Facial Plastic Surgery Honolulu | Dr. Susan Tan, MD ABFPRS

Dr. Susan Tan performing a surgical consultation

A Different Standard of Care

Fellowship training in one specialty produces a different quality of surgical judgment.

In Hawaiʻi, a physician with a general medical or surgical license can legally perform a facelift, rhinoplasty, or blepharoplasty. Most who do have not trained specifically in facial plastic surgery. Board-certification through the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) is the only credential in the United States that requires a dedicated facial surgery fellowship as a prerequisite. Dr. Tan holds it.

Her fellowship at the University of Toronto — one of the most competitive programs in the world — concentrated an entire year of surgical training in the face and neck. Not divided across body, breast, and face. Not supplemented by weekend courses. One year. One anatomical territory. That concentration produces the kind of surgical judgment that makes a facelift result look entirely natural in ten years — not just the first two.

Over 17 years of practice — every procedure in the same specialty — Dr. Tan has developed an anatomical fluency that determines how she looks at a face in consultation, how she designs a surgical plan, and how she executes it. Her patients choose her not just for the credential. They choose her because the difference is visible.

Why Specialist Training Matters About Dr. Tan

Find Your Procedure

What concerns you most about your face or neck?

Select your primary concern below. The procedures most likely to address it will be highlighted. Dr. Tan will recommend the precise approach during your consultation.

Lifting & Rejuvenation

Deep Plane Facelift

The gold standard in surgical facial rejuvenation. Addresses laxity at the deepest structural layer — the SMAS — producing a result that lasts and looks entirely natural. Dr. Tan's most technically demanding procedure, and the one that most completely addresses full facial and jawline aging.

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Lifting & Recontouring

Neck Lift

Surgical tightening and recontouring of the neck — addressing the platysmal banding, excess skin, and loss of jaw definition that creates an aged or heavy neck appearance. Frequently combined with a facelift for the most comprehensive lower face and neck rejuvenation.

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Facial Harmony

Rhinoplasty

Surgical refinement of the nose in precise harmony with the patient's existing facial anatomy. Functional and aesthetic — Dr. Tan performs rhinoplasty for both breathing correction (septoplasty) and cosmetic refinement, often together. Every result is designed to look like yours.

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Eyelid Surgery

Blepharoplasty

Upper and lower eyelid surgery — restoring the alertness and openness of the eye without altering its natural character or ethnic identity. One of the most powerful tools in facial rejuvenation. Dr. Tan designs every blepharoplasty around the patient's specific eyelid anatomy and ptosis assessment.

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Specialized Eyelid Surgery

Asian Blepharoplasty

A specialized technique that creates or enhances a natural eyelid crease — designed in full respect of the patient's natural aesthetic and cultural identity. Never westernizing. The goal is always a result that looks like you, not like someone else's eyes.

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Lip Proportion

Lip Lift

A surgical refinement that restores the natural proportional relationship between nose and upper lip — a result that filler cannot replicate and that ages gracefully. Ideal for patients who notice the distance between their nose and lip has lengthened with time.

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Volume Restoration

Facial Fat Grafting

Autologous volume restoration using the patient's own fat — the most biologically compatible solution to facial volume loss. Frequently combined with a facelift to restore the facial volume that lifting alone cannot address. Results that look and feel like your own face.

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Ear Correction

Otoplasty

Surgical correction of protruding or prominent ears — precise reshaping of the ear cartilage to restore a natural position and profile. One of the few procedures that produces its most dramatic improvement in proportion rather than appearance alone.

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Neck Contouring

Neck Liposuction

Targeted liposuction to reduce excess fat beneath the chin and along the neck — most effective in younger patients with good skin laxity who want jawline definition without the recovery of a full neck lift. Results are immediate and long-lasting.

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Brow & Forehead

Brow Lift

Surgical elevation of a descending brow — restoring the natural brow position and opening the upper face. Frequently combined with blepharoplasty, as a descending brow often mimics excess upper eyelid skin. Dr. Tan assesses both at consultation to ensure the correct procedure is recommended.

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;margin-top:1.5rem;font-style:italic">Not sure which procedure is right for you? That is exactly what a consultation with Dr. Tan is for. She will evaluate your specific anatomy and concerns — and tell you honestly what she recommends and why.

Why It Matters Who Performs Your Surgery

Four things that change when your surgeon trained exclusively in the face.

The difference between a facial plastic surgeon and a physician who performs facial procedures is not a matter of talent. It is a matter of what the training was designed to produce.

Anatomical depth at every layer

Dr. Tan's fellowship training encompasses the face from skin surface through SMAS to the deep plane — the retaining ligaments, fat compartments, and facial nerve anatomy that govern both the surgical approach and the longevity of the result. General surgical training does not go this deep in one territory.

17 years of concentrated surgical volume

Surgical judgment is accumulated through volume in one territory. Every complication Dr. Tan has managed, every anatomical variation she has encountered, every result she has studied — has been in the same specialty. That concentration is what makes her assessments different from the first sentence of the consultation.

A woman's perspective on the result

As the only female facial plastic surgeon in Honolulu, Dr. Tan brings an intuitive understanding of how her patients want to look — not just what a procedure can technically achieve. Her patients consistently tell her they felt genuinely heard from the first conversation.

Surgery and skincare under one physician

Dr. Tan's surgical anatomy expertise governs every non-surgical recommendation made at this practice. The HFPS Facial Longevity Assessment, the Collagen Clinic, the Pigmentation Protocol — all designed by the surgeon who understands what is happening at the structural layer beneath the skin.

Read the Full Specialist Argument →

What Patients Say

The result no one can quite place. That is the standard.

