Joseph P. Hunstad MD, FACS

Joseph P. Hunstad knew he wanted to be a physician from a very young age. And soon upon entering medical school, he knew he really wanted to be a surgeon. Believing he discovered his specialty – burn care and surgery – he developed his skills while enjoying the intricacy and strenuous pace of intensive care trauma. However, when he received an invitation to perform a cleft lip operation, a cosmetic procedure, and complex hand surgery from the chief of the burn unit, he was introduced to a new career in the innovative field of plastic surgery.

After completing his general surgery internship and residency, followed by a plastic surgery residency in Michigan, his studies led him to Houston, TX. There, he attained a coveted fellowship in reconstructive microsurgery and cosmetic plastic surgery at the MECOM Microsurgery Institute and the Texas medical Center.

Dr. Hunstad began his practice in Charlotte and watched it evolve rapidly as he welcomed more cosmetic plastic surgery patients. His determination, concern for patients, and pursuit of excellence shaped him into a well-respected surgeon. It was his passion for finding solutions to challenging surgeries that led him to develop and publish several plastic surgery procedures while practicing here in Charlotte. He began to lecture and demonstrate his new techniques to national and international audiences. In 1993, while presenting on the topic of “Body Contouring after Massive Weight Loss,” he was approached by the president of the Belgium Society of Surgery to be the keynote speaker later that year in Brussels, which was his first invitation as an international lecturer.