Dr. Howard Krein, MD, PhD
Jefferson Facial Plastics
Philadelphia, PA
Cosmetic Surgery
- Face, head and neck surgery only
- Thomas Jefferson University faculty
- Financing available
- Most rhinoplasty resultsMore published results on Afters than any other practice in Pennsylvania for rhinoplasty (106).
Rhinoplasty
106 results
Facelift
9 results
What Jefferson Facial Plastics offers
Jefferson Facial Plastics is a plastic surgery practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has published 115 before-and-after results on Afters: 106 rhinoplasty and 9 facelift.
Its surgeons are Dr. Ryan Heffelfinger and Dr. Howard Krein. Consultations are $100 and offered in person, and financing is available through CareCredit.
Dr. Howard Krein, MD, PhD
Board certified
Dr. Howard Krein is a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Jefferson Facial Plastics and a professor at Thomas Jefferson University, where he co-directs the Herbert Kean Center for Facial Aesthetics. He operates only on the face, head and neck and treats patients from newborns to adults. His work includes rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, facial rejuvenation, fat transfer, ear reshaping and microtia repair, reconstruction after cancer and trauma, and Botox and injectable fillers.
He earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College and a PhD in cell and developmental biology at UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. After internships in emergency medicine and general surgery, he completed an otolaryngology–head and neck surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, followed by a facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
He is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and became a Fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2012. Each year he spends one to two weeks in Belize performing reconstructive surgery on children with facial deformities through World Pediatrics.
Credentials & affiliations
- American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
- American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Fellow, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Publications & press
- Predictors of Unplanned Admission After Outpatient RhytidectomyAesthetic Surgery Journal · 2026
- A Comparison of Brow Elevation and Complications: Endoscopic Versus Pretrichial Brow LiftThe Laryngoscope · 2026
- Ergonomics in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A National EvaluationFacial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine · 2024
- Sonic Rhinoplasty: Review and Updated UsesFacial Plastic Surgery · 2020
Facial plastic surgeon
Dr. Ryan Heffelfinger
Board certified
Dr. Ryan Heffelfinger is a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Jefferson Facial Plastics and a professor at Thomas Jefferson University, where he directs the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and co-directs the Herbert Kean Center for Facial Aesthetics. He operates only on the face, head and neck, including rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, facelift, fat transfer, ear reshaping and reconstruction after cancer and trauma, and he offers Botox and fillers.
Care team
Treatments
See its results for each, and ask for an interactive quote with your price.
About Jefferson Facial Plastics
Jefferson Facial Plastics is a facial plastic surgery practice at 925 Chestnut Street in Center City Philadelphia, home of the Herbert Kean Center for Facial Aesthetics at Thomas Jefferson University. Its two surgeons, Dr. Ryan Heffelfinger and Dr. Howard Krein, are board certified in otolaryngology and in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and operate only on the face, head and neck, including rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, facelift and brow lift.
What to know
- In person consultations$100
- FinancingCareCredit
- Hospital privilegesThomas Jefferson University Hospital
Where it is
Hours
- Mon–Fri
- 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sat–Sun
- Closed
Reviews
39 Google reviews
“Following a significant health incident resulting in complete paralysis on the right side of my face, I sought assistance from numerous medical professionals, who unfortunately indicated that no treatment options were available. Upon learning of Dr. Heffelfinger's expertise, I was informed that he could potentially provide assistance. Initially, I felt a sense of despair. However, subsequent to two surgical procedures, Dr. Heffelfinger facilitated a remarkable transformation. He has effectively restored my quality of life. I am profoundly grateful for this extraordinary outcome. I am deeply appreciative of Dr. Heffelfinger and his entire team. Your dedication and care are truly exceptional. Thank you from the depths of my heart! Sabrina”
“I recently had a hairline brow lift, upper blepharoplasty, and revision rhinoplasty with Dr. Heffelfinger at Jefferson Facial Plastics — and the results exceeded every expectation. From consultation to post-op care, he was attentive, precise, and never pushy. He understood I wasn’t chasing “overdone.” I just wanted a refreshed, natural look — and that’s exactly what I got. The brow lift was done at the hairline, not endoscopically — which gave a smooth, lifted result without raising my hairline or creating a harsh “surprised” look. My upper eyelids are now clean and open, without that heavy fold I’d grown used to. And the revision rhinoplasty? Spot on. He corrected the flaws from a previous surgery without making my nose look pinched or generic — just natural, centered, and elegant. Healing went smoothly — no infections, no major bruising, no surprises. Just results. Dr. Heffelfinger has a conservative, artistic eye and a reassuring presence. I felt safe, seen, and cared for every step of the way. Jefferson Facial Plastics is top-tier — clean, organized, and genuinely supportive. I would recommend him to anyone serious about facial work done right.”
“Dr Krein is an expert at creating natural beauty! He’s very knowledgeable and informative. His bedside manner is always professional and caring at the same time! I recommend him to everyone that I know ❤️!”
“Office staff and Dr Colin Huntley both great. He was quick and to the point while being polite. Appreciated him coming in to talk to me before he perform my tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy as I was extremely afraid. One week-ish post op and in terrible pain as expected for an adult tonsillectomy. Great job!”
“This is a one-star review that actually means something. I am not giving one star because I waited 45 minutes for appointments, although that happened routinely. I am giving one star because I paid thousands of dollars, underwent surgery and a long recovery, and had my nasal tip severely and permanently over-resected despite explicitly saying I did not want it significantly narrowed. Before surgery, I specifically said, “I like how wide my tip is. I would only want it narrowed if the change were basically imperceptible.” Instead, I ended up with a tiny, pointy, crooked, triangular tip that looked completely unnatural on my face. Multiple revision rhinoplasty specialists later told me my tip had been severely over-resected. Correcting it ultimately required rib cartilage grafting because so much tip cartilage had been removed. I am also left with permanent numbness and abnormal tickling sensations in my nose due to removing so much of my tip cartilage, which significantly affects my daily life. I understand that surgery is unpredictable. Surgeons are human, healing varies, and sometimes a result simply does not turn out well. What bothers me most is not that the surgery had a poor outcome. It is how my concerns were handled afterward. When I repeatedly expressed how unhappy I was, Dr. Krein continued telling me the result looked “incredible” and “amazing” and told me I would be “crazy” to have a revision. I would have had far more respect for him if he had simply said, “I hear your concerns. I think we missed the mark. Here are some revision specialists I trust.” Instead, I felt repeatedly dismissed. I spent years researching revision specialists myself and thousands of dollars on consultations and travel before ultimately undergoing revision surgery. My revision result is dramatically better, and I wish I had done it years earlier. For years I avoided photos and felt deeply unhappy with my appearance. I now finally feel like a huge weight has been lifted. Unfortunately, I am also out almost $40,000 correcting the original result and have a permanent rib scar from the cartilage graft needed to reconstruct my nose. I have also tried to speak with an office manager about my experience and have been unable to get anyone to meaningfully address my concerns. My advice is simple: if you are considering rhinoplasty, go to a surgeon who truly specializes in rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. I deeply wish I had done that the first time.”
