Richard Balikian, MD

Nine months ago, I underwent a transformative journey with several facial rejuvenation procedures, including a deep plane facelift, neck lift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, and CO2 laser treatment. Now, reflecting on that experience, I am thrilled to share my story.

Looking back at my initial consultation with Dr. Balikian, I was excited to have finally made the appointment but had some hesitation and anxiety. He and his staff treated me with kindness and demonstrated their ability to listen to address my concerns. I left feeling confident that I had found the perfect surgeon and surgical team to perform my procedures.

The first few weeks involved swelling and redness but overall pain and discomfort was very minimal. Any concerns I had were quickly addressed by Dr. Balikian and staff. As the swelling subsided my face began to take on this beautiful contour and youthfulness.

From the initial consultation to the final follow-up, my surgical team demonstrated exceptional care and expertise. They listened to my concerns and expectations, providing a detailed plan that left me feeling confident and supported.
I am reminded that the healing process takes 12 months but I am so pleased with my results already!
I am so grateful to have found Dr. Balikian. His expertise and compassion have transformed my entire outlook on life. I look and feel younger and more confident than I have in years.

This has been one of the best decisions in my life. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Balikian to anyone contemplating facial plastic surgery.

I couldn't be happier with my results. I'm 52, I had the deep plane neck and jaw lift with a brow lift and fat transfer. I just was so unhappy with the jowls that I saw when I looked in the mirror every day. I spend a lot of time on zoom and I was going through ever-increasingly-complex lighting and camera angle contortions to avoid looking at my own neck and jawline.
I like my face.
I liked my face before the surgery and I just feel like the procedure gave me back the face I expected to see every morning.
By 2 weeks after surgery I was at a party for my husband's birthday. I still had swelling but I was totally presentable. Now, it's been a year and a few months. I can't remember what it was like to have jowls and a droopy neck. I feel great and most importantly, I feel like I look like me, just refreshed, reset to where I want to be.

I am so pleased with my whole experience at Balikian Plastic Surgery! Dr. Balikian knew exactly what I needed! The procedure and my recovery has been seamless. I now recognize myself again!

Also, Dr. Frew was so precise and detailed. He gave me the figure I once had. I am so happy!

The entire experience was professional and exceeded my expectations. I am extremely happy with my results. I am in the medical field and was very thorough with my research. Dr. Balikian had come highly recommended and I knew I made the right choice. A few of my colleagues did not know I had the face and neck lift. When returned to work one asked if I was “doing something new with my makeup” and how beautiful I looked. Another asked if I had been to a retreat because I looked “so refreshed”!
Thank to the entire staff !

I had an amazing experience and couldn’t be happier with my results . Everyone was so professional and kind. They were all so helpful on answering all my questions and the recovery was beyond my expectations . I had no pain.

I came in to get Botox, lip flip and filler. I was nervous because it was my first time, but everyone was so sweet and explained everything to me. my injectors name was Kristen. She was the best. She was very patient and explained everything that she was doing and why she was doing it. I recommend going to her she has a lot of patience and understanding on what you want. She got the job done! She made me look 10 years younger! I love all the work she did and she has a customer for life with me!!!

I have seen the staff of Dr. Balikian for several years now and their service is great. I received Botox and have used some of their facial products that work wonders in terms of the look and feel of your face after each application. Thank you team Balikian for your friendly service you project always.

I am reviewing my consultation to let any prospective patients know that Dr. Balikian is a reputable surgeon in that he denied me a surgery (lip lift). I have been interested in this surgery for a while because I have a short chin, so it kind of affects my facial proportions in that my philtrum doesn't look short in comparison. However, my philtrum is objectively short in its measurements and the amount he'd have cut off would not be worth an entire surgery (less than 4 mm), per his words. I trust his judgement and I value surgeons that will say "no" in a world where it's easy to make $$$ off of insecurities. When I booked a consultation, I sent in my photos and was interested in a brow and lip lift. He did not entertain a brow lift up front and I only came in for an in person consultation to confirm whether a lip lift might be a possible surgery for me.

Overall, I am glad to be denied surgery that I don't need, and I will be following up at his practice for lip filler per his recommendation once I get my lip blushing touch up. Thank you, Dr. Balikian!

I'd been studying and comparing different procedures and different providers seriously for a year. I talked with my husband who said he loved me the way I look now but if it would make me feel better he would support me. So I made a couple appointments to visit with the two Drs. I was going to choose from. I liked them both but when considering the extensive procedures I would have done I had to consider who I would feel most comfortable with.