Dr. Tan's patients receive compliments on how well they look — without anyone knowing exactly why. That is the goal every time.

"My facelift results are so natural that my closest friends simply said I looked well-rested. That was exactly what I wanted. Dr. Tan understood that from the first consultation and never once pushed me toward anything I wasn't ready for."

Deep Plane Facelift · Oahu

"Dr. Tan listens to her patients and remembers details of what was said during later appointments. She performed corrective surgery on my nose which has improved my overall health and well-being. I am very grateful for her care and precision."

Rhinoplasty · Honolulu

"She is so detail-oriented. She sees you at every post-op visit, discusses the plan, and guides you along the way. I was nervous and she eased my anxiety. My results still look natural years later."

Surgical Patient · Oahu

"I had a blepharoplasty and I'm thrilled with the results. Dr. Stark — excuse me, Dr. Tan — is brilliant and she's a true artist. She spent as much time with me as needed and never made me feel rushed."

Blepharoplasty · Honolulu

Read All Patient Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions, answered clearly.

Common questions about facial plastic surgery with Dr. Tan. For questions specific to your anatomy and goals, there is no substitute for a private consultation.

What facial plastic surgery procedures does Dr. Tan offer?+

Dr. Tan offers a complete suite of face and neck surgical procedures — deep plane facelift, neck lift, neck liposuction, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty (upper and lower), Asian blepharoplasty, lip lift, facial fat grafting, and otoplasty. Every procedure is performed by Dr. Tan personally. She specializes exclusively in the face and neck — no body surgery, no breast surgery, no deviation from the specialty she trained in.

What is a deep plane facelift, and why is it different?+

A deep plane facelift addresses laxity at the SMAS — the superficial muscular aponeurotic system — the deeper structural layer beneath the skin and fat. Conventional facelifts tighten skin only, which produces results that fade within a few years and can look pulled. The deep plane technique releases the retaining ligaments that tether facial tissue and lifts the entire structural layer together, producing a result that looks natural and lasts significantly longer. Dr. Tan's fellowship training includes extensive deep plane facelift experience — it is the technique she performs most frequently for complete facial rejuvenation.

What is the difference between a facelift and a neck lift?+

A facelift addresses sagging skin and loss of definition in the mid-to-lower face — the jowls, cheeks, and lower face. A neck lift focuses on the neck specifically — addressing platysmal banding, excess skin, and the loss of jaw definition that creates a "turkey neck" appearance. Both procedures address overlapping anatomy and are frequently performed together for the most comprehensive lower face and neck rejuvenation. During your consultation, Dr. Tan will assess your anatomy and tell you which approach — or combination — is appropriate.

Am I a candidate for facial plastic surgery?+

Candidacy depends on your anatomy, your goals, and your health — not your age. Patients in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond are all appropriate depending on the procedure. To qualify for surgery, you should be a non-smoker, be in good general health, and have realistic expectations. The honest answer to "am I a candidate?" is something Dr. Tan can only tell you in person, after examining your specific anatomy. That conversation — not a self-assessment — is where the plan begins. Schedule a consultation and find out.

Will my results look natural?+

Natural results are not a goal at this practice — they are the standard. Dr. Tan's entire philosophy is built around the idea that the most successful outcome is one no one can quite identify. Her patients receive compliments on how well they look — not on having had surgery. The deep plane technique, precise incision planning, and conservative approach to tissue removal all contribute to results that age gracefully rather than becoming more obvious over time.

What is the recovery process like?+

Recovery varies by procedure. For a deep plane facelift, expect the first 3–5 days to involve rest at home with your head elevated. Sutures are typically removed at 5–7 days. Most patients can resume light daily activities within 7–10 days with appropriate sun protection. Tennis, swimming, and strenuous exercise are avoided for four weeks. Dr. Tan provides detailed pre- and post-operative care instructions for every procedure. Detailed care instructions are also available in the Patient Resources section of this site.

How long do surgical results last?+

Surgical results are long-lasting. A deep plane facelift conservatively produces results that last 10 to 15 years — and for many patients, considerably longer. The longevity of the result depends on the surgical technique, the patient's genetics and lifestyle, and whether the result is maintained with physician-directed skincare and non-surgical care over time. Dr. Tan integrates surgical patients into the HFPS non-surgical continuum — the Collagen Clinic, Pigmentation Protocol, and injectable maintenance — specifically to protect and extend surgical outcomes.

Does insurance cover facial plastic surgery?+

Most cosmetic surgical procedures are not covered by insurance, as they are elective. Exceptions exist: rhinoplasty performed to correct a deviated septum and improve breathing may qualify for partial coverage. Blepharoplasty performed when excess upper eyelid skin significantly obstructs vision may also qualify. These require documented testing to demonstrate functional impairment. Dr. Tan's team can guide you through this process. All cosmetic procedures are priced transparently and payment plans are available.

The Face & Neck — Every Layer. Every Stage.

Fellowship training in one specialty produces a different quality of surgical judgment.

What concerns you most about your face or neck?

Deep Plane Facelift

Neck Lift

Rhinoplasty

Blepharoplasty

Asian Blepharoplasty

Lip Lift

Facial Fat Grafting

Otoplasty

Neck Liposuction

Brow Lift

Four things that change when your surgeon trained exclusively in the face.

Anatomical depth at every layer

17 years of concentrated surgical volume

A woman's perspective on the result

Surgery and skincare under one physician

Gallery

The result no one can quite place. That is the standard.

Questions, answered clearly.

Deep Plane Facelift

Neck Lift

Rhinoplasty

Blepharoplasty

Asian Blepharoplasty

Lip Lift

Facial Fat Grafting

Brow Lift

Otoplasty

Begin with a private consultation.