We were lucky to catch up with Shabnam Ghazizadeh recently and have shared our conversation below.

Shabnam, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

After completing extensive surgical training at the top programs in the country to become a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon, I chose to build my boutique cosmetic surgery practice in Newport Beach, CA.

Establishing myself in the competitive landscape of cosmetic surgery in this saturated market is risky. Newport Beach is a hub for plastic surgeons and patients seeking cosmetic enhancements. While there are many cosmetic surgeons in this area, I am one of the only female plastic surgeons and offer a unique expertise and experience for my patients.

I think one of the things that sets me apart in this field is trying to bring more honesty and transparency about the cosmetic surgery process through patient education and compassionate care. Discussing one’s insecurities and cosmetic goals can be intimidating and uncomfortable, it is also a male-dominated field with many illusive claims. People who seek out cosmetic procedures often have insecurities and can be taken advantage of in this industry. I think for many patients that is why they find me. I offer a care-centered experience where they can get an honest female perspective to achieve top-tier results.

So even though there is a risk to being a newbie here in Newport Beach, I love the organic growth I have already achieved which is a testament to what I offer my patients compared to the many other surgeons in this area. Patients often say I am the most approachable plastic surgeon they have met – which is something I think this industry direly needs.

Shabnam, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Dr. Shabnam Ghazizadeh and I am a facial plastic surgeon. In my practice in Newport Beach I exclusively perform plastic surgery on the face, nose and neck. I have expertise in complex rhinoplasty as well as advanced facial rejuvenation including facelifts, necklifts, and eyelid surgery. Other surgeons often refer patients to me who require more advanced rhinoplasty or septoplasty techniques, and I am one of few female surgeons who specialize in this procedure.

After medical school, I was accepted to complete my residency training at UCLA in head and neck surgery. I was then selected as the only surgeon in the country to complete an advanced year-long fellowship in facial cosmetic surgery with the President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. My entire career has been about operating on patient’s faces where every scar and incision is visible. I dont operate on the body or anywhere else – so I am truly an expert in head and neck anatomy. Even still, I don’t take doing surgery on a patient’s face lightly because you only have one face and I get that.

My goal is to help patients decrease imperfections and improve the overall aesthetic harmony of their face so they can feel more confident in their daily lives. Whether it’s a small enhancement or a larger transformation, my aim is always to help keep your face looking natural.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Absolutely! I have many female surgeons just starting their training message me to ask if the many years of sacrifice were worth it. Surgical training and the competitive nature of plastic surgery is not for the faint of heart. As a wife and a mother of 2, I can say you have to truly love what you do to be successful in this field. It is not the easy, fast track to a glamorous life that everyone imagines. In all honesty it is an extremely difficult journey to achieve this level of training and expertise. But I truly do find so much joy in meeting my patients and partnering with them to help guide them through these transformations – whether that is through a rhinoplasty or through a facelift they have been saving up for for years. People share their insecurities, goals and future plans with me – like wanting to look refreshed for their daughters wedding, or removing the bump on their nose that they’ve always disliked. It truly is a unique field that is so rewarding. I have so much gratitude for being able to do what I do.

Have you ever had to pivot?

As a surgeon I take a lot of pride in my surgical techniques and results. During my training in head and neck surgery, I actually really enjoyed doing ear and neurotology surgery because of the meticulous nature of the procedures. The ear bones are 3-8mm in size and you have to operate through a microscope using precise, delicate hand movements. I would get these beautiful results that I was really proud of but no one would be able to see it. Of course the patients would be able to hear which was incredibly rewarding, but ultimately I didnt feel that specialty was for me. So it was a little bit of wanting to admire my work, to be honest, that led me to facial plastic surgery. In the end I found cosmetic procedures and the operative techniques were the most challenging to perform and to perfect which was a driving force for me. But now it is the patients. I love building relationships with patients of all ages who just want to feel better and look the way they feel on the inside.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drghazizadeh.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_ghazizadeh/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drghazizadehplastic
• Youtube: youtube.com/@drghazizadehplastic