Discovering the beautiful you
By Olivia Bloom
Whether he’s scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, leading a medical mission trip to El Salvador, pedaling a bicycle great distances for local charities, creating heavenly musical sounds, or performing a cutting-edge surgical procedure in the operating room, Dr. Paul Vanek puts a new spin on the term “Renaissance man.”
You may find him at a club around town jamming on the trumpet with his band, “Body & Soul,” or singing and playing trumpet at his church.
But most of the time he can be found at his plastic surgery offices consulting with patients, listening to their most personal dreams or, making those dreams come true in an operating room.
Wherever you find Dr. Vanek, you can be sure of one thing: He’s always looking ahead for the next accomplishment, especially if it can make a difference in the lives of others.
A Master Sculptor in Body Contouring
According to Dr. Vanek, while he receives tremendous satisfaction from the many ways he interacts with others, he’s most motivated by his ability to change the lives of his patients.
“I realize I have been given many precious gifts,” Dr. Vanek says with genuine emotion. “My family, my patients, my talents...I have been blessed, and I have a responsibility to share these gifts and serve others as long as God allows me to.”
Dr. Vanek’s skills are displayed well before any procedure begins. He has assembled and trained a staff that endeavors to support and respect every patient. When he meets a patient considering any procedure, he listens with the perspective of not only a medical doctor, but also a person who has been a patient himself, a husband and father.
“I’m dedicated to listening carefully before helping my patients find their true beauty. Together we discover the beautiful person they were created to be.”
Once Dr. Vanek understands a person’s desires, and helps him or her understand realistic personal goals, he is adept at orchestrating the necessary procedures in the most efficient ways.
His most popular surgical procedures include vaser liposuction, tummy tucks, breast augmentation, face and neck lifts, mommy makeovers and eyelid surgery. But many other procedures are growing in popularity, and Dr. Vanek is comfortable with all of them.
“There have been numerous advancements in body contouring, allowing me to naturally enhance the physique,” he says. “Downtime is minimal, fitting conveniently into busy moms’ and working ladies’ lives.”
From laser treatments to injectables and fillers, he also offers a myriad of non-surgical procedures to rejuvenate the skin, face and neck.
No matter the course of treatment, Dr. Vanek is passionate about going the extra mile for the best possible outcome for his patients.
“In most surgical procedures, I finish with a laser to minimize scarring,” he says. “I also believe in the power of nurturing patients while they recover from procedures, and integrate healing, deep-tissue massage into those treatment plans.”
He says he doesn’t take the life-changing impact of his practice lightly.
“I feel blessed to have an artistic flair when it comes to harmoniously balancing aesthetics with science,” he says. “Along with my caring staff, I offer nurturing, emotional support along the way.”
The Next Frontier
Being at the forefront of medicine has always been of primary importance to Dr. Vanek. Throughout his extensive education, training and dual board certifications in general surgery and plastic surgery, he also works as a biochemist and researcher for the National Institute of Health.
“I’m fortunate to have been present at the forefront of medical innovation over the past 20-plus years,” he says.
“One of the biggest leaps is the use of autologous fat transfer to restore and rejuvenate. I can achieve natural results by harvesting fat tissue from one part of a patient’s body and injecting it into another, to create shapely lips or rounded cheekbones. There are also applications to transfer regenerative, bioactive fat to heal damaged tissue, particularly in the joints. It can alleviate pain for those suffering from arthritis or certain injuries.”
He is walking proof of the procedure’s effectiveness and potential. When told he would need a knee transplant, Dr. Vanek underwent fat transfer and says his injured knee is back to 100%. He believes in the procedure enough to have helped form Northeast Ohio Regenerative Medicine.
With two surgical board certifications, he was also one of the country’s first doctors to single handedly perform Oncoplastic breast surgery, combining mastectomy procedures with new plastic surgery breast reconstruction techniques. One patient travelled 800 miles so Dr. Vanek could perform her surgery.
He’s also a pioneer of surface skin treatment. Vanek Cosmeceuticals—his own skincare line—features patented, super-potent formulations to firm and restructure skin.
“I took foundational elements from wound healing and applied them to skin care,” he says.
Dr. Paul Vanek is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. His offices are easily accessible from I-90, located at 9485 Mentor Avenue, Suite 100, in Mentor. For more information, call 440-205-5750 or visit MentorPlasticSurgery.com. Check out the gallery on his site to see striking before and after patient photos. For more on Dr. Vanek’s fascinating climb of Kilimanjaro, view his Lakeland Community College presentation at YouTube.com/watch?v=y8a1XqE3sq4.