A lifelong athlete and fitness buff, Rebekah Zaluzec became a certified Pilates instructor after college to help clients achieve their health goals.

Then, Zaluzec realized she could do far more to transform people’s lives as a surgeon.

She went on to medical school, then Zaluzec spent six years training as a general surgeon in the toughest of atmospheres: on the south side of Chicago at Mount Sinai Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center.

“It was non-stop. Unfortunately, we had many victims of domestic violence. They would come in with facial fractures,” Zaluzec said.

Coping with chaos and seeing the effects of violence firsthand might intimidate some young doctors. Not Zaluzec. She saw the opportunity to make a difference.

She would tell young abuse victims: “You have a broken jaw, but we can fix this.”

Zaluzec fell in love with plastic and reconstructive surgery.

“Function is the most important aspect of the human body. We need to be able to open our mouths to eat. But, we can do surgery in a way that’s also aesthetically pleasing so there are no scars,” Zaluzec said.

Extensive training in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery

After her general surgery residency, Zaluzec spent three additional years training to become a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, then another specializing in aesthetic surgeries like breast augmentations, abdominoplasties, body sculpting, and facial rejuvenation.

She now serves Denver patients at the UCHealth Cherry Creek Medical Center and is dual-board certified in general surgery and plastic surgery.

For cancer survivors, Zaluzec is a pro at secondary breast reconstruction surgery. For moms who want to look their best after having had their children, Zaluzec can do “mommy makeovers” including tummy tucks, breast lifts and wrinkle-reducing surgeries.

“There are some things about your body that you are not able to fix with health and fitness. I carried a twin pregnancy to term, then breastfed and pumped for my children. I understand the changes that happen with pregnancy and aging. I get that.”

“We can help rejuvenate the breasts and make them more youthful,” she said. “We can do implants or lifts, fat transfer, or a combination. Sometimes women just need a little extra volume. We can do anything that women need.”

In Colorado’s health-conscious environment, men, too, are benefiting from plastic surgery. Many want tummy tucks so they can show off svelte abs without worrying about excess belly fat and skin.

“I love helping my patients achieve a goal that they can’t reach on their own,” Zaluzec said. “Maybe they have an anatomical variance. Maybe they are dealing with asymmetry on their face or body. My goal is always to help patients look and feel their best.”

Like many of her plastic surgery patients, this Cherry Creek doctor is a busy working mom and wife 

Zaluzec has much in common with many of her younger patients.

She understands that busy people sometimes need help with their bodies.

“I love using my hands to help my patients and be part of their healing process,” Zaluzec said. “When patients are going through cancer, you’re able to be part of the team that gives them hope for their future.”

Zaluzec offers the full spectrum of options for breast cancer survivors.

“Some women opt not to do reconstruction. Others want it and still, others need their older reconstructions updated or want implants removed for other reasons. I can help make a woman feel comfortable in her body after cancer in whatever form that means for her,” Zaluzec said. “It’s an opportunity not to feel incomplete as a woman.”

Both for reconstructive breast surgery and cosmetic procedures, Zaluzec said women can select the option that feels right and most natural to them.

Implants are safe, she said. Women can also choose to use fat from their own bodies to augment their breasts or replace tissue lost to cancer surgery.

“We use liposuction to take fat from elsewhere in the body,” Zaluzec said.

That procedure is known as autologous fat transfer and patients have the added benefit of getting to remove fat if they don’t want it somewhere else on their body.

Along with breast surgeries, tummy tucks also are quite popular, Zaluzec said.

“There are different degrees of tummy tucks. Some people want bikini bodies. For others, there’s excess skin and pain, discomfort or itchiness from weight loss. We can help people feel comfortable again,” Zaluzec said.

“If you’re a patient who has had massive weight loss or you are post-partum, there are some things you can’t change on your own, like excess skin or separated abdominal muscles. We can pull the core muscles back together and put things back where they were,” she said.

Plastic surgery expert in Cherry Creek

Zaluzec performs the majority of her procedures at the Cherry Creek Medical Center. She also cares for patients at UCHealth Highlands Ranch hospital for those who need a higher level of care.

Among the devices that the Cherry Creek center boasts are CoolSculpting, which helps remove fat, and EMSculpting, which can tighten and tone and “make you feel like you did a million crunches,” Zaluzec said.

Along with surgeries, Zaluzec and others at the center do an array of non-invasive procedures like Botox, laser resurfacing and skin texturizing to reduce sun spots and discoloration.

For patients who are considering plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures, Zaluzec’s chief advice is to be careful about selecting a qualified doctor.

“Choose a plastic surgeon who has had full training in plastic and reconstructive surgery,” she said. “You will see people advertising themselves as cosmetic surgeons when they haven’t gone through the proper training.”

Whether patients need help with surgeries or non-invasive procedures, Zaluzec’s goal is always to empower her patients. Her philosophies circle back to her love of fitness.

“I love Pilates. I love weight and strength training. I’m a runner and I do spin classes,” Zaluzec said. “I love for women to feel strong and independent and to maintain strength throughout our lives.”