Female Plastic Surgeon Lauren Greenberg, MD

Dr. Lauren Greenberg, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Palo Alto, CA.Dr. Lauren Greenberg is a plastic surgeon in a boutique solo private practice in Palo Alto and Menlo Park, California. Her office is now in Menlo Park. (For 21 years she was on Welch Road on Stanford’s campus, where she did her Plastic and General Surgery residencies.) The new office offers more space and privacy. In addition to her two surgical residencies at Stanford, she completed additional fellowship training specifically in cosmetic and breast surgery. She is a member of ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgery), The Aesthetic Society, and Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons
The Aesthetic Society
The American Board of Plastic Surgery Inc

A Decades-Long Commitment to Whole-Body Care

When it comes to introducing the latest science-supported and evidence-based treatments to the Bay Area community, Dr. Greenberg has been at the forefront of pioneering innovation for 25 years. Her approach is guided by the belief that aging better requires a focus on enhancing healthspan and longevity as much as aesthetics — understanding not just how long we live, but how well we live over time.

Whereas many plastic surgeons simply address aesthetic concerns like wrinkles, tissue laxity, and hair loss in isolation, Dr. Greenberg takes the time to identify the root cause of patients’ concerns to optimize health, happiness, and overall function. This philosophy shapes every aspect of her care, from patient education to surgical planning. Not only does this make you healthier, it improves surgical risk and recovery. Take this as a time to reboot and deep dive into your health.

Dr. Greenberg places significant emphasis on internal metrics that signal how the body is aging beneath the surface, recognizing the body’s internal environment influences healing, youthfulness, tissue quality, and long-term results. Factors such as biologic age, glucose regulation, cholesterol levels, weight stability, mitochondrial efficiency, hormone levels, and nutritional balance are foundational to appearance. Chronic inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and poor metabolic health accelerates visible aging and impairs recovery. Optimized internal health supports better circulation, lowers surgical risk, and improves surgical outcomes. By paying attention to these connections, Dr. Greenberg helps patients understand graceful aging is not achieved through cosmetic procedures alone, but through aligning treatments with overall health.

Dr. Greenberg knows when functional benefits accompany aesthetic enhancements — outcomes exemplified through cutting-edge treatments like short-scar breast reduction, microneedling with exosomes and minoxidil, and fat grafting, among others — patients find their results more meaningful.

Advisory Board at Midi Health

Aligning with her commitment to women’s healthcare, Dr. Greenberg is a founding advisory board member to Midi Health, the largest virtual clinic specializing in care for midlife, perimenopausal, and menopausal women. As a trusted advisor, she has worked to support women’s health across every stage of their life while emphasizing that aging-related changes deserve thoughtful, science-based, and compassionate care. Not only has Dr. Greenberg been published extensively in breast reconstruction research, but she has also spent significant time contributing to non-profit work, caring for breast cancer patients, and participating in medical efforts in developing countries. Menopause is a central focus of Dr. Greenberg’s practice and she looks at issues related to female aging holistically, supporting interventions related to metabolic health, hormone balance, advanced skincare, cancer prevention strategies, and non-invasive treatment options.

As a result, Dr. Greenberg has been recognized repeatedly for her patient-centered care, receiving honors such as the “Patients’ Choice Award” and recognitions as one of “America’s Most Compassionate Doctors” and one of “California’s Favorite Physicians” for five consecutive years.

Founder at Biohackr Health

Dr. Greenberg’s work as founder of Biohackr Health — a cutting-edge medical clinic committed to enhancing physical, cognitive, and physiological well-being — reflects her longstanding commitment to advancing the intersection of aesthetic medicine, regenerative science, and longevity-focused care. As a Stanford-trained board-certified plastic surgeon with more than two decades of clinical experience, she brings a rare and valuable perspective to the Biohackr Health team. Her training integrates surgical expertise with a dedication to science in this burgeoning space. A  strong understanding of whole body care and how cellular health, metabolism, cardiac fitness, and regenerative capacity influences the way we age.

