Meet Dr. Rapaport


Why Choose Rapaport Plastic Surgery?

Dr. David P. Rapaport is a board-certified plastic surgeon in NYC who specializes in facial rejuvenation including Facelifts, as well as Breast Augmentation, Liposuction, and other body contouring procedures. All of Dr. Rapaport’s surgical procedures are performed on-site at his fully accredited office surgical suite on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York. Dr. Rapaport also offers cosmetic and non-surgical procedures such as injectable fillers, Botox®, earlobe repair, laser skin resurfacing, mole removal, and more. Many of these procedures employ specialized techniques that allow for little or no downtime. 

For both surgical and non-surgical procedures, Dr. Rapaport takes a minimally invasive and personalized approach to each patient’s needs and lifestyle. He prioritizes a detailed consultation with each patient to best understand their goals and guide them through their transformation journey.

Education & Experience

David Rapaport, son of holocaust survivors, began the study of medicine at Boston University’s six-year medical program at age 16. He then transferred to Israel’s Tel Aviv University, where he earned his medical degree. Dr. Rapaport trained in general surgery at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, where he served as Chief Resident. He then did his plastic surgery training at the New York University’s Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, which is widely regarded as the nation’s top plastic and cosmetic surgery residency program. There, too, he was appointed Executive Chief Resident. After a one-year microsurgery fellowship, Dr. Rapaport moved to Florida, where, from 1993 to 1997, he was a key faculty member at the University of South Florida. 

There, he developed a successful and respected practice as a cosmetic plastic surgeon. During his four years in Florida, Dr. Rapaport also helped craft legislation requiring broader insurance coverage for reconstructive breast surgery, directed the cosmetic surgery education of residents, and did pioneering work in endoscopic and minimal incision breast and oncologic (melanoma) surgery. In 1997, he returned to New York City and opened his private cosmetic surgery practice in Manhattan, New York.

In 2014, Dr. Rapaport founded Coolspa, a medspa with a focus on non-invasive body contouring options, particularly CoolSculpting®. Unlike traditional medspas offering only non-surgical treatments, Dr. Rapaport believes the consultative process for cosmetic enhancements should be guided by plastic surgeons, true experts in the field. 

Since Coolspa’s inception, its offerings have expanded into a full range of non-surgical and surgical services for the face, scalp, and body. In 2023, Dr. Rapaport opened the doors to the flagship location of Aethos, an aesthetic practice where art and science converge to deliver a best-in-class patient experience. Through this new venture, Dr. Rapaport looks to combine the principles Coolspa was founded upon with the vision, quality, and care of an excellent and ever-growing team to carry out aesthetic treatment plans for every stage in life, at Aethos.

