I had submental liposuction done here, and I am about 9 months in to the healing process. All I can say, is that I am extremely happy with my results so far! It looks natural, as if I didn't have anything done at all. Every time that I had a question or doubts, Dr. Ridgway would show me comparison photos and made sure I left with all of my questions answered. Dr. Ridgway also gives his best opinion on which procedures would you would benefit from. I remember I initially went in, wanting 2 or 3 different procedures, but I am glad that I took his advice and only got submental liposuction. Both him and his team are super generous and make sure that you are comfortable every time you are there. I highly recommend going here! read more

James Ridgway, MD, FACS - 9 months in - Plastic Surgeons Near Me

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You know those people who put you instantly at ease and make you feel like you're safe and will be well looked-after? In my experience, Dr. Ridgway is the exact opposite. The immediate words that come to mind in describing him are mansplaining, condescending, gaslighting, and misogynistic. Here's how my consultation with him went: My appointment was at 3:15. When he came into the consultation room at 3:45, he did not acknowledge or apologize that he was a half hour late and got huffy with me because I'd set up my laptop on the counter by the sink so I could get some homework done while I was waiting without hunching over my laptop in the patient chair. I asked him to put on a mask because he wasn't wearing one when he came into the room. (This is a violation of current Washington State law regarding masking in clinical settings and I have reported his practice to the Department of Health.) He told me that he'd had a negative test that morning and that I could leave if I didn't want to be in the same room as him. My instinct at the tone of condescension and dismissal he took while saying this was to leave, but he's supposed to be the best so I wanted to see what he had to say about my face. He asked me what I was studying in school (music) and didn't let me get two sentences into my answer before telling me about how he was making six figures at a young age doing his art (what art that was, he never said) and name dropped a famous artist he knows. This was inappropriate in a clinical setting, which was disconcerting. Again, my instinct was to leave, but I wanted to hear what he had to say about my face. We briefly discussed a specialist who performed a reconstructive rhinoplasty on me ten years ago after a sports injury and who helps me monitor some ongoing vocal problems. (I'm a singer.) He spoke to me as though he knew more about my voice than my specialist and I do. He then told me that I was too old for a surgery I never said I wanted and got defensive when I expressed mild annoyance and confusion while clarifying that I wasn't there to talk about that surgery. (He used the words "in the crosshairs" to describe his experience, which was a tremendous overreaction.) In the ensuing ten minutes, he called me "honey," talked in general terms about what "the ladies" want in terms of facial surgeries, and then told me that I had let my weight "get away from" me. (For context: I'm 5'7." I weigh 170 pounds. I lift heavy weights, exercise daily, and eat intuitively. After years of eating disorder recovery, I'm finally at ease with food and happy with the strong, healthy body my doctors and I have worked so hard to achieve. I've decided I'd like a lower facelift and I was there to talk about that, not my weight. These were things he would have known if he had asked, which he did not.) Once he got to the part about my weight, I told him that I needed to be done and that we weren't a good fit. He agreed and said he'd show me out. Once we were in the hallway, he started talking about how I must have some kind of persecution complex. We had already concluded that we weren't a good fit. There was no reason for him to say something that had the potential to escalate what was already an unpleasant situation. I tried to leave things on a respectful, professional note by thanking him and saying that I appreciated his time. He snapped back at me, "no you don't," which was another escalatory action. It's very strange to me that doctor would try to escalate a patient interaction like that. Combined with his need to tell me about his salary and his famous contacts, this makes me suspect that he may be a clinical narcissist, as they have a constant need to inflate themselves in the eyes of others and often thrive on escalating unpleasant interactions unnecessarily. I'm proud of myself that I did not feed into the drama, thanked his lovely office assistant for her help, and left. I do appreciate that he refunded my $150 consultation fee. read more

Scarred for life. I am 60 years old and had a lower neck lift with jowl liposuction coupled with CO2 laser resurfacing. I have waited a year before writing this review, giving time for healing and recovery. From the beginning the red flags were there. I did quite a bit of research before choosing Ridgway, interviewing more than one candidate. The mistake I made was confusing eccentricity and narcissism for a perfectionist. Ridgway talks incessantly about himself, his accolades and shows old pictures of his work but no new ones. By the time he's done talking he's quite frustrated if you ask questions or ask to see more current photos and will be condescending while at the same time telling you he's only there for you. Doctors should be quiet and listen to clients, address questions and concerns with respect and patience. Keep that in mind and trust your gut if you're feeling belittled or not heard. From his reviews and area of expertise I still felt I was making the right choice and moved forward despite these red flags. Surgery went 'as planned' and I was released, still intoxicated with anesthesia, to my husband who had not been briefed on after care and was unprepared for the condition I was handed to him. Ridgway's staff handed him an aftercare bag without checking it and once we were back in the hotel he applied what he thought was the correct lotion but I happened to see it was tretinoin and the correct lotion had not been supplied. Dr. Ridgway had to make an emergency visit to my hotel bringing the correct lotion. This comes down to staff training, while friendly, Ridgway's staff turnover is extremely high, and the staff is undertrained and inexperienced. Big Red flag. Ask about staff and take stock if it's a healthy or toxic atmosphere. From the first day, there were two pools of blood behind my left ear that were concerning, I took updated pictures and sent messages to Ridgway and his staff almost daily. Consistently told 'everything is normal'. After a week, these pools were not better and it was time to start applying heat packs, which I did. I was very concerned these blood pools were not normal but I was told to "stick to the plan" from Dr. Ridgway and so continued to follow instructions to the letter, no one is more invested in the results than yourself, so I was exact in my follow thru. After one day of heat, the photos I sent Ridgway made him tell me stop applying heat to the area, the skin was dying and no blood was circulating to the area. He wanted me to come in the following day, which I did, he called in sick that day. His nurses cleaned up the wound and confirmed they had not seen anything this bad before. Ridgway prescribed Silvadene cream and another topical cream used for burn victims. It was a long and complicated process for the next couple of weeks with the skin finally regenerating and scarring. When I went in for my follow up, Ridgway seemed humbled, admitted this is not what I should have experienced and that he wanted to fix it. I was relieved he felt it was fixable and taking accountability. I received a quote for the follow up surgery and went back for my 6 month follow up taking up the conversation again about reconstructive surgery. Ridgway once again said he would be able to fix the scarring. Oddly I received a new quote now charging me (at discount) for the surgery whereas the first quote did not charge me except for facility fee. I questioned this new quote and was told the damage was my fault and my failure to follow post op after care instructions and that the first quote was not legit as his staff person had sent it out without his authorization. I was stunned that Dr. Ridgway was now not only blaming me for the damage and scarring but also his staff for quoting me what we all understood to be his liability. Needless to say I did not go through with a follow up procedure, having lost all confidence and respect for James Ridgway. I have gone to other surgeons for 2nd/3rd opinions which are unanimous that the scar is too large and severe and cannot be covered or restored to normal read more

