Dr. Seung Lee: Between Science and Strategy, a New Perspective on the Body

Evely Oliveira
2 hours ago
7 min read

'HEALTH' EDITION COVER - JANUARY 2026 ISSUE

Dr. Seung Lee: Between Science and Strategy, a New Perspective on the Body — Photographer: @mg.fotoefilme / Creative manager: @moniss__

In a landscape where plastic surgery is rapidly advancing amid aesthetic promises and quick fixes, Dr. Seung Lee’s work stands out for an approach grounded in method, science, and strategic vision. A plastic surgeon specializing in body contouring, he has built his practice on the conviction that the body should not be treated as a replicable standard, but as a unique structure shaped by history, biology, and emotional context.

His work is guided by evidence-based medicine and the rigorous personalization of each surgical plan. More than achieving striking visual results, the focus is on natural outcomes, safety, and long-term well-being, principles that support a medical practice rooted in ethics and professional responsibility.

Born in South Korea and raised in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Seung Lee built his career through an uncommon combination of discipline, long-term vision, and technical precision. His decision to pursue medicine came early, but it was during his training that it became clear his interest was not in emergency hospital care, but in plastic surgery as a tool for structural transformation of the body and self-esteem.

Choosing this specialty required a rigorous path. After earning his medical degree from UNIFOA, he completed a residency in General Surgery at the Federal Hospital of Ipanema before securing one of the country’s most competitive positions in Plastic Surgery at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. His admission to UFRJ, following a highly demanding selection process marked by strict technical criteria and intense competition, solidified not only a personal goal but also the foundation of a surgical mindset guided by method and excellence.

After completing his residency, his career followed a strategic course. The move to São Paulo brought him closer to his family while also expanding his professional scope. At the same time, he pursued international training in South Korea, where he deepened his expertise in facial procedures and minimally invasive techniques, broadening both his aesthetic sensibility and technical approach.

The true turning point, however, came with his direct exposure to High-Definition Liposuction. After training with the creator of the technique, Dr. Seung began to focus his practice on high-definition body contouring, incorporating muscle grafting guided by direct visualization, an in-depth study of human anatomy, and technologies designed to enhance precision and safety. Advanced courses in grafting, rib remodeling, and cadaveric anatomy further strengthened an approach centered on absolute control of body structures and risk reduction.

This same logic extends to breast and abdominal surgeries. Techniques that minimize scarring, preserve proportions, and restructure musculature are part of a repertoire aimed at delivering consistent and sustainable results, particularly in complex cases such as severe skin laxity or combined procedures.

Technology plays a central role in this model. Equipment such as VASER, MicroAire, ultrasonication systems, Piezo, and skin-tightening technologies are used not as aesthetic promises, but as tools to enhance safety, reduce surgical trauma, and support improved recovery. Within this framework, the adoption of Quantum, a technology focused on advanced treatment of skin laxity, reinforces a pioneering stance aligned with responsible innovation.

The same line of reasoning guides the structure of his clinic. Its physical expansion mirrors an expanded concept of care. Today, located in a 500-square-meter space in São Paulo, the clinic brings together a multidisciplinary team, physiotherapy, a medical spa, dermatology, and comprehensive patient support. This structure reflects a vision of plastic surgery that goes beyond the surgical act itself and is consolidated as a complete medical experience.

More than the accumulation of techniques or technologies, Dr. Seung Lee’s trajectory reveals a clear understanding of plastic surgery as a strategic discipline, where science, planning, and respect for the body’s natural timeline define true success.

Below, Dr. Seung Lee speaks about his practice, his choices, and how he views the evolution of plastic surgery today.

Contemporary plastic surgery increasingly demands a strategic reading of the body rather than the replication of standardized ideals. How do science and long-term vision guide your surgical planning today?

Plastic surgery has moved away from being an exercise in aesthetic repetition and has become a discipline of body interpretation. Today, science and long-term vision work together in my planning. I assess not only the patient’s current anatomy, but also how that body is likely to evolve over time, taking into account aging, weight fluctuations, lifestyle habits, and metabolic context. Surgery must respect biological and structural individuality; otherwise, results become short-lived. The same technique that delivers excellent results in one patient does not guarantee the same level of satisfaction in another body. Planning with science, therefore, means thinking in terms of aesthetic sustainability.

The growing use of so-called weight-loss pens has rapidly changed how people relate to their own bodies. From a surgical and physiological standpoint, what are the real impacts of this accelerated weight loss on body structure, and how does it influence aesthetic decisions in the medium and long term?

