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Dr. Chia Chi Kao, MD - Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Santa Monica, California

Dr. Chia Chi Kao, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Santa Monica, California
NPI: 1427136951· License: G83809 (CA) verify
Industry payments (2024): $143 across 8 payments (what this means)
4.23(29 ratings)

Consultation $500

In Dr. Chia Chi Kao's own words

How Dr. Chia Chi Kao describes their own approach, from their TikTok posts. Each statement links to the original.

Approach

  • For me, beautification is the essence of facial aesthetic rejuvenationTikTok ↗
  • The practice is dedicated to helping patients enhance their natural beauty through safe and effective cosmetic procedures.TikTok ↗

Specialization

  • We’ll be using a combination of procedures to address her concerns: Ponytail Lift + KaoEyes + Rhinoplasty = Trifecta of BeautificationTikTok ↗

Technique

  • The doctor plans to insert a tear trough implant.TikTok ↗

Statements are quoted or closely paraphrased from Dr. Chia Chi Kao's own public posts and are their claims, not NavMDs' medical advice. Doctors can correct or remove any item via their claimed profile or support [at] navmds.com.

About

Dr. Chia Chi Kao is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Santa Monica, California. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Kao is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in aesthetic medicine. He specializes in both surgical and non-surgical procedures, ranging from facelifts and breast lifts to laser skin resurfacing. While pricing information isn't available here, Dr. Kao's extensive experience and glowing reviews suggest he's a sought-after expert in his field. He's affiliated with Saint John's Health Center and is a member of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Kao customizes each procedure to the patient's unique vision and aesthetic goals.

Connect with Dr. Chia Chi Kao on Social Media

SpecialtiesProceduresAverage CostReviewsIndustry PaymentsInsuranceLocationAffiliationsEducationFAQ

Specialties

  • Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Procedures & Services

Select a service to schedule an appointment · each is approximately 60 minutes

Procedure details

Everything on this page about each procedure Dr. Chia Chi Kao offers: pricing in context, what they've said about it, related videos and photos, and what patients ask.

Average Cost of Surgery

Healthcare costs shouldn't be a mystery. Below, you'll find crowdsourced data on the actual costs of surgeries performed by Dr. Chia Chi Kao, submitted anonymously by the patient community. Use this as a guide to better anticipate your own expenses. Please note that final costs can vary based on your specific medical needs.

3 Days Post-op

$3,000

Facelift

$70,000

Above typicalTypical in Santa Monica: $14,000–$26,800 (median $18,000, 15 reports) compare ↗

Help us keep this data current and accurate. If you've had a procedure with Dr. Chia Chi Kao, please take a moment to contribute your cost information.

Questions, Answers, and Information Directly from Dr. Chia Chi Kao

Sourced directly from Dr. Chia Chi Kao's social posts and replies.

What is the Ponytail Facelift?
The Ponytail Facelift involves total dissection of the deep plane done endoscopically with no incisions or scars on the face.
Source →
What are the benefits of a Ponytail Lift?
Ponytail lifts can improve forehead lines, heaviness of the eyelid, and droopy skin. It beautifies and rejuvenates the face and neck.
Source →
What is Brow Fashioning?
Brow fashioning rotates the brows to create a more youthful appearance and lift the head of the brow.
Source →
What is KaoEyes?
KaoEyes lifts the canthus at the corner of the eye to produce a more foxy aesthetic.
Source →
What is the Ponytail Academy?
The Ponytail Academy is a structured, 3-tier training program for plastic surgeons who want to advance in endoscopic facial rejuvenation. It teaches the Ponytail Lift and Ponytail Facelift.
Source →
Where are the incisions placed for a facelift with Dr. Kao?
Dr. Kao aims to minimize visible scars during the facelift. For male patients, he hides the incisions in the natural upper ear crease with a new technique. He uses a retrograde, endoscopic dissection for the temporal and lateral brow with no visible forehead entry points. For the neck, he removes excess skin through incisions hidden behind the ear with no occipital scarring.
Source →

What patients ask Dr. Chia Chi Kao

Questions people asked under Dr. Chia Chi Kao's TikTok videos, 3 answered by the doctor.

  • Does this lift all the muscles and fascia or just the skin?

    asked on TikTok ↗· 9 engagements

  • Can you please show us where the scars are for the Ponytail Lift?

    asked on TikTok ↗

  • Does the Ponytail Facelift address the neck?

    asked on TikTok ↗

  • Did she really need a whole lift? Could she just have gotten a bleph and fat transfer to cheeks?

    asked on TikTok ↗· 10 engagements· not yet answered

  • How long after a facelift does one look fairly normal?

    asked on TikTok ↗· not yet answered

Are you Dr. Chia Chi Kao? 2 of these questions are waiting for an answer. Claim your profile to respond.

Questions are from public comments, shown without the commenter's name. Answers are Dr. Chia Chi Kao's own statements from their videos and replies, not NavMDs' medical advice.

Videos from Dr. Chia Chi Kao

@kaoplasticsurgerytiktok on TikTok →

Videos posted on TikTok by @kaoplasticsurgerytiktok. Press play to watch here, or open the original on TikTok.

