Darcy PIX FAV 2014

April 2014 Plastic Surgery Practice

D’Arcy A. Honeycutt, MD, brings a woman’s touch to her practice

By Amy Di Leo

As one of only a few female plastic surgeons in North Dakota, D’Arcy A. Honeycutt, MD, FACS, brings a “woman’s touch” to the table with an all-female staff and fresh flowers in the office, original artwork on the walls, and live plants throughout.

A graduate of Rice University in Houston, Dr Honeycutt performed her general surgery residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Tex, and then conducted original research as a fellow at the Shriners Burns Institute before completing her plastic surgery training at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.

She also teaches medical residents, nurse practitioners, and physical therapy students at two local universities, helped develop the national certifying exam for surgical technologists, and completed the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon in Kona in October

She took some time out to speak to Plastic Surgery Practice about her practice, her passions, and how an oil boom in North Dakota is keeping her very busy.

Here’s what she had to say:

1. Procedures you perform most often

About 65 to 75% of my practice is breast procedures, specifically augmentation, reduction, mastopexy, reconstruction, and augmentation revision.

2. Procedure you perform least often

I don’t perform a lot of rhinoplasty.

3. Most challenging procedure?

Facelifting is also challenging. I strive for a natural, unoperated look. Autologous fat transplantation has helped achieve a soft appearance.

4. Healthiest habit?

I have three: praying, exercising, and eating seafood and vegetables for lunch. I also keep busy with my triathlon training. I was privileged to complete the Hawaii Ironman in Kona in October, and I qualified for Olympic distance nationals, which will be held in Wisconsin in August.

5. Professional mantra?

My professional mantra is, “You can always accomplish more than you think.” To that, I’d add that my staff is the key to my success.

6. Biggest trend you are seeing in practice?

I’m seeing more and more use of autologous fat grafting, as well as the use of more machines in practices. But luckily, as plastic surgeons, we will never be replaced.

7. How do you market your practice?

I use a smart mix of advertising, social media, public relations, and search engine optimization to market my practice. Traditional media like newspaper and TV have been beneficial to reach the target audiences in my market. I just hired a PR firm to help get word out about my practice. This is beneficial as North Dakota is in the midst of an oil boom, which has attracted new people to live here. Plus, the oil boom has resulted in more people having more discretionary money to spend on procedures that I do.

8. Charity of record?

I’m a strong supporter of my local church, Word of Faith, and the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra.

9 Technology you couldn’t practice without?

The smart phone has been instrumental in how we communicate with our patients. We now send appointment reminders via text and e-newsletters.

10. Greatest accomplishment?

My greatest accomplishment has been being married to my neurosurgeon husband, Tom, for 27 years, despite us living in different parts of the country for 7 of those years while we completed our residencies. During that time, we managed to raise two well-adjusted children in spite of demanding surgical careers. Sadly, Tom died last summer in the operating room before his first case of the day. I am fortunate to have my two children to keep me busy.

Amy Di Leo is the associate editor for Plastic Surgery Practice magazine. She can be reached at [email protected].

Original citation for this article: Di Leo, A. Iron lady, Plastic Surgery Practice. 2014; April: 34.