Dr. Angela Sturm sits down with facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anil Shah for a candid conversation on art, anatomy, and the evolution of modern rhinoplasty. Together they explore how true specialization, 3D thinking, and a clear aesthetic vision shape more refined, natural noses. Listeners gain practical insight into choosing the right surgeon, understanding 5D rhinoplasty, and recognizing why the surgeon’s eye matters as much as technique. The episode delivers grounded, real-world guidance for anyone considering facial surgery or refining their own aesthetic practice.​

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Key Takeaways

1. Art, sculpting, and design training sharpen a surgeon’s ability to see faces three-dimensionally and directly influence the quality of rhinoplasty outcomes.​

2. Dr. Shah’s 5D rhinoplasty concept focuses on making the nose volumetrically smaller while refining tip definition, length, bump, projection, and deviation in a coordinated way.​

3. The best rhinoplasty results come from aligning the nose with the patient’s personality, goals, and “vibe,” rather than copying a single aesthetic template.​

4. Patients benefit from choosing surgeons who specialize in noses and faces, have a clear, consistent aesthetic, and can demonstrate repeatable results in that area.​

5. Selecting a facial plastic surgeon based on office decor, convenience, or personality alone can backfire, while prioritizing expertise and aesthetic alignment helps reduce the need for revision surgery.

Timestamped Overview

00:39 Dr. Shah’s path into medicine and facial plastics, family influence, early exposure to fashion, and the privilege of working on the face.​

03:45 Advice to his younger self, avoiding “groundhog day” thinking, and staying present during training and career building.​

05:11 How art history and sculpting shaped his three-dimensional thinking, and how this perspective informs rhinoplasty as facial sculpture.​

06:22 Approach to consultation, imaging, and “reading” a patient’s personality to design a nose that matches their vibe, including the Versace vs Armani analogy.​

11:12 Building rapport, memory through associations, and why knowing patients beyond their chart matters in surgical care.​

12:11 Introduction to 5D rhinoplasty, why many patients want a smaller nose, and using 3D imaging to measure volumetric reduction.​

14:23 Breaking down the “five Ds” to refine tip definition, length, bump, projection, and deviation in a coordinated way.​

15:35 Rhinoplasty as modern sculpture, the idea of a surgeon’s signature aesthetic, and parallels to classical artists.​

17:19 What patients often get wrong when choosing a surgeon, and why aesthetic alignment matters more than office decor or convenience.​

19:00 “Copying” in the industry, limitations of trends from surgical meetings, and the importance of finding an authentic personal aesthetic instead of mimicking others.​

20:15 Final guidance for patients: choosing a true facial specialist, valuing expertise over small cost savings, and how good primary surgery can prevent costlier revisions.​

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