Plastic and cosmetic surgery play a crucial role in enhancing one’s confidence and self-esteem. The impact of these procedures goes beyond our physical appearance as they have the power to transform lives both inside and out. However, aesthetic surgery can be intimidating to most of us.
Though, with Penn Medicine’s world-renowned reputation, it’s easy to feel confident with any department under their care including their Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Group. Penn Medicine has pushed boundaries and pioneered certain aspects of the plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive world. Marry that with finding the perfect provider and you’re a patient for life
One of Penn Medicine’s greatest assets is Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Ivona Percec, MD, PhD. Her family immigrated from Romania.
At the young age of 9, with education in her blood, Percec is a fourth-generation academician from a lineage of scientists. She opened her lab spearheading research on stem cell rejuvenation and the process of aging, how to prevent it as well as correct it.
When asked to clarify the difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery, Percec explains, “That is a very important distinction because plastic surgery comes from the word ‘plastic.’ It is from the ancient Greek plastikos, which means moldable. So, plastic surgery refers to anything where you can mold one part of the body into something else. It’s a very general term. Under plastic surgery is aesthetic surgery, or cosmetic surgery, and reconstructive surgery. Those are kind of the two branches that people think of. Now I happen to believe, and I think there is a movement towards understanding that they’re not as separate as people initially thought them to be because really anything reconstructive is also aesthetic.”
As a natural-born artist, Percec always enjoyed working with her hands creating art and doing carpentry, so combining these with the love of science was a perfect fit into the field of plastic surgery.
Though she is passionate about the procedures she performs, Percec finds joy in watching her patients become more confident in their skin. Understanding some patients need a slower hand than others, she is compassionate in her approach to taking her patients at their cadence, allowing them to build trust and reinsurance in their aesthetic journey. She takes a holistic approach as well. Being able to understand her client’s lifestyle including any major changes in their life, she can personalize every treatment plan appropriately to each patient.
Aesthetic procedures aren’t just for women. Men make up a huge percentage of cosmetic and plastic surgery patients. She is proud to say Penn Medicine is one of the first groups to work with the transgender community.
In addition, Percec is not afraid of breaking stereotypes and talking about topics we consider most vulnerable and private. She has since expanded her practice to reconstructive genital mutilation. She has a heart for people who need such surgeries on the most intimate level. Carefully taking them through the process, she has been successful in this area of reconstructive surgery.
One fascinating benefit of aesthetic surgery is the ability to lower inflammation in the body.
Percec explains, “Feeling good about the way you look also feeds back into everything else including your anatomy and your system. So that decreases your cortisol level because you feel good about the way you look. That’s also going to decrease the inflammatory process on everything else, so I think it’s really superficial to think that that doesn’t affect all the other systems in your body.”
Penn Medicine is continuing to hone in on the latest research including the newest cutting-edge technology and techniques. Through their expertise and personalized approach, the team at Penn Medicine helps individuals achieve their aesthetic goals and unlock the confidence that comes from feeling their best.
