Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery ⬩ Cleveland, Ohio
Dr. Diana Ponsky
—— MD ⬩ FACS ——
Double-Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon
2+
board certifications
25+
years of surgical experience
1,700+
rhinoplasties performed
3,500+
Facial surgeries
11+
years castle connolly top doctor
Founder · Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery
Diana Ponsky, MD, FACS
Dr. Ponsky is double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. A Castle Connolly Top Doctor for ten consecutive years and an Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, she brings academic rigor and an artist’s eye to every rhinoplasty, facelift, and eyelid procedure she performs.
In the Media
A trusted voice on facial aesthetics — Locally and nationally.
Journalists turn to Dr. Ponsky when they need an expert who will tell the truth about trends, treatments, and what actually works.
newsweek ⬩ daily mail ⬩ vogue ⬩ fox 8 ⬩ crains ⬩ cleveland magazine ⬩ news 5 cleveland ⬩ smart business ⬩ jewish news ⬩ beachwood buzz
Her Story
From refugee to surgeon — a career built on precision and purpose.
Dr. Ponsky’s path to the operating room began far from Cleveland. Her family fled Vietnam when she was a child and rebuilt their lives in the United States — an experience she has written about in Newsweek and one that still shapes how she practices: with discipline, gratitude, and a deep respect for the trust patients place in her.
She earned her medical degree at Georgetown University and completed her residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery there in 2005, receiving the Roy Sessions Exemplary Chief Resident Award. She then trained under Dr. Bahman Guyuron in facial aesthetic and reconstructive surgery at Case Western Reserve University, a fellowship centered on rhinoplasty, facelift, neck lift, and eyelid surgery, before joining the faculty of both the Department of Plastic Surgery and the Department of Otolaryngology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
After years leading the Division of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at University Hospitals, Dr. Ponsky founded Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa in Beachwood, Ohio: a boutique practice where she personally performs every surgical procedure and where academic medical-center standards meet the attentiveness of a private setting.
Read more: Newsweek — Dr. Ponsky in her own words FreshWater Cleveland profile
Why Patients Choose Dr. Ponsky
Not every plastic surgeon is a facial plastic surgeon.
Most surgeons who offer facelifts and rhinoplasty also operate on the body. Dr. Ponsky does not. Her training, her research, her teaching, and every procedure she has performed for more than two decades have been devoted exclusively to the face, head, and neck — the most visible, most anatomically complex, and least forgiving region in aesthetic surgery.
Double board-certified
Certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Two boards, one anatomical focus — a credential held by a small fraction of surgeons performing facial procedures.
Fellowship-trained in rhinoplasty and facial aesthetics
After a head and neck surgery residency at Georgetown, Dr. Ponsky completed a facial aesthetic and reconstructive fellowship under Dr. Bahman Guyuron — one of the most respected names in rhinoplasty — at Case Western Reserve University.
An academic surgeon in private practice
She formerly directed the Division of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and continues to teach residents as an Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine — bringing the standards of an academic center to a boutique setting.
Results that look like you
Dr. Ponsky’s aesthetic is restraint. Her goal is a face that looks rested, balanced, and unmistakably yours — never “done.” See it for yourself in the before & after gallery.
Education & Training
Trained at the highest level, from Georgetown to Case Western.
Facial plastic surgery is one of the longest training pathways in medicine. Here is Dr. Ponsky’s.
- MD
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine, Washington, D.C.
- 2005
Residency, Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
Georgetown University Hospital. Five years of surgical training in the anatomy of the face, head, and neck — the foundation of every facial plastic surgeon.
Roy Sessions Exemplary Chief Resident Award - Fellowship
Facial Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship
Case Western Reserve University Medical Center, under Dr. Bahman Guyuron. An intensive year devoted to rhinoplasty, facelift, neck lift, and eyelid surgery with one of the field’s most influential rhinoplasty surgeons.
- Faculty
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Joined the Department of Plastic Surgery and the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, later serving as Director of the Division of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.
- Today
Founder, Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa · Assistant Professor, CWRU School of Medicine
Leads a boutique practice in Beachwood, Ohio while continuing to teach plastic surgery and otolaryngology residents, publish peer-reviewed research, and lecture nationally on rhinoplasty and facial aesthetics.
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Surgical Expertise
Every procedure, personally performed by Dr. Ponsky.
Dr. Ponsky’s surgical practice is deliberately focused. She performs a defined set of facial procedures — and performs them often — rather than offering every operation in the aesthetic catalogue. Depth over breadth is what produces consistently natural results.
Rhinoplasty
Functional and aesthetic nose surgery — more than 1,700+ performed. Fellowship-trained under one of the country’s foremost rhinoplasty surgeons.
Explore rhinoplastyRevision Rhinoplasty
Correcting the results of a prior nose surgery — structurally and aesthetically — where experience matters most.
Learn moreFacelift
Deep plane and mini facelift techniques tailored to the degree of change you want and the recovery you can accommodate.
Explore faceliftNeck Lift
Restoring a defined jawline and smooth neck contour, alone or in combination with a facelift.
Explore neck liftEyelid Lift (Blepharoplasty)
Upper and lower eyelid surgery to open and brighten the eyes without changing their character.
Explore eyelid surgeryLip Lift, Skin Resurfacing & Earlobe Repair
Refined procedures that complete a facial rejuvenation plan or address a single concern on its own.
All surgical proceduresNon-surgical treatments — Botox®, fillers, CO₂ laser resurfacing, and more — are offered through the Ponsky Medical Spa.
Beyond the Operating Room
Teaching the next generation. Advancing the field. Giving back.
