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Hvistendahl Yngvar MD FACS The aesthetic side of medicine is totally elective and we understand our patients have many choices. There are a plethora of plastic surgeons in Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as Santa Rosa and Napa Valley. Plastic Surgery Specialists serves both men and women throughout all of these areas.

Dr. Poulos, Dr. Douglas, and Dr. Hvistendahl understand excellent surgical results come from listening intently to a patient's cosmetic goals and using their surgical expertise to translate that vision into reality.
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In 2007, Dr. Stanley Poulos and Dr. Yngvar Hvistendahl joined forces to see a shared dream become a reality with the opening of Plastic Surgery Specialists, now known simply as PSS. Confident in the philosophy that the sum is greater than its parts, when Dr. Trent Douglas joined the practice in January of 2020 it was immediately clear that the PSS team sum had grown exponentially.
I can't remember if I had the chance to say goodbye yesterday but I wanted to thank Dr. Dan, my scrub nurse, and especially Dr. Poulos and YOU! What a dynamite team you all make - you're just as skilled and organized as you are warm and kind. That was the single most pleasurable and fluid experience I have ever had in a medical office (and I worked in device sales for years so I've seen them all!).
Dr. Stanley G. Poulos was raised in a small town, where he developed a strong work ethic and a desire to help people. The same determination and drive that helped him succeed at the highest level of collegiate football spurred him to excel in his training, and ultimately to establish Plastic Surgery Specialists.
Growing up on a small Norwegian island, Dr. Yngvar A. Hvistendahl aspired to fly for the national Air Force. As an adult, his focus shifted to a career in medicine, and he is now one of the top plastic surgeons in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a founding partner at Plastic Surgery Specialists. Dr. Hvistendahl earned an Ivy League degree from Dartmouth College, where he helped lead the men's soccer team to the league title. He then completed his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.
Reviews (22)
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Dana M.
Jun 24, 2022
I am honestly so amazed by this place. They are honest and kind, and don't try to upsell you. I came in asking for fillers under my eyes for my dark circles and Melissa suggested a better alternative, which was PRP. The results were almost instantaneous. Just that little change helped my confidence so much. I have struggled with hereditary dark circles forever and because I am so fair-skinned, they are extremely noticeable. I didn't even know PRP was an option. I am so happy. Such a little thing can make such a huge difference.
J. J.
Jun 17, 2022
I purchased a package after two out of the three treatments I decided it was not working for me. I paid $2,100 dollars total. I spoke to Heather the manager once and she said she would get back to me. I emailed, called and yelped no response back. Beware!
Cassie F.
May 23, 2022
I can't say enough good things about them. They did 2 more surgeries for me (breast implant/lift and a thigh lift) and though it's only been about 2 months (going on 3 in about a week) everything is healing perfectly and I'm so happy with the results. This is the most confident I've been in my entire life. And that's saying something since my confidence was like a 3 on a scale of one to ten.

The staff is always so kind, friendly and accommodating. Dr. Douglas truly cares about giving you the best results. When I said what size breasts I was aiming for Dr. Douglas measured and made sure that it would work for my body type and stay proportional. He explained why that size would work. Which is great because without all that, I would have gone too big.

Like 100%. This last week I was super sick and a rash appeared on my leg along the scar of my thigh lift. I was worried so I called PSS and even though it was a super booked day for them, they got me in right away. They aired on the side of caution and prescribed some antibiotics. As the rash progressed I was able to see my General Doctor (because there were some changes with the rash) but Dr. Douglas's office was quick to see me first.

So I have now had 3 successful surgeries with Dr. Douglas and his amazing staff and I've honestly never felt better in my life. If you're going to go somewhere, go to the best, and that's Plastic Surgery Specialists. Also just as a PSA for those about to get surgery or thinking about it: Do every. Single. thing. They. Say. You're gonna get instructions of what to do after surgery, if you want those perfect results, follow them all to the letter.
Amanda R.
May 05, 2022
This is my second time leaving a review for PSS. In my last review, I mentioned that I had previous work done elsewhere. Including a Breast Augmentation, tummy tuck, and rhinoplasty. My results were not as I hoped, especially for how much money was spent. When I expressed these concerns to my previous surgeon, they went unheard. At PSS, Dr. Douglas performed my revision Breast Augmentation a couple years ago, and they look more beautiful than ever.

