A career built entirely on the face.
Dr. Thomas Buonassisi is a dual board-certified facial plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience in facial surgery exclusively. He trained in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto, completed a fellowship in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at McGill University, and has pursued advanced international training in preservation rhinoplasty. He does not perform body procedures. Every patient, every consultation, and every operation is focused on the face.
He founded 8 West Clinic in Vancouver in 2000. Rhinoplasty is the centrepiece of his surgical practice — he has performed over 2,500 procedures across every technique — but his scope extends across the full range of facial plastic surgery: facelifts, blepharoplasty, brow lifts, chin augmentation, and facial rejuvenation. Patients come to Dr. Buonassisi because they want a surgeon whose entire career has been spent understanding how the face ages, how it is structured, and how surgical changes interact with one another.
He has invested over a decade in patient education — 450+ videos on YouTube, a dedicated knowledge hub, and a consultation process built around informed decision-making. Patients who arrive having done their research consistently report that his assessment is the most thorough and direct they have received.
If you are researching a facial plastic surgeon in Vancouver — for rhinoplasty, facial rejuvenation, or any procedure involving the face — understanding a surgeon's training, philosophy, and track record is the most important step before booking a consultation.
The principles that guide every procedure.
These are not marketing statements — they are the practical principles that determine how Dr. Buonassisi approaches every consultation and every surgical plan.
Natural results, not a 'new nose'
The goal of rhinoplasty is not to give a patient a different nose — it is to give them the best version of their own nose. Dr. Buonassisi's results are consistently described as natural-looking precisely because he works with each patient's existing anatomy rather than imposing a template.
Structure before aesthetics
Every aesthetic decision in rhinoplasty must be grounded in structural reality. A nose that looks beautiful immediately after surgery but collapses over time is a failure. Dr. Buonassisi's training in head and neck surgery gives him a deep understanding of nasal anatomy that informs every surgical decision.
Conservative by default
In rhinoplasty, less is almost always more. Over-resection — removing too much cartilage or bone — is the leading cause of revision surgery. Dr. Buonassisi's default is to make the minimum change that achieves the patient's goal, preserving options for the future.
Education before surgery
Dr. Buonassisi believes that an informed patient makes a better surgical candidate. He has invested over a decade in patient education through YouTube, social media, and the 8 West Knowledge Hub — so that patients arrive at their consultation with realistic expectations and a clear understanding of what rhinoplasty can and cannot achieve.
Honest consultation
Not every patient who wants rhinoplasty is a good candidate, and not every goal is achievable. Dr. Buonassisi's consultations are known for their directness — he will tell patients what is realistic, what is not, and why. Patients who have consulted with other surgeons frequently describe his assessment as the most thorough and honest they have received.
The nose in context of the whole face
A rhinoplasty that improves the nose in isolation but disrupts the balance of the face is not a success. Dr. Buonassisi evaluates every proposed change in the context of the full facial structure — the relationship between the nose, chin, forehead, and lips. Computer imaging is used at every consultation to visualise how a change to the nose affects the face as a whole.
Education and board certifications.
Dr. Buonassisi holds dual board certification in facial plastic surgery — one of a small number of Canadian surgeons to do so.
Over two decades of focused practice.
Founded 8 West Clinic in Vancouver, BC — exclusively focused on facial plastic surgery from day one
Completed advanced rhinoplasty fellowship training; began building a high-volume rhinoplasty practice
Reached 1,000 rhinoplasty procedures; established reputation as one of Vancouver's leading rhinoplasty specialists
Launched YouTube patient education channel — now 450+ videos and 60,000+ subscribers
Adopted preservation rhinoplasty as a primary technique following advanced international training
Introduced piezo ultrasonic rhinoplasty — one of the first surgeons in Canada to do so routinely
Surpassed 2,500 rhinoplasty procedures; continues to accept patients from across Canada and internationally
In their own words.
I flew from Calgary specifically because I wanted the best — not just the nearest. Dr. Buonassisi's consultation was unlike anything I had experienced. He told me exactly what was achievable and why, and the result exceeded what I had hoped for.
I had a previous rhinoplasty elsewhere that I was unhappy with. Dr. Buonassisi took on my revision case when other surgeons wouldn't. His honesty about what was possible — and what wasn't — gave me confidence. The result is everything I had wanted the first time.
As a South Asian woman, I was nervous about finding a surgeon who understood what I wanted — enhancement, not erasure. Dr. Buonassisi got it immediately. He never tried to give me a 'Western' nose. The result is perfectly me.
450+ videos. Free. On YouTube.
Frequently asked.
Understand rhinoplasty before your consultation.
Surgeon-authored guides covering technique selection, recovery, candidacy, and what to expect — written for patients who want to make an informed decision.
Start with a free pre-assessment call.
A Patient Care Manager will review your goals and medical history, and determine whether a surgical consultation with Dr. Buonassisi is appropriate.