Photo Credit: Courtesy of Dr. P. Daniel WardAn internationally-known double-board certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. P. Daniel Ward has addressed the aesthetic concerns of thousands of patients helping them restore and improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. Distinguished by attention to detail, a down-to-Earth approach, and a passion for his work, Dr. Ward is recognized as a top facial plastic surgeon around the world.
What is your greatest achievement?
We are fortunate in that our greatest achievement is the individual lives we are able to change. My mission is to improve lives by inspiring confidence through exceptional experiences and outstanding results. Being able to positively affect the lives of our patients is the greatest achievement we can imagine.
What is the future of your field?
More and more people are realizing that facial plastic surgery is a good option for them. As a population, we now better understand that we can improve upon the areas of the face that detract from our overall natural beautiful features without exposing ourselves to excessive risk of complications and without leading to a dramatic change in our appearance. Almost all patients that I see want to still look like themselves, but would like to have their appearance enhanced.
In addition, there seems to be a trend back towards seeking out surgical options instead of non-surgical options. Non-surgical facial rejuvenation is here to stay and is not going anywhere. However, the downtime for these treatments is often longer and the risks are greater for non-surgical treatments as compared to surgical treatments.
What is the biggest misconception about your field?
The biggest misconception about facial plastic surgery is that it is reserved for the vain, wealthy, or elites. In a high-end, luxury practice like ours, we certainly treat patients in those categories, but the vast majority of patients are just regular people who want to look and feel their best.
For example, I have a patient who is involved on a national level with law enforcement. He is a very macho sort of guy, a real man's man. He came to see me for a rhinoplasty and chin augmentation. He told me that he was tired of feeling insecure about his side profile view and he dreaded going to meetings because he could not hide his profile. By making some changes to the face--removing the hump on the nose and adding a little bit of chin augmentation--this patient's life was completely changed. He no longer felt insecure in meetings. He wrote us a very nice note about a year after letting us know that we had changed his life.
What are your most requested procedures?
Rhinoplasty, facelift, blepharoplasty, hair transplant and restoration, neck lift, chin/cheek/mandible augmentation, and injectables.
What surgical advancements are you most excited about?
Some of the advancements that we are seeing are simply incredible. They are using technology to address clinical concerns that we previously did not think we would be able to address. As our technological and engineering know-how improves, I can't wait to see the changes that we make in facial plastic surgery.
What are you best known for?
Without question, I am most known for my work in rhinoplasty. I love both primary rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. The combination of scientific expertise, engineering, and aesthetic artistry in rhinoplasty is second to no other procedure. I get to use my artistic and aesthetic sense on the most beautiful canvas possible, the human face.
I also perform a lot of facelift procedures and I'm heavily involved in education. I am one of a handful of fellowship directors who train surgeons who have already completed 15+ years of experience and come to train with me for further specialization.
On a personal level, and I am known for a down-to-earth, friendly approach and an aesthetic sense that promotes better visualization of a patient's natural beauty. I strongly believe that a patient's natural features of their eyes and smile are the most beautiful thing they possess and my work is to improve these areas.
What is your most memorable patient reaction?
The patient's reactions that I most enjoy are when they see their new face for the first time. As you might imagine, there is a whole range of emotions that people display. My favorite reactions are when the patient looks in the mirror, sees the new face, and realizes that the issue that bothered them is now gone. Seeing the tears well up in their eyes or a deep, genuine smile come across their face is an amazing experience! It is like they are seeing their true self for the first time.
What sets your practice apart?
Our practice is dedicated to improving the lives of our patients. We aim to allow our patients' natural beauty to shine through. We do this through technical know-how, a friendly personal approach, a strict devotion to details, and through our unique aesthetic sense that aims to allow a patient's natural beauty to shine through.
What do you love most about your profession?
I get to work in the most amazing career. It allows me to use my aesthetic artistry to allow patients to look and feel their very best. And I get to do it on the most beautiful thing in the world, the human face.
What is your career-defining procedure?
The procedure that best defines my career is rhinoplasty. I love creating a nose that is aesthetically pleasing and that functions well.
What new services are you excited to offer?
One of the most exciting things that we offer is hair restoration. This is a permanent common natural procedure that uses the patient's own hair for a permanent treatment for hair loss.
