Dr. Ariel N. Rad

Dr. Ariel N. Rad Board-certified plastic & reconstructive surgeon; expertise in face lift and microvascular surgery for breast cancer reconstruction. After completing his M.D.

Dr. Rad is a board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon specializing in aesthetic plastic surgery and reconstructive microvascular surgery of the breast. He received his mechanical engineering degree and minor in computational mathematics, and graduated magna cm laude from Princeton University where he was co-captain of the Division I NCAA swim team and Academic All-American. He then comp

leted medical school at Duke University. During his medical education, he was awarded the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholars Program fellowship to conduct research at the National Institutes of Health. degree from Duke, he earned a F32 NRSA research award from the NIH to pursue basic science research at the University College London where he completed a Ph.D. in immunology. In 2003, he returned to the United States where he entered the training program in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Since 2009, Dr. Rad has been on the full-time plastic surgery faculty as an Assistant Professor of surgery and Director of the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Program.

05/23/2026

How do you know how long your gorgeous facelift result will last? 🤔
I often talk with patients about how facial architecture plays a crucial role in achieving natural facelift results and in the longevity of those results. Oftentimes surgeons show results at a single point in time — before tissues have relaxed and swelling has resolved — when the aesthetic result has peaked before quietly declining into suboptimal oblivion, thus begging the question “does this result represent how the face will remain over years?”. And without the rare occasion when you see the same face a year or more after the initial result, one can never know the answer. This is exactly the sort of missing insight that is misleading. So how can you infer whether a gorgeously natural result will stand the test of time and age like a fine wine? 🍷 The answer lies in structural skeletal anatomy, and surgical technique.

🏠 Think of a house built on a structurally sound concrete foundation — you know the framework will support the roof, walls, floors, and furniture for decades. But a house built on a weak foundation? It might look good shortly after being built (ready for the photo op!) but it doesn’t last. The same applies to our faces: the skeletal foundation, building materials, and technique each play a vital role. So often surgeons ignore the lack of support in the bony framework: early photos belie the instability that manifests later. The structure becomes even more important when tissues have thinned and weakened over time. Of course, thin tissues are not under surgeon control, but facelift technique is — complete dissection to the nasolabial folds and ligament release are key, as is reducing enlarged tissue volumes in the neck to fit a small mandible. So be your own sleuth and ask the right questions:
- do you believe my facial bone structure will hold the facelift result? If not then how do we address it? (Fat grafting is not the answer!)
- Do you completely release the retaining ligaments and dissect to the nasolabial folds? If not then why not? (Note: SMAS plication can work well, though is a different technique).
And seeing results over year postop is 🔑 �

05/21/2026

🎯 Natural results come from subtle changes throughout the face that refresh without altering identity. My patient began noticing in her 40s that early aging changes made her appear more fatigued than she felt. The heaviness of her outer brows created hooding over the eyes, subtle marionette lines downturned the corners of her mouth, and fullness beneath the jaw and chin softened the neck and jawline contour.

Her goal was a complete yet natural refresh. I treated her with a deep plane face and neck lift, endoscopic brow lift, gentle lateral canthal lift, and microfat grafting to restore smoothness and delicate volume where it had naturally diminished. She and I both love how much brighter her eyes are, softer facial contours, and a more defined jawline and neck, all while preserving the character of her face. I released facial ligaments all the way to her nasolabial folds which allows complete redraping of her tissues to a subtly refreshed result. I’m very happy for her!🫶
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05/15/2026

🎯 Coming up today, I’m excited to join fellow world expert aesthetic surgeons in the ISAPS Mini-Symposium where we take a deep dive into endoscopic approaches to optimize results. This is truly the cutting edge, don’t miss it!
tgeraldodaniel





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🫶I love receiving selfies from my patients, and at 16 months post-op, she’s looking fresh, rested, and naturally restore...
05/08/2026

🫶I love receiving selfies from my patients, and at 16 months post-op, she’s looking fresh, rested, and naturally restored. Swipe ⬅️ to see her historical photo at age 30-something. Now 40 years later, she’s rejuvenated in an age appropriate manner. 🎯

Volume reduction at the jowls, submandibular glands, and central subplatysmal structures, combined with deep layer lift (SMAS and platysma) creates crisp neck angles and jawline definition without tightness or distortion. For my lower eyelid lift method I love orbital fat transposition which works by moving the bulge into the hollows. My endoscopic brow lift is a continuation of the deep plane lift contiguous with the SMAS. This naturally resets the foundational layers of the face from top to bottom. Finally, microfat grafting is all about gently dusting pearls of rejuvenating fat throughout the upper face and lips to optimize complexion and smooth contours. Best of all, this result is built to last.

Surgical plan:
• Deep plane face lift
• Deep structural neck lift
• Endoscopic brow lift
• Lower blepharoplasty
• Microfat grafting (forehead, temples, upper orbit, rear troughs, midface, zygomatic arches, upper/lower lips, marionettes)
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05/05/2026

I enjoyed sharing my expertise on the faculty again this year at the NYC Facelift & Rhinoplasty Master Course, and what an honor to have won the award for best presentation. Amongst 70 of the world’s top surgeons on faculty giving hundreds of presentations, this award was particularly meaningful. 🎯

The course combined lectures, anatomical dissections and live surgery attracting hundreds of surgeons from around the globe. 🌎

We pushed the envelope of what is achievable in aesthetic surgery and I’m proud to have been a part of it. Thanks and for inviting me. 🙏
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No makeup. Totally refreshed. In my hands, these are the most powerful combination of procedures to achieve natural tran...
05/02/2026

No makeup. Totally refreshed. In my hands, these are the most powerful combination of procedures to achieve natural transformations.
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04/25/2026

🎯 The endoscopic forehead, brow, and lateral canthal lift is my go-to approach for upper facial rejuvenation and optimization.

