Dr. Philip Solomon is one of Toronto’s most sought-after and experienced facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgeons with more than 20 years of work to his credit. Certified in Otolaryngology Head and Neck practicing Facial Plastic Surgery, Solomon is a testament to his profession and demonstrates how devotion, hard work, artistic talent and commitment to patient care can translate into an immensely successful practice.
If you’re in the city, you’ve probably come across Dr. Philip Solomon’s Davenport clinic in the Yorkville/Bloor corridor of downtown Toronto. Dr Solomon opened this boutique clinic to provide better access to patients coming from all over Ontario and, in some cases, from out of province, as well as out of country. Not only is he certified in Canada, but he is also licenced by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery — only a select number of surgeons in Ontario have this designation.
Solomon has dedicated his life to helping thousands of patients look and feel their best. He’s provided medical care for people of all ages and various ethnic backgrounds. Solomon has limited his surgical practice in recent years, becoming super specialized in the procedures that he offers. His practice is limited exclusively to Facial Plastic Surgery including rhinoplasty, deep plane facelift, blepharoplasty, facial implants and facial feminization.
Patients come to him for his guidance and his meticulous artistry, whether they are seeking rhinoplasty surgery while looking to maintain their ethnicity or are looking for a drastic change to the shape of their nose. Those seeking anti-aging options both surgically and non-surgically trust Solomon’s aptitude to transform his patients into the best versions of themselves. Solomon has adopted the Deep Plane Facelift surgery in his practice and, in his opinion, it provides the most natural and longest lasting results. He also sees clients who are looking for transformations, including those who seek facial feminization surgery to help in their transition to female.
Solomon says his greatest joy is helping people reach their goals and feel good about themselves. Many of our patients express tremendous gratitude for our work. When asked about his career, Solomon draws satisfaction from giving back to the community as he was Chief of Surgery at Mackenzie Health Hospital in Richmond Hill, Ont., for more than a decade. He currently is on the teaching faculty as assistant professor at the University of Toronto, department of Otolaryngology, Solomon training young surgeons in Facial Plastic Surgery. Add to that, Solomon co-directs a one-year international fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery.
Philip Solomon was born in Pretoria, South Africa. At the age of 5, Solomon’s parents decided it was time to move their young family (Philip, his older brother and younger sister) across the world. “My parents took a boat — called Windsor Castle — from the tip of Africa to London, England, as part of our immigration to Canada,” he explains. “Then we moved to Toronto. My father worked as a tax accountant and my mother was a librarian.” Solomon grew up in Toronto and went to London, Ont.’s Western University for his undergraduate, then to the University of Toronto (U of T) for medical school. “I debated between architecture and medicine, but when I was 13, I broke my femur in a freak accident. I spent two months in traction in hospital. This experience and the care I received ultimately influenced my decision to become a physician.
Choosing facial cosmetic plastic surgery as a specialty was a decision Solomon made after medical school. “I was interested in the intricacies of facial anatomy, which led me to spend time training with plastic surgeons, as well as Head and Neck Surgeons at U of T. Ultimately, I ended up being fascinated with the complexity of Head and Neck surgery and facial tumour and cancer removal and reconstruction,” he says, adding he applied to train in U of T’s five-year Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery program. This program is recognized as one of the best of its kind in the world. It was during that time when Solomon was exposed to reconstructive and facial cosmetic procedures, and something about it stuck with him — he ended up training in Facial Plastic Surgery and completed certification by the American board of Facial Plastic Surgery. (It’s worth mentioning that Solomon’s siblings have also made a mark in their chosen professions: His brother opted for a career in dentistry and his sister is a lawyer.) Solomon has been married for 20 years and both he and his wife are happily raising their two teenage sons.
He was 29, when he started practicing as a surgeon. “My first surgery was a facial tumour case and I remember how privileged I felt to be able to manage the complexity of my patient’s case,” he says. For the first 15 years of his practice, Solomon performed Head and Neck Surgery and cosmetic surgery. These days, Solomon’s busy practice — which has two locations (one downtown on Davenport and the other in Old Thornhill) — finds him doing up to 300 rhinoplasty surgeries each year, as well as about 100 facelifts. It’s typical for him to spend an average week seeing patients, doing consultations, and in surgery performing facelifts, rhinoplasty, facial implants, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and laser resurfacing. Solomon has made it a priority to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to learning and embracing new technologies. “We are extremely selective and do extensive research prior to bringing on any new devices,” he adds.
The industry has changed since Solomon started out. Twenty-plus years ago, the focus was on surgical interventions — non-surgical facial cosmetic procedures were just emerging. Non-surgical options have now expanded to include a multitude of products, botox, fillers and energy devices. Most practices that are dedicated to cosmetic surgery, have had to expand to include non-surgical treatments to ensure their patients have access to as many options as possible,” says Solomon. Patients don’t just come for one-time surgeries — they maintain a relationship with their surgeon to optimize their results and adopt non-surgical treatments as part of their treatment plan. Not only has the industry changed — so has Solomon. He is busier than ever in consultation with patients at his Davenport clinic and performing surgery at his state-of-the-art private facility in Old Thornhill.
There’s no denying the importance of the work Solomon does — he has irrefutably helped changed the lives of thousands of patients in his 20-plus year career. “Many of the stories I hear from patients are similar where they describe themselves to be victims of childhood bullying. A lot of the stories of bullying can scar patients for their entire lives,” he says. “I’ve found that patients who undergo rhinoplasty surgery — from teenagers to 70-year-olds—have a similar response. Often, the post-surgical experience is quite emotional, and patients feel relief and they’re able to let go of some of their insecurities that they developed at a young age and held onto.” These stores keep Solomon feeling grateful and motivates him to work hard. “My parents were immigrants to Canada and always made me feel that I could do what I wanted to do. Instilling that confidence into a child allows them to flourish. I feel fortunate that my parents chose Toronto,” he says. “I believe that with hard work and commitment, there are tremendous opportunities for success. I hope this continues to be the case for the next 20 years.”
May 17th 2021