The Plastic Surgeon With The Space Serum

Reconstructive surgery, astronauts and Middle Eastern royalty. This is the story of how they all came together for Dr Yannis Alexandrides’ 111Skin.

- Goh Yee Huay

“When I made the decision to be a plastic surgeon, I was in medical school in Greece. And my parents, themselves doctors, advised me not go into plastic surgery because they said no one does this kind of job, there’s no demand for it,” Dr Yannis Alexandrides says with a laugh.

Fast-forward three decades, and not only is the 51-year-old the owner of a successful plastic-surgery practice in London’s Harley Street (a sort of medical Savile Row) and a well-known name in both the industry and media, he is also the founder of science-led luxe skincare brand 111Skin, which he is in town to launch.

As he walks into the VIP lounge of Robinsons The Heeren, Dr Yannis – as everyone calls him – looks composed and polished, unfazed by the 34 deg C heat outside. He has the assured air of an experienced physician, and – as one would expect of a feted cosmetic surgeon-well-maintained looks with no telltale signs that might suggest he’s had work done.

His credentials are just as impeccable: He’s certified by American, European and Greek plastic surgery boards, is the author of scientific papers in publications like the British Journal of Plastic Surgery, and a former resident surgeon at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, one of the largest in the United States. 

While stateside, he trained as a reconstructive surgeon – specifically, in craniofacial surgery. “It was a tremendous experience because you’re dealing with very difficult problems like accidents, gunshot wounds to the face, and babies with congenital anomalies. But this teaches you well about anatomy and how to deal with any possible problem,” he says.