Dr. Allison Pontius is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Santa Barbara Face & Body in Santa Barbara, California, with more than two decades of experience dedicated to non-surgical facial rejuvenation. She is Board-Certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, and Board-Certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. She completed surgical residency training at the Mayo Clinic and UT Southwestern, with fellowship training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery in New York.
Rather than treating isolated lines or features, Dr. Pontius evaluates the face as a whole: structure, balance, movement, volume, skin quality and the way each of these changes over time. Her goal is not to make patients look different, but to help them look rested, balanced and naturally refreshed.
Education, Training & Credentials
Dr. Pontius completed surgical residency training at the Mayo Clinic and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, followed by fellowship training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery in New York.
She is:
- Board-Certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Board-Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- Board-Certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine
Her surgical training provides the anatomical foundation for a practice that is now dedicated exclusively to non-surgical facial rejuvenation.
More Than Two Decades Focused on the Aging Face
For more than 20 years, Dr. Pontius has focused on the evolving possibilities of non-surgical facial rejuvenation.
Her approach has developed alongside the field itself — from the early generations of neuromodulators and injectable fillers to today’s more sophisticated understanding of facial aging, biostimulation, regenerative treatments, skin remodeling and combination therapy.
This experience allows her to look beyond an individual product or procedure. Treatment begins with determining what has actually changed and which intervention — if any — is most likely to make a meaningful difference.
Sometimes that means an injectable. Sometimes it means improving skin quality, stimulating collagen, restoring structural support or combining modalities. And sometimes the best recommendation is to do less.
Clinical Research & Education
Dr. Pontius has served for more than a decade as a principal investigator in FDA clinical trials evaluating next-generation dermal fillers and aesthetic treatments.
She is also a national speaker and physician educator in aesthetic medicine and has trained other medical professionals in facial assessment, anatomy and advanced injection techniques.
Her ongoing involvement in clinical research and physician education helps inform an approach that is both evidence-conscious and open to meaningful advances in aesthetic and regenerative medicine.
Her Approach
Dr. Pontius approaches facial rejuvenation globally, assessing balance, proportion, structure, movement and skin quality rather than treating isolated lines or features.
Every treatment plan is individualized. Injectable treatments may be used to restore support, improve proportion or soften the visible effects of aging while preserving natural movement and expression. Skin and regenerative treatments are selected to improve skin quality and stimulate remodeling when appropriate.
The goal is never simply more treatment.
Dr. Pontius is equally comfortable recommending treatment, recommending less treatment, or explaining when a procedure is unlikely to provide enough benefit to be worthwhile.
Areas of Focus
Dr. Pontius personally directs and performs advanced non-surgical facial rejuvenation at Santa Barbara Face & Body. Her areas of focus include:
- Facial Rejuvenation With Injectables
Neuromodulators, hyaluronic acid fillers and individualized whole-face treatment designed around facial anatomy, balance and proportion. - Biostimulation & Regenerative Facial Treatments
Treatments including Sculptra, Radiesse, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), PRF EZ Gel and other regenerative approaches selected according to the patient’s needs. - Fractionated CO2 Laser Resurfacing
Fractionated ablative CO2 resurfacing with the Lumenis AcuPulse for appropriate patients seeking meaningful improvement in skin texture, photodamage, fine lines and other signs of skin aging. - SkinPen® Elite Microneedling
Physician-performed microneedling for facial skin remodeling and collagen induction. Treatment may be combined with regenerative applications such as PRF or PDGF-BB (Ariessence™) when appropriate as part of an individualized treatment protocol. - Biologic Hair Regeneration
An individualized approach to hair and scalp rejuvenation that may incorporate PRF injections, SkinPen Elite scalp microneedling and regenerative applications such as PDGF-BB (Ariessence), depending upon the patient’s pattern of hair loss and treatment plan. - Skin Health & Collagen Preservation
Physician-directed skincare, chemical peels and combination treatment strategies designed to improve skin quality and help maintain results over time.
A Different Kind of Consultation
A consultation with Dr. Pontius does not begin with choosing a treatment. It begins with understanding what has changed.
From there, she evaluates the face as a whole and develops a treatment plan based on anatomy, aging pattern, skin quality, priorities and the degree of intervention the patient is comfortable with.
For patients whose goals are better addressed surgically, Dr. Pontius works alongside board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Alain Polynice, allowing surgical and non-surgical options to be considered within the same practice.
The objective is simple: thoughtful treatment, appropriate intervention and results that still look like you.