Rhys Branman, MD, founder and medical director at Cosmetic Surgery Center, has been named Best Cosmetic Surgeon in the 2026 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Best of the Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Winners are determined by reader voting in the newspaper’s annual program, which covers more than 200 categories. This marks Dr. Branman’s 15th year receiving the honor.
“It means a lot to be chosen by readers across Arkansas,” said Dr. Branman. “Everyone on our team had a hand in this, and we’re glad they get to share it. Reader-voted awards stand out for us because the votes come from the Arkansas community we are lucky to be part of.”
The newspaper describes the program as a celebration of the people and places Arkansans love most. The categories include restaurants, schools, health care providers and retail shops, along with health and beauty services.
Nominations opened May 31 and closed June 14. The Top 5 finalists in each category were announced August 9, and readers voted on those finalists, once per category, through August 23.
The winners’ celebration was held on October 15, and on October 18 the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published a special section featuring the winners. Dr. Branman has also won in previous editions of the contest, dating back to 2010.
“Thanks to everyone who nominated and voted,” Dr. Branman added. “We also congratulate the other finalists in our category and the other winners across the program. Being named alongside them is an honor for our team.”
The practice serves patients from across Arkansas and offers surgical procedures of the breast, body and face, including breast augmentation, facelifts, tummy tucks and liposuction. Exhale Med Spa operates within the practice and provides injectables and non-surgical skin treatments, including facials, microneedling and laser hair removal. Leslie Harmon Branman, BSN, RN, CPSN, CANS, ISPAN-F, is the practice’s clinical and surgical services director and has worked as a nurse injector since 2005. Surgery takes place in an on-site surgical suite accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
“Patients arrive with different goals, so the first job is to listen,” said Dr. Branman. “We build each plan around the individual, and it is encouraging to see readers recognize that.”
Dr. Branman is certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Board of Maxillofacial Surgery, and he serves as a Board Examiner for the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He finished fellowship training with the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery in 1998, after completing medical school and a general surgery residency at Vanderbilt University. Then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed him to the Arkansas State Medical Board in 2018 for a six-year term. His affiliations include Arkansas Surgical Hospital, Arkansas Heart Hospital and Little Rock Surgery Center.
Before entering cosmetic surgery, Dr. Branman served in the United States Navy. He is licensed in Arkansas and California, has lectured internationally on cosmetic surgery, and serves as a consultant to the Surgeon General in facial cosmetic surgery. He has been featured on Dateline NBC and has volunteered medical care in Baja California through the Flying Samaritans.
Cosmetic Surgery Center is located at 10809 Executive Center Drive, Suite 100, in the Searcy Building, Little Rock, AR 72211. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, visit the practice website or call 501-227-0707. The practice also shares updates on its social media channels.
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For more information about Cosmetic Surgery Center, contact the company here:
Cosmetic Surgery Center
Leslie Branman
501.227.0707
Leslie@lrcsc.com
10809 Executive Center Dr #100, Little Rock, AR 72211