Dr. Greenberg’s role is informed by the understanding that optimal aesthetic outcomes and long-term vitality are inseparable from internal health and biologic resilience. In turn, Dr. Greenberg guides patients towards evidence-based strategies designed to support healthy aging, skin integrity, energy levels, and overall performance. These strategies often involve non-invasive solutions like NAD+ therapy, creatine, hormone replacement therapy, evidence-based treatments for hair loss, and more.

As an integral advisor of the Biohackr Health team, Dr. Greenberg supports patients throughout the Palo Alto and Bay Area and beyond, collaborating in a multispecialty practice that prioritizes personalized attention and measurable outcomes. With Biohackr Health locations in San Francisco and Palo Alto, patients seeking advanced longevity and performance-focused care greatly benefit from Dr. Greenberg’s holistic philosophy.

Why should I choose a female plastic surgeon?

Even now, with 50% of medical school students being women, only 11% of plastic surgeons are women. On the other hand, 90% of plastic surgery patients are women.

Why pick a woman doctor? I know many men who are great surgeons. But when picking a doctor, you need to find someone who you are comfortable with.

Statistically significantly, women patients do better with women surgeons. “Women operated on by male surgeons are more likely to have adverse outcomes than women operated on by female doctors.” JAMA (the Journal of American Medicine) published a large study of 1 million patients. They found a “small but statistically significant” increased risk when women patients have male surgeons. (There was no increased risk for male patients to see female surgeons). They are not sure why. It may harken back to feeling comfortable and open with your surgeon- Do women patients voice concerns to female surgeons more easily?

Many women find it easier to be honest with another woman. I have had the experiences my patients have. I have bought jeans and tried on bathing suits. I have had three children and seen the changes from pregnancy and breastfeeding. Where pulls when you put on yoga pants? What bulges when you wear a form-fitting shirt? Those nuances we as women know well. We share the same body and generally experience the same process of aging.

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What is a plastic surgeon?

If you go to Wikipedia, plastic surgery is a medical specialty involving “the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body, divided into two categories: reconstructive and cosmetic.”

The shocking thing is no one regulates who calls themselves a plastic surgeon. In a study published in our journal, only 25% of people calling themselves a plastic surgeon were actually trained and board certified in plastic surgery (!).

You might have heard the terms plastic surgeon and cosmetic surgeon used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Technically, plastic surgeons are unique from both general surgeons and cosmetic surgeons because of their training. Plastic surgeons are surgical doctors who complete additional specialized training in reconstructive surgery to get extensive experience in improving the function of the face, body, and skin. Our training includes microsurgery, free flaps, and pediatric surgery. It focuses on aesthetics as well as function and reconstruction.

Plastic vs. Cosmetic. vs. Facial Plastic Surgery

Board Certification and why it matters

Choosing the right plastic surgeon for you is so important. I would strongly advise patients to choose a board certified plastic surgeon, as this is one of the best ways to ensure a safe and positive outcome. Plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery have completed the requisite training to be a plastic surgeon, passed an intensive examination, and are committed to remaining at the forefront of their field with continuing education courses. Rigorous standards of care and ethical treatment are maintained by the board, and plastic surgeons must recertify every 10 years to keep their board certification.

I am a physician myself, so I'm pretty picky when it comes to finding a surgeon. I can without reservation recommend Dr. Lauren Greenberg as an ultimate professional. -Jen
*Individual results may vary
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How to select the best plastic surgeon for you

Choosing a plastic surgeon is a very personal decision. You should follow your instincts during the process to find “the one” for you. Some ways to narrow down your search:

First, find someone who is Board Certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. The Board of Plastic Surgery has a rigorous process to screen its members. You must train in general surgery, then do a fellowship in a certified residency program in Plastic Surgery. There is a minimum of five years of surgical training. You then take a written test. Once in practice you submit your cases. Then, if those are approved, you sit for your oral boards. Re-certification is required every 10 years.