The use of these medications solves one problem, such as excess fat, but creates another: excess skin. Rapid and significant weight loss leads to pronounced and accelerated skin laxity, profoundly altering tissue quality. We see earlier onset of sagging, changes in skin elasticity, and loss of structural support.

Skin laxity can be addressed in two ways. In cases of mild and sometimes moderate laxity, technologies such as Quantum combined with Morpheus can deliver excellent results. In more severe cases, surgical lifting with skin excision is the most appropriate option.

In a market that often prioritizes immediate results, how do you maintain natural outcomes and long-term well-being as central measures of success in plastic surgery?

Natural results are a consequence of medical coherence. In my practice, success is not limited to the “before and after,” but to how that body ages over the years. Keeping well-being as a core criterion requires saying “no” when necessary, educating the patient, and aligning expectations. Surgery should integrate into a patient’s life, not dominate it.

The Lipo Lee 360 has become a signature of your work. At what point does a technique stop being just a procedure and begin to reflect a philosophy of practice?

When a technique stops being performed automatically and starts to express a way of thinking about the body. Lipo Lee 360 is not just about removing fat, but about sculpting each muscle group with strategy and precision, while respecting proportions, movement, and functionality.

One aspect many professionals fail to fully consider is the impact of fat removal itself. Fat plays an important role in supporting the skin, and once it is removed, that support is automatically reduced. Many overlook this factor, but because I take a more comprehensive view of body contouring as a whole in my Lipo 360 approach, this awareness is one of the reasons our results achieve such high satisfaction rates.

Your practice integrates plastic surgery, follow-up with a medical nutrition specialist, and patient education about the body. Why has understanding the individual as a whole become essential to achieving consistent results?

Because the body does not function in isolated compartments. Surgery without metabolic, nutritional, and behavioral balance leads to unstable outcomes. When we understand the individual as a whole, we can better prepare the body, reduce risks, improve healing, and extend the longevity of results. Surgery is an event; the body is a continuous process.

Technology plays a decisive role in your professional positioning. How does the pioneering use of Quantum enhance surgical outcomes without compromising safety and medical ethics?

Technology should amplify the surgeon’s precision, not replace it. Quantum allows for greater thermal control and refined tissue handling, promoting skin retraction and definition while remaining within safe parameters. Being a pioneer does not mean being reckless, but rather having deep mastery of the technology, respecting physiological limits and ethical principles. Safety is non-negotiable.

Educating patients to make informed choices is one of the pillars of your work. How do you build autonomy and trust in the doctor–patient relationship in a landscape marked by information overload and unrealistic expectations?

Trust is built through transparency. Today, patients arrive with a great deal of information, not all of it accurate. My role is to translate science into clear language, explaining risks, limitations, and realistic possibilities. When patients understand their own bodies, they become active participants in the process. Autonomy is built through knowledge, not promises.

The growing demand for Mommy Makeover procedures reveals important shifts in women’s behavior after motherhood. What does this movement say about the body, identity, and the reconstruction of self-esteem?

This movement shows that motherhood does not erase female identity. The Mommy Makeover goes beyond aesthetics; it represents a reconnection between a woman and her own body. It is not about erasing the marks of motherhood, but about reconciling the body, self-esteem, and a new stage of life. It is a mature, conscious decision, deeply linked to emotional well-being. Regaining the comfort of wearing the clothes one used before pregnancy is one of the most frequently mentioned aspects. One of the phrases I hear most often in the postoperative period is: “I get emotional when I put on a bikini, look in the mirror, and love myself.”

With the introduction of the Lee Face technique, which addresses details not covered by traditional facial lifting, how do you redefine the concept of facial rejuvenation and sophistication in results today?

Rejuvenation is not about pulling the skin; it is about intelligent repositioning. Lee Face focuses on strategic points that preserve facial expression, identity, and movement. Sophistication lies in almost imperceptible details, in harmony and naturalness. The best result is the one that does not reveal the surgery, but simply restores vitality. The Preservation Deep Plane technique is currently the most advanced and safest approach when it comes to facial rejuvenation.

And finally, what is your voice? What message do you consider essential to share today with those making decisions about their bodies, aesthetics, and plastic surgery?

My commitment is to conscious choices. Plastic surgery should be performed with responsibility, science, and purpose. More than transforming bodies, we must preserve identity, health, and long-term aesthetic longevity. That is the kind of medicine I believe in and practice.