1. How long have you been in practice?
I finished my residency and fellowship training in 2018. I then moved to the Philadelphia suburbs to begin my career as a facial plastic surgeon and eventually opened my own practice, Tina Ho MD, Facial Plastic Surgery, in Wayne in July 2021.
2. Why did you become a plastic surgeon?
My own personal childhood surgeries at CHOP left a positive early imprint on me and influenced me to become a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. I enjoy both the reconstructive and cosmetic aspects of facial plastic surgery and strive to pursue achieving both form and function in my practice.
3. What is your favorite part about being a plastic surgeon?
I am grateful for the privilege and gratification derived from helping patients to look and feel more refreshed and balanced with beautiful, natural results. I love seeing patients return to my office smiling and glowing with more confidence.
4. As a plastic surgeon, what’s your secret to looking so young?
Start investing early in facial rejuvenation procedures, including a good skin care regimen. I highly recommend a retinol or tretinoin product plus a good eye cream and neck cream to start.
5. What would you tell someone who’s on the fence about having plastic surgery done?
Find a plastic surgeon whose surgical approach and aesthetic align with your own treatment goals and aesthetic, someone with whom you can trust your face in. Check out before and after photos of the plastic surgeon or surgical procedure you are considering to make sure the surgeon and procedure are the right fit for you. Plastic surgery typically offers the most definitive and longest-lasting rejuvenation results, so be realistic with what non-surgical alternative procedures can accomplish.
6. Are there less invasive options to improve appearance?
Beneficial non-invasive or less invasive facial rejuvenation procedures include neurotoxin and filler injections, facials, and skin resurfacing procedures such as laser resurfacing, intense pulsed light, microneedling, and skin tightening. All of these procedures achieve immediate results with less downtime and can be combined with plastic surgery to create enhanced outcomes.
7. Does your practice do injectables?
Yes! My nurse practitioner colleague Hanna Ramsburg and I perform neurotoxin and filler injections. I specialize in facial and jawline contouring procedures, whereas Hanna is our lip specialist.
8. How often should patients have injectables done?
Neuromodulators like Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin last three months on average, so it is ideal to pursue neurotoxin injections 3-4 times per year to get the most out of neurotoxins, particularly from a preventative standpoint. We also offer Daxxify, which has averaged a treatment duration of 5-6 months in our patients. Fillers may last six months to two years on average, and the frequency of injections depends on how much is required to maintain results.
9. How can someone make sure the results look natural?
Find a plastic surgeon whose surgical approach and aesthetics align with your own treatment goals and aesthetics and whose results appear natural but are not easily detectable. Make sure to review before and after photos in your plastic surgeon search.
10. What advice would you give someone who is considering plastic surgery?
Do your research beforehand regarding the surgical procedure and plastic surgeon you are interested in to make sure the procedure and surgeon align with your treatment goals and aesthetics. Plan accordingly your budget, downtime, and support system going into surgery. Plastic surgery yields the most definitive and longest-lasting results but is an imperfect science and art. Results typically take at least a year to be realized.
Thank you, Dr. Ho!