Nothing gets us more excited than talking about a not-so-little tweakment or a nip-tuck procedure. In the spirit of transparency, Marie Claire’s aesthetics column, Life in Plastic, delivers a first-hand peek into what goes on behind the doctor’s door.
Diana is a 36-year-old woman living in New York City. In February 2025, she underwent the FaceTite procedure. This is her story, as told to Marie Claire, edited for length and clarity.
I’ve had two babies, and after having my second, I really wanted to do something about my saddlebags. I booked a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Ira Savetsky, MD, whom I trust with my life. But as I’m sitting in the waiting room, I see this woman with the most incredible jawline—and I’m pretty perceptive; I didn’t remember her having that jawline [before].
I stopped her and said, “What’s different? What is happening? What did you do? She told me it was this amazing procedure called FaceTite. And so by the time Dr. Ira came into my consultation, I was like, I’m here for the saddle bags, but now can we talk about FaceTite? It was a quick pivot.
“FaceTite removes fat [like traditional liposuction] and uses radiofrequency-assisted energy to stimulate dermal tightening,” says Dr. Ira. “It’s a powerful contouring tool and when properly selected and performed well, it can produce impressive tightening with significantly less downtime than a traditional lower facelift.” But the most important thing he emphasized to me is that FaceTite is not a facelift. It is best viewed as a preventive or early-intervention treatment, like a bridge procedure that still delivers the effect of a surgical lift.
It’s funny—if you look through my photo library over the years, it’s a bunch of random photos taken of my side profile when I’m sitting on the couch or in the car. My jawline totally wasn’t why I went to him in the first place, but I think that’s really a reflection of the fact that I didn’t know what my options were—I thought it was just a chin implant or filler, or Kybella, and frankly, I didn’t want any.
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Once I started talking to Dr. Ira and learned that FaceTite takes 20-30 minutes start to finish, no anesthesia, and is just generally a super easy experience, I had him sign me up. I think it’s also important to point out, though, that I had already vetted him as a provider. “Technique is critical. FaceTite involves controlled thermal energy delivery, precise depth management, avoiding nerve injury, and even contouring. Over-treatment risks burns or nerve injury, while under-treatment yields minimal tightening,” says Dr. Ira.
I trust his aesthetic so much, and his version of beautiful and appropriate is also my version. I frankly had zero reservations.
The Procedure
It’s crazy how easy it was. There’s no pre-op appointment. I didn’t have to take any special medications. There’s no anesthesia. I literally just showed up. It sounds fake. Dr. Ira had recommended taking a Valium beforehand, so I did, and then they took me to the back of the office to a procedure room.
It’s a sterile room, so you can’t have AirPods or anything like that. He basically makes small incisions behind the ears and inserts a cannula. It felt like my jaw was being cleaned by a Dyson or like he took a chopstick and decided to poke around in there and suction. It’s not like I was in acute pain; it’s just pressure and a little heat. It’s like I was in a Dexter simulation where I’m wide awake and just knowing something is inside me.
It took about 20 minutes, and I’m just sitting there staring at a wall. He put dissolvable stitches behind my ears and one under my chin. The craziest is that I literally walked out of his office right after and went to work.
Diana directly after her FaceTite procedure.
(Image credit: Diana)
Recovery
You know when Skims launched that Jaw Bra? I basically had to wear something like that 24/7. Compression helps reduce post-operative swelling, minimize fluid accumulation, improve skin redraping, and support contour during early healing, according to Dr. Ira.
I’m not going to lie, that part is annoying. At the time, I felt like those two weeks would never end. Every time I left the house, I would wear a baseball cap to cover up the top part, and if I didn’t want people to be able to see the bottom part, I would just wear a face mask. But overall, I lived my life. I went to the office. I did Zoom meetings. I had lunch at The Mark.
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By the second week, I was able to take the wrap off for a few hours here and there. My absolute favorite thing to do was to take my finger and just run it by my jaw. It used to be a soft ramp and after FaceTite, I felt actual bone. “You were the ideal candidate—mild skin laxity in the neck, good baseline elasticity, and minimal sun damage,” says Dr. Ira.
I had an incredibly easy experience. I was never in any pain. I could eat and chew normally. There was no swelling, which I was shocked about because that’s a pretty common side effect for many people. I had a little bruising on my neck, but nothing hurt. I never took any painkillers. The worst side effect was that the wrap did make my face pretty itchy.
The Takeaway
I was immediately obsessed with my results. “Early tightening is visible at four to six weeks, with final results appearing between three to six months post-procedure,” says Dr. Ira. But honestly, I noticed the difference pretty immediately because of the fat removal.
Diana before and after FaceTite.
(Image credit: Diana Sokal)
I never went through a period where I had skin that needed to shrink up; I was pretty thrilled with my results out of the gate. Now I’m a year out, and I couldn’t be happier. My jawline is so strong and still looks natural. The craziest part is that I never knew the treatment existed, and the best part? It delayed my need for a facelift by 10 years.
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Meet the Expert
Ira Savetsky
Dr. Ira L. Savetsky is a highly trained aesthetic plastic surgeon who has experience in a myriad of surgical disciplines, including cosmetic, reconstructive, microvascular, and craniofacial surgery. Part of what sets Dr. Savetsky apart from other practitioners is his completion of prestigious residency and fellowship programs at some of the most renowned institutions in the world, including his residency at the NYU Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery and his aesthetic fellowship at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute — often considered one of the top fellowship programs in the world.
During his training, Dr. Savetsky gained extensive experience in both reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery. He has worked closely with the nation’s leading experts in areas of craniofacial surgery, face transplantation, breast reconstruction, complex microvascular reconstruction, and aesthetic surgery. Dr. Savetsky additionally completed a research fellowship at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center with a focus on tissue engineering and novel lymphedema therapies. His formal training culminated in the completion of a highly sought after fellowship in aesthetic surgery of the face, nose, breasts, and body at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute. Given his formidable training, Dr. Savetsky also serves as an editorial board member of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). He is additionally part of the educational committee at ASPS, where he helps develop the face curriculum for the organization’s annual meeting.
Dr. Savetsky has lectured, published, and moderated on these topics extensively. He has been recognized for his dedication to plastic surgery with various awards, including the Snyder Award for “Best Paper” at the Plastic Surgery Research Council Annual Meeting and the Aesthetic Surgery Education & Research Foundation Grant.
Although he has training in a comprehensive range of plastic surgery procedures, Dr. Savetsky has a particular interest in facial rejuvenation and rhinoplasty. He enjoys working closely with patients to help them achieve their aesthetic goals. When he is not in the operating room, Dr. Savetsky enjoys spending quality time with his beautiful wife, Elizabeth, and their three children, Stella, Juliet, and Ollie.
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