💪 Its power lies in working at the structural level — lifting the temporoparietal fascia and periosteum, which then carries the overlying muscle and skin into a more youthful position. While technically more demanding than surface-level lifts, this is what allows for results that look natural and last.

My patient was bothered by downturned brows and eyes, which gave her a tired, even sad appearance — inconsistent with her naturally dynamic and positive personality. This disconnect between how we feel and how we appear is something I see often, and when addressed thoughtfully, can be corrected in a very nuanced way.

💯 The advantages of the endoscopic approach are significant:
• Small, hidden incisions within the hair-bearing scalp — ideal even for higher hairlines
• Full visualization to precisely release ligaments while protecting key sensory nerves
• Secure fixation to bone for long-term stability
• And most importantly, no surface tension — avoiding the “windswept” or over-pulled look

👁️ The result is a beautifully reframed eye, with improved shape, openness, and balance — without changing identity.

🙌I’m thrilled for her. She looks like herself again — just brighter, more rested, and fully aligned with her energy.🫶
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🙏I’m grateful for the opportunity to provide care to this lovely woman. Her concerns are a common refrain I hear often, ...
04/22/2026

🙏I’m grateful for the opportunity to provide care to this lovely woman. Her concerns are a common refrain I hear often, that her outward appearance no longer reflected her vibrant self.

Tired eyes, a bottom-heavy face and neck, and volume loss throughout reflecting the parallel processes of aging: skin laxity and tissue atrophy throughout face and neck. This always requires a complete refresh for harmony. My plan was a top to bottom deep plane face and neck ift, deep structural neck contouring to address drooped glands, 4 lid blepharoplasty, endoscopic browlift, and microfat grafting to restore volume and smoothness. 🎯

She still early after surgery so her result will continue to evolve as swelling around her eyes resolves. What stands out most to me is that her warmth shows, especially in her eyes. With the structural foundation set, she’ll look even better with time. It’s been my privilege to take care of her.
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04/13/2026

The 3️⃣ most common questions I hear about facelifts:
• When is the right time?
• Should I combine procedures or focus on one area?
• How long will the results last?

The reality is — there’s no single right answer. Every patient is different, which is why no two surgical plans I create are ever the same.

The average age for a first facelift has shifted into the mid-40s, as patients increasingly want to enjoy their results longer. My approach focuses on nuance and customization, which begins with detailed conversations through which I understand patients’ goals, anatomy, tissue quality, and facial animation patterns so we can make the right decisions together.

When it comes to combining procedures, a comprehensive approach often creates better harmony. Treating only one area can sometimes leave the face feeling out of balance. That said, for younger patients with early changes, targeted refinement may be the more appropriate path.

As for longevity, it’s a combination of what we can control, ie lifestyle and skin care, and what we can’t, like genetics. Avoiding collagen-damaging habits (like smoking, va**ng, unprotected sun exposure) is key, and I often collaborate with Dr. Noëlle Sherber, a world expert in collagen biology, to help patients optimize skin health and extend the life of their results.

Ultimately, the goal is thoughtful, individualized planning, not a one-size-fits-all approach. 🎯
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I’m excited to share that my textbook chapter on alloplastics for facial rejuvenation and beautification will be publish...
01/31/2026

I’m excited to share that my textbook chapter on alloplastics for facial rejuvenation and beautification will be published in one of the world’s most prestigious and authoritative textbooks of aesthetic plastic surgery: Nahai’s The Art of Aesthetic Surgery, 4th Edition. In this awesome 3 volume series that captures an ocean of knowledge from many of the world’s greatest surgeons, I’ll share over a decade of my accumulated knowledge and experience combining soft tissue shaping, deep structural lifts and maxillofacial skeletal enhancement.

Chock full of surgical video, graphics and results, my focus in the chapter will be in-depth details of my personal techniques to assess, plan and execute alloplastic and deep plane surgery safely and with comprehensive aesthetic vision. The graphic shown here will be the keystone, showing the details of preoperative assessment and planning that I use on a daily basis for my patients. Overall my goal is to give my colleagues key insights into how to evaluate skeletal and surface anatomy, to develop proper understanding of facial proportion and balance, implant selection, and to learn never before published surgical approaches and techniques. 🎯

My patients know that I’ve always believed in taking a holistic view of faces, where subtle improvements in many areas throughout, from bone structure to skin, offers the most natural results while preserving a face’s unique character and identify. As I advance in my career I’m excited by opportunities to share the knowledge that informs my beliefs. And of course I must acknowledge the brilliant pioneers of our field, “giants” upon whose shoulders I stand, notable among them Dr. editor and visionary of this incredible textbook, and to whom I give special thanks for his invitation to contribute and to advance our speciality in ways we never before imagined. 🙏 Onwards and upwards! 💯 🙌
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Address

1101 15th Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20005

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12025177299

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