With decades of combined experience in facial plastic surgery, dermatology and aesthetic medicine, Dr. Balikian and our experienced aesthetic providers bring extensive medical knowledge, technical precision and artistic judgment to every treatment.
Our approach begins with an evaluation, not a procedure. We look at your facial anatomy, skin, underlying structure, natural movement, volume changes and the concerns that matter most to you before recommending treatment.
Sometimes the right answer is BOTOX® or Dysport®, filler, a laser or a skin treatment. Sometimes it is a combination of treatments performed over time. And sometimes a nonsurgical treatment simply cannot accomplish what a patient is hoping to achieve.
Because our aesthetic providers work alongside facial plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Balikian, we can look beyond an individual treatment and help patients understand the full range of options available to them.
Choosing the right aesthetic treatment starts with understanding what is actually contributing to the changes you see. A line, shadow or change in skin quality may have more than one cause, and treating what is most obvious does not always address what is happening beneath the surface.
Our aesthetic providers look at the face as a whole, considering facial anatomy, natural movement, volume, skin quality, pigmentation, redness and texture before recommending treatment. The goal is not to fit you into a standard treatment plan, but to understand what you are seeing, why you are seeing it and which options are most appropriate for your goals.
That evaluation can also include advanced skin imaging. EVA 3D™ allows our providers to examine the skin through multiple imaging modes, revealing patterns and characteristics that may be difficult to appreciate in ordinary light.
ADVANCED SKIN IMAGING
EVA 3D™ skin analysis gives our aesthetic providers multiple views of your skin, revealing patterns in pigmentation, redness, texture and other characteristics that may not be apparent in ordinary light.
NATURAL LIGHT | UV IMAGING | PIGMENTATION ANALYSIS | REDNESS MAPPING | SKIN TEXTURE
Balikian Plastic Surgery is proud to be recognized as an Allergan Top 250 practice, placing us among the top 1% of practices nationwide for BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal filler treatments.
This distinction reflects the trust our patients place in us and our continued commitment to advanced injection techniques, product knowledge, thoughtful treatment planning and patient safety.
Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner
Jo Ann brings more than 30 years of experience in dermatology to her approach to aesthetic medicine. She began as a registered nurse in dermatology before becoming a nurse practitioner, allowing her to expand her work in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions while developing extensive experience in cosmetic dermatology. She has worked with Dr. Balikian for over 10 years.
Jo Ann’s approach begins by looking beyond the treatment a patient initially requests. She evaluates the entire face, including the condition of the skin, facial structure, patterns of movement, volume changes and the ways the face has changed over time.
Patients may come in thinking they need BOTOX®, filler or a particular laser. Jo Ann first listens to what is bothering them, then evaluates what may actually be contributing to it. From there, she can develop a treatment plan that may incorporate injectables, skin care, laser resurfacing, light-based treatments, microneedling, radiofrequency microneedling, biostimulatory treatments or other options available within the practice.
Skin health is an especially important part of her approach. Jo Ann’s background in dermatology gives her a deep appreciation for treating the skin itself rather than focusing exclusively on wrinkles or volume. She frequently combines professional treatments with an appropriate skin care regimen and considers how different treatments can work together over time.
Just as important is knowing when a nonsurgical treatment has reached its limit. When Jo Ann sees an anatomical change that cannot reasonably be addressed with injectables or skin treatments, Dr. Balikian is available to evaluate the patient and discuss whether a surgical option may be more appropriate.
Her goal is not to perform as many treatments as possible. It is to help patients understand what she sees, what can realistically be improved and which approach makes the most sense for their face.
Board-Certified Aesthetic Physician Assistant
Debra has been a physician assistant for more than 40 years, with approximately 25 years of experience working in dermatology and plastic surgery. She joined Dr. Balikian’s practice approximately 12 years ago after years of working alongside other plastic surgeons and knowing his reputation within facial plastic surgery.
That depth of experience shapes the way Debra approaches even seemingly simple treatments.
A patient coming in for BOTOX®, for example, is not treated according to a standard formula. Debra evaluates facial balance and anatomy, where and how the muscles are moving, previous treatments, what the patient liked or disliked about those results and what they are hoping to accomplish now. Those factors help determine whether a neurotoxin is appropriate, which product may make sense, and how and where it should be used.
The same philosophy applies to fillers and other nonsurgical treatments. A concern involving the lips, cheeks, jawline or lower face may have several possible causes and several potential treatments. Debra’s role is to determine what can realistically be accomplished nonsurgically rather than simply performing the procedure a patient initially requests.
She is experienced with BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport®, dermal fillers and a broad range of aesthetic treatments and technologies available within the practice.
One of the advantages Debra values most about practicing at Balikian Plastic Surgery is having Dr. Balikian available for consultation. If she believes a patient’s concern is related to deeper facial anatomy or has progressed beyond what injectables or other nonsurgical treatments can reasonably address, she can consult directly with a facial plastic surgeon rather than continuing to add treatments that may not solve the underlying problem.
For Debra, good aesthetic treatment begins with experience, careful assessment and knowing both what to treat and when not to treat.
There is a difference between offering aesthetic treatments and knowing how to bring them together.
At Balikian Plastic Surgery, we do not begin with a syringe, a laser or a treatment menu. We begin by looking at you. Our providers evaluate your skin quality, facial structure, muscle movement, volume changes, proportions and the way your face has changed over time. Just as importantly, we listen to what you see and what is bothering you.
That broader perspective matters because the area you notice is not always where the underlying change begins. A line or fold may be related to volume loss elsewhere. Changes around the jawline may involve skin, volume, muscle or deeper facial structure. Skin concerns may require an entirely different approach. Understanding the cause helps us choose a treatment that makes sense rather than simply treating what is most visible.
Our practice offers a broad range of injectables, lasers, skin treatments and regenerative approaches. Having those options allows us to be selective.
One patient may benefit from BOTOX® or Dysport®. Another may need strategically placed filler. Concerns involving skin tone, texture or pigmentation may be better addressed with a laser or light-based treatment. Other patients may benefit from microneedling, radiofrequency or treatments designed to support the quality of the skin over time.
And sometimes the best recommendation is to do less, wait, or choose a completely different approach.
One of the most important parts of aesthetic medicine is recognizing what a nonsurgical treatment cannot accomplish.
Injectables can replace volume, soften certain lines and influence muscle activity. Lasers and other technologies can improve many aspects of the skin. But they cannot correct every change caused by aging or deeper facial anatomy.
Our aesthetic providers work alongside facial plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Balikian. When a concern has progressed beyond what nonsurgical treatment can reasonably address, we can have a different conversation about what is actually happening and what options may provide a more meaningful result.
That relationship also works in the other direction. Not everyone who notices signs of aging needs or is ready for surgery. Thoughtfully selected nonsurgical treatments can play an important role in maintaining the skin, restoring balance and helping patients look refreshed while still looking like themselves.
Aesthetic care does not have to be a series of unrelated appointments.
As we get to know your face, your skin, your treatment history and your preferences, we can develop a plan that changes with you. What makes sense today may be different several years from now.
The goal is not to make you look treated. It is to understand what has changed, determine what is worth treating and choose the right tool at the right time.
You do not need to arrive knowing what treatment you need. That is what the consultation is for.
