Melissa Bender

Melissa Bender is a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Face Forward Houston, a facial plastic surgery practice in Houston, Texas; the practice also lists her as a head and neck surgeon. Her board certification is double, in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Much of her work involves cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face and neck, with non-surgical facial optimization, rejuvenation and hair restoration also part of her practice.

Her undergraduate degree came from the University of Pennsylvania, earned magna cum laude, and she holds a Doctor of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She completed her internship and residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was selected for a humanitarian trip performing cleft lip and palate repair in the Philippines. Her fellowship, completed through the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, took place in Austin, Texas, under Dr. Edward Buckingham.

Her hair restoration training came from additional study with several surgeons around the country, and she has travelled abroad to learn advanced techniques. She holds membership in the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the Houston Society of Otolaryngology and the Texas Medical Association.