Meet Dr. Vega
Where Advanced Techniques Meet Authentic Care
Dr. Stephen Vega is a board-certified plastic surgeon whose reputation extends far beyond Rochester, New York. With over two decades of experience in plastic surgery and specialized training in microsurgery, he has built a practice where technical precision meets genuine patient care.
His path to medicine began with a childhood dream and the unwavering determination to see it through. Inspired by his mother’s career as a labor and delivery nurse, young Stephen set his sights on becoming a doctor, and when family members questioned whether he’d stick with the demanding 14-year journey ahead, his resolve only deepened.
Dr. Vega's Passion
Discovering a Passion for Plastic Surgery
Dr. Vega earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. During his first weeks of anatomy class, his professor recognized something in him. While other students viewed dissection as tedious, Dr. Vega found himself captivated by the intricate details of the human body. “You’re going to be a surgeon,” his professor told him, noting his enthusiasm and natural skill. That prediction proved prophetic.
As Dr. Vega progressed through medical school, his path led him to the University of Rochester Medical Center for his plastic surgery residency, though he hadn’t initially considered the specialty. Like many medical students, he’d assumed plastic surgery was limited to cosmetic procedures. When a general surgery rotation wasn’t available and he reluctantly accepted a plastic surgery clerkship, his perspective changed completely.
That single rotation exposed him to hand surgery, cleft lip and palate repairs, cranial deformities and breast reconstruction. He watched plastic surgeons being called across the hospital to perform complex reconstructive procedures in multiple specialties. The breadth fascinated him. He realized plastic surgeons operate on more areas of the body than most general surgeons do, making them true specialists in surgical technique.
He canceled his other specialty rotations and committed fully to plastic surgery.
Mastering
Mastering Microsurgery
After his plastic surgery residency, Dr. Vega pursued an advanced microsurgery fellowship with Dr. Joseph M. Serletti, an internationally recognized pioneer in free flap autologous breast reconstruction. Dr. Serletti, who served as past president of the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery and the American Surgical Association, invited Dr. Vega to be his first fellowship trainee in microsurgery. Microsurgery involves operating on blood vessels and tissues that are visible only under magnification, reconnecting them with precision that allows the transferred tissue to survive in its new location. It’s technically demanding work that relatively few surgeons pursue, but Dr. Vega found he had the patience and talent for it.
This specialized training opened doors to the most advanced breast reconstruction techniques available: DIEP flap, latissimus dorsi flap and TUG flap procedures. Each uses a patient’s own tissue rather than implants, creating natural-looking results that age with the body. For patients, this means avoiding the potential complications associated with implants while achieving results that feel and move naturally. Dr. Vega remains the only surgeon in the Rochester area offering all three of these microsurgical options, bringing patients from across Western New York specifically to his practice.
His microsurgery expertise has earned national recognition. He has presented at regional, national and international conferences, taught the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ course on TUG flap reconstruction and serves as a fellowship director for the American Society of Microsurgery. Over 1,000 microsurgical cases later, he continues to operate at the cutting edge of the specialty.
Dr. Vega's Practice
Building a Different Kind of Practice
After four and a half years as a faculty surgeon at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Dr. Vega opened his own plastic surgery practice in 2009. He wanted something the university system couldn’t offer: the freedom to spend real time with patients, to truly understand their concerns and goals, and to make decisions based solely on what’s best for each individual.
“At the end of the day, I just want to take really good care of my patients,” Dr. Vega explains. “The bar is higher with private practice. I can take the time to listen, to understand what you’re hoping for, and to be completely honest about what I can achieve for you.”
That honesty and understanding are integral to what Dr. Vega calls “surgical psychology.” It’s about more than evaluating whether someone is a good candidate anatomically. It’s about understanding who you are as a person, what truly matters to you, and whether plastic surgery will genuinely improve your life and confidence.
His selectivity isn’t about turning people away. It’s about making sure that every patient who moves forward with surgery does so with confidence, clarity and realistic expectations. His patients consistently say his honesty is precisely why they trust him.
That trust extends to his entire team. From the front desk staff who greet you by name to the advanced practice providers and coordinators who’ve worked alongside him for years, every member of Vega Plastic Surgery & MedSpa is carefully selected for their expertise and genuine care for patients. Dr. Vega credits his practice administrator, Kristin, as ‘the glue that makes it all work,’ ensuring seamless coordination from your first consultation through your final follow-up.
Vega Plastic Surgery & MedSpa serves patients seeking cosmetic procedures and those battling or recovering from cancer or trauma. Dr. Vega maintains operating privileges at both major Rochester health systems, positioning himself where patients’ needs always come first.
Vega MedSpa
Comprehensive Care Under One Roof
As Dr. Vega’s surgical practice grew, he noticed a pattern: many patients wanted treatments beyond what surgery could provide. In 2013, Dr. Vega expanded his practice to include Vega MedSpa, offering nonsurgical and minimally invasive procedures such as Botox, fillers and laser treatments.
“A lot of times, the answers people need are not in the operating room,” he says. “And sometimes, the best results come from the combination of surgery and nonsurgical treatments.”
