Famed celebrity dermatologist Dr. Fredric Brandt has worked on stars like Kelly Ripa, Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Calvin Klein, Stephanie Seymour and Marc Jacobs among many others with practices in both Coral Gables and Manhattan. He was said to have been an extremely kind friend with a generous personality who truly wanted to help others feel confident about themselves and their appearance. Everyone who spoke about working with him raved, saying they trusted him with everything he was doing. He was an award winning dermatologist and researcher with his own radio show and skincare line; number one in the business. The fame and fortune he longed for was achieved, and one would think this millionaire doctor would be leading the happiest life.
This happiness however was not how it seemed in recent years, as Dr. Brandt was unfortunately suffering from an extreme illness: depression. On April 5th, he was found dead in the garage of his Miami mansion of suicide at 65 years old. Close friends knew of his depression as it has been worsening more recently, but many would have had no idea of the pain and loneliness Dr. Brandt suffered from. In a New York Times article about his life and death, it discusses how Dr. Brandt wanted so badly for others to like and accept him, and often saw that this was not always the case being in the business he was. Many of his patients kept their cosmetic treatments a secret, and would pretend not to know him when seen out in public. “Occasionally, he would go to restaurants, spot one of his Louboutin-clad socialites and feel a pang of sadness as she picked at her salmon and pretended that, like complex carbohydrates, he didn’t exist” (New York Times). This of course really got to Dr. Brandt, as someone who, like most of us, wanted to be accepted for doing what he cared about and being who he was.
He was also mocked for his appearance, as a patient himself with a look that was quite different from other men his age. In Tina Fey’s Netflix sitcom “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, Martin Short plays Dr. Grant, a cosmetic dermatologist with a face paralyzed by Botox and bleached blonde hair, an unmistakable reference to Dr. Brandt. He was absolutely devastated by the character’s clear mockery of him after its premier on March 6th, as someone who was very sensitive and suffered from depression as it was. A friend told New York Times, “Fred never developed that hard shell. He was like gauze. That was one of the things that made him so wonderful and it was also part of his undoing. People can be cruel.” While close sources to Dr. Brandt have stated that the Netflix series was not the reason he would commit suicide, it definitely did play a large role in worsening his depression.
Dr. Brandt’s death, like all cases of suicide we have seen, such as that of Robin Williams, makes us think about life in a different way. Depression may seem controversial, but it is absolutely a serious illness like any other, and some unfortunately lose the fight against it. This should, more than anything, make us all think about the way we treat others. Most people in Dr. Brandt’s life would probably not have realized the severity of his illness, as he was spoken highly of as the most joyful, brilliant and kind person. However, we should not treat others in ways we wouldn’t want to be treated ourselves. Dr. Brandt was constantly hurt by embarrassed patients giving him the cold shoulder in public, by jokes and negative comments he’d read about himself online, and especially by the portrayal of “Dr. Grant” on Tina Fey’s Netflix sitcom that made a clear mockery of Dr. Brandt’s appearance and practices. Though none of these things were done maliciously or were the cause of his suicide, we never know what reaction people might get from something, nor can we ever understand what is going on in their minds or what battles they may be facing.
Rest in peace Dr. Brandt. I hope your story inspires people to get the treatment they need for their depression, and others to treat everyone with kindness the way you did during your lifetime.