Dr. Rapaport’s CV

General Surgery Residency, Chief Resident | 1985 – 1990

Harvard Medical School Clinical Fellow

Beth Israel Hospital | Boston, Massachusetts

Chief Resident, Plastic Surgery | 1990 – 1992

Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery 

New York University Medical Center, NY

Fellowship, Microsurgery | 1992 – 1993

Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery 

New York University Medical Center, NY

Assistant Professor | 1993 – 1997

Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

University of South Florida College of Medicine | Tampa, FL

Plastic Surgery Private Practice | 1998 – Present

New York, New York

Founder & Medical Director of Coolspa, LLC | 2010 – Present

New York, New York

Advisory Panel, Consultant & Speaker for Allergan Aesthetics | 2019 – Present

AbbVie Company

New York, New York

Member: New York City Medical Reserve Corps (NYC MRC) | 2020 – Present

New York, New York

Volunteer Attending Physician | April 2020

Bellevue Hospital, COVID Ward

New York, New York

Consultant for Ideal Implant | 2021 – Present 

New York, New York

Consultant for AcelRx Phramaceuticals, Inc. | 2021 – Present

New York, New York

Soliton Commercial Advisory Board | 2021 – Present 

New York, New York

Founder & Medical Director of Aethos | 2022 – Present

New York, New York

Boston University | 1977 – 1978

Six–Year Medical Program

Boston, Massachusetts

Tel Aviv University | 1978 – 1985

Doctor of Medicine

School of Medicine

Ramat Aviv, Israel

  • Board Certified, American Board of Surgery
  • Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
  • Fellow, American College of Surgeons
  • National faculty and Original Co-developer with Ethicon Corporation: Endoscopically Assisted Saphenous Vein Harvest
  • American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
  • American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
  • Built and directed the USF Residents’ Cosmetic Surgery Clinic
  • Plastic Surgery Research Council
  • National Faculty for Advanced Injection Techniques of Sculptra ™ (poly L-lactic acid) 2006

Sentinel Lymphadenectomy Techniques:

Work with Lockhead Martin and Neoprobe Corporation to develop improved (miniaturized) gamma detectors for sentinel node biopsy. Co-Director of training sessions on sentinel lymphadenectomy techniques. Courses given several times each year (since 1995) are attended by U.S. and international surgeons.

Minimal Incision Subcutaneous Surgery:

Development of and instruction in technique for endoscopically harvesting the saphenous vein for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Principal Investigator in a prospective study comparing open versus closed saphenous harvest techniques. Developed a new minimal incision technique for groin dissection in malignant melanoma. Original technique published in Balch’s Cutaneous Melanoma, see Chapters below. Development of a model for fat necrosis in the Zucker (fat) rat.

“Systems and Methods for Generating Clinically Relevant Images that Preserve Physical Attributes of Humans While Protecting Personal Identity” – US Patent No. 11,631,208 B1 – filed October 6, 2022, and issued April 18, 2023 – Gat, A., Neeman, U., Khirman, S., & Rapaport, D. P.

Stadelmann W, Rapapot DP, Reintgen DS. “Prognostic factors in melanoma.”

Balch, Cutaneous Melanoma: 3rd edition, 1998.

Rapaport DP, Stadelmann W, Reintgen DS. “Groin dissection.”

Balch, Cutaneous Melanoma: 3rd edition, 1998.

Ziv P. Rapaport DP, Dinstman M. “Primary hyperparathyroidism associated with panctyosis.” New England Journal of Medicine. 313(3); 187, 1985.

Rapaport DP, Ziv Y, Rubin M, Huminer D, Dinstman M. “Primary hyperthyroidism in children.” Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 21(5); 395-397, 1986.

Rapaport DP, Breitbart AS, Karp NS, Sielbert JW. “Successful microvascular replantation of a completely amputated ear.” Microsurgery 14; 312-314, 1993.

Mogilner A, Grossman JAI, Ribary U, Joliot M, Volkmann J, Rapaport DP, Beasley RW, Llinas RR. “Somatosensory cortical plasticity in adult humans revealed by magnetoencelphalography.” Proceedings National Academy of Science 90: 3593-3597, 1993.

Wang X, Heller R, Cruse CW, VanVoorhis N, Glass F, Fenske N, Berman C, Leo-Messina J, Rapaport D, Wells K, DeConti R, Moscinski L, Stankard C, Puleo C, Reintgen D. “Detection of submicroscopic lymph node metastases with polymerase chain reaction in patients with malignant melanoma.” Annals of Surgery 220; 769-774, 1994. 

Reintgen D, Albertini F, Miliotes SB, Berman C, Cruse CW, Fenske N, Glass F, Puleo C, Wang X, Wells KE, Rapaport DP, DeConti R, Messina J, Heller R. “The accurate staging and modern-day treatment of malignant melanoma.” Cancer Research, Therapy and Control 4; 183-197, 1995.

Rapaport DP, Bass LS, Aston SJ. “Influence of steroids on post-operative swelling after facioplasty: A prospective randomized study.” Plastic Reconstructive Surgery 96 (7); 1547-1552, 1995. 

