Saturday Morning Coffee Interviews with the Experts: Dr. Patrick Tonnard

Posted June 14, 2025 in Uncategorized | 6 minute read

An Interview with Dr. Patrick Tonnard and Dana Fox

Introduction: A Journey of Passion and Innovation

Grab your favorite mug and settle in, because it’s time for the first installment of our exciting new blog series, “Saturday Morning Coffee Interviews with Experts.”

Our goal is to interview various experts from around the globe representing multiple specialties, all united by one common thread: using regenerative medicine and the latest available therapies. Our focus will be primarily on adipose-based applications, but new aspects of regenerative therapies are being discovered daily, and we’ll be sure to incorporate the latest treatments and technology in the field.

My first interview is with Dr. Patrick Tonnard, often referred to as “The Father of Nanofat.” Over the past few months, I’ve immersed myself in the fascinating world of regenerative facial aesthetics, guided by the brilliant expertise and boundless imagination of this globally renowned plastic surgeon.

The idea for this series began at the SDARTS Global Conference in July 2024, followed by an inspiring visit to the offices of Dr. Patrick Tonnard and Dr. Alexis Verpaele in Ghent, Belgium. Little did I know that a new book for patients would soon land on my to-do list. When Dr. Tonnard asked me to join him in co-writing his upcoming book, “To Cut or Not to Cut,” I was thrilled beyond measure. This book aims to enlighten patients exploring facial aesthetic options, offering clear, patient-friendly insights into what they should know before opting for surgery or other treatments.

For the past few months, my Saturday mornings have begun with a cup of coffee and engaging conversations with Patrick Tonnard. We’ve had so much fun, and I thought you might enjoy joining us on this enlightening journey. The natural next step seemed to be expanding our conversations to include multiple experts from other specialties involved in adipose-based applications.

Building a Foundation of Trust

I’m not sure how many blogs this series will inspire but hang on and stay with us. The first two blogs are dedicated to uncovering why thousands of patients have placed their trust in Dr. Tonnard’s practice over the past twenty-seven years. Their confidence in him and his partner Dr. Alexis Verpaele may stem from their unwavering commitment to patient safety and well-being—the cornerstone of their practice. But you might ask: how have these patients determined that Coupure (the name of their practice) was the right choice for them? And how did they find them among all the available options in Belgium—or Europe, for that matter, since they see patients from around the world?

For those who know Dr. Tonnard well, they understand that plastic surgery isn’t merely his profession—it’s his lifelong passion. He cannot envision himself as anything other than a plastic surgeon. Yet his role extends beyond traditional surgery to that of a medical pioneer, searching for pathways to healthier, longer lives for himself, his loved ones, and his patients.

As a 35-year veteran marketer, curiosity is my driving force, and I always look for the “why” behind every marketing success and failure. In Patrick Tonnard’s case, failure has never been an option, so let’s examine why he and his partner Alexis Verpaele have become household names in plastic surgery.

The Intersection of Surgery and Lifestyle

While surgical intervention can dramatically transform appearance, the integration of healthier lifestyle choices makes an equally profound difference—potentially extending one’s lifespan while enhancing both appearance and vitality. Each Saturday morning, we’ve explored how combining surgical expertise and regenerative therapies with holistic approaches can lead to optimal health and beauty.

For anyone who has gotten up at “0-Dark Thirty” for a Zoom call, you know how the camera can be a little frightening. But when Patrick appears on the screen at 5 o’clock PM Belgium time, having just come in from a beach walk with his wife and canine best friend, his skin is beautiful by any standard. There’s a healthy glow that both he and his wife Veerle (who pops her head in to say hi) project on the screen. This isn’t something you can get from a bottle of synthetic vitamins or drugstore creams—it’s an inside job, which is what he tells his patients every day.

In his new book, he’ll discuss how nanofat injected during surgical procedures produces truly miraculous results in improving skin quality, tone, and texture. This improvement continues to manifest for years, and although patients don’t always see immediate results after surgery, they do as their healing progresses. They see the difference in their mirror and are amazed—almost feeling like they can see themselves getting younger daily. I witnessed this reaction firsthand in Patrick’s office with post-op patients, some brand new and others as much as five years post-op. Skeptics might say this could be wishful thinking manifesting into reality, but when you look at their post-op photos over a three-to-five-year span, you cannot miss the transformation. The clock really is moving backwards. When you examine these faces up close, you see beautiful skin regardless of the patients’ ages.

In my years of marketing cosmetic procedures, you can imagine how many before-and-after photos I’ve reviewed—some even doctored by patient coordinators for marketing purposes (shocking, I know, but true!). However, when you’re looking at the real deal, you just can’t miss it. There’s a healthy glow that I’ve never observed with off-the-shelf fillers.

I suspect those of you reading this blog have an interest in adding nanofat to your practice—or you probably wouldn’t be reading this. But what often happens is procedures look too difficult to incorporate into your in-office treatment days when they’re not part of your normal routine.

It’s certainly not that nanofat harvesting and reinjection is a difficult procedure—all of you could do this in your sleep. It’s just not part of your routine. What I hope to accomplish in this blog and the remaining Saturday Coffee with the Patrick Tonnard series is to convince you that this is something you must embrace or ultimately be left behind. Once it becomes mainstream—which I have every reason to believe it will—your patients will demand it.

In one of the upcoming Saturday Coffee blogs, I’ll cover what must happen with your staff to get this off the ground. We all know your staff must buy in, or we’re kidding ourselves—nothing happens if they don’t love it. Let me assure you: Patrick and Alexis’s staff love nanofat.

A Partnership of Innovation

Stay tuned as we continue to explore the innovative techniques and groundbreaking discoveries that have defined Dr. Tonnard’s career and learn how these advancements can help you achieve your aesthetic goals.

We’ll also explore combining nanofat with other modalities such as micro-needling and laser skin resurfacing. Along with Dr. Tonnard and Dr. Verpaele, numerous doctors are exploring these new options with extraordinary results.

Join me in the next blog with Dr. Tonnard as we uncover more about his journey, his techniques, and his unwavering dedication to the field of plastic surgery.