Dr. Sarmela Sunder

Sarmela Sunder, MD Facial Plastic Surgery – Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Sarmela Sunder is a double-board certified, fellowship-trained Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon whose pioneering techniques have gained global recognition from her patients, colleagues, and the media.

Highly-trained surgeon with the skills of an artist

Dr. Sunder studied at Johns Hopkins University and continued her medical education at Cornell Medical College. In addition to earning her medical degree, she spent years doing extensive research and published several articles in leading scientific journals. Her academic excellence took her to an elite residency program at Stanford University, culminating in her serving as Chief Resident. During her residency, she trained under the mentorship of a pioneer in Rhinoplasty who is a former president of both the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Sunder was able to merge her artistic ability with her passion for medicine when she was accepted to a prestigious fellowship accredited by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She trained under an internationally renowned facial plastic surgeon and past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

With over 13 years dedicated to studying the face and neck, she specializes in advanced techniques for optimal results for mid-face lifts, facelifts, neck lifts, eyelid lifts, and rhinoplasty. Her extensive training and educational background make her a true master in her field, and patients from around the world come to her for facial plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Sunder prides herself on providing patients with the most natural-looking surgical results possible. Combining her superb skills as both an artist and a surgeon, Dr. Sunder is able to achieve results that truly bring balance and harmony to her patients’ faces.

Background and education

Dr. Sunder believes that you should put your best face forward. She dedicated years of training to the face and neck, knowing that a surgeon should properly focus on one field in order to be truly exceptional. Her extensive training, combined with her innate sense of aesthetics, gives her a distinctive approach to patient counseling and management. Additionally, Dr. Sunder represents a woman’s perspective, allowing her to offer her patients a unique and exclusive experience.

Dr. Sunder began her training at the Johns Hopkins University, where she received dual degrees in Public Health and Anthropology and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with honors. Dr. Sunder continued her medical education at the world-renowned Cornell Medical College. Her academic excellence took her to an elite residency program at Stanford University, where she completed her internship in General Surgery, followed by a residency in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, culminating with her serving as Chief Resident. During her residency, she trained under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Goode, a pioneer in rhinoplasty and former president of both the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

A leader in the field of plastic surgery

Dr. Sunder is affiliated with Physicians Formula’s Physician Coalition advisory board of top doctors, who will help test, curate, and educate on beauty. She serves as the Vice President of the California Society of Facial Plastic Surgery, acting as a leader in cutting-edge advancements in the field.

Dr. Sunder is also a master injector with Allergan and travels regularly to speak at conferences around the world. As a globally recognized master injector, she trains fellow doctors and nurses on her innovative techniques. She has also been featured in the media on numerous occasions to speak on her greater understanding of facial plastic surgery and injectables. Recent features include Elle Magazine, KTLA, US NEWS, and more.

Giving back

In addition to dedicating herself to her practice, Dr. Sunder has devoted time and effort toward humanitarian causes in various parts of India, Ecuador, and the Philippines. She performs cleft lip and cleft palate repairs as well as ear reconstructions for patients born without an ear (microtia repair). She is also a participant in Face to Face, a national program offering her services pro bono to victims of domestic abuse.

Dedicated to her craft

Dr. Sunder, whose artistic talents were recognized from a young age, was able to merge her artistic ability with her passion for medicine when she was accepted to a prestigious fellowship accredited by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She trained under internationally renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Vito Quatela, another past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Sunder has the rare honor and privilege of being trained by two past presidents of this distinguished Academy. Besides writing multiple articles in leading scientific journals, she has authored or contributed to several book chapters, including a guide for surgeons to prepare for the facial plastic surgery board certification.

While Dr. Sunder’s exceptional training and impressive accolades position her among the most successful facial plastic surgeons in the nation, her patients have sought her out for the exclusive, personalized patient experience that her practice offers. Dr. Sunder’s attentiveness and accessibility are unparalleled because she firmly believes that an educated patient is a happy patient.

