Though giving a definitive statement on who is the best plastic surgeon in South Africa is contentious, we will share plastic surgeons that have made a national impact.
Overview
In South Africa, one of the major taboos in national discourse, especially when it comes to celebrities, is the matter of whether they have received cosmetic surgery and where they have received it.
As a result, the country does not have “celebrity plastic surgeons” like in the United States, with the advent of shows like Botched. Furthermore, since plastic surgery remains exclusively for the affluent and a taboo within predominantly Black communities, listing the “best” plastic surgeon is difficult. Although we will share a list of plastic surgeons who have made an impact for their expert work.
The taboo of plastic surgery and the changes recently
Plastic surgery in South Africa is still a taboo subject, both for people who are not in the public domain, and seemingly for people who are. Besides celebrated media personalities like Khanyi Mbau and the late Mshoza, plastic surgery in the 2000s and 2010s remained a “done-but-not-spoken-about” procedure.
This applies to celebrities like Bonang Matheba, Babalwa Mneno, and most recently Amanda du Pont, who have all allegedly gone under the knife for various procedures but have not publicly detailed their journeys or experiences. But the rise of influencers has seen this trend begin to change with the likes of Tebogo Thobejane and Xoli “Miss XO” Gcabashe.
Who is the best plastic surgeon in South Africa?
In terms of the best plastic surgeon in South Africa or Africa, the internet touts Dr. Deon Weyers, based in Johannesburg, as the best. The celebrated plastic surgeon is described as follows:
“Dr Deon Weyers is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a private practice at Fourways Life Hospital, Sandton, Johannesburg. His passion for cosmetic procedures led him to obtain additional experience in the Vaser Lipo training in Columbia. Dr Weyers is a key opinion leader in non and minimal invasive treatments such as neurotoxin injections.”
Moreover, Dr Weyers is lauded locally for his “ Mommy Makeover,” which involves a breast lift, breast augmentation, liposuction, and a tummy tuck. His offices are located in Corner Cedar Road and Cedar Avenue West, Suite B22, Life Fourways Hospital, Fourways and are open on weekdays only between 08:00 and 14:00.
1. Dr. Mahendra Pramchand
While the name of Dr. Mahendra Pramchand may not sound familiar, Herrwood Medical Center might. The aesthetic and medical centre’s main office, located on 35 Herrwood Dr, Herrwood Park, Umhlanga, KwaZulu Natal (KZN), is the trusted cosmetic center of Zodwa Wabantu and some of KZN’s biggest stars like DJ Tira and DJ Sox. While the doctor and his center have a long list of A-listers that endorse it for its non and invasive surgeries, it also boasts testimonials from the public which they share via Instagram.
2. Dr. Mike Henry
A Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is all the craze currently. However, South Africans finally got to witness and journey with an actual South African personality going through the process namely, YouTuber and influencer, Miss XO. In November 2021, the popular YouTube vlogger released a vlog detailing her journey and experience of getting a BBL. In a total of two videos, namely My BBL Journey and My BBL, Part 2. She shared her experience travelling to the Taryn Laine Clinic in Gqeberha, where Dr Mike Henry did her procedure. The videos not only recommend Dr. Mike Henry, but also share exact costs and the recovery journey.
3. Dr. Mark Steinmann
Another plastic surgeon in South Africa that has made a national impact is Dr. Mark Steinman. Dr Mark Steinmann is arguably one of the first plastic surgeons to have garnered national acclaim for his work. This is because he performed the first and most publicised plastic surgery procedure that media personality, Khanyi Mbau, shared on television. Khanyi Mbau once had a breast procedure on television and the doctor behind it was Dr Mark Steinmann. His business is still operational and he has a website with more details.
Final thoughts
Plastic surgery still remains one of the most taboo medical procedures done by both media personalities and the general public in South Africa. As such, touting the best local plastic surgeons is quite difficult. This is even more difficult as most celebrities do the procedure under the guise of “taking a vacation” and later returning “rejuvenated” without revealing the surgeons behind their procedures.
However, though at a snail-paced forward movement, some plastic surgeons are shared by their more popular clients. As such, the list of celebrity plastic surgeons is growing locally, as the list we shared highlighted.
