Achih H Chen

Achih H. Chen is an American facial plastic surgeon, researcher, and academic. He is best known for his development of the facial cosmetic surgical technique, the "Total Face Rejuvenation, " a multi-plane facial surgery method for which he appeared on The Doctors. He is also known for the development of a streamlined technique of creating dynamic facial dimples to mimic naturally occurring dimples. Prior to his work in facial plastic surgery, Chen contributed to early foundational molecular genetics research that mapped the chromosomal locations of specific forms of hereditary hearing loss.

Early life and education Chen grew up in Ames, Iowa, where he graduated from Ames High School in 1986. He attended the University of Iowa, graduating in 1990 and receiving a Bachelor of Science in physics with a minor in Mathematics. Chen earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1995 and subsequently completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Iowa. During his residency, Chen also completed an NIH post-doctoral research fellowship and was the recipient of the McCabe Research Award.

Chen is also actively involved in medical credentialing and oversight. He has served as an Oral Examiner for the Facial Plastic Surgery Section of the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (part of the American Board of Medical Specialties) and has served a three-year term as a member of the board's Task Force for New Materials.

Surgical innovations Chen has developed and published multiple surgical techniques to enhance outcome and reduce healing time following cosmetic facial surgery.

The Total Face Rejuvenation Chen is credited with developing the "Total Face Rejuvenation," a technique that involves simultaneous surgery in three distinct facial tissue planes, combined with ablative laser resurfacing. The approach was designed to address multiple layers of facial aging comprehensively in a single procedure. The technique was published in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery and subsequently featured on the syndicated medical talk show The Doctors.

Genetic research Early in his medical career, Chen was involved in molecular genetic research focusing on the basis of hereditary hearing loss.

Mapping DFNA4 In 1995, Chen was part of a research team that performed foundational genetic studies on DFNA4, an autosomal dominant form of hearing loss. The team mapped the responsible gene to chromosome 19q13