Compiled & Edited By Lauren Nicoll

Location & Hometown: New York City 

I was inspired to become a surgeon around the age of ten, I watched plenty of PBS as a kid, and I loved the surgery shows and the shows that involved medicine. I pursued plastic surgery in my fourth year of medical school after a month-long surgery rotation.  I became aware of the many plastic surgery specialties, which I found fascinating. I then knew I had to get exposed to breast and facial reconstruction post-cancer to children born with cleft lips or palates, extra fingers, or premature fusion of the skull’s bones to recognize that I wanted to pursue this as a career. 

“Is Breast Implant Illness a thing? A Q&A with Dr. JoAn Monaco”

Health & Beauty is all about looking after the body and mind, and everything else follows. Good sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices lead to great skin, a strong body, and a clear mind. For me, that is what beauty is all about today.  

The secret to my success is hard work and determination. Few female plastic surgeons and even fewer have done advanced cosmetic surgery training after a very long plastic surgery residency. I was determined to do everything, and I continue to work hard to mentor women entering the medical profession. There are so few mentors in life that my female colleagues are my sounding board, my dear friends, and my mentors in medicine. 

My current skin savers are a wash, a Vitamin C serum, retinol, and sunscreen. I believe that Vitamin C and retinol are crucial for keeping skin healthy and glowing, and a gentle wash and sunscreen are my everyday musts.

When I feel low on energy, I get my mojo back, making smoothies with my children. Our favorites are spinach and banana smoothies. When I make them for my kids, I use skim milk, and when I make them for myself, I use almond milk or oat milk as I try to avoid dairy. Just spinach, banana, ice, a splash of milk - delicious!

Top three things I’d like to see happen in the world of plastic surgery in the next 5 years:

I think this is such an exciting time in the world of plastic surgery and we are constantly creating so many new advances in technology and surgical practices.  I love reading about plastic surgeons who are advancing the fields of face and hand transplantation after traumatic injury.  I would love to see these surgeries happen more regularly.  I love reading about plastic surgeons who are refining their techniques for transgender patients and I would love to see more options become available for these patients with coverage through their insurance plans.  I also am excited to be a practicing plastic surgeon in the time of fat transplantation as our techniques for fat grafting have been improving every day.  I know that my profession will make huge advances in the next five years and I can wait to be a small part of it.