Shawna R. Kleban, M.D.

I grew up in Mesa, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. 

My education and training have taken me from the West Coast to the East Coast and back again. I attended college at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where I majored in Health and Humanity and received a minor in Russian language. For medical school, I attended the University of Virginia School of Medicine. My integrated plastic surgery training was completed in Las Vegas, Nevada, at UNLV, and then I completed my fellowship and Aesthetic Surgery here in Charlotte at HKB! 

I specialize in aesthetic treatments of the face, breasts, and body. I operate head to toe! Some of my areas of expertise are breast surgery (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, breast revision surgery), en bloc capsulectomy, mommy makeovers, body contouring after weight loss (brachioplasty, body lift, thigh lift, etc.), fat grafting to the breast and buttocks, liposuction, eyelid surgery, and so much more! 

I believe in listening carefully to each patient’s individual concerns to formulate the best plan for the future. We all have different priorities and lifestyles, and I take these into account when creating your customized plan. I always want my patients to be fully informed and feel comfortable asking questions and expressing their concerns. At the end of the day, my goal is for you to love your new look!

When people ask me why I became a plastic surgeon, I tell them that it’s really because of my parents. My father was a veterinarian, and my mother is a marriage and family therapist. As a young girl, I was my dad’s shadow and loved watching him at work – especially in the operating room. His advice to me was, “Don’t be a vet. Be a “human doctor.” Being the obedient child that I was, I followed his advice and went to medical school. Like my mother, I was also fascinated by the human mind and always loved interacting with patients during my time in medical school. I love sharing in my patients’ lives and have laughed and cried with them on more than one occasion! 

Art has also played a big role in my life. I have always enjoyed drawing, painting, and crafting. I take any chance to exercise that creativity muscle and am lucky that my career as a plastic surgeon allows me to do so every day. On the day of your surgery, you will notice a stack of Sharpies that I use to create a surgical roadmap on your body. 

I love the transformation! The amazing thing about plastic surgery is that this transformation occurs not only on the outside but also on the inside. It’s truly incredible to see my patients blossom and regain their self-confidence!

Hard work and determination helped me to get where I am today, but my empathy and compassion for patients have made me a successful doctor.

When I’m not taking care of patients, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our lab-pit mix, Ruby. The three of us love going out on the lake together(with plenty of SPF!). My husband and I also love going to concerts, traveling, and trying out new restaurants. We have a great group of friends and often spend our Thursday nights playing trivia at a local brewery!

I realized that I enjoy “happy surgery.” For me, improving lives was always more appealing than saving lives. Doctors who save lives deal with a lot more sadness and death than I was willing to endure. Their work is essential and incredibly admirable, but I love being able to smile, laugh, high-five, and hug my patients. I love how uplifting aesthetic surgery can be for patients, and I enjoy being part of that journey!

There are always setbacks in life, and they can seem insurmountable at times. I remember taking Organic Chemistry in college and thinking it was going to get the best of me, and it kind of did  – I ended up getting a C in the class. Yikes! However, I didn’t give up, and I was accepted to one of the top medical schools in the country – The University of Virginia School of Medicine. Not only that, but I was also inducted into the medical school honor society (AOA) for being at the top of my class and matched into an integrated plastic surgery residency, which is one of the most competitive residencies. Now, I have my dream job here at HKB!

Genuine, Kind, Passionate

My attending surgeons during my plastic surgery residency made a huge impact on who I am as a surgeon. I was lucky enough to train with surgeons who were kind, compassionate, and truly cared about their patients. 

I am more aware of how our physical insecurities can affect our lives. Changes in appearance through plastic surgery can be transformative for the inner self. I have experienced this firsthand, as I had a rhinoplasty in my twenties, and it totally changed my self-confidence. I now feel confident with my side profile in pictures and no longer delete them!

Patients come to me because I “tell it like it is.” I am very open, honest, and real about expectations and recovery. I believe this helps create trust in the doctor-patient relationship. Even though I “tell it like it is,” patients also come to me for my relatability and empathy. I want each patient to feel seen and heard. Your concerns become my concerns. I can be very upbeat and light-hearted, but I take my job performing surgery and taking care of patients very seriously.