Heller R, Jaroszeski MJ, Glass LF, Messina JL, Rapaport DP, DeConti RC, Fenske NA, Gilbert RA, Mir LM, Reintgen DS. “Phase I/II Trial for the treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors using electrochemotherapy.” Cancer 77 (5); 964-971, 1996. 

Albertini JJ, Cruse CW, Rapaport DP, Wells K, Ross M, DeConti R, Bermann CG, Jared K, Messina J, Lyman G, Glass F, Reintgen DS. “Intraoperative radiolymphoscintigraphy improves sentinel lymph node identification for patients with melanoma.” Annals of Surgery 223 (2); 217-224, 1996.

Rapaport DP, Stadelmann WK, Greenwald DP. “Incidence and natural history of saline-filled breast implant deflations: Comparison of blunt-tipped versus cutting and tapered needles.” Plastic Reconstructive Surgery 100: 1028-1032, 1997. 

Stadelmann WK, Rapaport DP, Payne W, Shons AR, Krizek TK. “Residency training in aesthetic surgery: maximizing the residents’ experience.” Plastic Reconstructive Surgery 101; 1973-1977, 1998. 

Wells KE, Stadelmann WK, Rapaport, D.P., Hamlin, R, Cruse CW, Reintgen DS. “Parotid Selective Lymphadenectomy in Malignant Melanoma.” Annals of Plastic Surgery, 1999; 43:1-6.

Restrepo, BJ, Kaman, K, Rapaport, DP, Rodan, BD. “Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in human adipose tissue.” Environmental Science Technology, New York, 2005. 39 (14); 5177-5182.
Moradi A, Fabi S, Rapaport D, Shridharani S, Goldman MP, Fu, FT. “Electromagnetic muscle stimulation: A retrospective study of patient experience.” J Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022. 21:271-278. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.14401

Payne W, Curse CW, Rapaport D, Wells K, Daniels S, Reintgen DS. “Selective lymphadenectomy: Sentinel node biopsy in head and neck melanoma,” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 1994.

Albertini J, Miliotes G, Cruse CW, DeConti R, Rapaport D, Berman C, Glass F, Fenske N, Reintgen DS. “Quality and cost outcome measurement in melanoma surgical care.” Society of Surgical Oncology, Boston, 1994.

Wells K, Cruse CW, Rapaport DP, Payne W, Petsoglou C, Reintgen DS. “Sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma of the head and neck.” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 1995.

Rapaport DP, Albertini J, Cruse CW, et al.. “Identification of the sentinel node in melanoma patients using radiolymphoscintigraphy and vital blue dye.” 18th Annual Seminar of Cancer Research in FL, American Cancer Society, FL Division, Orlando. March 1995.

Albertini J, Cruse CW, Rapaport DP, Wells K, DeConti R, Lyman G, Glass F, Messina J, Berman C, Jared K, Reintgen D. “Identification of the sentinel node in melanoma patients using radiolymphoscintigraphy and vital blue dye.” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 1995.

Rapaport DP, Stadelmann W. “Malignant melanoma: Advances in evaluation and treatment.” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 65th Annual Science Meeting, Dallas, TX, 1996.

Rapaport DP, Stadelmann W. “Malignant melanoma: Advances in evaluation and treatment.” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 66th Annual Science Meeting, San Francisco, CA, 1997.

Rapaport DP, Stadelmann W. “Malignant melanoma: Advances in evaluation and treatment.” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 67th Annual Science Meeting, Boston, MA., 1998.

Rapaport DP, Stadelmann W. “Malignant melanoma: Advances in evaluation and treatment.” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 68th Annual Science Meeting, New Orleans, LA., 1999.

Faculty: Cutting Edge Aesthetic Symposium, 2017, 2018, 2019, New York, NY. Course 

Chairmen: Daniel Baker, MD, Sherrell Aston, MD