Some partnerships are built in the boardroom. Others are forged over decades of friendship, mutual respect and a shared commitment to excellence.
At Orange County Plastic Surgery at CosmetiCare, the collaboration between Dr. Juris Bunkis and Dr. Deborah Ekstrom is rooted in more than surgical expertise—it is the culmination of two remarkable careers that ultimately converged around a common philosophy: helping patients look and feel their very best.
Both surgeons grew up far from Southern California. Dr. Bunkis was raised in a mining town in Northern Ontario, Canada, while Dr. Ekstrom grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota. Those humble beginnings instilled a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for the importance of caring for people—qualities that continue to define their practice today.
Two Distinguished Careers, One Shared Purpose
Their professional journeys followed different paths before eventually intersecting. Dr. Ekstrom initially pursued medical school in Minnesota before completing her plastic surgery fellowship at the University of Massachusetts followed by a hand surgery fellowship in Connecticut. Along the way, a year of psychiatric study gave her a unique perspective on the emotional side of medicine, helping shape the compassionate, patient-centered approach she brings to every consultation.
It was during this time that she first met Dr. Bunkis, who happened to be a visiting professor. Their connection extended beyond the operating room when Dr. Bunkis introduced her to advanced techniques for repairing cleft lips and palates during a humanitarian medical mission to Guatemala. The experience proved transformative, reinforcing a lifelong commitment to helping patients achieve confidence through reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Bunkis, meanwhile, built a distinguished career that has earned him recognition as one of the nation’s most respected plastic surgeons. Known for his meticulous surgical technique and innovative approach, he has long been committed to advancing the field while maintaining a deeply personal connection with his patients. Outside the practice, his dedication to service continues through volunteer work with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and his role as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Latvia.
Years later, a chance reunion at a medical conference rekindled the friendship between the two physicians. What began as a professional reconnection eventually evolved into both a personal and professional partnership. Today, they practice side-by-side in Corona del Mar, combining their complementary talents to provide comprehensive aesthetic and reconstructive care.
Their collaboration offers patients a unique advantage. While each surgeon performs a full range of aesthetic procedures independently, they frequently work together on more complex cases, bringing two highly experienced perspectives to the operating room. The result is a thoughtful, collaborative approach that enhances precision, efficiency and patient outcomes.
Together, they offer expertise spanning virtually every area of plastic surgery. Dr. Ekstrom specializes in body contouring procedures, including tummy tucks, liposuction, arm and thigh lifts, and breast surgery. She is also recognized for her advanced fat grafting techniques, which utilize a patient’s own tissue to restore volume and create natural-looking rejuvenation.
Dr. Bunkis has earned particular acclaim for facial aesthetic surgery. His specialties include facelifts, neck lifts, brow lifts, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, skin resurfacing and facial rejuvenation procedures designed to restore youthful contours while preserving natural expression.
The Art of Facial Rejuvenation
Facial rejuvenation today is less about transformation and more about restoration – subtle, strategic and deeply personal.
“Today’s patients are increasingly seeking subtle, natural enhancements that help them look as vibrant as they feel,” says Dr. Bunkis. “Our philosophy is to help patients look refreshed and rested, while still unmistakably themselves.”
It’s a message that resonates especially strongly with facelift patients who often arrive with the same concern – fear of looking “different,” rather than younger.
At Orange County Plastic Surgery, facial rejuvenation often combines surgical artistry with advanced technologies and non-surgical treatments to address volume loss, skin laxity, texture and overall facial harmony.
“A facelift repositions and tightens the deeper facial tissues, restores youthful contours and removes sagging skin,” says Dr. Bunkis. “This gives patients a refreshed, rested appearance – closer to the way they looked years earlier.”
That distinction is important – by lifting and repositioning deeper layers – not just tightening the skin – the face regains definition along the jawline, cheeks and neck where aging is most visible.
Subtle Results, Lasting Confidence
One of the most compelling aspects of facelift surgery is its longevity. Results are not fleeting, but they are also not frozen in time.
“On average, patients look 10 to 15 years younger after a facelift,” says Dr. Bunkis. “Importantly, the clock does not stop. Patients will continue to age naturally, but they will always look 10 to 15 years younger than if they had never had the procedure. In other words, the facelift sets the clock back – but it keeps ticking forward at the same pace.”
That concept – resetting without pausing – is central to the practice’s approach. Patients are not trying to escape aging, but rather recalibrate it.
“This is where artistry matters as much as technique,” says Dr. Ekstrom. Every face ages differently and every plan is tailored accordingly.”
Whether through a carefully tailored facelift, fat transfer, eyelid rejuvenation, laser resurfacing, non-surgical refinement or a customized combination of treatments, the goal is never to “create a new face,” but rather to restore confidence by revealing a refreshed version of the person already there.
It is this balance of surgical excellence, artistry and genuine compassion that has made their practice a trusted destination for patients throughout Southern California.
For Dr. Bunkis and Dr. Ekstrom, every procedure begins with listening, understanding and building trust. The techniques may be advanced and the results transformative, but at the heart of their practice remains something remarkably simple: caring for people.
