Plastic Surgeries & Unexpected Disasters
By Josie Goldberg
(The Hollywood Times) – January 22, 2025
I have always been a naturalist, meaning loving nature, thinking highly of nature and everything it includes. I also appreciate natural beauty and believe whether it is nature or in our flesh we should preserve it, as it is a gift from God or for some “The Universe”. When I was 25 years old I posed for Playboy and was invited to Hugh Hefner’s NYE party in 2008. I was informed on how to get camera ready meaning looking like a Playboy Bunny. When I did my first photo shoot for Playboy, I was told by management to come hair clean, clear nails and the rest would be taken care of. However, when I arrived at the NYE ball with the other models, I realized I did not come looking for the part. One of the other models pulled me aside and said “Josie “why did you not get yourself glammed up? I said because I have all the natural features, why would I wear fake eye lashes, hair, nails when I have it to begin with. I mean I was like the only 5’10 full figured women there. Anna Nicole Smith passed the year before, so I was shocked to hear from others how I was not looking up to par. I was clueless. I mean isn’t posing for Playboy about natural beauty and sexiness from within. That’s why Hef chose woman who had it to be in his magazine. How models in Playboy got their looks was never discussed until recently when models are coming forward with the truth of how they attained their “so called beauty” for Playboy and Hugh Hefner’s approval. I come from a family and background where beauty is not manufactured. Either your born as a “Krasavitsa” Russian word for beautiful or you’re not. There is no manufacturing/manipulating or evolving beauty. If you’re not born with looks, family, relatives and society tell you to hit the books and focus on more of a productive life. Russians say, “Don’t be born beautiful, be born Lucky”.
As my Jewish luck would have had it, when I hit the pinnacle of my Playboy Career, I noticed that on my chest grew an ugly growth. I immediately went to the doctor, and had it removed, it was a benign cyst. I was so relieved that it was not cancerous. The surgery left a little keloid scar in the shape of a purple, infinity scar. I did not think much of it, but being in the limelight where my natural Playboy Boobs was one of my best features. I was told to fix it. I ended up going to a plastic surgeon, who ended up making it even worse. My scar revision got infected and split open, and I had a hole the size of a Medjool Dates on my chest with a life-threatening infection Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteria. I was lucky to clear the infection but was left with a scar that looked like a krater. I was not only sad but was mortified. My best assets or so I thought were the worst asset at the most important point in my career as budding Playboy Model. In medical terms I had a keloid scar, that Dr. told me was something that could not be fixed. I went on many consultations and was told that doctors could try to diminish it, but insurance does not cover these kinds of procedures, and the price was going to be extremely costly.
I sat around in my Hollywood studio and sulked for a couple of months, until my neighbor who was a prominent nurse ran over to me and said she just saw the Today Show on NBC about a doctor in Florida that can remove any scar. There was a story on the Bern Triplets who lost their mother in a house fire, that their father set and how they miraculously survived with severe burn scars throughout their whole bodies until they met Dr. Jill Waibel who removed most of their scares.
I immediately called Dr. Jill Waibel in Miami, Florida and scheduled an appointment. I told her I am from California and doctors here said they can’t help. I even sued my doctor to try to give me some money to explore various treatments that insurance does not cover worldwide. I told her that the expert witness to my case was famous Dr. Terry Dubrow who is one of Americas leading plastic and reconstructive surgeons in America with many accolades on various media outlets. Dr. Dubrow also testified as an expert witness in my lawsuit against the plastic surgeon that this scar was easy and cheap to fix. When the case was over and I asked Dr. Dubrow to fix it like he testified on behalf of the plastic surgeon, he ignored my calls, and his staff talked about his wife who wanted to be a Hollywood Celebrity. Dr. Dubrow was successful in propelling his wife’s career, who got casted on Bravo TVs “The Real House Wives of Orange County“, season seven in 2012.
Dr. Jill Waibel listened to me and said she was going to help me under one condition. The first thing is forgiveness and not talking about the lawsuit I had against the plastic surgeon. She told me she is a Christian woman and will serve God in healing all who come to her. She treated me many times complimentarily and then when I started making money, she was very fair in her pricing.
Dr. Jill Waibel told me that my Keloid would never go away completely but she would try her best and one day I would not be able to notice it. She did tell me this was a long process. Dr. Waibel has over 65 lasers devices for both medical and cosmetic cutaneous application. Laser treatment was her way of minimizing my scar.
