-debbie-norval
- Dr Debbie Norvalhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-debbie-norval
- Dr Debbie Norvalhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-debbie-norval
- Dr Debbie Norvalhttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-debbie-norval
