Anesthesiologist Michael E. Kruczek has seen a lot of great doctors at work in the operating room during his 30-year medical practice. But one expert, plastic surgeon Elizabeth S. Harris, stands out in the crowd.

“She’s an artist who uses a scalpel like a paintbrush,” Dr. Kruczek says. “I tell you, it’s an amazing experience to watch her pay exquisite attention to detail and get those beautiful aesthetic results.”

Kruczek’s high praise is echoed by patients who’ve gone to Harris’ Center for Cosmetic Surgery seeking procedures that run the gamut from reconstructive breast surgery to injections of Botox. They agree that whether the situation is simple or complex, the personable woman with the upbeat attitude and friendly smile gives it her all. Without doubt, the doctor’s aim is to make every case a success.

Though cosmetic procedures such as Botox, face lifts, tummy tucks and breast augmentation/reduction are a big part of Dr. Harris’ business, breast reconstruction is the work that brings the most satisfaction. Mastectomies can be so devastating, she reflects. Suddenly the body has been invaded by a scary disease; suddenly this disease has resulted in drastic changes to the feminine form.

Even the bravest mastectomy patients harbor doubts as to whether they will ever look and feel the same again. And that’s why reconstruction is so important, the surgeon points out. As the body heals from a mastectomy, reconstruction can heal the spirit.

Of course, her hope is that one day mastectomies will be history. So, raising funds for research through Women in Medicine & Law for the Cure has become her cause and chief philanthropy. One WMLC-sponsored event alone last year brought in $146,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“I’m doing this for my daughters (Megan, 11, and Madeline, 10) and others like them,” Harris explains regarding her involvement. “If we can win this battle against breast cancer in our time just think what a gift it could be for future generations.”

Until the goal’s achieved, though, reconstructive surgery is available to help —and, according to the physician, such operations have come a long way. Impressive things can be done to repair cancer’s ravages today. In fact, whether the patient opts for a procedure utilizing her own body tissue to mold a new breast or chooses a method involving gradual tissue expansion and implants, natural looking and feeling results are possible.

Silicone, the chief material being used for implants these days, has entered a new era of acceptance and safety. Nipples, once so hard to replicate, now can be artistically recreated to closely mimic the real thing. Indeed, fears that one will never again have an attractive shape or be able to wear pretty clothes are unfounded in sight of modern techniques and technology. And hope exists even when fate deals a totally unexpected blow.

Take the case of Paula Moos, a nurse who is constantly caring for sick patients. To her surprise, one day she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I went for a mastectomy to be positive we got all the cancer, but I sure didn’t want to give up my figure,” Moos confides. So, while the cancer operation was being done, Dr. Harris put in a tissue expander, lessening the shock of loss and paving the way for the gradual building of a reconstructed breast.

“The doctor was so sensitive to my needs—a very understanding and compassionate person,” recalls Moos, who will return to the OR later this month for the final breast-sculpting session. “I think of Dr. Harris as an empathetic friend and recommend her highly.”

Elizabeth Spinuzza Harris was born 49 years ago in Chicago. She learned the value of empathy while accompanying her internist father on house calls. Dad spoke Italian; much chatting in that language about everyday things would always go on in the homes he visited. Daughter noticed that the down-to-earth attitude seemed to make patients feel better and she dispenses a similar prescription in her own doctoring.

Doctoring, however, wasn’t Harris’ first career goal. She wanted to be an artist; maybe work as a medical illustrator. That ambition led to a major in biology and art at Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame. Later on, illustrating was almost erased from the picture by an ever-increasing load of medical studies. Ultimately, she earned her doctor of medicine degree from Northwestern University, followed by surgical internships and residencies at the University of Virginia where the field of plastic surgery was selected as a specialty. To her delight, the specialty turned out to be a perfect way to combine medicine and art.

Certified by the American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harris opened her private practice in Texas in the ‘90s and now has two offices—one in San Antonio and another in New Braunfels. She’s a member of many prestigious medical groups and has an impressive list of credentials—the first things any patient should ask to see, by the way, if shopping around for a professional in the plastic surgery field.

In case you’re wondering, the term “plastic“ has nothing to do with the synthetic material but derives from the Greek word “plastickos” which means to sculpt or shape. Most plastic surgeons complete a seven or eight year residency after medical school. Plastic surgeons are trained to perform complex procedures that repair deformities such as cleft lips, hand and facial trauma and closure of severe wounds. Cosmetic surgery is only a small portion of the skills of a plastic surgeon.

For Harris, repairing/sculpting the human body is both exciting and a big responsibility. Taking print-making classes at the Southwest School of Art & Craft plus doing fun things with her family (she met her husband Mansel, an urologist, during residency) lessens the stress. Then there are those rescued Labrador retrievers—nothing like a pet to help you unwind at the end of a tough day, she will tell you with a laugh.

Mostly, though, the surgeon is at the office helping women and a growing number of men to look better and thereby bolster their self-esteem. But, she cautions, don’t come in with unrealistic expectations. Some things can’t and shouldn’t be done. The patient must be psychologically right for a procedure. Fortunately, San Antonio teacher Sherri Jaeger was.

“I didn’t want to be Pamela Anderson when I went in for breast augmentation,” Jaeger emphasizes. “I just wanted a nicer figure that suited me.”

Today she has one, thanks to Dr. Harris’ artistry.