By Jacinda Liburd
Honest, kind, genuine, beautiful. You really could use any of these words to describe Dr. Kristina Zakhary, one of Canada’s most accomplished facial cosmetic surgeons. Her business is beauty, inside and out. “I believe that the way a woman looks can really have a significant impact on her self-esteem,” says Dr. Zakhary. “It is important to harmonize how we feel on the inside with what we project to the world.”
From her extensive background in facial reconstruction right up to her own visibly flawless skin, Dr. Zakhary reveals that she practices what she preaches. “I have had some non-invasive procedures done, for example, I’ve had Restylane® treatments, and I love the results. In the future, if the benefits outweigh the risks for me, I would not hesitate to have a cosmetic surgery if I felt it would enhance my appearance and self-confidence.”
But, of course, her main role is to help others who are making very personal, and sometimes very visible, decisions. “I always ask myself: Would I offer surgery to this person if this were my sister, mother, brother, uncle? ... [If] I don’t feel like I would offer it to family, then I wouldn’t offer it to a patient.”
For as long as Dr. Zakhary can remember, medicine has been her passion. She studied at McGill University in Montreal for her pre-med and medical degrees, residency, and M.Sc. She became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) and then did fellowship training at the University of Toronto in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. She is now a diplomate of the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, as well as a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Zakhary has homes and practices in Calgary and Toronto.
She is also one of only two female fellows of the Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, yet she doesn’t see the pressures of the title as contingent upon gender, or anything else for that matter. “I never felt any pressure to prove myself,” says Dr. Zakhary, “I just feel proud and honoured to have been given the opportunity and training to achieve and accomplish what I have.”
Despite the necessity for technical knowledge and training, Dr. Zakhary still believes that it is a cosmetic surgeon’s aesthetic sense that distinguishes him or her. “If you are going to reshape the body, particularly the face, you have to have a certain artistic sense. And I also think that artistic sense has to jell with that of the patient ... You both have to be on the same page in terms of what you think is beautiful.”
Apart from beauty, one of the first things I realized about Dr. Zakhary is just how down-to-earth she is. Dr. Zakhary explains her grounding factors: “In my spare time I like to keep active and fit, as well as play the piano. When given the opportunity, I love to travel. I also come from a very tight-knit family so I really love to spend time with them.” She also realizes that being a surgeon is not necessarily the be-all and end-all. “I definitely would love to have kids in the future,” says Dr. Zakhary.
So I can’t resist asking: What if, hypothetically, her daughter wanted to have plastic surgery?
“I would first find out what her motivations are: [if they] are personally driven. I would also find out what her expectations were, and whether those expectations were realistic. I would inform her of all the risks and benefits. So if she finally decided that the potential benefits outweighed the risks, and she had realistic expectations, and her motivations were personally driven, then I would be typically supportive.” And although Dr. Zakhary knows that surgery is usually safe and can improve confidence, she does concede: “Honestly, what woman wouldn’t hesitate when considering the thought of plastic surgery on her own daughter?”
Dr. Zakhary is a true professional. She’s more likely to challenge you to grill her on her aesthetic sense or research her credentials than to herald the benefits of plastic surgery. It just doesn’t get any more beautiful than that.
Jacinda Liburd is a Toronto-based freelance writer and budding future lawyer.
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