About Dr. Adrian Sjarif
Dr Adrian Sjarif is a fully qualified Specialist Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon with dual fellowship training from both Australia and the United States.
Dr Sjarif graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor’s degree in Anatomical Science then went on to obtain an honours degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Sydney in 2003.
He completed several years of general surgical training before being awarded the John Brooks Moore scholarship to study a Master of Surgery degree from the University of Sydney in 2007. His thesis outlined the importance of inflammatory mediators in paediatric burns, and he was awarded the John Loewenthal medal for this research.
Upon completion of Basic Surgical Training, Dr Sjarif was then selected into the highly competitive Plastic Surgery training scheme. After four more years of specialist training in all aspects of reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery, he received his Fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2013 (FRACS). This Fellowship is the only government recognised surgical training program for Plastic Surgeons in Australia.
Following completion of his Specialist Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery training in Australia, Dr Sjarif was invited to complete a further 12 months of specialty training at the prestigious Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, rated the number one hospital for cancer care in the United States. Only the second Australian to complete this highly sought-after Fellowship, he performed a large volume of reconstructive and aesthetic breast procedures using microsurgical and implant-based techniques. In addition, he advanced his skills in reconstruction of defects resulting from cancers of the head and neck and other parts of the body.
While working in the United States, Dr Sjarif attended several international conferences on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, learning cutting-edge new techniques and collaborating with international surgeons.
Following his tenure in North America, Dr Sjarif travelled to Europe, expanding on his knowledge and experience in facial aesthetic surgery through an observership with world renowned rhinoplasty and facial plastic surgeon, Professor Gubisch at the Marienhospital in Germany.
Dr Sjarif returned to Australia in 2014 to commence in practice in the Sydney and Illawarra regions. He established Southside Plastic Surgery in Wollongong in 2019 which has quickly become the premier destination for plastic surgery in the Illawarra. After a move to the Southern Highlands with his young family in 2022, he established Highlands Plastic Surgery.
The most important decision you will make in your plastic surgery experience is choosing the right plastic surgeon. You must be extremely critical when selecting who to trust with your surgery – after all, not all surgeons have the qualifications needed for such complex procedures. In Australia, anyone with a medical degree can legally perform a procedures such as liposuction or breast augmentations … but just because a doctor advertises breast augmentation doesn’t mean he or she is qualified to perform it safely or perform it well.
Look for the following qualities when selecting a plastic surgeon for your particular needs.
According to AHPRA regulations in Australia, only a surgeon that has received a fellowship in plastic and reconstructive surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) can call him or herself a specialist plastic surgeon. This is the only government-recognized surgical training program for plastic and reconstructive surgeons in Australia. Your surgeon should also be a member in good standing of organizations like the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), which requires members to have training as a specialist plastic surgeon by RACS.
Beware of doctors who market themselves as “cosmetic surgeons”. This title has come under much scrutiny in recent months, with new laws passed that ensure that only RACS qualified surgeons can use the “surgeon” title. If you find yourself questioning a surgeon’s background, their credentials or the extra letters that come after his or her name, you can check their credentials here.
There is simply no substitute for clinical experience. You probably would not feel comfortable undergoing surgery with a plastic surgeon that has only performed your requested procedure a handful of times. Ideally, you want to get an idea of how long your surgeon has been performing your desired procedure, how many procedures s/he has performed, how often s/he currently performs the procedure and how often complications occur.
You do not have to become best friends with your plastic surgeon, but you should feel as though the two of you are on the same page and communicate well. The surgeon’s explanations and recommendations should make sense, and you should not feel rushed or pressured into making any decisions. You should feel as though your surgeon listens to you and understands your goals of treatment.
Finally, it’s important to trust your instincts when searching for a plastic surgeon. Plastic surgery is a large undertaking, and it is extremely important that you and your surgeon develop a relationship that is robust and underpinned by trust. If a red flag or warning sign arises during your consultation, or something just feels off, you should consider looking for another surgeon. Don’t stop looking until you find someone that meets all of the aforementioned criteria and with whom you have a great rapport. It is generally wise to seek out a second or even third opinion from other plastic surgeons, before committing.
If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sjarif to discuss your personal plastic surgery goals, please call or email one of his offices in Wollongong or Bowral.
