The Inspiring Story Of Dr. Chad Deal: From Class Clown To Celebrated Cosmetic Surgeon

Written in partnership with DN News DeskPhoto Credit: Dr Chad Deal Class clowns can be some of the best people or worst people one could ever come across in a lifetime. They provide comic relief in an otherwise dull classroom setting, but too much of their humor can be unnerving. Most of them are the life of the party, but not much else.

However, Dr. Chad Deal proved that you can’t judge anyone based on who they were in high school. Dr. Chad Deal is a leading American cosmetic surgeon based out of the Chattanooga area. He’s the founder of Southern Surgical Arts, which has a total of four branches in Tennessee and Georgia. He is certified by several Cosmetology boards, including the American Board of Facial Surgery, the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, and the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Deal has also won several awards due to his intense focus and skill in his craft. He became a finalist for the Best of the Best Awards for Best Cosmetic Surgeon for five straight years before winning the top award in 2016 and 2017. Plus, Vitals.com also awarded him The Most Compassionate Doctor and the Patient’s Choice Award.

Deal also teaches at the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery’s Fellowship program of the Southern Surgical Arts. Those who can finish his lectures are eligible to be certified with the ABCS.

On top of all of this, Dr. Chad Deal has also become somewhat of a social media influencer this year, after the pandemic forced him to think of new ways to market himself amid the changing times. Through his Instagram account @drhidef.ssa, Deal promotes his own skills and business, while at the same time delivering educational content for all his followers. This allowed him to transform his business from a local to a national one.

Dr. Chad Deal’s Transformation

With this high level of prestige, it’s hard to imagine that a serious man such as Dr. Chad Deal was once a class clown, but it’s the truth. Before he became the celebrated surgeon he is today, Dr. Deal was just plain Chad, whose only interest was playing sports.

In high school, he goofed around and spent more time having fun than focusing on his studies. He played football, wrestled, and even played tennis for his entire four years of high school. As a result, he kept getting B’s, C’s, and D’s year in and year out. Deal recalled that if he tried, he could get an easy A in math and science, but back then, he wasn’t interested in it.

However, once he reached college, something changed within Dr. Deal. He quickly came to the realization that every grade counted and that this would follow him for the rest of his life. He knew that his college career could either make or break him, so he chose to finally be serious in life. Deal refused alcohol until his first son was born when he was 26 years old. He buried himself in books, listened with intensity at every lecture, and participated with passion at every opportunity.

At 17 years old, Dr. Deal decided he was going to become a cosmetic surgeon. He fell in love with the craft because of its unique ability to combine rigid scientific work with artistry, and the fact that cosmetic surgeons get to meet new people every day. So he surrendered himself to work and earned a 4.0 GPA in his pre-med courses. Deal also became a high-achiever, winning recognitions and awards for his expertise in organic chemistry, physics, and mathematics.

A Word of Advice

To those aspiring to succeed in cosmetic surgery and even in life, Dr. Deal says it’s essential to recognize your own skills. Cultivate your passions and become a leader in that aspect. At the same time, surround yourself with like-minded and talented people in the same field. Dr. Chad Deal also says that failure is okay, and it’s important to learn when to let go. It’s better to take a small defeat than a bigger loss if one wastes time and effort doing something that will never come to fruition.