Thanassi grew up in Manchester and was educated at the Manchester Grammar School followed by Trinity College, Oxford University and King’s College Hospital London. He trained in Plastic Surgery in Scotland and New Zealand

To hone his expertise in cosmetic surgery, he travelled to Rotterdam to work with renowned Dutch cosmetic surgeon Jeroen Stevens focussing on the artistry of the subSMAS, MACS lifts and facial liposculpture. He was then fortunate to work in Vienna, Austria with International surgeons Heike Klepetko and  rhinoplasty surgeon Jacques Van der Meulen at the Radetzky Villa as well as Professor Artur Worseg, Vienna’s Celebrity Doc

In New Zealand, he first worked  first Christchurch with Howard Klein  MD FACS and Terry Creagh FRACS. He learned the intricacies of body contouring and breast reconstruction followed by a year of specialist burns surgery and reconstruction at the National Burn Centre of New Zealand at Middlemore Hospital, Auckland managing complex scars and laser.