Few surgeons in the United States have blended elite cosmetic practice with humanitarian commitment as deliberately as Dr. Andrew Jacono. A dual board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in New York, Dr. Jacono has spent decades directing his technical expertise toward patients who could never afford it, building a body of charitable work that spans domestic violence recovery and international pediatric missions.
The origin of that commitment traces to a formative medical school encounter. A young girl who rode the school bus alone shunned by classmates because of her cleft lip and palate underwent reconstructive surgery, and the transformation Jacono witnessed was not simply physical. Her social world changed. That observation shaped how he would later understand his own profession.
Restoring Dignity After Abuse
Dr. Andrew Jacono has performed facial reconstructive procedures for more than 100 survivors of domestic violence through the FACE TO FACE project, a pro bono initiative run by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, where he serves as senior advisor. The program connects abuse survivors with surgeons willing to donate their skills and operating time.
His domestic violence work earned formal recognition in 2006, when the Center for the Women of New York gave him a “Good Guy” Award. U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy later entered a commendation into the Congressional Record acknowledging his contributions to women’s welfare. For nine consecutive years, he chaired ABOUT FACE: MAKING CHANGES, an annual fundraising benefit supporting survivors.
A documentary television series titled Facing Trauma, which aired in 2011 on Discovery Fit & Health and subsequently on the Oprah Winfrey Network, followed Dr. Jacono as he performed reconstructive procedures for domestic violence victims and others who had experienced traumatic injury. The show gave national audiences a rare view of the medical and psychological dimensions of facial trauma recovery.
Global Missions and Academic Leadership
Beyond domestic work, Dr. Andrew Jacono has provided surgical care to more than 750 children during international missions with organizations including Healing the Children, the HUGS Foundation, and THAI Children. He has traveled to Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries where cleft lips, ear deformities, facial tumors, and burn scars go untreated for lack of accessible specialists. He typically conducts two international trips per year.
His academic roles at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and as Section Head of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at North Shore University Hospital give him platforms to pass this philosophy on. As Fellowship Director for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, he trains the next generation of surgeons to integrate humanitarian service into their careers alongside clinical excellence. Refer to this article for more information.
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