How Boston’s Go-To Plastic Surgeon Is Leading the City’s Cosmetic Surgery Renaissance

Boston is quickly rising in stature on the East Coast as a destination for cosmetic plastic surgery. Notables around town are discreetly undergoing more advanced surgical treatments, while influential players from across the region, and even across the U.S., are flying in to get access to the best of the best. “Beverly Hills can be found right here in Massachusetts,” says Dr. Dave Lee, one of Boston’s most sought-after cosmetic plastic surgeons. That’s because Boston is setting new standards in multiple plastic surgery procedures as our distinctive culture has led to unique demands–and innovative techniques and expertise that are rising to meet them.  

“A person’s lifestyle affects what they choose to have done,” Dr. Lee says. “With the rise of social media and remote work after the pandemic, people are used to being on camera, whether it’s through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Instagram, or TikTok. And so people are now more focused on the appearance of their face and neck.” As the founder of PURE Cosmetic Center, a luxury boutique plastic surgery and medspa practice, Dr. Dave Lee is leading a new generation of surgeons in Boston that are prioritizing natural looking results, shorter recoveries, and discreet, patient-centered care designed to answer the needs of today’s discerning Bostonians.

With the opening of a new location in Back Bay to serve as his flagship office with easy access to Logan International Airport, Dr. Lee has firsthand knowledge of what New Englanders are asking for, as well as what out-of-towners and international clients are flying in for. We spoke with Dr. Dave Lee to find out what’s driving a renaissance of cosmetic plastic surgery in Boston and how he’s leading the charge.

Discreet, Comprehensive Service

Bostonians like to keep things private, Dr. Dave Lee notes.

“In Los Angeles, everyone talks openly about plastic surgery. In Boston, people are a little more private,” Dr. Lee says. “They don’t want people to know that they are having plastic surgery. They want to look good but still look like themselves, and they want to do it all without announcing it to the world.”

That, of course, is especially the case for the notable clients that Dr. Lee treats, which include local celebrities, actors, CEOs, and other professionals. To meet these needs, in addition to the upcoming construction of its Boston office, PURE Cosmetic Center maintains its own private black-car service. The Center offers this service to all of its Boston surgical clients, and maintains its own on-staff chauffeur, which is particularly critical for maintaining discretion for high-profile clients.  

“It’s also beneficial for the healing process because there is a mind-body synergy to healing. If you’re stressed out and if you’re not in the right mindset after surgery, it could impact your recovery,“ Dr. Lee says. “Our black-car service provides a relaxing way for patients to get to surgery and to get home after surgery without having to stress over Boston traffic or parking. Patients can relax in a beautiful, luxury vehicle, knowing that everything has been taken care of.”

This attitude toward improving the pre-op and post-op experience applies as well to how Dr. Lee cares for each patient. Before every surgery, Dr. Lee has a thorough discussion with his patients to determine an individualized surgical plan based on each patient’s goals and desires, each patient’s individual anatomy, and factoring in his or her preferred recovery timeline. Patients also receive a full medical clearance prior to surgery to make sure surgery can be performed safely. “Safety is the most important thing. It’s the main focus of our pre-op process,” says Dr. Lee.

After surgery, Dr. Lee emphasizes the importance of aftercare instructions and offers adjunct treatments to optimize results. PURE Cosmetic Center houses a comprehensive medical spa that provides a wide array of non-surgical cosmetic services, which can be used as part of an ongoing treatment plan to accelerate healing and minimize scarring. 

“We take a comprehensive approach to post-op care and scar management,” Dr. Lee says. “During surgery, I hide the incision in locations that are less noticeable, and I stitch the skin together in a meticulous way so that it has the best chance of healing properly. We also offer manual lymphatic drainage in our Center which can be very beneficial for postoperative healing. After surgery, my team may look at your scar and say, ‘Let’s add a little injection here, or let’s do a laser treatment for you to improve the color or texture.’ By seeing patients after surgery on a regular basis, we can offer early interventions that can help optimize results.” 

That’s part of a major attitude shift in the profession. While plastic surgeons of a previous generation may have simply completed surgery and moved on, Dr. Lee takes a more integrative and long-term approach by combining surgery with non-surgical treatments for a comprehensive rejuvenation plan. “Surgery is the initial investment. Skin care and non-surgical treatments are what maintain your results long-term,” Dr. Lee says.

“I did my residency in Massachusetts, and I really wanted to learn from the best of the best, so I sought out specific surgeons all over the country to learn from during my training,” says Dr. Lee. He has trained across the country–from Stanford to Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Beverly Hills–and combines the best techniques that he has acquired from his training into his current consultation process and surgical approach. “My approach is very collaborative. I never tell patients that this is what you must do. I’m all about listening to patients and offering options and choices, and helping guide patients towards the best decisions for their aesthetic journey.”

Deep Plane Facelifts

The benefits of that flexible, results-oriented approach is clearest in the facelift. As Dr. Dave Lee notes, Bostonians, especially post-pandemic and the remote work boom, put a particular emphasis on the face when it comes to areas of improvement, and Dr. Lee has been particularly equipped to rise to that demand. Having received training as an artist–originally studying classical piano performance–Dr. Lee has an understanding of the creative aspects of aesthetics, and the fact that no two faces, or surgeries, are ever exactly the same.

“As a plastic surgeon, I am always fine-tuning and adjusting my techniques in the operating room based on an individual’s unique anatomy to reach the results that patients are looking for,” Dr. Lee says. “I really love this artistic aspect of cosmetic plastic surgery.” This, combined with his thorough understanding of the tissues of the face, allows him to perform the innovative technique of deep plane facelifts. 

