Dr. Eirini Zagkou: “I transform the way people feel about themselves and it has a ripple effect on the world”. A thought-after plastic surgeon, Dr. Eirini Zagkou, currently practices in Greece and welcomes patients from all over the world. Her radiant personality and unshakeable inner strength help her establish deep contact with people coming for her help, and she manages to combine medical precision with kindness to create beauty. In collaboration with the main companion who inspired and inspires her professional fulfillment, her mother Georgia Roumpou (pictured), Dr. Eirini Zagkow is pursuing his beautiful plans.
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Dr. Zagkou, you certainly give an impression of someone coming from the world of beauty. How did you realize what you wanted to do in life? And what lead you to plastic surgery?
I’ve felt my calling from an early age. In high school, I already started volunteering at a local hospital in a small town in Greece. I began assisting in surgery and performing surgery at the age of 18, and stepping into the operation room, I felt I could do nothing else. I went to medical school in Slovakia, and after that applied for a highly competitive Head and Neck Surgery training program in the UK, at Queen Alexandra Hospital. I’m extremely grateful to all the outstanding professionals working there, and our leader, Professor Peter Brennan. Over the years spent in the UK, I honed my skills and decided upon my future path.
Until recently, plastic surgery has been a rather controversial field of medicine. People can get judged for the desire to change their appearance in such a radical way. What’s your take on it?
Unfortunately, people tend to objectify others based on appearance, which creates insecurities. Over the years of running a medical practice, I’ve received several requests from patients all around the world to undergo a celebrity look-alike plastic or cosmetic surgery. To me, it’s all about healing, restoring one’s confidence, and helping people feel good about themselves. When I meet prospective patients, I listen to their complaints and try to understand what needs to change for them to feel better after the surgery. I believe that the motivation behind choosing to undergo the surgery plays a vital role in the patient’s journey and many factors must align perfectly for the procedure to be meaningful and truly life-changing.
What is the most satisfying thing about your job?
I believe that I was born to be a surgeon and a healer. It’s not just a job, it’s my nature. I love seeing how my actions can have an immediate impact on people’s lives. I also notice that we get kinder when we feel good about ourselves, so one person’s transformation can have a ripple effect on their surroundings.
What traits of character have led you to success in your field?
Being a surgeon is very demanding. I’ve always been attentive to detail and enjoy work that requires precision and high concentration. Another part of it are people skills – establishing a connection with my patients, understanding them, and caring about them every step of the way. And I am a self-confessed perfectionist. In surgery, there is no room for mistakes, because people can get hurt. So, striving for perfection is a must, but in daily life, it can turn out both a blessing and a curse.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m developing my practice as well as doing my second postgraduate degree. Also, together with my mother, we started a new exciting project – our own skincare beauty line! We would like to create products that minimize people’s need to come to a clinic, so we are taking on new challenges in research, business, and marketing.
Do you have a role model?
First of all, my mother Georgia Roumpou, who taught me a lot. She was born in Australia and now works as a pharmacist in Athens. From early childhood, she was and still is my main authority and role model. And from the very beginning of my medical school studies, she shared her experience with me. She taught me not only professional subtleties. She showed me how to treat patients better and communicate properly with them. And she is as much of a perfectionist and control freak as I am!
I also draw inspiration from the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher. My favorite quote from her is the following: «Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, selfesteem, and personal satisfaction.»
Model: Eirini Zagkou @dr_eirini_zagkou
Photographer: Alex Tsitouridis @alex_tsitouridis
PR: SAY MEDIA @say__media