His work absolutely stands the test of time and I am still so grateful for his ability to listen and address my concerns with care and precision. Recently, I visited Dr. Douglas and his team as my rhinoplasty results from my previous surgeon had also become problematic. I was concerned with the appearance as it had definitely changed over time. Dr. Douglas not only made my nose look incredible, he also fixed my breathing and it has been absolutely life changing.

I couldn't have asked for a better outcome and he truly went above and beyond. I also had an upper blepharoplasty done during my nose revision and it has made the most subtle and beautiful difference. I truly feel like me still, just with tiny enhancements that made the perfect amount of difference. You can't ask for better than that! No corners are cut when you choose to have your procedures done at PSS. The whole team is incredible and will treat you like family from the moment you walk in the door. I cannot stress enough how wonderful they are. This is the place to go!
Inge T.
Apr 25, 2022
I have been struggling with weight my whole life. I've tried every diet, and several weight watcher attempts as well. Nothing seems to stick. Until I discovered Bethany at PSS. I signed up with her and she showed me so much support, I'm finally losing the weight and I'm learning how to keep it off too. She's available 24/7 via text while following her plan.

I get my body scanned and it gives so much information - I love being held accountable by such a machine! It's amazing. Bethany is amazing. Some weeks were hard and she focused in me scan results and the numbers, and found a new solution for me to focus on and it's working. I feel so much better. My energy is up too. If you want awesome results and serious knowledge on nutrition, I recommend Bethany!
Toni A.
Apr 06, 2022
Hello, Just tried speaking with the owner of the practice who is also a Dr there at Plastic Surgery Specialists, to ask him about HIS response to my original Yelp review. I wanted to see if maybe HE would be kind enough to help me, (at least listen) considering that the response to me says that they "are committed to providing outstanding services and would love the opportunity to show all patients quality and a caring experience.

Please reach out to us directly to discuss any concerns." And therefore I did! I was really hoping to get SOME sort of human on the other end. But.this was not my experience at ALL. When I DID reach out to him directly, he was EXTREMELY rude and said because I gave a bad Yelp review he was going to hang up on me which he eventually did. I wanted to share with him about WHY I gave the review and if HE could maybe help me resolve some of the things.

I was hoping maybe HE would be the one who'd finally validated my long, traumatic experience, and have SOME empathy, but that was just wishful thinking. He instead yelled at me and was cruel. It is clear they are more concerned about their reputation than us patients. He also clearly told me that he actually does NOT post the responses. I think it's a 3rd party.

He basically said HE wouldn't have agreed to the response I quoted earlier. Wow I've already seen how this practice is NOT one to "show their patients a caring experience" but it just got worse. Actions have spoken loudly multiple times over. ALL they care about is money and definitely NOT the patient! Get you in and out, and IF a Dr in the practice messes you up, you're screwed.

They DO NOT care. Period. You can have all the money and success in this life, but in the end when you've treated people badly, that'll be a regretful day. I WAS botched and life HAS been very affected by some permanent mistakes made. When I was promised some other procedures to help fix some of them the Dr then went back on his promise which shows complete lack of integrity.

Now I'm left with disfigurement. The one thing that gave me some hope was to get the revisions he promised me. :-( So. I am still reeling from all of this - can't believe the evil injustice with this practice. Couldn't ever imagine treating someone like this. I'm a kind person with a ton of empathy and it is not the norm for me to post reviews like this. Tried hard to fight for justice for the last year to no avail and I'm finally done! Just so tired and disheartened by these types of people in the world;-/
Carolina R.
Mar 20, 2022
After visiting several plastic surgeons for a procedure I decided to stay at PSS. When I met Dr. Douglas and the staff, I immediately felt confident that I was in great hands. Dr. Douglas was very honest, kind, and professional. He is not the kind of plastic surgeon that will sell you procedures that you do not need. He will help you to accomplish your "beauty goals".

In fact he discouraged me from getting any unnecessary procedures that I was considering. I had plastic surgery (tummy tuck) in June last year and I di not have enough words of appreciation for Dr Douglas, nurse Julie and medical assistant Kelly Toledo. My husband's first words when he saw my new body after surgery were "Oh my God, Dr. Douglas is a genius!" Followed by "You were always beautiful in my eyes, honey!" The place was nice, clean, neat.

