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Local Talent
—DR. JAMES LYONS career as a plastic surgeon, notable author, and former clinical instructor at Yale University --- and even as a national ballroom dancing champion. After earning his medical degree at Georgetown University, Dr. Lyons furthered his training in general and plastic surgery at Georgetown University and Yale University, respectively. Early on, Dr. Lyons found his niche with breast cancer patients, performing reconstructive surgeries post mastectomy. “Working with women during the most diffi cult time in their lives teaches you how to treat people in a sensitive, compassionate way that eventually permeates into all areas of aesthetic surgery,” he says. Over the years, Dr. Lyons gradually developed a keen interest into the nature and physiology of fat --- not only how it impacts a person’s outward appearance --- but also the health and ability of an individual to achieve weight loss, something that can become incredibly challenging with aging. His 2009 and 2011 books “The Brown Fat Revolution” and “Lose the Fat, Lose the Years” earned him a reputation as a fat expert, with the former book being placed on the “Top 10 Notable New Diet Books” by Time magazine. Dr. Lyons has dedicated his career to understanding the interactions between good fat (termed “brown fat”) and bad fat on aging and weight gain. His 2009 book detailed a novel physiological approach to weight loss by maximizing the percentage of good fat in the body in an informative and attainable treatment plan that includes both dietary modifi cations and an exercise plan.
Joining forces with Mesos, Dr. Lyons has now helped create a comprehensive approach to liposuction and weight loss, adding his lipocontouring skills developed over more than three decades of perfecting. “From experience, I’ve created a very sophisticated view of the nuanced shapes and contours that create the most attractive body for someone at any given age” he explains. “Women in their 40’s may start to notice extra fat in the lower abdomen whereas women over 50 tend to have noticeable signs of aging on their arms and extra fat around the bra line, no one person is exactly the same. As you age, your body’s needs also change dramatically; this is a routine concern shown by our Villages patients and, as surgeons, we need to strongly take that into consideration”, he affi rms. His dedication to detail and aesthetic harmony is his most valued surgical instinct; “I’ve never met a patient who wanted to look better than I wanted them to look and if I can apply my artistic eye for the aesthetics of the aging body then I’m much more likely to not only meet a patient’s expectations but to exceed them.”
Dedication to aesthetic and medical quality is no news for Mesos; for the last 10 years, Mesos has been committed to providing a complete array of services and treatments that impact both the external appearance as well as the inner well-being of patients, including weight loss and hormone replacement programs, offered by Carrie Blevins, MS, RD, as cornerstones of a holistic approach to the individual. Mesos, a Greek term meaning middle or balance, is thus a fi tting name for the plastic surgery practice whose catch phrase is “Embrace Health, Reveal Beauty.” Mesos Plastic Surgery was voted Best Plastic Surgery practice in their local newspaper in 2016 and in 2017 was named a Center for
DR. JAMES LYONS
Excellence by Merz Aesthetics, a leading manufacturer of cosmetic agents. “We never cease to incorporate the latest FDA-approved advancements in surgical and non-surgical therapies” says Dr. Soares, who has spearheaded Mesos’ growth to include cutting-edge surgical procedures, from endoscopic brow lifting to follicular-unit hair restoration. “Patients are now, more than ever, expecting to have minimal incisions and minimal procedure downtime, and that has been the impetus for incorporating these most-advanced of techniques. As it turns out, the less invasive you can make a surgical procedure, the better the outcomes both aesthetically and medically.”
Dr. Soares took the helm of medical directorship at Mesos as a surgical expert of the face in 2014, bringing not only the expertise of a triple boardcertifi ed facial plastic surgeon, but also a true commitment to FDA approved therapies and an unwavering dedication to safe surgical practices. Under his guidance, Mesos has maintained a rigid adherence to surgical standards that have maintained full certifi cation by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (AAAASF) from day one. “We take our certifi cation as a surgical facility seriously, and proudly voice our support for ensuring that all cosmetic procedures done in the state of Florida be performed only in accredited surgical facilities, by board-certifi ed physicians, and under anesthesia provided by licensed anesthesia providers.” Dr. Soares believes that a commitment to safety creates an environment that allows his mind’s eye to solely focus on the artistic task that is cosmetic surgery. Undeniably, this artistic aptitude has played a role in Dr. Soares surgical career, being one of the aspects that fi rst drew him to facial plastic surgery.
Dr. Soares earned his medical degree from the University of Connecticut and then went on to specialize in Head & Neck surgery at Wayne State University. “My love for surgery of the head & neck was born out of a true fascination for the incredible complexity of its anatomy”. While in medical school, Dr. Soares served as the illustrator for the UConn Head & Neck Anatomy Atlas, which allowed him to learn anatomy while illustrating its fi ner details. Out of this admiration for art and the fi eld of anatomy, grew an admiration for the fi eld of plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face. “The face is a fascinating center of both beauty and emotion; so much can be conveyed by a simple
DR. DANNY SOARES THE MESOS TEAM, L-R; BACK ROW: ROBIN TEMPESTA, JAMIE HERNANDEZ, HEATHER VACH, LARRY BLEVINS, P.A., DR. DANNY SOARES, DR. JAMES LYONS, DONNA WIDMANN, TATIANA KEARSING, SHANDA STRICKLAND; FRONT ROW: JEANNE MCGUIRE, CARRIE BLEVINS, ASHLEY BRYAN, LINDA RYAN
The face is a fascinating center of both beauty and emotion; so much can be conveyed by a simple look and expression, whether intended or not.
—DR. DANNY SOARES
