About The Ponytail Academy
World-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Chia Chi Kao is the visionary founder of the Ponytail Academy, established to teach his pioneering Ponytail Lift™ technique. This innovative, minimally invasive, and endoscopic procedure is designed to create naturally lifted results while utilizing hidden incisions for a discreet and elegant look. The academy is specifically tailored for surgeons eager to expand their expertise and refine their skills, offering unparalleled hands-on training directly from Dr. Kao's extensive knowledge and experience. Participants in this esteemed program will learn advanced techniques focused on facial contouring, fat grafting, and state-of-the-art lifting methods. With a strong emphasis on achieving refined and youthful enhancements, this comprehensive and rigorous program thoroughly prepares surgeons to deliver exceptional and highly personalized results to their patients.
A Message From Dr. Kao
Dear Colleagues,
As many of you know, the Ponytail Lift™ / Ponytail Facelift™ has become my signature operation—a technique I have carefully developed and refined over the past 25 years.
It is a procedure born out of the pursuit for natural, elegant, and lasting facial rejuvenation with minimal scarring and maximal preservation.
This journey began under the encouragement of one of my great mentors, Dr. Yu-Ray Chan, former Chairman of Craniofacial Surgery at the esteemed Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan.
I still recall his words clearly:
“Chia Chi, either you teach it—or it dies with you.”
Those words stayed with me. And while the Ponytail Lift™ has gained recognition globally, I’ve long felt a responsibility not just to protect the technique, but to pass it on properly — with integrity, clarity, and safety.
I began lecturing on the Ponytail Lift in 2017 at a small meeting in Utah. Since then, interest has grown exponentially. Many esteemed colleagues have asked to observe, learn, and integrate it into their practices.
And yet, I have always approached teaching this technique with great caution.
Why? Because this is not a procedure one can simply watch and then perform.
Endoscopic facial rejuvenation is a different language. Even the most experienced surgeons—those proficient in Deep Plane or High SMAS techniques—must recalibrate their approach entirely.
Understanding open anatomy does not equate to safe, closed dissection. The spatial awareness, instrumentation, and anatomic planes are entirely different. Mistakes can be costly — not just for the patient,
but for the reputation of the procedure itself.
It is for this reason that I have created PonytailAcademy.com—a structured educational platform designed to teach the Ponytail Lift™ with the depth, responsibility, and mentorship it deserves.
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PONYTAIL ACADEMY STRUCTURE
To provide meaningful, safe, and progressive education, the Ponytail Academy is structured in three tiers:
1. INTRODUCTORY COURSE
6-Hour Cadaver Lab – Offered at meetings such as ASAPS.
This hands-on workshop introduces core concepts, endoscopic instrumentation, key anatomic landmarks, and the unique vectors of the Ponytail Lift™.
2. NOVICE COURSE
12-Hour Full-Day Lab – Conducted in collaboration with IFATS, this intensive course expands on the introductory foundation to include ancillary procedures such as autologous fat transfer,
volume balancing, and periocular enhancement.
3. ADVANCED COURSE (Invitation Only)
3-Day Comprehensive Program in Los Angeles (Dates TBA)
This immersive course includes cadaver dissection, live surgical demonstration, deep neck surgery, ancillary rejuvenation procedures, and detailed instruction on my clinic’s proprietary protocols and SOPs.
The advanced program is designed for surgeons ready to commit to excellence in this technique.
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CERTIFICATION AND MENTORSHIP PATHWAY
• Only those who complete either the Introductory or Novice course will be eligible for enrollment in the Advanced Course.
• Upon completing the Advanced Course, participants will gain:
• Access to proprietary online content
• Inclusion in the Ponytail Academy Chat Group for ongoing support and mentorship
• As part of the graduation process, candidates will submit select cases for personal review and feedback.
• Upon successful completion, candidates will receive the Certificate of Award—a formal recognition of training and mastery.
Only upon graduation will surgeons be granted permission to use the registered trademarks:
PONYTAIL LIFT™ and PONYTAIL FACELIFT™ in their practice and communications.
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
I truly believe this is more than a course—it is a commitment to elevating the standards of facial rejuvenation, to ensuring that innovative techniques are not only preserved, but taught with care and precision.
It has taken decades of learning, refinement, and outcomes to bring the Ponytail Lift™ to where it is today.
It is my sincere hope that those who wish to learn this method do so not just for novelty, but for the pursuit of surgical excellence.
Time, effort, and investment in proper education are the best safeguards we have for our patients—and the best gift we can give to the future of our specialty.
Warmly and respectfully,
Chia Chi Kao, MD
Founder, Ponytail Academy
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Santa Monica, California
Meet The Founder
Dr. Chia Chi Kao
Dr. Kao was born in Taipei, Taiwan and moved to Seattle, Washington when he was eleven years old.
He knew he wanted to be a doctor at the age of six and started volunteering at Harborview Trauma Center in Seattle while he was in college. During that time, he saw his first operation and decided he wanted to be a surgeon.
In medical school, his mentor was a plastic surgeon, and he saw the beauty his mentor was able to
create with his hands. This inspired Dr. Kao to become a plastic surgeon as well.
After graduating from medical school at the University of Washington in Seattle, Dr. Kao completed a five-year General Surgery program at the University of Washington and received his board certification by the American Board of Surgery in 1997. He quickly developed an interest in surgical endoscopy (minimally invasive surgery through the use of a small camera scope). Dr. Kao became a clinical professor at the University’s Center for Video Endoscopic Surgery and taught residents and fellow surgeons this technique. He then completed a three-year plastic surgery program at the University of Southern California. Dr. Kao continues to expand his interest in Endoscopic Surgery to facial plastic surgery. He has taught other surgeons these specialized techniques at the Endoscopic Plastic Surgery Educational Seminar in Los Angeles, California.
Dr. Kao has authored numerous publications that have appeared in professional journals. He has also lectured at national and regional meetings with presentations to such groups as The California Society of Plastic Surgeons. He appeared on the Discovery Learning Channel featuring his endoscopic facial work. Dr. Kao is a Staff Plastic Surgeon at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. He is a member of California Society of Plastic Surgeons and is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Upcoming Courses
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The Ponytail Academy - IFATS 2025
Pittsburgh, PA
Thursday, September 25th, 2025 -
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The Ponytail Academy
Santa Monica, CA
Date(s) - TBD -
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The Ponytail Academy
Location TBD
Information Coming Soon
