Francisco Canales, M.D.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Francisco Canales specializes in aesthetic services for men and women in the Northern California area. Prior to establishing himself in Santa Rosa, he began his own private practice in Boston, MA. Additionally, he worked as a faculty member at Harvard Medical School in the division of plastic surgery. Upon moving to Sonoma County, Dr. Canales was appointed the chief of plastic surgery at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and the chief of surgery at Warrack Hospital. With his wife, Dr. Heather Furnas, he co-founded Plastic Surgery Associates and Allegro MedSpa of Santa Rosa in 1992.

The best thing about working at PSA/AMS is the esprit de corps of our team. A day at work doesn’t seem like work because everyone is so talented at their job, and they project an upbeat mood to our patients. Patients notice and appreciate how they are each treated like VIPs. I love seeing patients who have been coming to us for many years and catching up with everything that has happened in their lives since their last visit.

The biggest influence on me has been…the teachers at Colegio San Ignacio, my high school in Puerto Rico. My father died when I was in 8th grade leaving my mother and my 3 siblings in a precarious financial situation. I was only able to attend the Jesuit high school that my parents had chosen because of a scholarship. Both the Jesuit faculty and the lay faculty at the high school were top-notch, and they encouraged me to shoot as high as I could for college. They taught us in French, English, and Spanish. I graduated at age 16 and, later that summer, left Puerto Rico to attend Harvard College, and then both Yale and Stanford Medical Schools. I am very grateful that, during a time of grief and family uncertainty, the teachers at the high school were able to provide a safety net and the spark that lit my education.

My favorite procedure/treatment is…a mommy makeover, which usually involves breast enhancement and a tummy tuck. After they are done having children, many mothers work very hard to get their pre-baby bodies back. When they reach a plateau, it is often due to stretched skin and muscle separation – things they can’t control. Those are the changes we make in surgery. In 3 or 4 hours, we can make dramatic changes, restore their bodies, and give a boost to their confidence. Because mommy makeovers are longer surgeries and I have the luxury of working with my wife (Dr. Heather Furnas), we can shorten the surgery and anesthesia time for patients. That allows for a quicker recovery from anesthesia. A shorter surgical time also means a quicker return to their activities.

The best part of my next weekend will be…Zooming with my children. Family has always been my number one priority and I love to hear from our grown children. Our son, Diego, lives in San Francisco, where he co-founded a tech company called ClearMetal. Our daughter, Siena, is in graduate school at Columbia University in New York City. When we all get together, even remotely, it’s like getting a big dose of joy.