I let the Dr. I chose know of my intentions and the $50. initial appointment fee would be applied to a $500. surgery appointment fee. My appt. would be 25 days before a scheduled 8 day cruise. After seeing several of RS clients and their recovery photos I felt I could be presentable on our cruise.

My surgery was scheduled for March 29, 2023. I was the 2nd surgery that day. I would have preferred the1st appointment but as I found out it was a nose procedure for a teen girl so not very long. I was asked to come in at 11:45 but was called at 9:00 am about and was told he finished earlier and could I come in asap? I was just starting a shower. So we got there at 9:30am. The Dr has a beautiful modern surgical suite within his office complex. I am an RN so I was very impressed with his pre-op nurse in her detailed care getting me ready for surgery. She explained what would happen at each step of the procedure. Another person came in to start the IV. The Dr had already met with me to mark me up when I first got there. Then the nurse anesthetist came in to review allergies and other health related items. In fact I recognized her from a hand surgery I'd had at another facility a few years previous. I prefer nurse anesthetists over anesthesiologists for personal reasons from my years working with them. I walked into the surgery suite and laid down. A funny thing was the nurse anesthetist asked me what kind of music I liked and called Google to play it but I was soon put to sleep. Hope they liked Country.

To be clear I had the following procedures:

1. Deep Plane Facelift

2. Neck Lift

3. Lower Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty

4. Full Face Fat Transfer



Th total cost included anesthesia and facility fee. This also included the collection of fat ( from my inner thighs) and preparation to later to inject.

I was in surgery about 4 1/2 hrs as close as I can recollect. I was in recovery about an hour. My husband was called and I was taken to my car via wheelchair by a back exit. Who wants to see strangers at a time like this. I had an appointment for 7:30 am the next morning. Then dressing around my face/head were removed and Dr did. Quick look/see that everything was normal. Next appointment was 4 days later. They removed the staples at the back side hairlines. No pain. But the Dr said, "you're nurse. We've found that leaving the drains in longer had less selling at 1 week". So I agreed to leave them in for another 5 days. I admit the worst part for me were the drains. Sleeping was so hard for me as I don't sleep on my back ( which you have to do during all of this) but if you even move just little the pain in your head where the drains are will be immediate and you'll try not to move that way again. So I go in about 8-9 days later I get the drains removed. There is another gal that just removes staples and non-absorbing sutures and drains. They are inserted down the side of your head down the side of our neck. They aren't sutured in so she took out th first one pretty quickly and it hurt like hell. By I know there are two of them so I know i'm going to have to go through it again. So I waited a bit before she took out the 2nd one. I thought yeah, I can sleep on my side now but Nope. You are still swollen and it still hurts to be on your side.

You'll see by my pictures how swollen you face will be. Every day it was little better. I'd told my husband to beprepared for it to look really bad but rest assured it would get better over time. And it has. I have to say this surgery is not for the faint of heart. I'm wiring this review at 12 weeks post op. I have another appt. June 9th for follow up and "Post Op" photos. Oh I forgot At my pre op appt at 2 weeks before my surgery" before" pictures were taken.

I'll post my own before photos and then the surgery day and every day for a week, then weekly and then monthly ending with today.

Overall I'm very happy with the surgery. I know there will still be more improvement over the year. The one thing I've found is the swelling under my eyes still increases and decreases every day. Pest ting was on my cruise I had. 90 min massage an when I it back to suite I was all swelled up. So don't do things that causes your face to swell. Still try to sleep on back as much as possible, do massages on your side, try not to bend your head over, bend your knees to pick up stuff. And the biggest help is gel ice packs. I'm still using them. I've used them from the beginning. Oh and the main reason I went with Dr Balikian was anesthesia during surgery.

The other Dr. I interviewed, though experienced and very nice only used local and possibly oral meds during surgery. I couldn't think about the extent of this surgery being performed on me and I not be completely under General anesthesia.

Here are my pictures. I hope I've been able to answer questions and given my perspective on my surgery experience. Also excuse typos.



Updated on 10 Jul 2023:


Updated on 10 Jul 2023:
Close up of drains. You can see the drains protruding from the side of my neck.

Updated on 9 Aug 2023:


Updated on 15 Oct 2023:
Went in to see Dr. Balikian for 6 mo. Check up. I told him I still had a little bit of swelling under my eyes and wondered if giving it more time would smooth them out. He said he wanted to inject me. Sorry I forgot to ask what. But by afternoon the swelling was gone. I am 71 yrs. young.

I had a great experience with Dr. Balikian! His honesty & expertise I trusted immediately. He knows his stuff! Trusting him w/my face was a WONDERFUL decision on my part! Erin & Janet are just the sweetest!