Skip to content
Daniëlle Derks

About Daniëlle Derks: Together, we make a plan.

My name is Daniëlle Derks. I am a plastic surgeon and have now worked in plastic surgery for more than twenty years.

I am a sociable, approachable person and I enjoy being around people. I want you to feel at ease from the moment your consultation begins. A relaxed atmosphere, sometimes with a joke to break the ice, helps with that.

I genuinely care about my patients and listen carefully to their wishes, expectations and doubts. You can talk to me openly, without embarrassment or judgement. I tell you honestly what is possible, where the limits are and what the risks are. Sometimes I also advise against having an operation.

I treat my patients with the same warmth, attention and honesty that I value with my own family and friends. I want you to be able to make your own decision, confidently and well informed.

Plastic surgeon Daniëlle Derks

Why did I choose plastic surgery?

During my training I found many fields of medicine interesting. In the end, plastic surgery appealed to me most, because it brings medical knowledge, creativity and technical skill together so well.

I have always liked working with my hands. Plastic surgery calls for a steady hand, fine motor skills and very precise movements. It is exactly that careful work, where every detail counts, that I find so special.

I also enjoy working as part of a surgical team. You have to be able to rely on each other, communicate well and really be a team player. A good result is the work of people who collaborate closely.

What makes my work so special to me is this combination of precision, teamwork and personal contact with patients.

Who am I outside the operating theatre?

I am the mother of two daughters and a real animal lover. Dogs and cats in particular have a special place in my life. My Rottweiler is my best friend: every day he is waiting for me when I come home.

I love being sociable, I enjoy spending time with people and I do voluntary work. My family, friends and partner are also very important to me.

In my spare time I like gardening and exercise. I enjoy Zumba, circuit training and strength training, and anything else that challenges me physically and mentally.

I love travelling to get to know other countries and cultures. Where possible, I also visit fellow plastic surgeons on my travels, to share experiences, see other ways of working and discover new techniques.

I think it is important to keep looking at myself critically. My partner sometimes holds up a mirror to me, and I appreciate that. I believe you can keep developing, as a person and as a doctor: learning never stops.

What I advise against

Safety matters a great deal to me. That is why I sometimes say no, or suggest a different approach. A few examples of what I usually advise against:

Training and career

In 1997, only six plastic surgeons a year were trained in the Netherlands. I first gained experience in Ghent, Breda and The Hague before I was accepted for training at the AMC, the academic hospital in Amsterdam.

  1. 1990 to 1997Studied medicine at the Catholic University of Nijmegen, now Radboud University.
  2. 1998Research in plastic surgery at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium, under Professor Blondeel.
  3. 1998 to 1999Doctor in the emergency department of the Ignatius Hospital in Breda.
  4. 1999 to 2001Junior doctor in plastic surgery at the Leyenburg Hospital in The Hague and at the AMC.
  5. 2002 to 2005Preliminary surgical training at the Leyenburg Hospital and the Red Cross Hospital in Beverwijk.
  6. 2005 to 2008Specialist training in plastic surgery at the AMC, the Beverwijk Burns Centre, the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek cancer hospital and the rehabilitation centre in Amsterdam.
  7. 2008 to 2013Plastic surgeon at the Elkerliek Hospital in Helmond.
  8. 2012 to 2026Cosmetic plastic surgery at Kliniek Veldhoven.
  9. 2013Helped set up the plastic surgery department of the new Alexander Monro Hospital in Bilthoven.
  10. 2019 to 2020A year of general plastic surgery at the Zuyderland Hospital in Heerlen and Sittard.
  11. Since 2020Back at the Alexander Monro Hospital full time, for reconstruction after breast cancer.
  12. Since 2026Also consultations and surgery at Velthuis Kliniek Rozendaal.
Daniëlle Derks at the hospital

Professional society and research

I am a member of the Dutch Society for Plastic Surgery (NVPC) and sit on its quality committee and its peer review committee, which visits and assesses plastic surgery departments. In 2019 I completed the NVPC media training.

  • BREAST trials I and II: complete breast reconstruction with your own fat, led by Maastricht UMC+
  • EVE study and BREAST-R: ongoing follow-up research into reconstruction with your own fat, for which the Alexander Monro provides a large share of the data
  • Earlier publications on liposuction and the blood vessels of the abdominal wall (British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2003) and on hand surgery
  • Presentations at NVPC conferences and the Bilthoven Breast Meeting
  • A guest lecture twice a year at the vocational college (ROC) in Nijmegen

In the consultation I speak Dutch, English and a little German. BIG registration 79048263101.

Read what patients say

Whether I am in the consulting room or the operating theatre, my starting point is the same: listen well, work carefully and never lose sight of the person behind the treatment.

For me, good plastic surgery starts with attention to the person, not with the operation.

A good conversation is the first step.

In the consultation I take the time to answer your questions. You go home with honest advice and no obligation.

Book a consultationAll treatments