The Subtle Science of Turning Back Time
In the world of facial plastic surgery, trends shift with the seasons — and sometimes, with the celebrity headlines. But for Dr. Raj Dedhia, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, the work is never about chasing fads. It’s about balance, precision, and making sure the person in the mirror still feels like you.
Right now, three procedures dominate his schedule. At the top is upper eyelid rejuvenation — technically, an upper blepharoplasty, often paired with a brow lift. “It’s about a 45-minute procedure, minimal downtime, and pretty remarkable and immediate results. It gets rid of that hooding, makes you look less tired,” he explains. “It’s very cost-effective because it’s done in the office, and a lot of patients in their thirties and forties are asking for it.”
Second is fat grafting, which has gained traction as a natural alternative to fillers for volumization. “People like the idea of a natural substance that integrates with the body more naturally, and ages with the body in a smoother fashion,” Dedhia says. Fat is harvested from areas like the lower abdomen or thighs, then refined depending on where it’s going — macro-fat for volume in the cheeks, micro-fat for delicate under-eye areas, and nano fat, rich in stem cells and growth factors, to revitalize tissues.
The third is the preservation deep plane facelift, a technique now considered the gold standard. “It just naturally lifts what has fallen and it doesn’t look pulled. It makes people look like a younger version of themselves rather than a transformed version,” Dedhia says. “Patients sometimes get scared by the word ‘deep.’ In reality, it’s a layer that is just millimeters deeper and surrounds the fat pockets and muscles of the face, which have descended/fallen with age.”
Lately, celebrity faces have brought this technique into the spotlight. While Dedhia won’t speculate on individual procedures, he notes a pattern. “I think deep plane facelift is creating better results. And I think it’s this undetectable era where everyone’s speculating what they’ve had done, but the reason is they’ve had a comprehensive treatment — brows, eyelids, volume, skin texture, face and neck tightening — all addressed at once.” He likens it to a home renovation: “If you just redo the counters but leave the cabinets from the ’70s, people notice. Same with the face — you want it to look uniform.”
Comprehensive work means more planning, more downtime, and more trust between surgeon and patient. “Good work is going to have some healing downtime. You’re going to look like you had surgery initially,” Dedhia says. “For extensive work, especially facelift surgery, I usually tell people two to three weeks before you feel comfortable going out casually, and for a big event, maybe two to three months.
Beyond the scalpel, Dedhia integrates fractional CO₂ laser resurfacing into many facial surgeries to improve skin texture. “Why stage the pain and recovery when it’s a ten-minute addition during surgery?” he asks. He’s quick to point out that the “best” provider for lasers isn’t always necessarily an MD, but the one with the most skill and experience.
There’s also a psychological dimension to the work. “Our job is to make sure we do no harm,” Dedhia says. “If the goal is to make someone else happy, fix unhappiness, or treat something more emotional, we need to explore that. Some patients have been following surgeons for years and know exactly what they want. Others just know they need a refresh. Those cases can take more time before we get to what we’re trying to address.”
It’s a responsibility he takes seriously. “There’s no room for error in the face and neck,” he says. “I sometimes overly discuss the anatomy, the healing process, exactly what to expect, because I don’t want anyone coming in taking this lighter than it should be. Preparing the patient for the journey — making sure they take it as seriously as I do — that’s how we get the best outcomes.”
Looking ahead, Dedhia sees two exciting shifts. First, patients embracing goal alignment — trusting comprehensive treatment plans that deliver natural, uniform results. Second, the potential of regenerative medicine. “We’ve already seen platelet-rich plasma used for years. Now we’re seeing exosomes, which are stem-cell derived messengers with growth factors. We don’t know everything yet, but there’s growing research. I think regenerative medicine has been a buzzword for a while, but we’re finally coming around to some real great treatments.”
And when it comes to the ultimate compliment for his work? It’s not about someone guessing a patient’s surgeon. “It’s when people look at you and think, ‘Have you been on vacation? Did you change your makeup?’” Dedhia says with a smile. “That’s the best compliment of all.”