How to Read Before and After Photographs
Before and after photographs are the most useful thing on any surgical website and the easiest thing to present misleadingly. Knowing what to look for makes the difference between a gallery that informs a decision and one that simply impresses.
Check the lighting first. Lighting changes a face more than most procedures do. Light from above casts shadows that deepen hollows and emphasise folds, which makes a before photograph look worse. Flat, even, front-on light fills those shadows, which makes an after photograph look better. A genuine pair is shot under the same conditions, and where the lighting obviously differs between the two images, the difference being shown is partly the lighting.
Check the angle. Rotating the head slightly changes the apparent projection of the nose, the definition of the jawline and the fullness of the cheek. Matched pairs are taken from the same position. A profile compared against a three-quarter view is not a comparison at all.
Check the expression. A relaxed face and a slightly smiling face are different shapes. A smile lifts the midface, narrows the eyes and changes the nasolabial folds entirely, which means a smiling after photograph set against a neutral before photograph exaggerates the result.
Check for the obvious variables. Makeup, hairstyle, glasses, jewellery and clothing all change how a face reads. So does weight change between the two photographs, particularly for procedures involving the neck and jawline.
Look for someone who resembles you. The most useful case in any gallery is the patient whose starting point is closest to your own, in age, in facial structure and in the specific concern. A superb result on a very different face says little about what is achievable on yours.
When Photographs Are Taken Matters
Surgical results evolve, and a photograph captures one moment on that curve.
Swelling after facial surgery resolves over months rather than weeks, and the final shape of a result is not visible early. Scars follow their own timeline, typically looking their worst somewhere in the first few months and then fading and flattening over a year or more. A photograph taken at six weeks and a photograph taken at a year show genuinely different things about the same operation.
This matters when comparing galleries between practices. A gallery of early photographs and a gallery of mature results are not directly comparable, even where both are honest.
What Each Category Shows
Face and neck. Results from facelift, deep plane facelift, mini facelift and neck lift. The thing worth studying is the jawline and the area beneath the chin, since that is where the difference between techniques becomes visible.
Nose. Results from primary rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, ethnic rhinoplasty and procedures addressing breathing correction. Profile views show changes to the bridge and tip projection, while front-on views show width and symmetry. Both are needed to judge a nasal result, and a gallery showing only one is showing half the picture.
Eyes. Results from eyelid surgery and brow lift. Worth noting is where the eyebrow sits in each photograph, since brow position and eyelid skin produce a similar appearance and are different problems.
Hair restoration. Results from hair transplant and related treatment, where the hairline shape and density are the variables, and where timing matters particularly because transplanted hair grows in over many months.
Ears. Results from ear surgery and earlobe repair, usually best judged from front-on views.
Lips. Results from lip lift, which changes the distance between nose and upper lip, a structural change distinct from adding volume.
Chin. Results from chin augmentation, where profile views carry nearly all the information.
Buccal fat. Results from buccal fat removal, best assessed on three-quarter views.
Dimpleplasty and other. Results from dimpleplasty, scar revision and other specialty procedures.
Results Vary
Every photograph in this gallery shows one patient's outcome. It is not a prediction, a guarantee, or an indication of a typical result.
What a procedure can achieve for a given person depends on their anatomy, skin quality, age, healing, medical history and the specific technique used. Two patients having the same named operation can have very different starting points and very different outcomes, both of them good.
The honest use of a gallery is to understand what a procedure does and what range of change is possible, then to establish in person what is realistic for you.
Beyond the Photographs
Photographs show results. They do not show what the experience was like, which is what patient testimonials cover.
Background on Dr. Doshi, including his training and board certification, is on the about page, alongside awards and recognitions and media and publications. The practice's approach to credentials and safety is documented separately, and the guide to selecting a plastic surgeon sets out what is worth verifying about any surgeon.
The non-surgical gallery covers injectable and skin treatment results.
Arranging a Consultation
A gallery narrows the question. An examination answers it.
The practice has two Long Island locations, in Long Beach and Huntington, and sees patients from across New York City. Patients travelling in will find practical information on the traveling patients page, and remote assessments can be arranged through video consultations.
Appointments can be arranged through the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for when comparing before and after photographs?
Lighting, angle and expression before anything else, because all three change a face more than people expect. A genuine pair is shot under the same lighting, from the same position, with the same expression. Light from above deepens shadows and makes a before photograph look worse, a smile lifts the midface and changes the folds around the mouth, and rotating the head changes apparent nasal projection and jawline definition. After that, look for the patient whose starting point most resembles your own.
How long after surgery are results photographed?
It varies, and the timing matters. Swelling after facial surgery resolves over months rather than weeks, so the final shape is not visible early. Scars typically look their worst in the first few months and then fade and flatten over a year or more. A photograph at six weeks and one at a year show genuinely different things about the same operation, which is also why galleries from different practices are not always directly comparable.
Do these photographs show the results I can expect?
No. Each photograph shows one patient's outcome and is not a prediction or a guarantee. What is achievable depends on anatomy, skin quality, age, healing, medical history and the technique used. Two patients having the same named operation can start from very different places and reach very different outcomes, both of them good. What is realistic for an individual is established at an in-person assessment.
Why do some galleries show only one view of the nose?
Because a single view shows only part of a nasal result. Profile views show changes to the bridge and tip projection. Front-on views show width and symmetry. Judging rhinoplasty properly requires both, and a gallery showing only one view is showing half the picture.
Where can I see non-surgical results?
The non-surgical gallery covers injectable and skin treatment results, organised by treatment area, and is linked from this page.