What if they are not Board certified? Board Certification is an additional voluntary credential a physician chooses to obtain after medical school and residency. If not board certified, it can mean the surgeon did not complete the requisite training requirements, completed training outside the Unites States or Canada, did not take the exam, or failed the exam. Again, find what residency program they did. If they trained in an official plastic surgery residency, find why they are not board certified.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is our society. I am a member. To be a member, you must be:

The Aesthetic Society is another credible organization. I am a member. To be a member, you must:

Second, find someone who’s aesthetic you like. The Bay Area has a wealth of board certified plastic surgeons. How do you choose which one? Look at the photos. For example, with a breast augmentation: every doctor has what they consider “a pretty breast.” For me, I like natural. I love it when a patient comes in with the story, “I was changing in the locker room and my friend asked me how I look so good after three kids. She couldn’t tell I had done anything.” All of us cosmetic surgeons have photo books. Look at them.

Third, find a surgeon you are comfortable with. Do you like the doctor? the staff? the office feel? Do you meet with the doctor or a nurse? When you talk with the doctor, do you feel like they hear you or do you feel like you are a number? We all expect a smooth surgical experience. If there is a problem, is that the doctor you want?

Finally, here are other things to consider:

I have been in practice since 1999 and focus on spending time one-on-one with my patients. I advocate for personalized, individual, educated decisions for my patients, and I understand the changes to the body from the surgeon’s perspective as well as that of a woman and mother of three. As the daughter of a plastic surgeon, this has been my lifelong passion.

Associations, Presentations & Papers

Education

  • Dartmouth College, Phi Beta Kappa honor society
  • Northwestern University Medical School, Alpha Omega Alpha honor society
  • Stanford University, General Surgery Residency
  • Stanford University, Plastic Surgery Residency
  • Fellowship, Breast and Cosmetic Surgery, Nashville TN with Drs. Pat Maxwell, Jack Fisher, and Mary Gingrass

Presentations

  • California Society of Plastic Surgeons
  • Free flap microsurgical tissue reconstruction
  • Breast Reconstruction using the TRAM flap following chest irradiation.
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeons, national meeting
  • Breast Reconstruction using the TRAM flap following chest irradiation

Publications

  • Chapter: “Revising the unsatisfactory breast reconstruction”
  • Chapter: Mathes Textbook of Plastic Surgery “Liposuction of the Lower Extremity”
  • Paper: “Studies in fat grafting: Part II. Effects of injection mechanics on material properties of fat” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal, 2014 Jul;134(1):39-46.

Hospital Staff

  • Menlo Park Surgical Hospital
  • Plastic Surgery Center, Palo Alto (outpatient)
  • Sequoia Hospital

Medical and Professional Organizations

  • The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
  • The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
  • The American Board of Plastic Surgery
  • Santa Clara County Medical Association
  • California Medical Association
  • Zedplast (Stanford Plastic Surgery Alumni Association)

Volunteer

  • Open House speaker, Breast Cancer Connections
  • Examiner, Stanford Plastic Surgery Board Review Course
  • Past volunteer for Interplast and Hospital de la Familia
    • Doing surgeries for underprivileged patients in Honduras, Guatemala, and Brazil

Speaker

  • “Breast Cancer Reconstruction, using Tissue Expanders,” Community Breast Health Project 3rd Annual Conference, San Jose
  • “Plastic Surgery After Pregnancy” Grand Rounds, OB Gyn Department Mills Peninsula Hospital
  • “Breast lifts” Grand Rounds, Stanford Plastic Surgery

Awards

  • Doctors’ Choice Awards, Top Plastic Surgeon of the Month
  • Patients’ Choice Award, California’s Favorite Physicians, 5 year honoree
  • Patient Choice Award “America’s Most Compassionate Doctors”
  • Guide to America’s Top Plastic Surgeons
  • Winner, 2013 Readers’ Choice: Health Beauty & Fitness, Plastic Surgeon, The J Weekly
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