Dr. Vega pursued additional training and invested in the highest-quality equipment available. Now, with nearly two decades of experience in nonsurgical aesthetic treatments, Vega MedSpa offers patients comprehensive aesthetic care in one location, where treatments are carefully planned to achieve optimal results. His experienced aestheticians and advanced practice providers bring their own specialized expertise to every treatment, working collaboratively to customize care for each patient’s unique needs.
Partnership
A Partnership Built on Excellence
Dr. Vega’s collaboration with breast cancer surgeon Dr. Rachel Farkas exemplifies his commitment to exceptional patient care. In breast reconstruction, the relationship between the surgical oncologist and the reconstructive surgeon can make the difference between a decent outcome and an extraordinary one.
Dr. Vega and Dr. Farkas work together from the very beginning to determine the ideal techniques for the surgeries they each perform. Before Dr. Farkas performs a mastectomy, Dr. Vega examines the patient and marks the optimal incision placement for the best possible reconstruction outcome. They discuss the surgical plan together, ensuring that every move Dr. Farkas makes in the operating room sets Dr. Vega up for success in creating beautiful, natural-looking breasts, all without compromising on cancer care.
“She has great bedside manner, really loves and engages with her patients,” Dr. Vega says of Dr. Farkas. “To be really good at breast reconstruction, you need a surgical partner who understands patients deeply and shares your commitment to excellence. Dr. Farkas does that and more.”
It’s the kind of partnership that’s increasingly difficult to find, and it’s one of the reasons patients travel from across Western New York to receive their care at Vega Plastic Surgery.
Family
The Person Behind the Surgeon
Dr. Vega and his wife, both physicians who understand the demands of medical careers, have built a life centered on family. They reside in the Finger Lakes region of New York and have three children: a 19-year-old daughter in college, a 17-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter. Two doodles round out the family.
Faith plays an important role in their family life, and Dr. Vega and his wife regularly attend church together with their children.
When he’s not in the operating room, you’ll likely find him at the family’s lake house. An avid sailor, he enjoys time on the water with his kids. He plays tennis regularly with his children, and the family travels frequently to the Caribbean. The family also maintains a substantial garden at the lake, growing blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and various vegetables.
Beyond family pursuits, his car collection reflects his appreciation for engineering and design, interests that parallel the precision required in surgery. He’s also a wine aficionado who is currently developing his own vineyard on land near the family’s lake house.”
Going Beyond
Beyond Breast Reconstruction
While Dr. Vega is renowned for his microsurgical breast reconstruction expertise, his skills extend across the full spectrum of plastic surgery. In any given week, he performs facelifts, tummy tucks, arm lifts, thigh lifts, breast augmentations, breast lifts and liposuction procedures alongside his reconstruction work. This breadth of experience means he brings refined surgical technique and an artistic eye to every procedure he performs.
This versatility also means you’re not starting over if your needs evolve. Whether you begin with reconstruction and later want cosmetic enhancement, or start with one cosmetic procedure and decide to address another area, you already have a surgeon who knows you and has earned your trust.
“I’m trained in everything, and I’ve maintained that diverse practice deliberately,” he explains.
“When a plastic surgeon is experienced operating from head to toe, they know what procedure or combination of procedures is going to create the most harmonious outcome for each patient.”
His extensive experience across multiple procedure types benefits every patient who walks through his door. The precision he developed through thousands of hours of microsurgery translates into meticulous work on cosmetic procedures. The aesthetic eye he’s honed through years of cosmetic surgery enhances his reconstruction results. Every skill reinforces the others, creating a surgeon who approaches each case with comprehensive expertise.
His practice has built a loyal following of patients who return year after year, whether for additional procedures, preventive treatments at the medspa, or simply to maintain their results. It’s a testament to the relationships he builds and the trust patients place in his skill and judgment across all areas of plastic surgery and aesthetics.
Future
Looking Forward
After more than 20 years in practice, Dr. Vega shows no signs of slowing down. When asked where he sees his practice in five years, his answer is straightforward: “Exciting, growing, getting better and providing better care.” He’s optimistic about the future of plastic surgery, believing the field will become more introspective and honest about outcomes and limitations.
“I want to look back and appreciate my true accomplishments — the individual people I helped feel whole and confident — rather than focusing on patient volume and profit margins.”
It’s a mature perspective from a surgeon who remains committed to the fundamentals: technical excellence, honest communication and genuine care for the people who trust him.
Our Patients
Why Patients Choose Dr. Vega
When asked what makes him different, Dr. Vega points to what he calls the three A’s: He’s affable, able and available. He possesses the technical skills that come from extensive training and thousands of procedures. He has the experience to handle complex cases and challenging revisions. And he has the compassion to see each patient as an individual.
His staff describes the office as a tight-knit family where people genuinely care about and support one another as well as their patients. This isn’t just rhetoric. Many team members have been with the practice for years, creating continuity of care that patients notice and appreciate. When you return for a follow-up appointment or your next treatment, you’re greeted by familiar faces who remember your journey and celebrate your results alongside you. Patients frequently comment that they feel truly respected and valued by the entire staff.
For women recovering from mastectomy, Dr. Vega offers hope and wholeness through reconstruction techniques that few surgeons in the region can perform. For patients seeking cosmetic improvements, he offers honest assessments, realistic expectations and results that look natural. For everyone who walks through his door, he offers the increasingly rare experience of being treated as a person rather than a procedure.
