About Dr. Tamar
Tamar grew up on a farm near a small town called Molteno in the Eastern Cape. If the name sounds familiar, that is where Ouma rusks come from. Molteno also holds the record for the coldest temperatures ever recorded in SA. She loved the farm life and all the animals they kept. She spent much of her time hiking with their pack of dogs, enjoying the solitude of the koppies, kloofs and open veld. She would do a bit of horse-riding too if she was able to trick her pony into being caught!
She attended high school at Eunice Girls School in Bloemfontein. Coming from far meant she had to become a ‘hostel kid.’ This was a huge adaptation for her, considering how she now had to share everything with 200 other girls. But those became some of the best years of her life, bringing friendships, laughter, tears and growth.
Tamar was an academic achiever at school, and excelled at mathematics and art. You would also have found her on the stage acting in a play rather than on the sports field. After matriculating she spent a gap year in England doing manual labour for minimum wage. For the first time in her life she knew what it felt like to have calloused hands!
She returned to Bloemfontein to study medicine at the University of the Free State. She had a passion for dancing since primary school, and during her varsity years she took up dancing lessons 3 times a week. Her favourite was hiphop dancing, so if you ever catch her on the dance floor she’ll be sure to bring all the moves! In 2006, during her third year she became part of the cheerleading squad for the Cheetahs Rugby team. That year the Curry Cup final was in Bloemfontein, and she got to be part of the opening performance – an experience she will never forget.
Clearly, whether it was art, drama or dance, Tamar had the need for creative expression apart from the academics. She also learnt to play guitar, exploring the art of song-writing. She claims it helps when you’re a melancholic varsity student!
She qualified as a medical doctor in 2008. Her practical training years were spent at Ngwelezane hospital in Empangeni, followed by her community service year in East London. Her first child was born in 2011 and Tamar decided to take a break from medical work. She spent a few months as an extra on set in Cape Town, getting to see firsthand what the filming industry was like. It was not what she expected, and she soon returned to medicine.
Tamar worked as a GP in various clinics and private practices until her second child was born in 2016, then she and her family moved to George. It was during this time that she became interested in aesthetic medicine. Once she started the journey she knew she had found her niche and passion. Finally she could combine her left and right brain in a field where medicine meets art! Tamar has since completed the Advanced Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine (SA) and a Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine by the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine.
