About Dr. Ian Lytle
Background:
A Michigan native, Dr. Ian F. Lytle, MD grew up in Rochester, Michigan. He attended Alma College graduating with a Bachelors of Art with a Double Major in both Fine Arts and Biology. He then completed his Masters in Science at Wayne State University. Dr. Lytle then started his medical training and attended Wayne State Medical School in Detroit, Michigan. After graduation, he continued his training in General Surgery at the University Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. Following this, Dr. Lytle became a Research Fellow at the University of Michigan, Section of Plastic Surgery and then continued his training as a Plastic Surgery Fellow at the University of Michigan.
For 6 years, Dr. Lytle worked in a group practice setting in Ann Arbor. Following this, Dr. Lytle has branched off on his own, starting Lytle Plastic Surgery in 2015 to better serve the people of Dearborn, Detroit and the Downriver communities.
Dr. Lytle is focused on treating a wide range of surgical needs including cosmetic conditions of the breast, body and face.
Dr. Lytle is a Board Certified Surgeon by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
See reviews of Dr. Lytle on RealSelf.com and Healthgrades.com.
Philosophy:
Aesthetic Details
I truly believe that my training in sculpture and painting along with my love for aesthetic beauty influences my surgical techniques. There are several aspects of art that can be directly related to plastic surgery. First, there is vision or seeing how an object can be transformed. Second, there is the calculated planning of how to make the “before” become the “after.” Next, there is the physical use of the hands. I feel that the same techniques used in sculpting clay can be compared to reconstructing a breast or the chiseling of marble to sculpting the body. Lastly, both fine art and plastic surgery are all about the fine details that should never get overlooked.
Inspiration
During my general surgery training I rotated on the plastic surgery service and was able to see, first hand, what plastic surgery was really all about. I was able to participate in both elaborate reconstructive procedures and life-changing cosmetic procedures. It was during this time that I was able to understand the real breadth of the field of plastic surgery. It was inspiring.
Diversity
I love the challenge and diversity of my job. No two patients are alike nor are two surgeries ever the same. In this profession, I may be working on a cosmetic body procedure in the morning, a breast cancer reconstruction in the afternoon and a facial trauma in the evening. I have reconstructed ears, removed and reconstructed entire noses, removed and reconstructed eyelids, cheeks and lips. As humans we relate by direct interactions with each other and right or wrong, we often define ourselves by what we see in the mirror. It is very satisfying to be able to make my patients not only look like themselves again, but also help them forget about the devastation that trauma and cancer can cause and allow them to function in daily activities again.
Craftsmanship
If I had to define what inspires me with one word, it would be craftsmanship. I look back at the cars of the 30’s and 40’s and see the beautiful lines that the designers used to transform a mode of transportation into an object of art. I look at the architecture of the 1920’s and see the carved stone and woodwork that artisans expertly executed and realize that a home or office does not need to be a cold rectangular building. I look to the Art Nouveau movement and see how artists like Louis C.Tiffany, Alphonse Mucha, and Hector Guimard saw beauty in nature and presented back to us. I surround myself with these images and try to live my life with these same ideals of craftsmanship.