A career plastic surgeon offers an unvarnished take on the passions, rewards, and challenges of this fast-evolving field of medicine

By JENNIFER VIKSE • PHOTOS BY AMESSé PHOTOGRAPHY

Dr. Anthony Lombardi is a busy man. Board Certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgeons and a member of both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the New Jersey Society of Plastic Surgeons, this surgeon, husband, and father changes lives every day.

A native of New Jersey, Dr. Lombardi has created a unique atmosphere, bringing together not only his own expertise, but that of board-certified physician assistants with diverse backgrounds to treat the needs of patients in his home community. His practice specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, body contouring, and a variety of non-invasive techniques for both men and women.

Industry: What made you enter this field? What influenced this decision?
Dr. Anthony Lombardi: I became interested in plastic surgery in medical school. The first day of plastic surgery rotation, we operated on a young woman who had a rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, an abdominoplasty, liposuction, excision of lesions, a trigger finger, and veins injected in her legs… and that was just in the first eight hours of the day. I thought “Wow! If we can do all that in a day, can you imagine what you could accomplish in a lifetime?”
The field of plastic surgery is very diversified; you can perform cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, treat burns, cranial facial surgery, excise tumors, perform laser surgery, and the list goes on. Every day there is something new and exciting in this field.

Industry: You are a leader in reconstructive surgery. I imagine you have helped many people recover from accidents or disease. Can you talk a little bit about this?
AL: One of the most rewarding aspects of plastic surgery is reconstruction, whether it be after trauma from a car accident or repairing a defect from a cancer resection. The patients who view their injury before being reconstructed never believe that they could be whole again. Imagine a 17-yearold girl being involved in a major automobile accident and looking at herself in the rearview mirror with lacerations and blood all over her face. When she wakes up from her surgery, I assure you a smile comes to her when she looks in the mirror and sees her image the way she remembered it. A smile is worth a thousand words and is the positive reinforcement all plastic surgeons work so hard for.

Industry: What do you tell a new patient who is considering having a procedure?
AL: Feeling good about the way you look makes for a more self-confident individual. There are many studies that document that plastic surgery improves the quality of life for those who have chosen to have it. I frequently get feedback from breast augmentation patients that they feel more self-confident and get more positive attention. I have even been told that others value their opinions more…that they get more respect from males as well as females.
Many patients have done all they could to avoid having surgery, but to no avail. Consider a mom that has had two or three kids and goes to the gym five or six days a week to get her stomach back in shape. She could work out forever, but if her muscles have separated after childbirth, there is no way she can work them back together. An abdominoplasty can cure her immediately. Or what about a girl with almost no breast tissue who feels insecure in a bathing suit or naked; she might well feel more comfortable and confident after a breast augmentation. It’s not just how others perceive you after plastic surgery, it’s about how you feel about yourself.

Industry: Are there any signs you look for to determine if or when a patient might be pursuing a procedure for the wrong reasons?
AL: There are times when a patient appears to be doing a procedure to save a failing relationship or to please a boyfriend or girlfriend. That is a very difficult situation, and I have seen patients have a procedure and then admit they did it for a spouse or lover who subsequently left them. Plastic surgery is to make the patient happy, not to make anyone else happy. My least favorite patient is someone who states, for example, that her husband comments that she doesn’t look as good as she used to or her husband wants her to be more like some celebrity or one of his wife’s friends. I’ll bet you her husband doesn’t look as good as he used to either!

Industry: Where are you from, and what prompted you to select New Jersey for your practice?
AL: I’ve lived in New Jersey all my life. I went to Seton Hall and then New Jersey Medical School in Northern New Jersey. Then I did my General Surgery residency at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch and went back to complete my training in Plastic Surgery in North Jersey again at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Hackensack University Medical Center. I knew I would come back to Monmouth County to start my career and was offered the position of being the only plastic surgeon in the largest surgery group in the shore area in 1997. In 2000, I moved my practice to Eatontown, and plan to remain there indefinitely.

Industry: How do you enjoy spending free time?
AL: I try to spend as much time with my family as possible. My practice really is full of 12- and 14-hour days, and many of life’s simple pleasures are missed. I enjoy nights and weekends with the family. The kids still run to the door when I get home, and that really takes the stress out of a long day. My wife and I try to get some private time together, too, by getting a quiet dinner or a quick trip to rejuvenate ourselves, but traveling with the entire family is what we all look forward to.

The Lombardi Plastic Surgery Center
32 Corbett Way, Eatontown
732.460.9555 / lombardiplasticsurgery.com