There is nothing we enjoy more than talking about a minor repair or nip-tuck procedure. In the spirit of transparency, Marie Claire’s aesthetics column, The Life of Plasticlooking around personally at what was happening behind the doctor’s door.
Diana is a 36-year-old woman living in New York City. In February 2025, he performed 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 with 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 an unbelievable jaw—and I see clearly; I didn’t remember him with that jaw [before].
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I stopped him and said. “What’s different? What happened? What did you do? He told me it was an amazing process called FaceTite. And so when Dr. Ira going into my consultation, I was like, I’m here for the saddlebags, 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 skin tightening,” said Dr. Ira. “It’s a powerful sculpting tool and if chosen and performed correctly, can produce impressive firmness with much less effort than a traditional lower face lift.” But the most important thing he emphasized to me is that FaceTite is not a facelift. It is best considered as a preventive or early intervention treatment, as a bridge procedure that brings the result of surgical lifting.
It’s funny—if you look through my photo library over the years, it’s a bunch of random photos taken from my side profile while I’m sitting on the couch or in the car. My jawline absolutely wasn’t the reason I went to him in the first place, but I think that’s actually 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 anything.
A photo 1 of 4
When I started talking to Dr. Ira and I learned that FaceTite takes 20-30 minutes start to finish, there is no anesthesia, and it is usually very simple, I made him sign me up. I think it’s also important to point out that I had already checked him out as a provider. “Technique is important. FaceTite involves the delivery of controlled heat energy, precise control of depth, avoiding nerve damage, even circulation. The dangers of overtreatment are heat or nerve damage, while drinking less produces less intensity,” said Dr. Ira.
I trust her beauty so much, and her beautiful and perfect version is also my version. In fact I had zero reservations.
The process
It’s crazy how easy it was. There is no pre-discharge appointment. I didn’t have to take any special medication. There is no anesthesia. I literally just showed up. It sounds fake. Dr. Ira had recommended taking Valium beforehand, so I did, and they took me to the back of the office to the operating room.
It’s a sterile room, so you can’t have AirPods or anything like that. Basically he makes small holes behind the ears and inserts a cannula. It was like my jaw was being cleaned by Dyson or like he took a stick and decided to wander in there and suck. It’s not like I was in severe pain; just pressure and a little heat. It’s like I was in a Dexter acting out when I’m awake and just knowing there’s something inside of me.
It took about 20 minutes, and I just sat there staring at the wall. He put dissolvable stitches behind my ears and another under my chin. The saddest thing is that I literally left his office after that and went to work.
Diana right after her FaceTite procedure.
(Photo credit: Diana)
Returning
Do you know when Skims introduced that Jaw Bra? I basically had to wear something like that 24/7. Compression helps reduce post-surgical inflammation, reduce fluid accumulation, improve skin regeneration, and support contour during early healing, according to Dr. Ira.
I’m not going to lie, that part is annoying. At that time, I felt that those two weeks would never end. Every time I left the house, I wore a baseball cap to cover the upper part, and if I didn’t want people to see the lower part, I just wore a face mask. But overall, I lived my life. I went to the office. I do Zoom meetings. I had lunch at The Mark.
A photo 1 of 3
The second week, I was able to squeeze in a few hours here and there. My favorite thing was to take my finger and just run it along my jaw. It had been a gentle ramp and after the FaceTite, I felt like a real boner. Dr. Ira says: “You were the perfect fit—slight skin laxity, good foundation elasticity and minimal sun damage.
I had an incredibly easy experience. I didn’t feel any pain. I could eat and chew normally. There was no swelling, which surprised me because that is a very common side effect for many people. I had a slight injury to my neck, but nothing painful. I never took pain pills. The worst side effect is that wrapping makes my face itch.
The Takeaway
I was immediately impressed with my results. “Early strengthening is seen in four to six weeks, and the final results appear between three and six months after the procedure,” said Dr. But honestly, I noticed a difference immediately because of the fat removal.
Diana before and after FaceTite.
(Photo credit: Diana Sokal)
I never went through a period where I had skin that needed to be wrinkled; I am very happy with my results right out of the gate. I’m now a year out, and I couldn’t be happier. My jawline is very strong and still looks natural. The craziest part is that I never knew that treatment existed, and the best part? It delayed my need for a facelift by 10 years.
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Meet the Experts
Ira Savetsky
Dr. Ira L. Savetsky is a highly trained cosmetic plastic surgeon with experience in a number of surgical fields, including cosmetic, reconstructive, microvascular, and craniofacial surgery. Part of what makes Dr. Savetsky is distinguished from other doctors by his completion of prestigious residency and fellowship programs at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including his residency at the NYU Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery and his 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 the fields of craniofacial surgery, facial implants, breast reconstruction, microvascular complex reconstruction, and cosmetic surgery. Dr. Savetsky also completed a research fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center with a focus on tissue engineering and novel lymphedema treatments. His formal training culminated in the completion of a highly sought-after fellowship in facial, nose, breast, and body cosmetic surgery at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute. Given his formidable training, Dr. Savetsky also serves as a member of the editorial board Plastic and Reconstructive Surgerythe official peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). He is also part of the education committee at ASPS, where he helps develop face-to-face curriculum at the association’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 an Aesthetic Surgery Education & Research Foundation Grant.
Although he has training in a wide range of plastic surgery procedures, Dr. Savetsky has a special interest in facial rejuvenation and rhinoplasty. She enjoys working closely with patients to help them achieve their beauty 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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