Meet Dr. Azizzadeh

Babak Azizzadeh, MD, FACS
Director, The Facial Paralysis Institute
Clinical Chief, Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, Cedars-Sinai
President-elect, American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, the founder and Director of The Facial Paralysis Institute, is a Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon who is deeply committed to the treatment of individuals with facial paralysis and Bell’s palsy. Dr. Azizzadeh is a plastic surgeon who is double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. His expertise in facial plastic surgery has made him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the world. Dr. Babak Azizzadeh has been featured in The New York Times, Discovery Health, the Oprah Winfrey Show, The Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors television show for his unique expertise in the field.

After graduating from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA at the top of his class, Dr. Azizzadeh completed a six-year residency program in Head & Neck Surgery/Facial Plastic Surgery at the UCLA Center for Health Sciences. He then completed a sub-specialized fellowship in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Harvard Medical School with special emphasis on Bell’s palsy and facial reanimation. This prestigious fellowship position for Dr. Babak Azizzadeh was available to only one surgeon in the United States.

Dr. Azizzadeh is President-elect of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), having previously served as its Western Regional Director, and is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. He is also Director of the CENTER for Advanced Facial Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills and Clinical Chief of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at Cedars-Sinai.

Dr. Azizzadeh co-edited The Facial Nerve (Thieme, 2014), a definitive textbook on facial nerve disorders, and has served as lead editor for more than 10 plastic surgery textbooks. He has published more than 80 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and Laryngoscope. He is regularly invited to speak nationally and internationally on facial paralysis. He was a keynote speaker at the 2013 Acoustic Neuroma Association Symposium and co-chaired the Sir Charles Bell Society’s 13th International Facial Nerve Symposium in 2017 with Dr. William Slattery III. He also led the 2023 AAFPRS Annual Meeting.

Dr. Azizzadeh rose to Associate Clinical Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine and has performed facial reanimation surgery at the House Clinic Center for Facial Nerve Function for many years. He co-directs an AAFPRS-sanctioned Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship and has trained more than 20 facial plastic surgeons. He has also co-chaired Cedars-Sinai’s Annual Multispecialty Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Symposium for over a decade.

As a former Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School and a clinical faculty at UCLA, Dr. Babak Azizzadeh has been actively involved in teaching facial plastic surgery to residents and medical students. He has also been actively engaged in clinical and basic science research for facial paralysis reconstruction and facial nerve disorders. He has collaborated with Nobel Laureate Dr. Louis Ignarro and has received many honors and grants for his research endeavors.

In addition to his busy surgical practice in which he is one of only a handful of surgeons in the world to perform facial paralysis procedures at high volume, Dr. Babak Azizzadeh has also been actively involved in several humanitarian causes. He is he founder and Director of the Facial Paralysis & Bell’s Palsy Foundation – a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research in facial nerve disorders and providing pro-bono surgery to those in need. Dr. Azizzadeh is a plastic surgeon who also serves as a volunteer surgeon and board member for the Global Smile Foundation, traveling to underserved regions in order to treat children with cleft lip and palate disorders. Additionally, he is involved with the Reconstructive Surgery Program of the R.O.S.E. Fund (Regaining One’s Self-esteem), a national non-profit organization committed to ending violence against women and children.

View the Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

What Makes Dr. Azizzadeh One of the Best Facial Paralysis Surgeons?

Dr. Azizzadeh is a facial paralysis surgeon who takes a holistic approach to patient care. He allocates time and resources to learn about a patient, then crafts a custom treatment plan for him or her. In doing so, Dr. Azizzadeh helps his patients achieve their desired treatment results.

By working with Dr. Azizzadeh, a patient receives comprehensive support throughout all stages of treatment. As a world-renowned expert in facial paralysis surgery, Dr. Azizzadeh knows that each patient requires extensive care and support. Thus, Dr. Babak Azizzadeh takes the time to understand what his patient’s facial paralysis surgery treatment goals are, and develops a treatment plan accordingly.

Dr. Azizzadeh is a plastic surgeon who is also dual-certified in head and neck surgery and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, and his expertise separates him from other facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Whereas a typical facial plastic surgeon takes a standard approach to different procedures, Dr. Azizzadeh works closely with a patient to customize each treatment plan. This allows a patient to undergo a procedure that provides the best-possible results.

Why Should You Choose Dr. Azizzadeh to Treat Facial Paralysis?

Facial paralysis is complex, and it is important to partner with a facial paralysis surgeon who knows the ins and outs of the head, neck and related structures. By partnering with Dr. Azizzadeh, a patient can undergo a personalized treatment to address his or her facial paralysis symptoms.

Dr. Azizzadeh has many years of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and head and neck surgery experience. He has performed surgeries to treat facial paralysis, Bell’s palsy, synkinesis, and related conditions. Dr. Babak Azizzadeh also offers a wide range of non-surgical treatments to help his patients improve facial muscle coordination and enhance facial symmetry.

Schedule a Treatment Consultation with Dr. Azizzadeh Today

Dr. Azizzadeh is a plastic surgeon who is happy to meet with an individual to discuss facial paralysis treatment options. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Azizzadeh, please call us today at (310) 657-2203.