The New York Plastic Surgeon Who The Elite Travel To See

Plastic surgeons are a dime a dozen today with doctors worldwide in city locales and small towns. All tout their skills and entice patients with promises of miraculous results.

But Dr. David Shafer is definitely a standout among the bunch. He has a global following and attracts travelers from around the country and abroad, who come to New York just to see him. He’s known for his aesthetic procedures such as facelifts and liposuction, and a master trainer for Juvederm and BOTOX Cosmetic. And, there’s his Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue, which isn’t a doctor’s office, no- it’s a destination.

The 30,000 square-foot, seven story space is a retreat and an escape from the stresses of everyday life. There’s the chic, contemporary design, striking art, amenities such as candy, coffee and drinks and inviting lounge with comfortable couches that beg settling in.

Large windows means that plenty of natural light floods in, and, really, yes, there’s a 1,330 square foot terrace with panoramic city views- you can even see the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building from here.

And get this: the clinic can bring in patients from the airport by helicopter. They land at a helipad a few blocks away where a chauffeur awaits with a luxury car and whisks them to their appointments.

It’s no wonder that the plugged-in international elite have no hesitation to travel from the Middle East, Asia, South America and Europe for an appointment. Enjoying Dr. Shafer’s gorgeous offices is a bonus of their trip.

I spoke with Dr. Shafer recently about why it was important to him to create a sanctuary that’s nothing like a traditional doctor’s office, where his high-profile patients come from and his travel style.

Tell me about the concept for your office. You’ve truly modeled it in the style of a five-star resort.

We chose to design the clinic’s interior to include both elegant and modern design. We gave high ceilings, 360-degree windows around each floor and hand-selected exclusive museum-quality gems and crystals that we display throughout the space. I had a big role in handpicking every detail from the raised ceilings to the one-of-a-kind art to evoke a feeling of warmth, comfort and luxury. One key priority we had was designing a space that maximizes privacy for and patient comfort.

Why both to create such an appealing setting? Why is it important to you?

I always envisioned a place where patients are able to relax as if they’re in their own living room. It’s important to me that patients feel comfortable here and know they are in great hands with experienced medical experts. Our entire clinic is meant to feel relaxed, friendly and calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.

Can you tell us about your patients and some of the destinations they come from to see you?

Our patients come to see us from all over the world. For jet-setting patients, the clinic provides an exclusive helicopter service from the airport. The helipad is just a few blocks from the clinic, where a car awaits to transport patients directly to the clinic entrance. This service is especially popular among high-powered celebrities and executives seeking customized surgical and nonsurgical treatments. We’ve also partnered with the top hotels in NYC to offer extended stay packages for our surgical patients. We love that our patients become like family and view Shafer Clinic as their destination in NYC.

Why do you think that you attract such an international clientele?

I believe that we offer a unique and luxurious experience that attracts both local and international clientele. We always call ourselves a comprehensive destination for all things beauty, inside and out as we have the resources for so many different treatments in our space. Within our sky suites, we offer a full-service skin lab, surgical suite, dermatology, celebrity facialist, and metabolic aesthetics clinic, allowing us to offer a wide range of specialties all under one roof.

What services do you offer that are hard to come by in other countries?

We pride ourselves in providing the top quality of care with the latest procedures, treatments and technologies. While NYC is not cheap, our goal is for patients to have a seamless experience from the consult through their procedure and recovery. Part of what we have achieved is to bring in the top specialists in many fields of beauty – including plastic surgery, dermatology, ENT, skin and laser, and we are on the forefront of metabolic aesthetics – rejuvenating at the cellular level.

What else do your clients do when they’re in town to see you? Are they interested in theater, shopping, museum, buzzy restaurants?

All of the above! Our patients typically like to come into town to shop, go to museums, go out to eat and experience all the hustle and bustle New York City has to offer. Many visit us several times a year so they schedule special events around their visits to our clinic.

Tell me about your own travels. Where do you like to go and do when you’re on the road?

I operate and teach all over the world with travel from the Middle East to Africa to Asia and all over the United States. On my off time, I enjoy family time at our country retreat in Tranquility NJ – living in a restored gristmill from the 1800s along the Pequest River.

Can you tell us the three items that are always in your suitcase?

I always have Downy Wrinkle Releaser Fabric Spray, my Bose noise canceling headphones and lots of chargers and cords.

Checked bag or carry-on?

100% carry on whenever I am traveling for business. If I am traveling with my family, it’s like the scene out of “Coming to America” at JFK with multiple cars required for all the luggage. It also depends on the destination. One trick I learned is to order any disposable items from Amazon and have them delivered to the hotel ahead of time.

I hear you host fabulous parties in your office- can you tell us about these bashes?

Our events are pretty spectacular and each one is extremely unique. We have hosted large and small events on our beautiful panoramic rooftop terrace for brands, patients, VIPS and more. We recently hosted a closing party for New York Fashion Week with a celebrity hairstylist and guests were able to experience our exclusive IV infusions or try Emsculpt NEO with the beautiful backdrop of the NYC skyline.