Frequently Asked Questions.
FAQs
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World-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Chia Chi Kao founded the Ponytail Academy to teach his innovative Ponytail Lift™ technique. This minimally invasive, endoscopic procedure lifts the face naturally using hidden incisions for a subtle, elegant look. The academy offers hands-on training for surgeons who want to improve their skills. Participants learn advanced methods in facial contouring, fat grafting, and modern lifting techniques. The program focuses on achieving youthful, refined results, preparing surgeons to provide personalized and excellent care to their patients.
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The upcoming and previous academy courses are available for review on our dedicated “Upcoming Courses” page.
Click Here to explore the full list and find detailed information about each session. -
Dr. Kao was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and moved to Seattle, Washington, at age eleven. He decided to become a doctor at six and volunteered at Harborview Trauma Center during college. Watching his first surgery made him want to be a surgeon. In medical school, a plastic surgeon mentor inspired him to pursue plastic surgery.
After graduating from the University of Washington, Dr. Kao completed a five-year General Surgery program and became board certified in 1997. He developed a passion for surgical endoscopy, a minimally invasive technique using a small camera. He taught this method as a clinical professor and then completed a three-year plastic surgery program at the University of Southern California.
Dr. Kao now focuses on endoscopic facial plastic surgery and teaches other surgeons these skills at seminars in Los Angeles. He has published many professional articles, spoken at major meetings, and appeared on the Discovery Learning Channel. He is a Staff Plastic Surgeon at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, is a member of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, and holds certification from both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
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As you age, your face gradually loses volume and firmness, while your neck may develop excess, sagging skin and visible muscle banding. Many plastic surgeons address these common signs of aging by performing a traditional facelift, which often results in noticeable scars in front of the ears, shortened sideburns, and sometimes unwanted changes to the ear’s natural shape and contour. Additionally, the traditional facelift technique typically involves separating the skin from the underlying fat and lifting the tissues off the muscle layer, which can disrupt the skin’s delicate blood supply and damage the fat tissue beneath. This disruption can potentially leave you with an unnatural or prematurely aged appearance, rather than the smooth, youthful look you desire.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kao has pioneered advanced, minimally invasive techniques to rejuvenate your face using small incisions while carefully preserving the natural blood supply to the skin and underlying facial tissues. Dr. Kao’s innovative Ponytail Lift™ and Ponytail Facelift™ techniques utilize new sculpting and reshaping methods designed to refresh and revitalize both the face and neck, helping patients achieve a naturally youthful, balanced, and revitalized appearance without the drawbacks associated with traditional facelift methods.
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To contact the Ponytail Academy, please use our Contact Page, and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
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The faculty of the Ponytail Academy includes a distinguished group of plastic and aesthetic surgeons:
Dr. Chia Chi Kao: Founder of the KAO Institute and developer of the Ponytail Facelift™, he is a world-renowned plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience, integrating stem cell therapy into anti-aging medicine.
Dr. Francisco G. Bravo: President of the Spanish Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (AECEP) and an active member of both The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Dr. Dominik Duscher: A specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery, scientist, author, and entrepreneur. He directs the applied regenerative medicine program at Tübingen University and owns the Longevity Center Munich.
Dr. Raphael Wenny: A specialist in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery with international experience and training from the University Hospital of Basel and Kepler University Hospital, focusing on facial enhancements.
Dr. Nicanor G. Isse: A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and founder of the Isse Institute of Cosmetic Surgery, known for his innovative work in Endoscopic Facial Plastic Surgery. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA.
Learn more about our team by visiting our Ponytail Academy Faculty page.
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Dear Colleagues,
As many of you know, the Ponytail Lift™ / Ponytail Facelift™ has become my signature operation—a technique I have carefully developed and refined over the past 25 years.
It is a procedure born out of the pursuit for natural, elegant, and lasting facial rejuvenation with minimal scarring and maximal preservation.
This journey began under the encouragement of one of my great mentors, Dr. Yu-Ray Chan, former Chairman of Craniofacial Surgery at the esteemed Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan.
I still recall his words clearly:
“Chia Chi, either you teach it—or it dies with you.”
Those words stayed with me. And while the Ponytail Lift™ has gained recognition globally, I’ve long felt a responsibility not just to protect the technique, but to pass it on properly — with integrity, clarity, and safety.
I began lecturing on the Ponytail Lift in 2017 at a small meeting in Utah. Since then, interest has grown exponentially. Many esteemed colleagues have asked to observe, learn, and integrate it into their practices.
And yet, I have always approached teaching this technique with great caution.
Why? Because this is not a procedure one can simply watch and then perform.
Endoscopic facial rejuvenation is a different language. Even the most experienced surgeons—those proficient in Deep Plane or High SMAS techniques—must recalibrate their approach entirely.
Understanding open anatomy does not equate to safe, closed dissection. The spatial awareness, instrumentation, and anatomic planes are entirely different. Mistakes can be costly — not just for the patient,
but for the reputation of the procedure itself.
It is for this reason that I have created PonytailAcademy.com—a structured educational platform designed to teach the Ponytail Lift™ with the depth, responsibility, and mentorship it deserves.
I truly believe this is more than a course—it is a commitment to elevating the standards of facial rejuvenation, to ensuring that innovative techniques are not only preserved, but taught with care and precision.
It has taken decades of learning, refinement, and outcomes to bring the Ponytail Lift™ to where it is today.
It is my sincere hope that those who wish to learn this method do so not just for novelty, but for the pursuit of surgical excellence.
Time, effort, and investment in proper education are the best safeguards we have for our patients—and the best gift we can give to the future of our specialty.
Warmly and respectfully,
Chia Chi Kao, MD
Founder, Ponytail Academy
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Santa Monica, California -
To enroll in or the next Ponytail Academy course, simply visit our Upcoming Courses page.
There, you'll find all available courses, detailed descriptions, and everything you need to secure your spot and begin your learning journey with our expert faculty!