By Antisia King

She's more than what you see. At a young age, under the influence of her father, grandfather, and brother, who became doctors, it was no surprise that Elizabeth Pensler would follow in her family's footsteps.

As the men in her family excelled in their fields, Elizabeth pursued vascular surgery, becoming the first female in her family and one of the few in the country to become a double Board-Certified vascular surgeon.

Dr. Pensler graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and attended medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience in Kansas City, Missouri. She completed her general surgery residency within the Henry Ford system and her vascular surgery fellowship at Wayne State University/Detroit.

Her love for helping people from the inside and out, coupled with her exceptional manual dexterity, is the reason why she chose vascular surgery. However, she soon discovered that being a woman in this profession came with its own challenges. Her male peers often criticized her, making things difficult. Nevertheless, Dr. Pensler persevered and was determined to be the best and do it her own way.

Despite her high fashion style and atypical appearance for a doctor, when you see Dr. Pensler, you may think she's a model or even a Hollywood superstar. However, she's much more than what meets the eye.

Her primary focus is caring for people and understanding that many health issues in the body are related to the circulatory system, veins, and arteries that run throughout the entire body.

Vascular surgeons are highly trained specialists who treat diseases in the blood vessels, arteries, and veins. People at risk include those with high blood pressure, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, carotid artery disease, pulmonary embolism, and cerebrovascular disease. Symptoms such as numbness, weakness, heaviness in the muscles, slow or non-healing sores on the toes, feet, or legs, leg pain, or tingling in the feet may all indicate the need to see a specialist.

Dr. Pensler takes her time with each patient, listening to them and assessing each case individually. Her approach is to identify the cause of the problem and fix it rather than simply providing temporary solutions.

While she spends most of her day working inside the body during surgery, Elizabeth also wanted to showcase another side of herself: a commitment to feeling and looking one's best. She established Elizabeth Face & Body Med Spa, which offers a variety of beauty treatments, including skin rejuvenation, fillers, Botox, weight loss programs, body massages, and exclusive products. Additionally, her facility is beautifully designed, as seen in these stunning shots taken on-site.

As you can see, Dr. Pensler leads a busy life, balancing work, fashion, and family while looking amazing. I asked her how she manages it all, including balancing family and her career, and these are the questions I posed:

BMM: How do you balance work and family?
Dr.P: Well, I'm most thankful to God, my family, and my team for their support. Additionally, nannies, Uber Eats, and planning family vacations have been a lifesaver.

BMM: What motivates you as a doctor?
Dr.P: Helping others and providing them with the right kind of help.

BMM: What's unique about your practice?
Dr.P: I approach patients as whole individuals, addressing their emotional and physical needs. I even offer counseling services. I genuinely care about the overall well-being of each person.

BMM: What's one misconception people have when they see you?
Dr.P: People often perceive me as a glamorous girl who is interested in lipsticks, heels, and fashion. They wonder how someone who looks like me could also be smart and proficient in my field.

BMM: Why don't you wear a lab coat like most doctors?
Dr.P: It's not my thing. I love fashion, and I prefer to wear my own clothes. When I'm performing procedures, I ensure I'm appropriately equipped, but outside of that, I embrace being a glam girl.

BMM: What's next for you?
Dr.P: I'm currently focused on providing quality care for my patients and reaching out to inform people about the options available to improve their well-being inside and out.

BMM: Are you excited about being a sponsor at the Detroit Polo Classic?
Dr.P: Yes, we are thrilled and honored to attend this event. My staff and I are looking forward to it, and I can't wait to go shopping for it.

Well, thank you, Dr. Pensler, for your time. It has been a pleasure talking to you, and I look forward to seeing you all soon.

You can reach Dr. Pensler, at Pensler Vein and Vascular Surgical Institute suite 400
(248) 268-4299 & Elizabeth Med Spa suite 300 (248) 268-1655 928 E 10 Mile Rd Ferndale , MI 48220