Deanna C. Menapace, M.D.

Location

Contact

SUMMARY

The research of Deanna C. Menapace, M.D., bridges the art and science of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Menapace is a surgeon in Mayo Clinic's Otolaryngology (ENT)/Head and Neck Surgery and Mayo Clinic Cosmetic Center. Her work spans:

• Antiaging medicine.
• Appearance care.
• Appearance longevity.
• Regenerative medicine.
• Medical devices.
• Soft tissue histology.

She focuses on bridging the gap between advanced therapies and evidence-based care for the future.

Focus areas

• Advanced regenerative medicine. Dr. Menapace and her colleagues explore advanced regenerative therapies for aesthetic and antiaging applications. Their work focuses on developing and applying treatments that use a patient's own regenerative cells — often referred to as nanofat — along with extracellular vesicles and other innovative modalities to rejuvenate skin and address visible signs of aging. In collaboration with the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics and research partners advancing regenerative science, the team continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in aesthetic medicine. Dr. Menapace and her team also have expanded the use of autologous serum drops to treat moderate to severe dry eye in patients with facial paralysis.
• Medical devices. Dr. Menapace is at the forefront of technological innovation in facial plastic surgery. She partners with Mayo Clinic Ventures and industry collaborators to develop new in-office and intraoperative treatment delivery systems, with a particular focus on precise microdosing for targeted skin therapy. These efforts position her to continually advance the tools and techniques shaping modern aesthetic surgery.
• Patient satisfaction. Recognizing that cosmetic surgery profoundly impacts quality of life, Dr. Menapace studies patient outcomes and satisfaction. Her team creates objective assessment tools to measure surgical results and investigate the influence of consumer behavior on the decision to pursue facial plastic surgery.
• Facial paralysis. Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, Dr. Menapace leverages artificial intelligence to track facial paralysis outcomes. She is developing an at-home data collection system designed to optimize treatment and improve patient care.

Significance to patient care

Dr. Menapace combines patient care with facial plastic surgery and aesthetic research. She chose academic medicine over private practice because it allows her to deliver the highest level of care while training future surgeons and growing their knowledge. In a field where clinical innovation often moves faster than the research behind it, Dr. Menapace is committed to driving careful scientific study. Her work helps make sure that new tools and treatments are safe, data-driven and used responsibly. Dr. Menapace provides advanced therapies today while helping shape better care, backed by research, for the future.

Professional highlights

• Editorial board member, Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine, 2024-present.
• Mayo Clinic:
  • Innovation Award, for the project "Autologous Serum Eye Drops," Clinical Practice Committee, 2025.
  • Innovation Award, for the project "Dermal Drug Delivery Device," Clinical Practice Committee, 2025.
• Resident Travel Award and Best Paper Award, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018.
• Poster Award, Society for Pediatric Dermatology, 2014.