Photo: Dr. Juris Bunkis, renowned plastic surgeon, partners with Dr. Deborah Ekstrom, founder of Money Loves Women and President of Salisbury Plastic Surgery, combining expertise to empower beauty, confidence, and transformation.
Celebrating Decades Of Expertise In Aesthetic Surgery
Dr. Juris Bunkis shares his journey of innovation in aesthetic surgery, the philosophy of natural beauty, and the future vision for Orange County Plastic Surgery’s growth and patient care.
Dr. Juris Bunkis stands as an inspiring figure in the field of aesthetic medicine, with a career that spans decades of surgical expertise, academic distinction, and compassionate patient care. A pioneer in the realm of plastic surgery, Dr. Bunkis has never been content with simply maintaining the status quo. Instead, he has driven forward innovation, combining artistry with science to revolutionise the landscape of facial rejuvenation and achieve transformative, natural-looking results for his patients.
An alumnus of prestigious institutions such as the University of Toronto and Harvard University, Dr. Bunkis has cultivated a legacy of excellence that transcends borders. His renowned “A to V” Facelift represents the kind of originality and dedication that defines his career, blending knowledge, precision, and a deep understanding of human anatomy to restore harmony and confidence in his patients. With over 40 scientific publications and contributions to numerous medical textbooks, his thought leadership reverberates throughout the global medical community, while his voluntary roles as a deputy sheriff and Honorary Consul for Latvia reflect a profound commitment to service beyond his profession.
It is our privilege at Beauty Prime to showcase the journey and vision of a surgeon who has not only mastered his craft but also shaped the transformative potential of plastic surgery. Dr. Bunkis exemplifies the perfect balance of innovation, compassion, and expertise, making him an unparalleled leader in the field and an inspiration to practitioners and patients alike.
Dr. Juris Bunkis redefines aesthetic surgery with artistry, innovation, and compassion, inspiring confidence and transforming lives globally.
What inspired you, Dr. Bunkis, to establish Orange County Plastic Surgery, and how has the practice evolved since its founding?
I taught at the University of California, San Francisco after completing my training at Harvard University. In 1983, I went into an aesthetic private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. This practice grew tenfold and I was very happy there. But in the year 2000, my son, who was a very good baseball player, was scouted by a few college coaches, who suggested he attend high school in southern California. I did not want to send him off to high school by himself, so we sold our Bay Area practice, decided to move to Orange County and I started Orange County Plastic Surgery. Within two years, Orange County Plastic Surgery was exceeding the revenue I was producing in Northern California, and OCPS has done nothing but grow since.
“Our goal is to produce as natural a result as possible, avoiding the ‘done’ look.” – Dr. Juris Bunkis
Dr. Ekstrom, after 30 years practicing in New England, what drew you to join Orange County Plastic Surgery, and how has your experience here compared to your previous work?
I was drawn to California after practicing in New England for more than 35 years by my partner in work and life. I now practice with him here in California and we each energize the other when it comes to the practice of plastic surgery. We enjoy bouncing opinions and experiences off each other and being in the operating room together, trading information on techniques and outcomes. It is very energizing for both of us!
While there are some differences between the two geographies….for example New England is more conservative in the approach to appearance, and Californians take enhancement of appearance as a given….at both locations most people are just focused on presenting themselves at their best and being comfortable in their skin in order to maximize their confidence. Higher confidence, of course, is associated with increase success in all areas of life. It is our privilege, as plastic surgeons, no matter where we are, to be facilitators in this transformational journey, and it is both humbling and rewarding, regardless of locale.
“It is our privilege, as plastic surgeons, to be facilitators in each patient’s transformational journey.” – Dr. Juris Bunkis
With such a wide range of procedures offered at Orange County Plastic Surgery, how do you both decide which new techniques and technologies to adopt?
We both do the entire gamut of aesthetic procedures, frequently do larger procedures together (“team surgery”) which is a major advantage to patients as it lessen OR time and cost. But we do have areas of interest that differ. Dr. Bunkis prefers procedures above the clavicles – facial rejuvenation, rhinoplasties, otoplasties, blepharoplasties, brow lifts, etc. Dr. Ekstrom specializes in body contouring, breast surgery, surgery to correct deformities from massive weight loss, microfat grafting, and the various radiofrequency and J-Plasma procedures. We both evaluate new technologies before adopting them, both try new techniques and evaluate them (keep what is better that what we used to do, abandon methods that do not provide an advantage to our patients.
Dr. Bunkis, your Natural A to V Facelift is unique to your practice—can you share the story behind its development and what sets it apart?
A youthful face is V shaped, with fullness in the cheeks, tapering down towards the jaw line. As we age, the underlying muscles sag and pull overlying skin and fat with the muscles as they descend, leading to a more A shaped face, with fullness over the jowls and neck laxity. Our A to V Facelift, sometimes utilizing supplemental microfat grafting, is designed to reposition the sagging muscles and fat back up into the cheek area, restoring a youthful V shaped face. Our goal is to produce as natural a result as possible, avoiding the “done” look.
Dr. Ekstrom, your work in “quick recovery” breast augmentation and in-office liposuction is notable—what motivated you to focus on these patient-centered innovations?
My focus on “quick recovery” breast augmentation centers around the increasing desires of women to undergo their procedures and get back to their lives…. professional, fitness, and family activities as smoothly and quickly as possible in order to pursue their personal success goals. In addition, I am always looking for ways to make every patient’s recovery as pain and stress free as possible. The quick recovery breast augmentation fills the bill!
Looking ahead, what are your shared goals for Orange County Plastic Surgery’s future growth, both in terms of patient care and broader contributions to the field of plastic surgery?
We continue to teach students regularly and have plastic surgeons from around the globe visit our practice on a regular basis. Our goal is to provide a concierge experience for our patients and to treat each patient, as we ourselves would expect to be treated. Surgical excellence is a given. We are both in our 70’s and know that our surgical careers will be over in the next five years or so, but as long as we continue to work, we expect to continue providing each of our patients a platinum experience and to give them better results than they could get elsewhere!
