Beauty comes in many forms. While Dr. Stanley Jacobs has day-to-day experience with procedures and treatments that range from blepharoplasty to injectable fillers and wrinkle-reducers, the Sonoma County facial cosmetic surgeon has a passion rooted in art and aesthetics dating as far back as Botticelli and beyond to ancient Egypt.

The modern surgical techniques and injectable fillers he regularly employs at his Healdsburg and San Francisco offices can trace their lineages back to aesthetic ideals that were first explored 5,000 to 6,000 years ago.

“Think about people who looked amazing,” Dr. Jacobs said. “Where did they get their idea of what looked good—why this kind of mouth, eyes, or ears looked attractive? I think that the concept of facial proportion and beauty started at least with the Egyptians, and probably before that.”

It should be no surprise to anyone who has even a passing familiarity with Dr. Jacobs to learn that he is fascinated with ancient Egypt—a time and place he has extensively researched. His work with a famed papyrus, after all, led to the discovery of an ancient formula and the development of his skin care line. His interest extends beyond this era, however, to include later ages’ ideas of beauty.

“I took a course called Italian Renaissance Art,” he said. “It was one of the best courses I ever took.”

He went on to explain his commitment to understanding what artists have tried to accomplish in their works throughout time, creating idealized versions of women and men to be painted on canvases and the sides of vases, sculpted in stone, and more.

Dr. Jacobs’ passion for art highlights an often-overlooked side of his industry. Plastic surgeons must be accomplished medical practitioners, but their work includes and extends far beyond preserving the health of their patients. A plastic surgeon must have an eye for aesthetics, an appreciation for beauty, and a commitment to seeking the angles, proportions, and lines that create harmony and catch the eye in a positive way—no matter where they appear.

Join Dr. Jacobs for an ongoing exploration of art, history, aesthetics, and modern plastic surgery as he discusses the intersections of these topics in an ongoing series on this blog.