Dr. Alain Polynice is a board-certified plastic surgeon at Santa Barbara Face & Body in Santa Barbara, California, whose practice is focused primarily on breast and body surgery; his face and neck offerings include blepharoplasty, submental/neck liposuction, and Renuvion skin tightening. Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, he completed plastic surgery training at the Mayo Clinic and has practiced for more than two decades.
Credentials
Dr. Polynice’s training and focus anchor every operation he performs.
- Board-certified plastic surgeon, by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).
- Mayo Clinic-trained in plastic surgery, following general surgery residency training, with additional international fellowship study.
- More than two decades in practice, formerly in New York, now focused primarily on breast and body surgery in Santa Barbara.
His focus
Dr. Polynice’s practice is focused primarily on breast and body surgery, which means the operations he performs most are the operations he performs all day. His breast work spans augmentation, lifts, reduction, revision, implant removal, and reconstruction; his body work spans liposuction, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, post-weight-loss and post-GLP-1 contouring, body lift, arm and thigh lifts, and fat transfer. His face and neck offerings include blepharoplasty, submental/neck liposuction, and Renuvion.
His partner, Dr. Allison Pontius, handles non-surgical facial rejuvenation, so patients have both surgical and non-surgical expertise under one roof.
His approach
Dr. Polynice is known for putting safety first and for setting honest, realistic expectations, the same plain-spoken candor that runs through his Body by Poly podcast, where he talks through what works, what does not, and what recovery actually involves. His training at the Mayo Clinic and his years of high-volume breast and body practice inform a results-focused, proportionate approach tailored to each patient.
What he treats
His practice spans breast and body surgery, plus a set of face and neck procedures.
| Area | Procedures |
|---|---|
| Breast | Augmentation, lift, reduction, revision, implant removal, fat transfer, gynecomastia |
| Body | Liposuction, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, body lift, arm lift, thigh lift, BBL, post-GLP-1 contouring |
| Face & neck | Blepharoplasty, submental/neck liposuction, Renuvion |
For non-surgical facial rejuvenation such as injectables and skin treatments, patients are cared for by Dr. Pontius.
Why patients choose Dr. Polynice
Focus and honesty are the throughlines. Because his practice is focused primarily on the breast and body, patients get a surgeon who performs these procedures constantly, and because he is candid, they get realistic expectations rather than a sales pitch. His safety-first reputation is especially valued for higher-risk procedures and for revision cases where a previous result did not go as hoped.
Is he the right fit for you?
A good fit if you
- Are considering breast surgery of any kind
- Want body contouring, a mommy makeover, or post-weight-loss surgery
- Value a safety-first surgeon and honest expectations
- Need a revision after a previous result
Better matched to Dr. Pontius if you
- Want non-surgical facial rejuvenation
- Are interested in injectables, laser or skin treatments, or hair regeneration
Education and training
| Stage | Institution |
|---|---|
| Medical school | Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra |
| General surgery residency | Harlem Hospital Center; Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra / Northwell |
| Plastic surgery residency | Mayo Clinic, Rochester |
| Fellowship | International traveling fellowship |
| Board certification | American Board of Plastic Surgery |
| Fellowship status | Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) |