Enthusiasm defines Dr. Deniz Sarhaddi’s approach to being a plastic surgeon. At St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery, her passion for plastic surgery is clear to patients and colleagues alike, thanks to her vivacious personality and the sincere joy she finds in almost any situation.
Dr. Sarhaddi joined our plastic surgery practice in St. Louis after completing an Aesthetic Society-endorsed aesthetic surgery fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where she trained with leading experts in cosmetic surgery procedures and advanced nonsurgical techniques. She specializes in both surgical and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation.
“I believe that when people look their best, they feel their best. Someone who thinks they look tired, angry, old, or unattractive often lets those feelings affect their interaction with the world,” Dr. Sarhaddi says. “I love the impact a few (or a lot!) of perfectly changed millimeters and effectively placed highlights on the face can have on a patient’s sense of well-being, energy, and freedom.”
Dr. Sarhaddi’s meticulous attention to detail, in both cosmetic surgery and nonsurgical treatments, is noticed by her patients. Her goal is for all her patients to feel educated, confident, and happy with their decisions to get cosmetic treatments.
Dr. Sarhaddi’s says her mother strongly influenced her career. She raised Dr. Sarhaddi and her sister as a single parent and instilled in her a strong work ethic and compassion for others, something for which Dr. Sarhaddi is forever grateful.
Education & Training
Dr. Sarhaddi earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where her interest in plastic surgery—and specifically facial aesthetics—emerged. As a student, she focused on craniofacial reconstruction and explored this specialty through extensive volunteer opportunities and research commitments. Her volunteer efforts included 4 international medical missions with Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that surgically repairs cleft palates and cleft lips for children without access to medical care.
During medical school, Dr. Sarhaddi spent 2 years working in the Craniofacial Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as part of a dedicated research fellowship.
Her clinical experience in facial aesthetics had a profound impact on her career choice. It was during this time that Dr. Sarhaddi felt her work, personality, and skill set combined in a way that felt productive and personally fulfilling. This led her to pursue an aesthetic surgery fellowship after she completed an integrated 6-year plastic surgery residency at St. Louis University.
She continues to contribute to the world of academic plastic surgery by writing textbook chapters and manuscripts and serving as a peer reviewer for the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Personal Time
Dr. Sarhaddi is married to Dr. John Felder, who is also a plastic surgeon practicing at Washington University. He focuses his work on the reconstructive end of the plastic surgery spectrum. He primarily performs microsurgical reconstruction, peripheral nerve surgery, limb salvage, and amputee care.
Selected Honors and Awards
- The George Washington University Women’s Board Inc. Medical School Scholarship, 2012-2013
- Outstanding Paper Presentation, “PTH therapy reverses radiation induced non-union and normalizes radiomorphometrics in a murine mandibular model of distraction osteogenesis,” American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2011
- Magna Cum Laude, The George Washington University, 2006
- Samuel Ready Scholar, St. Paul’s School for Girls, 1998-2002
Selected Publications
Sarhaddi D, Xu K, Wisbeck A, Deigni O, Kaswan S, Prada C, Lund H: Fondaparinux Significantly Reduces Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism after Body Contouring Procedures without an Increase in Bleeding Complications. Aesthet Surg J. 2019 Oct 15;39(11):1214-1221. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjz184
Stevens WG, Eagan M, Felber C, Sarhaddi D, Orlando M. Cryolipolysis in Combination with Energy Based Technology to Refine Body Contouring. In: The Art of Combining Surgical and Non-Surgical Techniques in Aesthetic Medicine. Ed. Julius Few. New York: Thieme; 2018, 132-149.
Sarhaddi D, Nahai F. Aesthetic Principles. In: Plastic Surgery. Toronto (ON): Decker Medicine; October 2019. DOI: 10.2310/7900.10010.
Committee Memberships
The Aesthetic Society Product Development and Market Research Committee, 2020-2021
The Aesthetic Society Young Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Committee, 2020-2021
Academic Responsibilities
Peer Reviewer, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2019-present