Dr Tristan de Chalain

In private practice since 1997, Tristan was previously a senior consultant surgeon at Middlemore Hospital and visiting specialist at Starship Children’s, National Women’s and Auckland Public hospitals.

Born in Canada, Tristan completed his medical and surgical degrees in South Africa. He was then accepted for advanced postgraduate fellowships at two well-known North American institutes: Emory University’s affiliated hospitals in Atlanta, and the world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children in downtown Toronto. This training included the latest techniques for body contouring and facial rejuvenation, as well as micro-surgical reconstruction, paediatric and cranio-facial surgery, and surgery of congenital malformations such as vascular anomalies and cleft lip and palate. At Emory, he also helped to develop and teach endoscopic techniques for facial rejuvenation.

In 1997, he was invited to join the senior staff in the Plastic Surgery Unit at Middlemore Hospital, where he focused on cleft lip and palate surgery, and chest wall reconstruction.

Tristan has received numerous respected awards and scholarships and has more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters to his credit. Despite the breadth and depth of his training and experience, a key passion remains facial restoration following skin cancer, injury or ageing. Travelling annually to the Philippines, he treats underprivileged children with cleft lip and palate conditions pro bono for Operation Restore Hope NZ. He also offers his time and expertise for free at the Auckland Regional Charitable Hospital.

In his spare time he enjoys tinkering in his shed, writing and reading. He is happily married with two teenage children.