Dr. Shanthala Shivananjappa is a Harvard-Yale trained, board-certified physician with over 30 years of clinical experience and a deeply personal journey that led her to the field of aesthetic medicine.

For most of her career, Dr. Shanthala was a staff anesthesiologist, at MGH, Yale & other Boston area hospitals caring for patients in operating rooms, intensive care units, and during some of the most complex surgeries—from neurosurgery, thoracic procedures, Liver transplants to open-heart operations. As a former assistant professor at Yale and a specialist in ultrasound-guided techniques and Peri-operative pain management, she brought technical excellence, precision, and compassion to every patient encounter.

Her path into aesthetic medicine began unexpectedly—but purposefully—after her oldest daughter suffered a complication following a routine laser hair removal treatment. That experience sparked a deep concern and curiosity that led Dr. Shanthala to immerse herself in the science of laser technology and the broader world of non-surgical aesthetics. What began as a mother’s mission to protect and understand became a professional transformation. At the age of 48, after decades in clinical medicine, she transitioned her focus—founding ShanthalaMD Laser & Aesthetic Center in 2014.

Her philosophy has remained constant since day one: Education before intervention. Honesty before business. Medicine before marketing.

At her practice in Peabody, Massachusetts—serving the North Shore, the Greater Boston area, and patients internationally—Dr. Shanthala personally performs every procedure. There are no sales pitches, no shortcuts, and no unnecessary treatments. Many patients leave a consultation not with a procedure, but with clarity, empowerment, and a customized long-term care plan. “Sometimes the best treatment,” she often says, “is knowing what not to do.”

Dr. Shanthala is widely respected for her thoughtful, deliberate approach and her deep respect for natural beauty.