A surgeon’s reputation among peers is often the best measure of her skill. Dr. Ponsky trains the surgeons who will follow her, contributes to the literature they study, and uses her hands to serve people who could never otherwise afford them.
Teaching
As Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Dr. Ponsky teaches plastic surgery and otolaryngology residents at University Hospitals — the surgeons who will be practicing for the next forty years learn facial anatomy and technique from her.
Research & Speaking
Dr. Ponsky is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications on rhinoplasty and facial aesthetic surgery and is a frequent invited speaker at universities and national meetings across the United States.
Community & Charity
She gives her time and surgical skill to organizations close to home and beyond:
- FACE TO FACE — reconstructive surgery, at no cost, for survivors of domestic violence
- MedWish MedWorks — repurposing medical supplies for communities in need and free medical care for uninsured Northeast Ohioans
- Mentoring high-school and college students, especially young women pursuing careers in medicine and STEM
Common Questions
Choosing a facial plastic surgeon in Cleveland
The questions patients ask most often before their first consultation with Dr. Ponsky. Have one that isn’t answered here? Our team is happy to help.
Ask a QuestionWhat is the difference between a facial plastic surgeon and a general plastic surgeon?
A facial plastic surgeon trains first in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery, spending five years of residency operating exclusively on the face, head, and neck, then completes a dedicated fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. A general plastic surgeon’s training covers the entire body. Dr. Ponsky is board-certified in both facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology, and has never performed body procedures — every operation in her career has been on the face.
What does “double board-certified” mean?
Dr. Ponsky has passed the rigorous written and oral examinations of two independent boards: the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Each certification requires years of accredited training, a documented surgical record, and ongoing continuing education to maintain.
Does Dr. Ponsky perform the surgery herself?
Yes. Dr. Ponsky personally performs every surgical procedure at Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery, from the initial markings to the final suture. She also conducts your consultation and your follow-up visits.
What procedures is Dr. Ponsky best known for?
Rhinoplasty is her signature procedure — she has performed more than 1,600 primary and revision rhinoplasties and trained under one of the country’s leading rhinoplasty surgeons. She is equally sought after for deep plane facelift, neck lift, and eyelid surgery.
What is Dr. Ponsky’s approach to results?
Natural and proportionate. Her goal is for you to look like a rested, refreshed version of yourself — not like someone who has had surgery. Browse the before & after gallery to see her aesthetic firsthand.
Where is Dr. Ponsky’s practice located, and do patients travel to see her?
Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa is located at 3700 Park East Drive, Suite 160, Beachwood, Ohio 44122 — minutes from downtown Cleveland and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Many patients travel from across Ohio, neighboring states, and beyond; our team can help coordinate travel and accommodations for out-of-town consultations and surgery.
How do I schedule a consultation with Dr. Ponsky?
Book online or call 216-480-1843. Consultations are one-on-one with Dr. Ponsky and include a thorough facial analysis, a discussion of your goals, and a personalized recommendation — surgical, non-surgical, or a combination.
Advancing the Specialty
Research & Publications
Over more than two decades, Dr. Ponsky has published peer-reviewed research on rhinoplasty technique, perioral and facial rejuvenation, and nasal airway function in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Clinics in Plastic Surgery, and the British Journal of Dermatology. Several of her techniques are cited in the surgical literature today. Each study below links to its published record.
Rhinoplasty & Nasal Airway
- Prevalence of Nasal Airway Obstruction in an Orthodontic Population Using the NOSE Scale
- Improving Surgeon Well-Being: A Survey on Ergonomic Challenges and Solutions in Rhinoplasty
◆ Co-authored with Dr. Eve Tranchito
- Nose Elongation: A Review and Description of the Septal Extension Tongue-and-Groove Technique
- The Frequency of Surgical Maneuvers During Open Rhinoplasty
- Alar Base Disharmonies
Facial Aesthetics & Reconstruction
- Access and Surgical Approach to the Isolated Intranasal Basal Cell Carcinoma
- Comprehensive Surgical Aesthetic Enhancement and Rejuvenation of the Perioral Region
- Seal It and Reveal It: Postoperative Otoplasty Care Using a Silicone-Based Occlusive Dressing
- Postoperative Care Using a Silicone-Based Occlusive Dressing
- Treatment of a Nasal Vascular Malformation in a Patient with Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome via Percutaneous N-Butyl 2-Cyanoacrylate Embolization
Airway & Otolaryngology
- Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Rescue Surgery After Multiple Multilevel Procedures for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Genetics and Molecular Biology of Deafness: Update
- Genetics and Molecular Biology of Deafness
Invited Lectures, Faculty & Editorial Roles
National & International Lectures
- AI in Practice Management
- Beyond the Surgery: Rhinoplasty and Perioperative Skin Changes
- Creating a Beautiful Upper Eyelid: More Than Meets the Eye
- Beauty and the Bot: AI in Facial Plastic Surgery
- Facial Recognition Technology: What Plastic Surgeons Need to Know
- Emerging Trends in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Male Skeletal Augmentation
- Panelist, Rhinoplasty
- The Male Facial Aesthetic
Academic & Editorial Roles
- Director, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident Education
- Journal Reviewer, The Laryngoscope
- Course Faculty, Otolaryngology Cadaver Workshop
Complete publication record available on PubMed.
Your Consultation with Dr. Ponsky
The right surgeon changes everything.
Your consultation is one-on-one with Dr. Ponsky — a full facial analysis, an honest conversation about what will and won't help, and a plan built around you. Surgical, non-surgical, or both.