In terms of recovery it was way better than I expected. The instructions for recovery period were very clear, explained, and detailed to me and to my husband. The scar has been fading amazingly well. My new belly button looks very natural. Every time I have had a question they answered and made sure that I was doing ok. I am very happy with the results, after four pregnancies my body changed drastically but now I feel like myself again!
Jacquelyn H.
Mar 07, 2022
SO much love for the PSS team for the diamond facial! That was beyond what I needed and more! I haven't been that relaxed in years. Julia at PSS made me feel right at home. I am one to be constantly on my phone for business emails during routine treatments and I kid you not NO one can get me to R&R ever to zonk out and savor the moment. Yet, within 2 minutes of being in her chair I gave her my phone to turn it on silent and revel in the moment. Hats off to Julia because I've had hundreds of facials and that's a first EVER!

The calm nature that I was welcomed by surrounded the room and quickly eased my thoughts. Julia brings zealous and comfort right to you. Relaxed is an understatement. I was right back to my mothers womb! I'm writing this review now three weeks later because I'm still blown away of the results of how my skin feels immensely clean and has truly never been so soft.

I have been on medicine for years for my acne prone skin and have tried every latest treatment in the book. You name it. I've tried and some! I'm still sitting on cloud 9 with the service at PSS and quite frankly full of gratitude for Julia recommending the treatment. To the rest of the PSS team thank you again. This is the most confident I've felt in my skin. Very grateful.
Alice J.
Feb 13, 2022
I've been a patient for several years and couldn't be happier with the service and care of PSS. I'm not going to list everything I done lol. I've had a consults with various staff members - all were professional, honest, and very helpful. I did a surgery with Dr D. His bedside manner is incredible. Lyvia and Lidia took care of me beforehand.

It was a few years ago but they were so amazing I still remember it fondly. The aftercare instructions were easy and the final results still blow my mind. I do most of my non-surgical procedures with Nurse Heather who is an absolute gem! I really appreciate all the staff - Lyvia, Kelly, Laura, Sarah, Flavia, Julia, Elise, and anyone else I've forgotten or don't remember their name.

Top tier service and top tier results (with safety as #1). To be honest, I'm surprised to see the few negative reviews on Yelp for PSS lately. I can only imagine a jealous competitor or perhaps covid-related staffing issues made it temporarily difficult to get an appointment? PSS' reputation is incredible and i wouldn't trust anyone else with my body and face!
Noah P.
Feb 04, 2022
I chose PSS for my Neograft hair transplant and my experience with working with the doctors and professionals there was nothing short of life-changing. My only regret is not reaching out to them sooner! The procedure itself, and my recovery afterwards, were exactly as carefully explained to me by my PSS care team. I could already tell after a day or two what a success it had been.

I felt great the next day, was out and about by a week, and looked completely normal after 2. Julia, my stellar coordinator, went above and beyond, answering every question and concern I had along the way. I'm more and more thrilled with my results every day--I look and feel a decade younger, and even my friends can't put a finger on what I changed.

So my advice to you is that if you're considering Neograft--or really any cosmetic surgery--talk to PSS today. I did a lot of research on practices in California before deciding, so it was clear to me before I even walked in that Doctors Poulos, Hvistendahl, and Douglas were experts in their fields--probably the most experienced cosmetic team in Northern CA.

And on Neograft itself, I can tell you: it's truly amazing how far this technology has come. Just take a took at Tom Brady and Elon Musk now vs. 20 years ago. While my outstanding results alone warranted this 5-star review, what really inspired me to tell my story was the professionalism, courtesy, and earnest kindness that the entire PSS team brought to their work. I couldn't recommend them more highly and hope that many more have a chance to share my experience. Thank you PSS for making me feel like family!
Katherine C.
Feb 03, 2022
I am 54 years old and have been going to Dr. Poulos and his nurses for over 17 years for cosmetic surgery, laser procedures and injections. Both he and his nurses are very thorough and thoughtful in understanding the results I am seeking. Their on-site surgery center & med spa offers the latest in lasers, skin care products and injectables, fillers and Botox.

They are gentle, caring and continually train on the latest techniques/products available. I recently did my Botox and fillers with Heather, a nurse at PSS, and was surprised how many varieties of fillers there are for the various results one wants to achieve. Afterwards my girlfriend asked me what I had done to look so rejuvenated and then took her 85 year old mother to PSS, She said that Heather was not only extremely gentle, but listened to what she wanted and then achieved the desired results.

The only "complaint" I may have is that they are so very busy is that I often need to book my desired procedures in advance.(However they do call me if they have a cancellation.) In short I highly recommend PSS to anyone who only wants the very best.
Sara M.
Feb 03, 2022
I'm not normally the first person to walk in the doors of a plastic surgery business and request a service. I worry about the smallest things. This place and the people that work there definitely changed my mind. First off, the second you walk in, the lobby is clean and friendly and the staff greets you right away with a smile. I went in for a consult for cool sculpting with Julia, a cool sculpting specialist.

