CL Profile: Dr. Charles McLaughlin, plastic surgeon and connoisseur

I didn’t quite know what to expect when I agreed to interview Tampa plastic surgeon Dr. Charles McLaughlin. I knew that his family friend Gina Flynn-Carmack had been enthusiastic enough about him to place the winning bid for “Buy the news” in the Creative Loafing Holiday Auction, ensuring that CL would do a profile of the good doctor.

But plastic surgery? What did I know of the profession beyond Nip/Tuck and Cher? What would we talk about?

Well, as it turns out, lots. Because Dr. McLaughlin, aka Charlie, is a raconteur of the first order. From his memories of why he got into medicine, to his love of horses (which he breeds on a 40-acre farm in Wesley Chapel), to the art and antiques he collects, the 63-year-old North Carolina native has a story for everything.

This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2011.