Plastic surgeon Lawrence Shaw has been on a long journey. Born and raised in Long Island, NY, Dr. Shaw completed his residency in Arizona. Something about our state stuck with him, and he stuck with us.
What does he have to show for his years of hard work? Well, he’s been board-certified... twice and included in the guide to America's Top Plastic Surgeons. Operating out of his office in Scottsdale, The SHAW Center offers a wide variety of procedures and includes a spa, which can help prolong the results of cosmetic surgery. Read more about Dr. Shaw’s take on being a father, building clientele and his celebrity patients.
Arizona Foothills Magazine: What is true beauty to you?
Dr. Lawrence Shaw: Human beauty has both internal and external components that are intertwined, each one affecting the other. I see external beauty of the face and body in terms of balance, proportion, patterns and symmetry. This beauty is innate and can be expressed mathematically as the Phi Ratio (1.618:1), which is found throughout nature and transcends world cultures.
AFM: Why did you choose Scottsdale as the home of your office?
Dr. LS: I came to Arizona from New York after completing medical school for seven years of General Surgery and Plastic Surgery residency training. My first office was on 12th Street and McDowell to be near Good Samaritan and St. Joseph’s Hospitals where I spent much of my time. My three office relocations since moved north and east along with the tremendous population growth and highway construction during the last 20 years. I am extremely happy with our current location at the 101 and Bell, which is accessible to everyone from Glendale, in the northwest, and to Mesa, in the southeast.
AFM: How long have you been in practice?
Dr. LS: I cannot believe it but I’ve been in practice for 25 years. Time flies when you love what you do.
AFM: How do you build trust with your clients?
Dr. LS: I have built trust with my clients by being largely a referral practice. Trust begins with the reputation I have worked hard to achieve over the years. During the consultation, I build on that trust with honesty, compassion and demonstrating that I truly care about goals, expectations and results.
AFM: Your office is beautiful and calming. How did you come up with the theme and design?
Dr. LS: I had a fantastic designer, Leanne Jacobi of Jacobi Interiors. We wanted the final outcome to be warm and inviting yet not overdone. I have always loved the architecture of Dubai, and we gave it a Moroccan flair. The entry rotunda with its fanning pillars and dome ceiling exemplifies this style. I could not be happier with zebra woods, resin panels, fabrics and lighting package that Leanne selected.
AFM: You are our official board-certified plastic surgeon for the Face of Foothills 2013. What does this mean to you?
Dr. LS: I’m excited to be able to connect with the Arizona Foothills readers, web site and social media community, pageant contestants and all those involved with the Face of Foothills. I’m honored to be associated with such a great pageant and all the events surrounding it.
AFM: What are your favorite hobbies or activities to do outside of the office?
Dr. LS: With 14-year-old twins, much of my free time is spent with family attending sporting events, dance recitals and school activities. My ‘alone’ time is found at 4:30 a.m. where I dedicate my time to physical fitness. This is usually in the form of working out in my home gym to DVD programs like P90X, Insanity, Rip 60 and currently P90X2. My wife of 17 years and I still feel it’s important to have a date night at least once a week. A previous passion of mine, golf, is now on the back burner.
AFM: What are the most common procedures done at your office?
Dr. LS: Over the last 25 years, I have had a particular interest in non-invasive aesthetic medicine to accentuate and prolong the effects of plastic surgery and by itself to allow men and women to ‘age gracefully.’ The SPA at The SHAW Center offers a full array of options to rejuvenate the skin by enhancing both its health and its appearance including Botox, facial fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane, Radiesse), advanced skin care and peels, fractional laser resurfacing, FotoFacial / IPL, laser skin tightening, vein treatments, laser hair removal and hair restoration. CoolSculpting for non-invasive, no downtime fat reduction is very popular as well.
AFM: What does it feel like when you boost someone’s self-esteem by giving them the face or body they’ve always wanted?
Dr. LS: The look on a patient’s face, a tear shed at my office, a hug of gratitude has been the force that continues to drive me. Deep down, I’m a people-pleaser, never motivated by monetary gain. That’s probably why I like shows like ‘The Biggest Loser’ and ‘Extreme Makeover.’
AFM: What was one of the more drastic transformations you took on?
Dr. LS: I have seen severe breast anomalies in women over the years. The psycho-sexual effects of corrective surgery on these young women is life-changing giving them all important enhanced femininity and self-confidence.
AFM: Have you had any celebrity clientele?
Dr. LS: Yes, many, but I’ll never tell…
Click here and here to learn more about Dr. Shaw and his work.
