--- title: "Our Approach" --- Physician-led by design # Our Approach Santa Barbara Face & Body is built around physicians: every treatment, non-surgical or surgical, is guided by a physician, and the honest recommendation, the least that achieves your goal, matters more than the sale. We recommend what is appropriate, not what can be sold — with natural results and real expertise. [Request a consultation](https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/request-a-consultation/) Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara Face & Body is an aesthetic practice where treatments are guided by physicians at every step, from the first consultation through follow-up. Non-surgical facial rejuvenation and skin care are led by Dr. Allison Pontius, a facial plastic surgeon, and surgical procedures of the breast, body, and face by Dr. Alain Polynice, a plastic surgeon. The practice emphasizes measured results, safety, and honest guidance toward the least invasive option that meets a patient's goals. ## What physician-led actually means It is a specific claim, not a slogan. - A physician guides the plan. Your treatment is directed by a physician, from assessment through follow-up. - Two areas of expertise. Non-surgical and surgical care under one roof, so the advice is complete. - Honest recommendations. Because both options exist here, there is no reason to oversell one. - Natural, restrained results. The goal is you on a good day, not a different face. Physician-led a physician guides every plan ## The two specialists Complementary expertise, one practice. | | Dr. Allison Pontius | Dr. Alain Polynice | | --- | --- | --- | | Focus | Non-surgical facial rejuvenation, skin | Breast, body, and surgical face | | Credential | Board-certified facial plastic surgeon | Board-certified plastic surgeon | | Known for | Restraint, natural injectables | Safety-first surgery, revision expertise | Because both practice here, you are matched to the right expertise, and referrals between them happen in-house. Two specialists non-surgical and surgical, together ## The standard behind every recommendation The through-line is accountability and appropriateness. - Physician-directed. A physician guides the plan from consultation through follow-up. - Appropriate, not sold. The recommendation is the least that achieves your goal — sometimes that means doing less, or nothing yet. - Full range. Non-surgical and surgical care under one roof, so the advice is complete. - Accountability. A board-certified physician stands behind every recommendation. We recommend what is appropriate, not what can be sold — and a physician can offer, or advise against, the full range of non-surgical and surgical care. ## The patient journey What working with the practice looks like. | Step | What happens | | --- | --- | | Consultation | Your concern and goals come first, not a catalog | | Assessment | A physician examines you and explains the options | | Honest plan | The least invasive option that meets your goal, in writing | | Treatment | Non-surgical or surgical, by the right specialist | | Follow-up | Results reviewed, maintenance and next steps discussed | The value is not the steps. It is that a physician owns each one. ## Why Santa Barbara Face & Body The practice pairs two things patients rarely find together: genuine restraint and genuine range. Dr. Pontius brings a physician-injector's discipline to non-surgical rejuvenation, and Dr. Polynice brings Mayo Clinic-trained surgical judgment to the breast, body, and face. Because both are here, the recommendation can be honest, sometimes that means doing less, or nothing yet, and because both are board-certified physicians, there is real accountability behind every plan. That is the standard. Board-certified physicians accountable for your care ## Who this suits **A good fit if you** - Want a physician, not a menu, guiding your care - Value honesty over upsell and natural over overdone - Want non-surgical and surgical options in one place - Prefer judgment and expertise to theatrics **Perhaps not the fit if you** - Want the cheapest option regardless of who performs it - Are seeking a look the practice considers unnatural - Prefer choosing treatments from a set menu without a physician's guidance ## What to expect Your first visit is a conversation, not a sales pitch. A physician listens to your concern, examines you, and explains the realistic options, including when the honest answer is a simpler treatment or none at all. You leave with a plan matched to you, clear expectations, and pricing in writing, and never any pressure to decide on the spot. ## What it costs Because care is matched to you rather than sold from a menu, treatments are quoted by the plan, not by a shelf price. You will always have clear pricing in writing at your consultation, with no pressure to do more than you need. Honest recommendations include honest numbers. - **Practice type:** Physician-led by design - **Non-surgical lead:** Dr. Allison Pontius, facial plastic surgeon - **Surgical lead:** Dr. Alain Polynice, plastic surgeon - **Values:** Natural, restrained, honest, safety-first - **Location:** Santa Barbara > What Is Board Certification?, American Board of Medical Specialties (United States). Board certification indicates that a physician has completed accredited training and met examination standards in a specialty and is a verifiable credential distinct from self-designated titles. — [What Is Board Certification?, American Board of Medical Specialties](https://www.abms.org/board-certification/) ```ld+json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/why-us/#webpage", "name": "Our Approach", "url": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/why-us/", "description": "Santa Barbara Face & Body is a physician-led practice by design. 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Non-surgical care is led by Dr. Allison Pontius, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, and surgical care by Dr. Alain Polynice, a board-certified plastic surgeon, so every treatment is guided by a physician and matched honestly to the patient." }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/why-us/#webpage" }, "url": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/why-us/" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does physician-led mean?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It means a physician directs your care, at every step. At Santa Barbara Face & Body, non-surgical care is led by a facial plastic surgeon and surgical care by a plastic surgeon. The practical difference is accountability and judgment: a physician who can offer, or advise against, the full range stands behind every recommendation." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is this a med spa?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No — this is a physician-directed practice. A physician guides every plan, both non-surgical and surgical care are available under one roof, and the aim is the least invasive option that meets your goal, including doing less, or nothing yet. Physician accountability behind every recommendation is what defines the practice." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why does board certification matter?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Board certification reflects completed, accredited training and examination in a specialty, and it is verifiable through the certifying board. It is a meaningful signal of a physician's qualifications, distinct from self-designated titles. Both physicians here are board-certified, Dr. Pontius in facial plastic surgery and Dr. Polynice in plastic surgery, and their certification status can be confirmed through the boards." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will I be pressured to buy treatments?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. The practice is built around honest, restrained recommendations, which often means suggesting the least invasive option or advising you to wait. Because both non-surgical and surgical care are available here, there is no reason to steer you toward one. You will get a plan and pricing in writing, and time to decide, rather than pressure to commit on the spot." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://santabarbarafaceandbody.com/why-us/#citation-26690359", "name": "What Is Board Certification?, American Board of Medical Specialties", "url": "https://www.abms.org/board-certification/" } ] } ```