Peter Vila, MD

I can't schedule your appointment, but I can invite you to our Open House. 👇

➡️ Thursday, October 1, 2026 from 4:30pm to 7pm
📍 12115 SW 70th Ave, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97223
📱 Call or text 503.382.8899 to RSVP

Come celebrate 2 years in our beautiful space!

The other day, another business owner asked me if I use plastic in my surgeries when I’m working.

I thought he was kidding, but it was a real question.

Like many things in medicine, names come from Greek or Latin. Plastikos in Greek means to mold, or to sculpt. Thus, plastic surgery means we are operating to change shape - not use plastic.

The more you know!

To set up a consultation, head to portlandfacedoctor.com. I promise I won’t use any plastic in your surgery.

Is social media a good thing for plastic surgery?

Yes and no.

It’s incredible for making things more transparent. There is more education available now than there ever has been, which is a hugely positive thing.

Unfortunately, there are also bad apples that post photo-edited results, steal from other surgeons, and lie to patients. These days it is easier than ever with the use of AI. This creates false expectations in patients and leaves everyone else on the defensive.

How do you feel about social media and plastic surgery? Have you benefited from it?

Plastic surgery is not a one-size-fits-all.

Every patient has unique anatomy. Your individual characteristics can make certain goals easier or more challenging to achieve with a specific procedure.

Take the neck, for example. If you were at your lowest weight and in your best shape at age 25 but still had significant fullness in your neck, that may simply be the way you are shaped. Exercise and weight loss may not change it because your natural anatomy most likely just includes low-lying submandibular glands.

On the other hand, if you have a weak chin or small jawline, creating a beautiful neck contour can be more challenging because there isn't enough bony projection to support and shape the soft tissues naturally. In some cases, a chin implant may be part of the solution.

I often describe a facelift as a soft tissue repositioning surgery. How we reposition those tissues and create a natural-looking result comes down to several factors, including how we close the incisions, the direction and technique used during the facelift, and the experience of the surgeon performing it.

Check out our before and after photos on IG and at my gallery at portlandfacedoctor.com to see if you can find someone with similar natural characteristics and how we helped them look like the best version of themselves.

A facelift should make you stand out for the RIGHT reasons.

To me, a natural result means no one can tell you’ve had surgery.

Unfortunately, you’ve probably seen examples in real life or online where someone has taken a facelift too far, leaving them with a result that looks unnatural or simply doesn’t look like themselves anymore.

Here are 3 common ways to spot an "overdone" facelift:

➡️ Corners of the mouth
Pulling the tissues back too tightly can create excessive tension around the mouth, leaving the corners looking stretched or unnatural.

➡️ Windswept cheeks
Pulling the face straight back from the sides can create a tight, pulled, or warped appearance that can remain even after the facelift has fully healed.

➡️ Distorted hairline
Incisions placed too far into the hairline, including behind the ear at the base of the hairline, can create a gap or missing section where the hairline would normally be straight or naturally curved.

Keep in mind, these issues should not result from a well-executed facelift. When they do occur, this is usually a sign of poor technique.

You may or may not notice all of these changes, but as a facelift expert who performs these procedures at a high level, I see them regularly. They’re also a reminder of why I believe a thoughtful, natural approach is so important.

Don't worry, we'll always call you back!

Your neck may be the area that bothers you most, but it may not be the only area that is making you look aged.

Facial aging doesn’t happen in isolation. The neck, jawline, lower face, cheeks, eyes, brows, skin, and facial volume all change together at different rates.

The Portland Premier Lift is a customized, comprehensive approach to facial rejuvenation. This doesn’t mean that every patient needs every procedure. It means evaluating the face as a whole and addressing the areas that should be treated together for a natural, balanced result.

If you’re wondering what you would need for your individual face, follow Peter Vila, MD | Portland Face Doctor and visit portlandfacedoctor.com to schedule a consultation.