Heather Locklear's New Beau: What to Know About Dr. Marc Mani

Dr. Marc Manti is as well known in his field as Locklear is to prime time TV drama

Photo: David Tonnessen/Pacific Coast News

Not since Heather Locklear‘s split from fiancé Jack Wagner was announced in November 2011 has she been publicly linked to another man – so, naturally, the web began buzzing when she stepped out with plastic surgery guru, Dr. Marc Mani a month-and-a-half ago.

And so far things seem to be going strong. Just Wednesday, the pair was photographed again – this time leaving Mexican restaurant, Red O in West Hollywood.

What should Locklear fans know about her apparent new beau, who was listed by Forbes as one of 2009’s 10 leading surgeons in the United States? Read on to find out:

1. He’s no stranger to the small screen
Even though her work in TV made Locklear, 51, an icon, her beau has also made his fair share of on-camera appearances, just not as an actor. Speaking usually as a plastic surgery expert on entertainment news programs, Mani was most recently seen on CNBC’s Treasure Detectives, where he let a man trade a Lichtenstein print for a facelift after determining the piece was authentic. Mani has made many other appearances, including on the Discovery Channel.

2. He has a Whitney Houston connection
Mani made headlines just after Houston’s death for reportedly refusing her surgical procedures because she failed a health exam. Although he stuck firmly to his patient privacy policy, he did speak to ET in general about what parts of the body are affected by drug use.

“Alcohol affects the liver, and [a patient] may have a problem with bleeding because of that,” he explained. “Drugs like cocaine will cause cardiac complications. That could cause a situation where a patient could have a heart-attack under anesthesia. The main issue is the patient’s fitness for general anesthesia.”

3. He was listed as one of Extra‘s most eligible plastic surgeon bachelors in 2008
“He’s got a killer serve, drives a sweet car and looks dynamite with his shirt off,” is how an Extra host described Mani, when presenting him as one of the best picks on the market. “[He] serves up a winning resume. A graduate of Harvard with honors, his top-secret patient list is a who’s who of Hollywood.”

His response to the honor? “I want someone who has a fire inside like I think I do. I don’t really scrutinize someone. If someone’s comfortable in their own body, that’s really what I’m looking for. I actually prefer the sexy black dress. The jeans and a T-Shirt are fine, too. I like someone who’s comfortable in both.”