  • My Most Challenging Case: Ponytail Facelift for a Bald Patient The case of a first-time patient……

    4.8M views · Jul 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • Check Out Part 2 of My Most Challenging Case: The Bald Male Ponytail Facelift 2.5 Months After Su…

    340K views · Jul 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • "Ponytail Lift & Brow Fashioning Consultation: Enhancing Natural Beauty" In this pre-op consultat…

    168.1K views · Mar 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • Transforming Lives One Ponytail Lift at a Time At KAO Plastic Surgery we're dedicated to helping…

    131.3K views · Mar 2025 · TikTok ↗

  • She is 51 years old. She had a 3 years ago and now she looks as good as she feels! All without th…

    126.9K views · Aug 2023 · TikTok ↗

  • For me, beautification is the essence of facial aesthetic rejuvenation. It all starts with pre-op…

    112.6K views · Dec 2023 · TikTok ↗

From Dr. Chia Chi Kao's Instagram

@kaoplasticsurgery →

Recent photos posted by @kaoplasticsurgery, Dr. Chia Chi Kao's own Instagram account. Each image opens the original post on Instagram.

Images © Dr. Chia Chi Kao / @kaoplasticsurgery, shown here with a link to the original post. Procedure labels are inferred from the post's caption and hashtags. If you are the account owner and want an image removed, contact support [at] navmds.com.

Technologies & brands Dr. Chia Chi Kao mentions

Devices, implants, injectables and products named in Dr. Chia Chi Kao's own posts and videos. A mention is not an endorsement; ask the office what they currently offer.

LasersCO2 laser

Patient Experience

Dr. Chia Chi Kao Review Summary

3.96
Dr. Kao receives positive reviews overall, averaging close to a 4-star rating. While individual ratings vary slightly across platforms, most patients praise his expertise and results.

Ratings from Other Platforms

yelp.com

4.1 out of 5

Based on 51 reviews

View on yelp.com

healthgrades.com

4.5 out of 5

Based on 35 reviews

View on healthgrades.com

Google Reviews

3 out of 5

Based on 2 reviews

View on Google Reviews
Dr. Chia Chi Kao, MD - Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Santa Monica, California

Kao Plastic Surgery - Santa Monica

900 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, California

(310) 315-9211

Book a Service Consultation

Consultation fee: $500

Each service is approximately 60 minutes.

+5 more

Industry Payments

Federal law (the Physician Payments Sunshine Act) requires drug and medical-device companies to report anything of value they give to a physician — consulting and speaking fees, research funding, travel, royalties, and even meals. Medicare publishes all of it in a public database called Open Payments. We show it here so you don't have to go looking for it.

Total received (2024)

$143

Payments

8

Compared to peers

Small

Dr. Chia Chi Kao received $143 across 8 payments in 2024. That is in the lower half for physicians here — totals this size are typically meals at sponsored talks. Most of it was categorised as food and beverage, and the largest single payer was ABBVIE INC..

What this means for your care

  • A disclosed payment is a business relationship, not evidence of wrongdoing, and it says nothing on its own about the quality of your care.
  • Most payments are small. Across the physicians listed on NavMDs, the single most common category is food and beverage at industry-sponsored talks.
  • Larger consulting, speaking or royalty payments mean an ongoing financial relationship with a company whose products your doctor may use or recommend. That is worth knowing about, and it is reasonable to ask about.
  • A fair question to ask: “Do you have a financial relationship with the maker of the implant, filler or device you're recommending — and what alternatives did you consider?”

Source: CMS Open Payments, the federal database created by the Sunshine Act. View the full record on CMS Open Payments ↗

Insurance Information

Please contact Dr. Chia Chi Kao's office directly for information about accepted insurance plans.

Phone: (310) 315-9211

Help us improve this profile

Do you know which insurance plans Dr. Chia Chi Kao accepts? Share this information to help other patients.

Location & Contact Information

Kao Plastic Surgery - Santa Monica

900 Wilshire Blvd

Santa Monica, California 90401

Get Directions

Office Information

Phone: (310) 315-9211

Where does Dr. Chia Chi Kao practice?

Doctor's Office

Kao Plastic Surgery - Santa Monica (Primary)

900 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, California 90401

(14 reviews)

KAO Aesthetics - Santa Monica

900 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, California 90401

0

Hospital Affiliations

Hospital affiliations unknown

Do you know which hospitals Dr. Chia Chi Kao is affiliated with? This information helps patients understand where they might receive care.

Education & Experience

Education

University Of Washington

Certifications & Licenses

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make an appointment with Dr. Chia Chi Kao online?
This information is not available based on the provided details.
Does Dr. Chia Chi Kao offer telehealth?
This information is not available based on the provided details.
What do patients have to say about Dr. Chia Chi Kao?
Patients praise Dr. Kao's surgical skills and artistry, describing him as "magical" and "the best of the best." Reviews mention positive experiences with breast lifts, breast reconstruction, facelifts, neck lifts, fat transfer, and laser skin resurfacing. Patients also appreciate his personal qualities and express gratitude for life-changing results. One patient reported a quote of $200k for a combination of lifting procedures including Endoscopic Brow Fashioning, Deep Plane Cheek Lift, signature Jowl Lift, Deep Contouring of Anterior Neck, Mini-Posterior Corset, and Fat Transfer to Face & Lips.
What areas of care does Dr. Chia Chi Kao cater to?
Dr. Kao's areas of care include aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. He performs a range of procedures, including facelifts, neck lifts, breast lifts, breast reduction, breast reconstruction, lip lifts, fat transfer, and laser skin resurfacing. He also offers consultations for procedures like ponytail lifts.