Dr. Alexis Parcells is a loving mother to two daughters and a successful board-certified Plastic Surgeon. Her mission is to empower women to celebrate their natural beauty. She offers a variety of surgical and nonsurgical procedures including but not limited to nonsurgical facial rejuvenation, botox, fillers, and CO2 facial resurfacing, while also performing breast and body cosmetic surgery (breast lifts, breast augmentation, mommy makeover, tummy tuck, liposuction, labiaplasty) and breast reconstruction in her private practice located in Monmouth County, NJ. Dr. Parcells aims to change the way we perceive plastic surgery and to see the benefits of restoring women’s femininity after lumpectomy or mastectomy.
In addition to running her private practice, Dr. Parcells owns and operates SUNNIE Skincare, a wrinkle-reducing studio that focuses on non-surgical, injectable procedures. Dr. Parcells prides herself on the patient experience and aims to always go the extra mile to provide a safe and positive clinical environment. She does this through paying particularly close attention to all of her patient’s needs, and also through working to change the stigma surrounding women’s cosmetic procedures and surgery.
“As someone trained in the modern era of plastic surgery, I utilize the most advanced surgical and nonsurgical techniques in order to achieve natural, beautiful results,” says Dr. Parcells. “Surgery is not always the answer, and often we can combine small non-surgical procedures with or without surgery in order to obtain the best result.”
Dr. Parcells first became interested in plastic surgery through her volunteer work with Operation Smile. “I went on my first medical mission with Operation Smile at the age of 16 to Morocco. I saw the lives of children and their families changed with a simple 1-hour operation. I became passionate about enacting that type of change in the lives of my future patients and focused my studies on a career in medicine,” recalls Dr. Parcells. Despite her passion and inclination to work in medicine, Alexis Parcells initially struggled with standardized testing and faced obstacles while applying to medical programs.
“I’ve always struggled to perform well on standardized tests, and this impacted my ability to study medicine in the US. After being rejected from all of the US medical schools I applied to, I had to strongly reconsider if I would go into medicine,” says Dr. Parcells. She eventually landed herself into a medical program at St. George’s University in Grenada, where she completed her residency after admittance to their plastic surgery program.
It was during her first month in medical school when Dr. Parcells would meet her future husband and life partner. Alexis Parcells became the first woman to have children during their residency in the plastic surgery program. She was given leave for only 3 weeks and was forced to take all of her on-call responsibilities ahead of delivery so it “would be fair” to all members of the team. “My husband has been an essential part of my success and cheers me on to tackle new challenges everyday. He helps validate important choices I have made personally, such as having children in residency and starting my own business.” says Parcells. Despite these challenges, Alexis Parcells would graduate to become Dr. Parcells, and shortly after graduating, decided to focus her practice on breast reconstruction and aesthetics, and has since expanded her practice to other areas with the same goal of empowering her patients to make positive changes in their lives.
“During this time, I realized how much I enjoyed treating members of my community and focused my practice on breast reconstruction and aesthetics.” Dr. Alexis Parcells reminisces. “I have since expanded my practice to other areas with the same goal of empowering my patients to make positive changes in their lives.”
Through learning the best ways to support her breast cancer patients, Dr. Parcell’s goal of learning the best ways to provide help, and to restore a sense of femininity after plastic surgery was becoming a reality. Contingent on her belief that every patient requires an individual approach to treatment, Dr. Parcells began expanding her services and strived to achieve cutting-edge results in breast reconstruction. Dr. Parcells also created a website, www.bravebras.org, specifically for breast cancer patients so they can better understand their reconstructive options.
“I want women to feel empowered and not guilty or ashamed of their choice to have a Botox treatment or breast lift. There is also a lot of judgment from other women, and it’s important for all of us to create a culture of positivity and self-love,” says Dr. Parcells. Through experience, and hard work, and dedication, Dr. Parcells has laid the foundation for herself and her daughters to be able to walk through this world with confidence. Additionally, Dr. Parcells is now taking it upon herself to educate those around her and to change the narrative in general when it comes to women’s health procedures.
Currently, Dr. Alexis Parcells is an active volunteer for several breast cancer organizations including The Breasties, Minette’s Angels, and Fashion for the Pink Crusade, and is a clinical instructor to medical students and residents through RWJ Barnabas Health. She has been recognized for excellence in teaching with two New Jersey Medical School Golden Apple nominations. In addition to contributing to her community through her practice, Dr. Alexis Parcells has authored several textbooks and professional journal articles and has presented her original research at numerous national and international meetings, including Brussels, Paris, Madrid, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City. As a thought leader in the realm of women-focused plastic surgery procedures, Dr. Parcells’s focus is on educating and empowering her patients. By giving the community and her clients the most up-to-date information on products, services, and procedures they are able to make an educated decision on what’s best for their own body.
“You never really discover who you are or what you are made of until you have left your comfort zone. And that’s when the fun starts,” says Dr. Parcells