Schmelzer Rodney E, MD

Confidence destroyed, countless regrets. I feel an obligation to share my experience with Dr. Rodney Schmelzer and Selarom, as it was a deeply frustrating, costly, and exhausting journey that I would give almost anything to go back and avoid. I had breast re-augmentation last year with Dr. Schmelzer, which ultimately involved 3 unsuccessful surgeries on my left breast due to recurring complications, including infections and incision openings. One of the most upsetting moments was when my incision had reopened and removal surgery was scheduled two days later. I was assured Dr. Schmelzer would call to answer my questions. That call never came. Concerned, I sought a second opinion. When that surgeon reached out to coordinate care with Dr. Schmelzer, Selarom suddenly canceled my surgery claiming I had decided to go with [the other doctor], which I never said or authorized. I called to clarify and make sure I was on the schedule but felt trust had been violated. During my first redo surgery at Selarom, my husband spoke with another couple in the waiting room who were also there due to an incision opening. My husband told me that while they were comparing experiences, Dr. Schmelzer left me sedated on the table to aggressively reprimand my husband for talking with the other couple, even threatening to cancel the surgery. My husband was shocked. It felt very unprofessional and unsettling. Nearly 4 weeks after the second redo, and just 3 days into a long-planned 8 day cruise with our 3 young children, my incision opened again. I had previously asked if we could delay surgery until after the trip, but was told that waiting (about one month) risked the pocket shrinking (we later learned from other doctors that 3 months is a standard minimum for keeping the implant out to allow proper healing). When I requested he examine the incision before we left, he added glue and said it should hold. It didn’t. I ended up in the ship’s ER and immediately contacted Selarom, sent photos of the clearly open wound, and was told "everything looks fine". When they finally agreed to see me two days after I returned home, Dr. Schmelzer reached into my breast pocket and removed the implant without warning or gloves, and in a way that seemed unsterile and aggressive. After the third surgery, I experienced significant bruising and swelling. I sent photos and expressed concern, but felt brushed off. My breast filled with over 600cc of infected fluid. By the time Dr. Schmelzer acknowledged the seriousness, he had already left the state, and the implant had to be removed by another surgeon at a different clinic. I’ve been left healing for months with hard, distorted breast tissue and zero follow-up from Selarom or Dr. Schmelzer, despite how desperate and vulnerable I was. I was also repeatedly prescribed a drug with black box warnings for severe side effects like tendon rupture and permanent nerve damage. I don’t recall being warned about these risks and would have appreciated a thorough explanation to help me make an informed choice. Throughout the process, I felt Dr. Schmelzer was much more concerned with protecting his reputation than with my health and safety. Despite being cooperative and hopeful, I was made to feel like a problem. I was told by another patient that they heard the office staff called my husband and me a pain in the butt, which confirmed my fears that I wasn’t being treated with respect or compassion. If I could go back, I would choose almost anyone else. Since then, I’ve connected with multiple other patients of Dr. Schmelzer (many of whom told me their own Google reviews had been deleted). They shared similar stories of incision failures, infections, and feeling dismissed and disrespected. I underwent a complex revision surgery with a different surgeon and the contrast was night and day. The facility was clean and well-equipped, the communication was clear and consistent, and the staff was polite and professional. Most importantly, I’ve had zero complications since. This reinforced how avoidable my journey with Dr. Schmelzer was.

My experience with Dr. Schmelzer and his staff was entirely first rate. They made sure I understood the process and what to expect, and they were available to answer all my questions pre-surgery and post-surgery. I've already recommended one of my family members to contact Dr. Schmelzer.

Frustrated husband. PLEASE READ My wife underwent breast augmentation surgery with Dr. Schmelzers in August, and it has been a total disaster. She faced severe complications right after the procedure—failed stitches, an eight-week recovery in bed, and what we thought was an infection. She needed follow-up surgery to fix the stitches, which didn’t hold, and then another surgery, which we had to pay for again. Even after all that, the results are awful: her breasts are lopsided, with the left side "bottomed out" sitting an inch lower than the right, no natural fold, and uneven nipples. It’s been humiliating and devastating for her—not at all what we expected or paid for. I’ve emailed Dr. Schmelzer’s office three times to address this, but they’ve completely ignored me. For a surgeon to ghost a patient after such a botched job is unbelievable and unacceptable. This has left my wife shattered—mentally, emotionally, and physically. We’ve spoke with two other people who had the same horrible experience with this surgeon and had to go to other surgeons to fix what he screwed up. It’s clear this isn’t just our bad luck—it’s a pattern of sloppy work and zero accountability. Our story, combined with theirs, shows this surgeon consistently delivers substandard results and doesn’t care enough to respond when things go wrong. I’m sharing this to urge others to think twice before choosing him. The poor quality of his work and his refusal to address problems are a dangerous combination. We’re now stuck paying another surgeon to undo his mess, adding more expense and stress. If you care about your health, your money, and your peace of mind, avoid this surgeon. Pick someone who’ll actually deliver and stand by their work—you’ll save yourself a world of regret. As a sidenote, we also found on public record 2 prior malpractice claims. Don’t believe the reviews, there are companies that delete the bad ones just like this one will probably get deleted. so please do your research. Ask around get on Google, get on Reddit. Please save yourself from the mistakes that we have made by not doing the research

Dr. Schmelzer is an expert in the field of plastic surgery. He is professional, empathetic, and highly skilled. I am very pleased with the outcome of my procedure and have recommended him to family and friends.

Dr. Schmelzer is the most attentive and caring of plastic surgeons I’ve been to. All surgeons have a bit of edge and strictness, which is a desirable trait in a surgeon. Dr. Schmelzer is a competent, insightful practitioner who takes the time to consider his patient’s needs. I certainly felt confident in his abilities and had a good experience with his office. The nurse I had, Wendy, supported me through my absolute terror at anesthesia. She has been nothing short of amazing. My experience has been great. Also the office gals are friendly and nice.