“My musical background has trained me to hone into the nuances and pay attention to the details. These qualities translate really well to face and neck surgery,” Dr. Lee says. “Oftentimes, dissection is very intricate. There’s obviously a lot of important structures in the face and neck. Every millimeter matters. From a technical standpoint, it requires a steady hand and agile fingers.”

Aside from deep plane facelifts, Dr. Lee’s technical skills and attention to detail also make him the “go-to” surgeon for rhinoplasty and eyelid surgery. “I take a comprehensive approach to the face,” says Dr. Lee, “As we age, we develop changes to multiple areas including the brows, the upper eyelids, the lower eyelids, the cheeks, the nose, the lips, and the skin. All of these can be addressed to yield a holistic and natural appearance.” Patients looking to rejuvenate their face are willing to travel from afar to seek Dr. Lee’s expertise in his full face artistic approach.

Drainless Surgery

Not only do results in Boston need to be more natural, but recovery also needs to be more discreet and manageable, as people are eager to get back to the never-ending hustle of the city. That’s where Dr. Dave Lee applies another cutting-edge technique. While the standard approach to major surgery can require surgical drains to remain in the patient for weeks after surgery, Dr. Lee has brought drainless surgery to Boston. 

“Many plastic surgeons put drains in for breast surgery and for tummy surgery. Those drains would have to be pulled out in the office, which can be painful for patients,” Dr. Lee says. “It’s also very cumbersome for patients to have drains dangling out when they’re recovering and trying to get back to their normal everyday lives.”

By performing his procedures in a specialized way that minimizes tissue injury, reduces empty space, and by incorporating a recovery regimen that helps the body process fluid more naturally, Dr. Lee allows his patients to recover without the need for uncomfortable drains. Dr. Lee’s approach enables his patients to get back to their regular lives more quickly and more easily.  Patients specifically seek him out for surgery because he does not use drains for facelifts, necklifts, breast augmentations, breast reductions, breast lifts, tummy tucks, arm lifts, or thigh lifts. He is the only cosmetic plastic surgeon in the New England area who does not use drains for all of these procedures.

Combining Procedures

Better surgery isn’t just a matter of know-how–it’s also a matter of having the right equipment for the job. Fortunately, Boston is already a hub for standard-setting health care, which also raises the bar for plastic surgery. PURE Cosmetic Center is no exception–it has its own dedicated operating room suite.

“We have our own state of the art operating room that is accredited by QUAD A, a global accrediting body for ambulatory surgery facilities that ensures safety in our facilities and our processes,” Dr. Lee says. “Having our own operating room helps us control the exact surgical experience of our patients, and in turn helps us ensure the results that they have afterwards.”

“Going to a hospital for cosmetic surgery is like taking a flight in economy: You are one of countless other people that day. Whereas, having surgery at PURE Cosmetic Center is like flying on a private jet. The pilot, the flight attendant, the entire cabin crew are catering to you and only you,” says Dr. Lee. “The level of privacy is also unmatched.”

Dr. Lee personally staffs his surgery center with those who he has a deep trust in, creating an environment designed for success. Dr. Lee’s combination of art, science, and the right setting all go towards providing a comprehensive, patient-centered experience. And that’s particularly clear in his approach to combining multiple procedures in one operation, which allows him to significantly reduce patient recovery time. 

“I combine, for example, a breast lift and a breast augmentation into one surgery. Many surgeons have to do this as two separate procedures with two separate recoveries. I also frequently perform liposuction at the same time as a tummy tuck to get the best abdominal contour. Not all surgeons offer this approach. And for some patients who desire a mommy makeover, I may perform a breast lift with augmentation, abdominal liposuction, and a tummy tuck–all safely in one surgery,” Dr. Lee says. “Because patients want to have multiple procedures for a more complete result but do not want the downtime of multiple recoveries and multiple days off work, combining procedures safely and efficiently is a must for today’s cosmetic surgery patients.”

Combining multiple procedures into one surgery also allows Dr. Lee to make sure that all parts of the face and body appear in harmony together. “Combining a browlift, upper eyelid blepharoplasty, lower eyelid surgery, facial fat transfer, a deep plane face and neck lift, and skin resurfacing, you can really transform the entire face and rejuvenate the entire face as a whole unit,” Dr. Lee says. “You don’t want someone to have 80-year-old eyes, but a 40-year-old neck. That creates a disconnect and just doesn’t look natural. My approach creates a comprehensive rejuvenation and emphasizes the natural aesthetics of the entire face for the patient as a whole, rather than just that one particular body part.” 

It’s this intense focus on natural comprehensive results, cutting edge surgical techniques, and outstanding white-glove service that has resulted in Dr. Lee’s ability to attract patients from all over to his offices in Chelmsford and Boston. His practice has grown almost entirely through word-of-mouth with many happy patients referring their friends and family members to Dr. Lee for surgery. 

“I am thankful that so many patients have put their trust in me, and I am honored to be their go-to plastic surgeon,” says Dr. Lee. “With the construction of our new Boston office, I am excited to continue growing these relationships and to provide my expertise to the Greater Boston community.” With Dr. Dave Lee leading the way, PURE Cosmetic Center and Boston, for that matter, will surely become the new mecca for cosmetic plastic surgery. 

This is a paid partnership between PURE Cosmetic Center and Boston Magazine