Jerome D. Chao, M.D., F.A.C.S., is the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Saratoga Hospital. Previously, he served as Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Albany Medical Center until June 2010. As Chief, Dr. Chao directed the clinical, education and research programs of the division and was responsible for the creation of the full-time division at Albany Medical College in 2006. He was also formerly the Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Saratoga Hospital and holds the current position of Chief at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. A graduate of Harvard University, Dr. Chao received his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University and completed his plastic surgery residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University in Chicago. He was the Robert E. Carroll Fellow in orthopaedic hand surgery at The New York Orthopaedic Hospital of Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Chao is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Although he is trained in all aspects of cosmetic surgery, he is expert in performing post-bariatric body contouring (plastic surgery after massive weight-loss) and abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck” procedures. He specializes in "natural" breast augmentation, facial fat grafting, "Brazilian Butt Lift" and liposuction body contouring including SmartLipo and PrecisionTX. Dr. Chao believes a team approach to care results in the best outcomes, stating, “The patient always comes first. My staff and I are devoted to helping patients improve the way they look and feel, every step of the way. In addition, we concentrate on only a few procedures because we became experts dealing with some of the most complicated cases while at Albany Medical Center. We no longer offer a menu of procedures, only the ones we know best.” A member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, Dr. Chao also has expertise in hair restoration, utilizing both the traditional "strip" technique and Neograft, or Follicular Unit Extraction. See our sister website at www.upstatehair.com.