I dont have enough good things to say about her. She's friendly, smart, professional and knew exactly what she was doing. She helped me choose my trouble areas and worked with my budget. When i came in about a week later for my appointment, she could tell i was nervous (no reason to be but again im a worry wart!) So she brought in one of the doctors who was nice enough to take time out of his day to assure me everything was going to be fine and went through detail by detail.

He also took a quick look at my mom and answered a few questions she had about a procedure she wanted. Julia walked me through the process one more time and was putting me at ease the entire time. I had great results and i highly recommend going to them for anything you need!
Bob W.
Jan 28, 2022
Had previous Cool Sculpting done at PSS and called to see about my do the procedure again in addition to my wife. The receptionist said that the specialist would call me with any questions I might have. No call back and 3 days later I called again, an apology that the specialist was busy but would call back. A week later, still no call, so I called again, giving them the benefit of the doubt that they had a wrong phone #. Receptionist confirmed they had my correct phone # on file.

So I asked to speak with Dr Douglas or his voice mail. She said that she would have him call me, but no call from him after 4 days. Now I have not had any bad communication or tardy bills with this firm and am puzzled why they do not even had the courtesy to call which is hardly professional. I cannot recommend them. R W
Dede S.
Nov 23, 2021
Dr. Hvistendahl is amazing, a true artist! He made me feel completely comfortable from the zoom consultation to surgery to my post operative visit. Lyvia and Lydia we're amazing as well, the entire surgical team was professional and kind, they truly care about their patients.
Marion V.
Nov 01, 2021
I went in for my first consultation in July. I met Dr. Stanley Paulos and decided he was the surgeon for me. I hadn't spent more than 15 minutes with him. Dr. Paulos gave me exactly the look I wanted. I thought he's either a mind reader or he has the best intuition I've ever seen in a man. I told him I wanted my breasts to be as big as possible without making me look silly and he did just that.

His expertise as a surgeon was evident when I saw my results. Simply beautiful, I couldn't be happier with the results! Also, the staff is very helpful, polite and knowledgeable. One more thing, the breast augmentation was reasonably priced. The whole experience was great!
Dawn B.
Oct 05, 2021
Bethany is amazing. She made my Orbera experience positive and uplifting. Her thoughtfulness and detailed attentive service is beyond compare. Have such individualized care and follow through is why going to PSS makes all the difference. Thanks Bethany!
Sue M.
Jul 05, 2021
Fantastic practice and by far, the BEST place for Botox and Fillers. Jen is the best nurse!
Ashley T.
Sep 23, 2020
I was waiting forever to get a breast augmentation. so I did my research and decided this was the best fit for me, it's been an amazing experience from the moment I called, it was such a breeze, everyone in the office was so friendly and knowledgeable! I got my breasts done a week ago today with the amazing Dr. Trent Douglas and went for my post opp today with him and added lip fillers while I was there.

He is an absolute miracle worker and made me feel so comfortable throughout this process! 100% recommend Dr. Douglas! He is a TRUE artist! It's been a only a week and sooo many people have complimented his work already! I will be referring all my friends!
Andy Price
Feb 10, 2019
EPIC! This group has helped me and my fiancee immensely. Amazing service, technology is state of the art, they really care about their results, super professional, cannot say enough about this practice.
Clare Michael
Jun 20, 2018
Dr H, as his fans call him, is the best! You will not be disappointed with what his artistry and skill will achieve for you. I've known a number of surgeons and worked for two so had the opportunity to see close up the "before" and "after" results for women and men. If you've been putting off the surgery for something that's driving you crazy, honestly, it's not worth the delay. You'll be happy - be it for you or the man in your life that needs a little encouragement. Clare Michael
Rebecca Brickhill
May 10, 2018
Dr. Hvistendal is amazing! I had a situation that took place up north and he collaborated with the my doctor and was willing to take me in immediately and take a look at my issue. I am very grateful because he took the time to explain everything to me, and most of all, that he solve the problem, and he probably saved my lip! The office staff and Dr. Hvistendal are so helpful, friendly, and approachable. I will definitely come back to Dr Hvistendal for any other issues that I might have in the future.
Erin Fleming
Feb 13, 2016
Great bedside manner, thorough, skillful, great office and friendly staff.