Kazuki Morikami, Director of Shiromoto Clinic

To be a clinic that is trusted by providing quality products with sincerity

Director of Shiromoto Clinic　Kazuki Morikami(Kazuki Morigami)

■ Profile

Born in Osaka in 1958. Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Toyama University in 1984. Completed a degree in surgery at the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University in 1990. Doctor of Medicine. Director of the Japan Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Specialist of the Japan Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Chairman of Medical Corporation Kenshinkai. Became interested in cosmetic surgery during his time at a university hospital and gained clinical experience. After working at Tanabe Central Hospital, he opened Shiromoto Clinic in 1991. Starting in Osaka and Nagoya, he now has 25 clinics nationwide.

"0120♪107♪..." A phone number plays along with a distinctive melody, and when you look at the screen, you see a beautiful woman rolling around on a carpet. You've probably seen that strange commercial before. Now that cosmetic surgery has become more accessible, Dr. Morikami says that a hospital with a long history and a trustworthy reputation is an important factor when choosing a hospital. We spoke to him about the state of cosmetic medicine.

I remember being a bit mischievous as a child, getting into pranks, and getting scolded for not studying. However, I was the type of person who would do my summer homework properly, finishing it in the first two days and then playing around all summer. My older brother, who was two years older than me, went to medical school, and it was also my parents' wish, so I decided to go to medical school too. My student days were packed with practical training and subjects, so I took a lot of classes and studied, but I also had plenty of fun and enjoyed my time as a student.

When I passed the national exam and became a doctor, I chose to become a surgeon. Doctors are broadly divided into two fields: surgery and internal medicine. Internal medicine is a battle of knowledge, and those who study win, but it is possible to become a doctor without studying. I thought that if I did that, I might become complacent and let things go, so I chose surgery, which requires the ability to perform surgery, and decided to pursue a path where I could not slack off.

There are many different types of surgery, but I majored in the Second Department of Surgery at Osaka City University. Later, during my training, I became a classmate with Mr. Shiromoto, and when he left the medical department to pursue a career in cosmetic surgery and open his own practice, I started working there as a part-time anesthesiologist, and eventually began performing surgeries there as well. In the world of medical departments, where you go on to graduate school and become a professor, there are aspects that are not unlike the world of salaried workers, where the words of professors above you are absolute and you may be transferred at the professor's command. I was wondering whether it was a good idea to continue working in such a medical department, so when I was invited to jointly open a cosmetic surgery clinic, I thought that if we were to open our own clinics someday, it would be a good idea to do so together, and so we jointly opened a cosmetic surgery clinic in Nagoya.

◾️Beauty of appearance is also an important factor

Cosmetic surgery is no different from regular surgery in that it involves surgery. Surgery for cancer and other conditions may be considered more serious as people's lives are at stake, but what's fun about cosmetic surgery is that you can see the results immediately, and it makes me happy when patients are pleased.

When it comes to true beauty, I think it ultimately lies within a person's heart. But even if that's the case, don't you think it's better to have a beautiful appearance as well? I think we're biologically drawn to beautiful things. I think that over time, we become attracted to inner qualities such as personality, but isn't a beautiful appearance also an important factor? There's no need to lie to the point of compromising your beliefs, and there's no need to force yourself to look younger, but I think it's fine to say that something is beautiful.

Cosmetic medicine has become more popular than before, and demand is expanding, with more and more doctors aspiring to work in the beauty industry. People can become beautiful if they have the desire to be beautiful.

◾️Providing quality medical care with sincerity

Cosmetic medicine is very commercial. Because it is an elective medical treatment, even if a surgery actually costs 10 yen, they may say it will cost 40 yen and get away with it. In a sense, patients will not realize that they are making exorbitant profits. For this reason, I think it is an industry where fraud is rampant.

Although price is not everything at our clinic, we are most proud of the fact that we provide appropriate medical care at an appropriate price and never cheat patients. Clinics that charge exorbitant prices may seem like they can make money, but they will not attract truly good doctors. We are a group that strives to be good, and we provide medical care with the hope that we will be that way.

In addition, rather than having a particular strength, we provide a wide range of medical care in the field of cosmetic medicine.
However, as our business has progressed, the number of doctors has increased, we have opened a clinic in a hotel in Nagasaki through connections, and individual practitioners have joined our group wanting to work with us, and the number of clinics has gradually increased.

The aesthetic medicine industry is becoming a popular one, with resistance to cosmetic surgery fading and demand expanding. It seems that the number of doctors aspiring to work in the aesthetic medicine industry is also increasing. I believe that clinics will be taken over by the younger generation in the future, so I hope that the work I've been doing will continue to exist in this environment.

◾️Message

I hope that you will have as many experiences as possible during your time as a university student. Stories from my youth still remain in my memory, and I still tell people about them, and I still keep in touch with the friends I made back then. I think it's good to have a variety of experiences, both good and bad. There are many things about society that you won't understand until you enter the workforce, but I think it's important to increase your experience as a person and broaden your horizons.

Student Newspaper Special Edition, July 1, 2022 Issue, Toyo University, 7rd Year, Honoka Hama