Facial Plastic Surgery Case Reviews
The Patient Experience and Surgical Thinking Behind Each Result
Actual Artiste Lift™ Patient of Dr. Balikian
No two patients age in exactly the same way, and no two facial plastic surgery procedures should be planned exactly alike. Our Case Reviews bring together the patient’s experience and Dr. Richard Balikian’s surgical analysis to explain how an individualized treatment plan is developed.
Each review begins with what the patient was seeing, how those changes affected them, and what led them to consider surgery. Dr. Balikian then explains what he saw anatomically, including changes in tissue position, volume, skin laxity, facial proportions, jawline definition, neck contour, or the relationship between different areas of the face.
You will also learn why certain procedures were selected and how they worked together. Depending on the patient, this may include a Preservation Deep Plane Facelift, Deep Vertical Neck Lift, Temporal Lift, eyelid surgery, facial fat transfer, rhinoplasty, or another carefully selected procedure. The purpose is not simply to list what was performed, but to explain why each part of the surgical plan was appropriate for that patient.
These are not examples of a standard operation applied to different faces. They show how Dr. Balikian evaluates each patient individually, determines whether surgery is appropriate and selects the procedures that can meaningfully address the changes present without adding treatments the patient does not need.
Through patient interviews, Dr. Balikian’s case breakdowns, and photographs from multiple angles, these reviews offer a closer look at the decisions behind each result. They also demonstrate an important principle of facial plastic surgery: the goal is not to create a different face, but to restore definition, proportion and balance while preserving the features that make each patient unique.
What Each Deep Plane Facelift Case Review Includes
Before and after photographs show what changed, but they do not explain what brought the patient to Dr. Balikian or how the surgical plan was developed. Each case review adds that context by presenting the procedure from two perspectives.
The patient describes what was bothering them, why they decided to consider surgery and what recovery was like. Dr. Balikian then explains the anatomical changes he identified, which procedures he selected and what each part of the operation was intended to accomplish.
Together, these perspectives provide a clearer understanding of the decisions behind the result rather than presenting photographs without explanation.
Why Comparing Several Facelift Cases Matters
Facial aging does not follow the same pattern in every patient. One person may be primarily concerned about early jowling and loss of jawline definition. Another may have more significant neck laxity, deeper structural fullness beneath the chin, facial volume loss, or changes around the eyes and temples.
For that reason, two patients undergoing a deep plane facelift may have very different surgical plans. Depending on the anatomy present, Dr. Balikian may recommend a Preservation Deep Plane Facelift by itself or combine it with a Deep Vertical Neck Lift, Temporal Lift, facial fat transfer, or another complementary procedure.
Reviewing several cases can help you recognize the different ways facial aging may appear, but another patient’s treatment plan should not be viewed as a recommendation for your own face.
Explore the Reasoning Behind Each Result
These case reviews are designed to show more than an outcome. They explain why surgery was appropriate, which anatomical changes were treated, why specific procedures were combined and what Dr. Balikian worked to preserve.
Select a case above to hear directly from the patient, review Dr. Balikian’s surgical breakdown and view the result from multiple angles. If you would like to understand how these principles may apply to your own anatomy, you can request a consultation.
Your Journey Starts Here
Trust Your Face to a Facial Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Richard Balikian is a highly respected facial plastic surgeon serving the San Diego area.
With over 20 years of experience and double board certification in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as Head and Neck Surgery, Dr. Balikian offers a unique combination of technical expertise and artistic vision.
He is part of an elite group of surgeons with extensive training focused exclusively on the face and neck.