I started my treatment with Dr. Jill S. Waibel at Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute in 2010 and is still going on. The first 10 years I would visit Dr. Jill Waibel 3 to 4 times a year and in the last 5 years maybe once or twice a year. What I thought would destroy my career was a path that enabled me to push forward to the top in my world of reality tv and Playboy modeling. I look forward to going to visit Dr. Waibel, as every time I saw her, she had innovative procedures for me and skin care procedures. In Addition to her private practice, Dr. Jill Waibel is the Subsection Chief of Dermatology at Baptist Hospital and the Medical Director of Miami Cancer Institute Multi-disciplinary Skin Cancer Clinic. She also serves as a Clinical Voluntary Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. Globally Dr. Waibel is a world-recognized leader and innovator in dermatologic laser surgery. She lectures all over the world to train fellow physicians and help further the field in dermatology.
At the age of 33, I developed severe cystic acne, and she cured my acne once and for all by putting me on Accutane. Doctor also said that there is research that Accutane makes one’s facial skin younger after the 3-month treatment. Who would think that this medication would not only get rid of acne but take years off your age. Doctor kept my skin young, acne free and would always give me words of encouragement and inspiration. We would always pray to God before every treatment. Which I also believed is what healed me.
Now to fun this stuff. I want to go to Miami 3-4 times a year. I would always go for a week because I would relax in the sun and have some fun before the day of my procedure. Doctor Waibel’s office was 10 minutes from the airport, so it was enroute to get back to get to California. At the time I was on various network reality tv shows so when I hit south beach, the Paparazzi would nail me when I least expected it. At first, I was excited landing on the NY POST, PAGE SIX, many times with Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashians and many A-listers. But then there were the unflattering pictures that got me into Star Magazine & National Enquirer for “50 Worst Winter Celebrity Beach Bodies” along with tennis super star Serena Williams, Latin singer Marc Anthony, A list Actress Julia Roberts and American Pie Actress Tara Ried. We were all told to hit the gym and get fit. But I have to say to be in the same articles as a D-list celebrity really pushed my IMDB numbers which led to amazing jobs and red-carpet events. Then over time my pictures went global to Daily Mail in Uk and then worldwide. Even when I would gain weight, I was more popular overseas than in the states. I developed many fans, friends and contacts from all over the world because of my boobs and my full-figured beach body. I also loved to swim in the beautiful ocean that Miami has. Then at night I would hit all the hottest clubs and have some of my best memories in South beach. Okay and had some hot Miami nights as well. (ROMANCE)
The ironic thing is I got used to covering my scar, for photo shoots and outings but then over time I embraced my scar and got over covering it. As soon as I accepted my scar, God made the miracle happen and the scar went flat. No one notices it anymore including myself. I did learn from this obstacle in my life that as an Ashkenazi Jew I am prone to keloid scaring. Meaning I will never cut my skin open unless it’s a matter of life and death. I was never a fan of plastic surgery, unless it’s to improve deformity, and or life and death situations. I am thankful to God for my shell he gave me, and I try to preserve my beauty naturally and or organically. With regards to Dr. Terry Dubrow, I still hold a grudge against him. I am sorry Dr. Waibel, Dr. Dubrow was an expert witness in my lawsuit for the Plastic Surgeon who operated on my scar. Dr. Dubrow testified in court that my scar was easy to fix and would cost nothing. Fifteen years later and over 40k, Dr. Dubrow’s testimony was distorted. I might have lost the battle, but I ended up winning the WAR. I was at war with my keloid and finding a solution. There were days that I thought I would never find a cure. My mother always said that if you can save one person it’s like saving the world! Dr. Jill Waibel saved me in many ways. I am “Only Josie Knows” and if you ever have any keloids or horrific scarring, I recommend you go see Dr. Jill Waibel at Miami Dermatology & Laser Institute and she will not STOP until she fixes your problem! As for Dr. Terry Dubrow, I’m still waiting for an apology from him. He needs to admit he was wrong! Do you think Dr. Terry Dubrow will ever apologize? I would like to hear with his wife Heather Dubrow (Star of Real Housewives Chain and Philanthropist) would say about her husband being a greed driven medical expert witness? Or better on “Watch What Happens live with Andy Cohen.” What would Mr. Andy Cohen at Bravo TV say???
Stay tuned.