Curriculum Vitae

Education

Vito Quatela, MD/University of Rochester, Rochester, New York July 2009-July 2010 Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 2005-2009 Residency in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery 2004-2005 Internship in General Surgery

Cornell University Weill Medical College, New York, New York September 2000-June 2004 M.D. degree

The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD September 1996-June 2000 B.A. Anthropology, Honors Thesis on Political Manipulation of Classical Dance in Sri Lanka B.A. Public Health: Honors Research Thesis on the Use of Cost-Utility Indexes in Medicine

Harvard School of Public Health

Board Certification

AAFPRS – American Association of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

ABFPRS – American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Licensure

License to practice medicine in the states of California and New York

Awards and Honors

2008 Resident Research Award, Stanford University Medical Center

2003 Woman Leader of the Year Award, Cornell University Weill Medical College

2000 Phi Beta Kappa, The Johns Hopkins University

2000 Provost’s Undergraduate Research Award, The Johns Hopkins University

Professional Organizations

American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery

American Association of Cosmetic Surgery

American Medical Association

American Rhinologic Society

Publications

Sunder S and Quatela VC. “Microtia: Diagnosis and Surgical Management”. Current Diagnosis and Treatment – Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, 3rd Ed. Ed Anil Lalwani. New York: McGraw Medical, 2010

Sunder S and Hwang, P. “Anesthesia in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery”. Anesthesiologist’s Manual of Surgical Procedures, 4th Ed. Ed Richard Jaffe & Stanley Samuels. New York : Lippincott, Williams & Wilkinson, 2008

Sunder S, Oshima K, Teo D, Senn P, Heller S. Bone-morphogenetic-factor 4 promotes neuronal differentiation of spiral ganglia cells. (Submitted for publication.)

Sunder S, Oshima K, Senn P, Heller S. Neuronal Differentiation of Spiral Ganglia Cells with BMP-4. Poster presentation at Annual Meeting of American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery, September 2007

Sunder S, Mendelsohn AH, Berke GS, Damrose EJ. Complications of stenting in the treatment of upper airway stenosis. American Bronchoesophagological Association Annual Meeting, San Diego , CA , April 26 – 27, 2007

Sunder S, Yan Y, Damrose EJ. Impact of androgen therapy in a singer undergoing female to male gender reassignment. American Bronchoesophagological Association Annual Meeting, San Diego , CA , April 26 – 27, 2007

Sunder S, Yan Y, Damrose EJ. The use of calcium hydroxylapatite to alleviate aspiration in the near-total laryngectomy patient. American Bronchoesophagological Association Annual Meeting, San Diego , CA , April 26 – 27, 2007

Sunder S, Jackler RK, Blevins NH . Virtuosity with the mallet and gouge: the brilliant triumph of the “modern” mastoid operation.Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2006; 39: 6: 1191-210

Sunder S, Yan Y, Damrose EJ. Qualitative study of vocal fold motion using stroboscopy. American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery Annual Meeting, Toronto , Ontario , September 18, 2006

Thevarajah S, Carew J, Selesnick SH. Bilateral squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.2005 Jun;132(6):960-2

Thevarajah S, Polanecsky M, Scherl EJ, Frissora CL. Hormonal influences on the gastrointestinal tract and irritable bowel syndrome.Practical Gastroenterol. 2005; May:62-74

Thevarajah S, Huston TL, Simmons RM. A comparison of the adverse reactions associated with isosulfan blue versus methylene blue dye in sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer. Am J Surg. 2005 Feb;189(2):236-9

Frissora CL, Thevarajah S, and Koch KL. GI Consult: Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Emerg Med 36(6):9-15, 2004

Simmons R, Thevarajah S, Brennan MB, Christos P, Osborne M. Methylene blue dye as an alternative to isosulfan blue dye for sentinel lymph node localization. Ann Surg Oncol. 2003 Apr;10(3):242-7

Thevarajah S and Krishnasatry KV. Acute mesenteric ischemia presenting as terminal ileitis, managed with angioplasty and stent placement. Presented at the Eastern Vascular Society Annual Meeting, May 2003 in New York, New York

Simmons R, Thevarajah S, Brennan MB, Christos P, Osborne M. Methylene blue dye as an alternative to isosulfan blue dye for sentinel lymph node biopsy. Presentation at the Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Conference, March 2002 in Denver, Colorado

Simmons RM, Burrell W, Thevarajah S, Brennan MB, Christos P and Osborne MP. Local and distant recurrence rates in skin-sparing mastectomies compared with non-skin-sparing mastectomies. Presentation at the Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Conference, March 2002 in Denver, Colorado

Languages

Conversational in Spanish and Tamil