Kristopher Hamwi, MD

I went into medicine because I wanted to help people. I went into aesthetic plastic surgery because I wanted to help people feel good about themselves. Plastic surgery is about bringing joy to people’s lives. There aren’t very many fields in medicine that get to say they bring joy to people’s lives (delivering babies and massive weight loss surgery are the only other ones that come to mind). One of my favorite parts of my job is seeing my patients postoperatively. The best part about my job is hearing patients tell me how much they love their results and how it has impacted them. Plastic surgery is special in that its surgeons can develop relationships with their patients in a way that goes beyond just their brief time in the operating room and post-op visits. In the same way that a family practice doctor becomes intimate with a patient and their family, I enjoy hearing from my patients as they live their lives and enjoy their results. I often see patients for various other treatments and continue my relationships with them, which I love. Medicine, and by extension, plastic surgery, has never been about running a business to me; it’s too personal.

My eventual career as a plastic surgeon probably materialized from the combined influences of my Grandfather and father. My Grandfather (George Hamwi) was a somewhat famous endocrinologist, and besides having a camp for diabetic children and a library named after him, I was often confronted by actual patients of his who he had helped throughout his career and who spoke highly of him and his efforts. These interactions helped me to understand how influential and positive doctors can be in people’s lives. I was convinced that I wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember.

As far as my eventual choice of aesthetic plastic surgery, that was probably a little more subconsciously fostered and cultivated by the exposure of my father. My father (Alan Hamwi) is a classically trained professional sculptor, and I grew up surrounded by clay and pencils with a sketch pad. I was encouraged to express my creativity and taught how to critically evaluate objects and then translate that into a new medium. Without knowing it, I spent all of my childhood and young adult life receiving a world-class art education. As my exposure to medicine progressed, aesthetic plastic surgery was naturally intriguing.

While I was in medical school, I realized I had a natural ability and interest in surgery. I could both help people and use my technical abilities, so I chose a general surgery residency. Through general surgery, I was exposed to various surgical specialties, from trauma surgery to vascular surgery to transplant surgery. While I was in residency, I excelled, and I was chosen to be the Chief Resident. I was also selected for various awards from different departments (transplant, thoracic, trauma, “nurses' choice award”). But it was plastic surgery that “spoke to me” and ultimately was the most compelling for me.

Through general surgery, I had first been introduced to plastic surgery and specifically aesthetic plastic surgery. It was that experience that ignited my passion for the field. It was somewhat of a “eureka” moment when I realized how much I enjoyed the field and how well-suited I was for it.

From that time on, I was singularly focused on my eventual career in plastic surgery and specifically aesthetic plastic surgery. I spent as much time as I could with the plastic surgeons, and I spent the years as a resident refining my skills as a surgeon. General surgery residency is known for being particularly difficult, but it gave me the technical skills to “hit the ground running” when I started my second residency in plastic surgery.

From my first day in plastic surgery residency, I was intent on pursuing aesthetic surgery. I focused my efforts on learning the techniques of aesthetic surgery, but I knew that if I wanted to be the best, I would want to do a dedicated fellowship in aesthetic plastic surgery.

I completed my last year of training in Manhattan at one of the country’s most competitive aesthetic plastic surgery programs. All in all, I have spent 10 years training to get where I am today.

The goal of my practice is to help patients feel better about themselves. I truly want the best for all of my patients. This sincere desire to please has cultivated a culture in the practice that puts an emphasis on customer service. My endless pursuit of perfection has directed me toward continual growth and application of new and innovative ways to deliver the best care to our patients. I am open-minded and want to use the best techniques and technologies, but after ten years of training in academic medicine, I only use devices and techniques that can be proven to work and don’t waste my time with bogus treatments. We measure our success based on the happiness of our patients. This is perhaps the highest standard and most difficult to achieve, but nonetheless the most important.

Hard work, dedication, focus, and compassion. I spent countless hours learning how to evaluate patients, determine the optimal management, carefully perform operations, and thoughtfully manage their recovery. I found specialists and mentors that I could learn from, went to conferences and training courses across the country, and performed large operations on beating hearts and operations so small that I used a microscope. I put myself in very controlled operative environments and unpredictable trauma centers to have a full breadth of experience. When I would complete one aspect of my training, I wouldn’t stop; I would ask myself, “What can I do to become better?”

I am board-certified in both general surgery and plastic surgery and can operate all over the body and on all sorts of organs. I have focused my practice specifically on cosmetic procedures. I have specialized training in procedures of the face, breasts, and body. I have trained with some of the great surgeons of Manhattan, Boston, and Washington, DC, and want to bring that level of expertise to my practice in Florida.

I like to think I have the right head, the right hands, and the right heart.

Expertise/training –

• I am a board-certified plastic surgeon with 10 years of training, in Washington, DC, Manhattan & Harvard with experience from the thousands of cases I’ve performed.
• Patients travel from 37 states and all over the world to have me operate on them. I have operated on professional athletes, professional cheerleaders, politicians, celebrities, and Emmy winners.
• I scored in the 90th percentile on the certifying exam (“boards”) for the American Board of Plastic Surgery Compassion – At Florida Plastic Surgery, we want the best for you, and we treat you like family.

Customer service – We offer the complete package in patient care. From pre-op to post-op, there will be someone to guide you through the process. Whether this is your first procedure or you have “been there” before.

Innovation – We will use the latest techniques and technologies to provide you with optimal outcomes. We proudly offer virtual consultations for out-of-town patients, rapid recovery breast protocols, Exparel for reduced post-operative pain control, Awake lipo, Prevena for reduced scarring, and neck contouring. For our out-of-town customers, we coordinate recovery with post-op massage and healing vitamins.

Friendly/outgoing, Determined, Thoughtful

I am a husband and a father of 4 young children (three girls and one boy). I love spending time with them. My wife and I are also avid travelers and have been all across the U.S. and to 14 different countries.

I went to medical school at Northeastern Ohio University. I matched into a general surgery program at Washington Hospital Center, which later merged with Georgetown University Hospital. During my general surgery training, I took a sabbatical to do a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard University. After completing general surgery residency and becoming board-certified in that field, I continued with a plastic surgery residency at Indiana University. Upon completion of that residency, I became board-certified in plastic surgery and then went on to pursue a fellowship in aesthetic plastic surgery at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in Manhattan, New York.

Surgical residency is hard work. It is tough on the mind, body, and spirit, but it is necessary to become great at what you do. I spent 10 years in surgical residency.

It grounded me and made me even more detail-oriented.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio.