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Dr. Amir Karam brings an impressively high level of experience to his practice, having devoted his career to the mastery of facial plastic surgery and rejuvenation.
As one of the top surgeons in the country, Dr. Karam is proud to have established the Carmel Valley Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Center in San Diego in 2008.
Education and Experience Working Hard for You
Dr. Karam is double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. He has published over 20 peer-reviewed research articles, has contributed to more than 25 surgical textbook chapters on facial plastic surgery, and has co-authored his own surgical textbook, Rejuvenation of the Aging Face.
Throughout his career, Dr. Karam has performed over 6,000 successful procedures, operating on clients across the globe. Once he discovered a number of ways by which he could improve the traditional facelift procedure, he developed his patented Vertical Restore and Vertical Prevent techniques, designed to address laxity and the facial shape changes associated with aging, with customized fat transfer as an innovative way to permanently replace facial volume.
Awards, Recognitions, and Publications
As a writer, educator, speaker, and influencer in the field of facial surgery, Dr. Karam has repeatedly been recognized for his commitment to excellence. He’s received numerous accolades, including:
- Best West Coast Facial Plastic Surgeon 2018 and 2019 (Aesthetic Everything)
- Outstanding Patient Care Award (Teaching and Research at UC Irvine Medical Center)
- Top Doctor Award (Castle Connolly)
- Best San Diego Cosmetic Surgeon, Facial Plastic Surgeon, 2010 - Present (Ranch & Coast)
In addition to having received numerous awards and accolades, Dr. Karam has also seen his work grace the pages of publications like:
- Allure
- Cosmopolitan
- FINE magazine
- NewBeauty magazine
- It’s All About the Face
- San Diego Magazine
View All Publications
Forging a Path to Artistry
As a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Karam is driven by his commitment to creating results that truly improve his patients’ quality of life.
He focuses on procedures whose outcomes work to boost his patients' self-confidence, enabling them to enjoy a renewed sense of empowerment.
When Dr. Karam’s mother underwent heart transplant surgery 23 years ago, he too underwent a significant change, and it was at that moment that he decided to devote himself to helping others through medicine. After witnessing the changes doctors were able to create in his mother’s life, Dr. Karam experienced an epiphany that led him to his current path.
Dr. Karam brings years of skill and experience in facial plastic surgery to his practice and has earned a reputation for stopping the aging process in its tracks.
His patients arrive disillusioned and downtrodden by the effects of aging, but always leave confident and glowing.
Choosing a Specialization
After graduating at the top of his class, Dr. Karam went on to pursue surgical training in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery—followed by a fellowship in advanced facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (something offered to only 40 people each year). It wasn’t until Dr. Karam’s first year of medical school that he realized he wanted to pursue a career as a facial plastic surgeon. During those first months of early exposure to the field, he found that facial plastic surgery fit his personality and inclinations, requiring the perfect blend of technical expertise, artistry, and creativity.
Dr. Karam then spent 11 years conducting clinical and scientific facial plastic surgery research at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine, where he published over 20 scientific articles and presented over 40 scientific presentations. As a result of his determination and hard work, Dr. Karam was awarded the Gordon J. Hatfield Award for the best overall performance in surgery in his class.
Building a Thriving Practice
Dr. Karam has since spent the last 20 years honing his craft, enabling him to offer a level of expertise in facial surgery that few practitioners can bring to the table.
While many don’t necessarily enjoy the pressure and responsibility that comes along with facial plastic surgery, Dr. Karam thrives in the environment and finds that it keeps him driven to deliver results that are truly innovative and soar above and beyond his patients’ expectations.
A Focus on Facial Transformation
Dr. Karam takes significant pride in his highly specific and centralized specialization: The face is both complex and delicate in equal measure, and the impact that a well-performed facial plastic surgery procedure can have on a patient’s life is enormous. Having focused on designing and performing a highly specific set of procedures over many years, he’s developed a level of expertise that enables him to safely and effectively create naturalistic results that are simply unmatched.
When it comes to facial surgery, you deserve a level of commitment and expertise that can only be offered by a practitioner like Dr. Karam.
Facial Rejuvenation Techniques
Dr. Karam’s devotion to his craft has allowed him to develop innovative ways of treating the aging face, creating naturalistic and fully-restored appearances for patients at any age and with a variety of concerns related to facial aging. Freedom from distraction by other procedures has allowed Dr. Karam to focus on perfecting the facial procedures he performs, honing them to a degree that few can match.
With Dr. Karam, every patient receives a uniquely specialized procedure, for customized results that are tailored to their personal cosmetic goals. Dr. Karam understands the importance of comprehensively addressing facial aging so the patient’s face appears balanced and rejuvenated. Rather than treating just one aspect of the face, Dr. Karam approaches the face as a whole, resulting in an outcome that is seamless and totally naturalistic.
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Building a Legacy
Author and Speaker
Dr. Karam is a proud innovator in the field of facial plastic surgery, having penned dozens of research articles, presented at more than 40 national and international scientific meetings, and been invited to speak on the subject at countless colleges and universities.
Dr. Karam's Textbook
His textbook, Facial Rejuvenation, has come to define the standard in facial rejuvenation for his colleagues and students of the craft. Most importantly, his work has repeatedly been recognized by the public. Dr. Karam has been named Best Cosmetic Surgeon in San Diego seven times, and patients fly in from around the world to receive his treatments.
Giving Back
Dr. Karam makes it a point to share his rare talent and extraordinary skill with the community whenever possible. It brings him great joy and pride to be able to share his medical expertise with those who normally wouldn’t have access to it. Dr. Karam volunteers with FACE to FACE, an organization through which he provides surgery to victims of domestic violence, helping to restore confidence in those who need it most.
He also donates his medical skills to victims of violence and veterans in order to make those trying times a little more manageable. His practice donates to a variety of local charities and organizations, including Casa De Amparo, for the treatment of victims of child abuse and neglect; Fresh Start Surgical Gifts; Sharp HospiceCare; local schools, both public and private; and many others.
A Family Man
As much as Dr. Karam loves his work, he loves his family even more. He believes one of the reasons he relates to his patients on such a personal level is their mutual passion for family. Dr. Karam met Neda during his first year of medical school and almost immediately knew he had found “the one.” Within a year they were married. They started a family after a few years, and now have four beautiful boys: Cameron, Daniel, Nicholas, and Luca.
When he’s not working, nearly all of his time is spent with his family. Dr. Karam and his wife enjoy taking the boys to their various athletic activities and watching their enthusiasm for life grow. Dr. Karam coaches their basketball and flag football teams and loves taking them out on the golf course. At the moment, soccer and golf are their passions. Whenever he gets the chance, he loves to hit the road and explore the country with his family. It means a lot when Dr. Karam says that his care plan and approach for his patients is exactly the same as for his family members.
It is a point of pride, for himself as well as his entire team, to ensure every patient is comfortable throughout their interactions with Dr. Karam and is overjoyed with their results. It is an honor and a pleasure to offer his expertise to every single patient in order to help them feel like their best, most confident selves. After 20 years, Dr. Karam still feels like he is living a dream. He feels like he’s one of the luckiest people alive, to have been given the opportunity to make such a positive emotional impact in his patients’ lives.
Amir M. Karam, MD
Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon Facial Plastic Surgeon: Carmel Valley Facial Plastic Surgery
Education & Training
UCSD Undergraduate with highest academic distinctions Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, and Summa Cum Laude (Top 2% of class) with double majors in Biochemistry and Anthropology
UC Irvine School of Medicine, graduated top 10% of class with induction in the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
Residency in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, UC Irvine Medical Center
Prestigious Fellowship in Advanced Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, UC Irvine Medical Center
Honors & Awards
Voted Best San Diego Cosmetic Surgeon, Facial Plastic Surgeon every consecutive year since 2010
Aesthetic Everything, Best West Coast Facial Plastic Surgeon 2018 & 2019
2020 Top Doctor Award by highly prestigious peer-voted Castle and Connolly
Awarded the J. Gordon Hatfield Surgical Award for the #1 surgical performance in his medical school class
Award for Outstanding Patient Care, Teaching and Research at UC Irvine Medical Center
Bernstein Research Grant from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Board Certification
American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery
Professional Committees
Young Physicians Committee American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Regulatory and Socioeconomic Affairs Committee American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Research Committee American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Face to Face Committee, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Service to Peer Review Journals
Reviewer Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
Presentations/Invited Lecturer
“Aesthetic Facial Surgery,” MedSpa Cosmetic Symposium, 6/07
“Facial Analysis” Facial Plastic Surgery Conference UC Irvine Medical Center, 7/10/06
Publications & Leadership
Author of over 20 peer-reviewed research articles
Author of over 25 surgical textbook chapters on facial plastic surgery
Author and co-editor of the surgical textbook, Rejuvenation of the Aging Face (translated in multiple languages)
Presenter at more than 40 scientific national and international meetings
Invited speaker at national & international clinical facial plastic surgery meetings for facial rejuvenation, eye rejuvenation, and fat transfer
Involved in leadership committees at the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Bibliography
The prevalence of external auditory canal exostoses in surfers. Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 1999;125:969-972
Angiogenic Response in the Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane Model to Laser Irradiated Cartilage. Proceedings SPIE 1999; 3601: 243-248
Temperature distributions in Nd:YAG ??=1.32 ?m) laser-irradiated cartilage grafts accompanied by cryogen spray cooling. Proceedings SPIE 1999; 3601: 422-433
Laser-mediated cartilage reshaping with feedback-controlled cryogen spray cooling: biophysical properties and viability. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 2001, 28;1-10
Angioresistance of thermally modified cartilage grafts in the chick chorioallantoic membrane model. Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery 2001;3; 24-7
Aquatic activities following total laryngectomy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001 Nov;125(5):528-32
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