Dr. Ariel Ostad: World-Renowned Dermatologist and Reconstructive Cosmetic Surgeon Whose Results and Patient Care Are Much More Than Skin Deep
A triple board-certified dermatologist and reconstructive cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Ariel Ostad might be world-renowned for his advanced artistry and aesthetic techniques, which he performs in his state-of-the-art facility on the Upper East Side, but this dedicated doctor’s skills and personalized care are much more than skin deep.
His road to carving out both continuously successful results as well as a reputation for himself as an expert surgeon all started when the now beloved and dedicated doctor arrived in the US as a 12-year-old from Iran following the country’s tumultuous revolution in 1979. It would take four years for his parents to be able to join him and his sister in their new country, and along the way, he learned many life lessons through the adversity and hardship of being away from family at such a young age. Going between Brooklyn and Long Island, he was forced to grow up quickly and credits the experience for making him the strong and resilient person and doctor that he is today. “It kept me more focused. Having that immigrant mentality of wanting to succeed and do well and assimilate led me to where I am,” explains Dr. Ostad.
Realizing he had a fascination with the arts, as well as a propensity for the sciences, medicine soon became Dr. Ostad’s life mission. Upon attending medical school, he was immediately drawn to the arts in the medical field, leading to an interest in reconstructive surgery. He especially knew he had found his calling when he got the chance to remove someone’s skin cancer and put everything back together while avoiding any permanent scars or deformities.
“My upbringing has always been centered on doing good and helping people. Growing up in a family where it’s important to serve and do good, I chose to become a physician.”
Dr. Ostad is grateful to serve a dual purpose with his practice by both helping to save lives as well as restore confidence to those who are struggling to look and feel good about themselves following
surgery. “I have always been drawn by that combination of art and wanting people to look their best,” he says. “I encounter individuals who are healthy but suffer from conditions apparent on their faces and bodies, and this can be psychologically debilitating and affect confidence at an early age or with aging.”
Realizing that dermatology was his destiny, the devoted doctor who is known for his ability to produce scarless results pursued a fellowship with specialty training in skin cancer and reconstructive surgery. He earned his undergraduate degree as well as medical school degrees at New York University in addition to attending Harvard Medical School, where he also undertook an internship at Massachusetts General Hospital before finishing his fellowship training at UCLA doing cosmetic surgeries. Dr. Ostad is triple board certified in dermatology as well as micrographic surgery for skin cancer, and he has board certification from the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery. “I feel extremely grateful for my competence to address a myriad of issues that people have with cosmetic issues.”
The practice, which has grown over the years through word of mouth and referrals from other patients and physicians, has also evolved into a cosmetic surgery space where the skillful surgeon is able to utilize his awareness of facial anatomy. This in-depth knowledge includes insight into everything below the skin, including the soft tissues, muscles, nerves, and arteries. After all, he does have 26 years of experience performing cosmetic surgery for patients who come to see him from around the area as well as the country. From Botox to fillers, as well as non-surgical skin rejuvenation using lasers and minimally invasive cosmetic surgeries, Dr. Ostad is able to provide outstanding outcomes with minimal downtime.
Perhaps the only thing the good doctor values more than his ability to transform lives through his surgical techniques is the empathy and sincerity he has toward his patients, something he is most proud of and what he believes sets him apart from other more conventional practices. Perhaps this all leads back to his upbringing and being able to relate to the challenges of others.
“At the end of the day, I really am not just a perfectionist in regards to my surgical outcomes, but just as important is my ability to put myself in my patients’ shoes and go that extra step to really take care of them and their needs. This is the feedback I get on a daily basis, and it’s a crucial part of what we call the art of medicine. It’s that ability to heal someone by going above just your knowledge and expertise and having compassion. I’m proud of my creativity and skills, which allow me to do what I do, but at the same time, I’m proud of possessing awareness of what people may be feeling when undergoing the aging process or through skin cancer surgery, which makes a huge impact on how they feel. That relatable bedside manner is so unique today, so I make sure to make it a priority.”
In order to provide the type of care he believes in, Dr. Ostad makes sure to work only with patients who have realistic expectations, as well as those who understand the challenges of maintaining a natural look. “I let people know what I think is best, and it’s my philosophy that the best results are created when people don’t look as if they have had an overdone amount of surgery,” he explains. “It’s about communication and trying to educate people on what is best for them. Things usually turn out best when our values are aligned.”
Dr. Ostad’s ongoing goal is for people to walk out looking rejuvenated and refreshed without any recovery time. He is able to treat sun damage, wrinkles, and crepiness on the body through a combination of laser treatments as well as fillers, Botox, and minimally invasive procedures. He explains that body and neck tightening are especially popular treatments, as they don’t require going under the knife.
“We see a lot of patients who have loose skin post pregnancy or multiple pregnancies later, and we have the ability to create treatments that help. I do a lot of mommy makeovers with the help of liposuction, along with body tightening under local anesthesia. When it comes to the neck, I utilize Morpheus8 treatments or minimally invasive permanent suture suspension. I can also help with neck tightening through the use of lasers and radio frequency. I treat people from head to toe, and there is just so much we can do in terms of addressing aging. After 26 years of practice, the majority of people who come to me feel that aging has not only physical but also emotional complexities. My goal is to make people look as young as they feel on the inside and in a natural way. I always try to get to know my patients and achieve the best results with my belief that less is more.”
Being able to provide such personalized patient care takes a village, or rather a hardworking team Dr. Ostad has become extremely proud of. “I feel I am very fortunate to have created this incredible office culture that’s aligned with delivering that same standard of care that I uphold.”
With almost three decades of experience, Dr. Ostad is also passionate about passing on his knowledge to the next generation of physicians. He currently serves as an associate clinical professor at NYU Langone Medical Center, where he has won the Teacher of the Year Award three times.
In addition to being married to medicine, Dr. Ostad is happily married to his wife of 26 years with whom he shares three boys aged 17, 16, and eight. The doctor enjoys living in the city and spends
as much time with his family as he can when he’s not helping others. His other love is meditation and spirituality, which he pursues through maintaining a positive mindset, reading, and approaching life in a way that helps him achieve growth and calmness despite being surrounded by so much negativity, especially in the daily news cycles. “I’m interested in studying consciousness, so I meditate and read about spirituality and enlightenment, and it brings so much calmness to me. Those skills have helped me be a better doctor and person, as it allows me to better deal with ongoing challenges all the time. Through the process, I am able to recover quickly if something is bothering me.”
Dr. Ostad is indeed helping to transform the lives of others from the inside out through both his precise procedures and perhaps even more importantly, his palpable passion for his patients’ outcomes as well as their well-being.