Saw the doctor 2 years ago for a botched nose surgery. Very detailed in approach and patient in answering all my questions -of which I had many. Surgery went great, his team is amazing and I am very happy with my results. I saw multiple providers in my interview process and he was head and shoulders above the rest. Thank you very much Dr. Ridgway, for all the hard work you have done for me and others! read more

Had buccal reduction and micro lipo with Ridgeway in June. I expressed being concerned about being left gaunt to which he assured me that he was skilled in this procedure and would not leave me looking that way. At first when I was out of surgery I loved the way it looked, I should have known that if I already loved it with all the swelling I had that it was going to be bad once the swelling went down. I went to the one month post op and still felt good about my face. It takes sometimes 4 month for all the swelling to settle. I'm now 6months out from the surgery and I couldn't hate my face more. I've always wanted to change little things on my face or slim down my cheeks but I've never felt like this before. I am gaunt and hollow and weirdly uneven so that my mid face looks distorted and old. I genuinely feel sick to my stomach to look at my face at this point and have anxiety about going out. It's so extremely drastic. I am heartbroken and afraid that my face has been permanently ruined. At this point I've been meeting with other surgeons about my options but it's very hard to correct something like this and there is no permanent solution that won't require some kind of filler or fat transfer for the rest of my life I also want to caution that they do not really care about you. I left a review on another site and they left me a response as if they had so much concern for me but that is simply not the case. When I was finished with the surgery I awoke pretty rough from the anesthesia and instead of letting me stay until I was in comfortable condition to be moved I was rushed out. Multiple times they came in trying to move me when I was shaking and nauseous, I was so sick from the anesthesia that even the lights and sound of peoples voices made me violently sick to my stomach, my partner commented that I looked green. Instead of allowing me to be in the quiet until I came to fully stable again they were doing everything to get me OUT the door as fast as possible and I had to repeatedly ask to be given some space. So little concern for me being ready to move. It felt like ok we have your money now get the hell out of here. read more

I had a large bump on my nose removed two years ago which led me down a new journey to breathe again and finish my bump! If you are looking for a stellar doctor look no further. Since that 1st surgery I haven't been able to breathe from my nose without major assistance (about 90-95% loss is what I am presuming). I couldn't eat with my mouth closed anymore (gross!) or brush my teeth without suffocating. I became a pro at sleeping in a certain way to pull my face apart- Breathe Right strips also were my best friend. Today I had a revision, which ended up being more complicated than expected (which I was WELL informed of), by Dr Ridgway! I CAN BREATHE BETTER TODAY THAN I HAVE IN TWO YEARS! this is with swelling and stints in my nose. CRAZYNESS! And right out of surgery ta boot! I had little to no pain and extremely alert in recovery room and still running same 6 hours later (took a pain pill as instructed though to ensure I stay this way). I feel pressure in my scull area where I have some staples and if I touch the area where he removed stuff it obviously is sore. Sometimes I forget the staples are there and brush my airplane pillow or couch slightly and that hurts, but it's expected. My last surgery hurt like a bitch for a few days and was VERY groggy!!!!!!!!!! Dr. Ridgway is a unique individual who specializes in the face/neck only. The man is a Doogie Howser is all I can say and has the heart of gold with extra shimmer! I am more introverted and type A so he threw me at first because he was a comedian in another life, had to be. I kept waiting for the surgeon to walk in like April fools because he was so bloody funny. Don't ever let his awesome fun personality fool you, all the hours of talking, joking, extremely devoted explaining and hundreds of metaphors were all rightfully positioned in my journey. The anesthesiologist was even a part of this amazing story layered in so eloquently; I didn't even realize she was putting me out until I woke up. She sat down next to me right up close to my head and her soft voice whispered in my ear just talking to me without counting (typical stale order of business). She is phenomenal. I was EXTREMELY nervous about this surgery due to the fact it's a redo and a fix of something that was never broken in the first place. Not to mention, my horrible luck in doctors and dentists lately (had a horrible botched mouth of crowns!) - my confidence isn't high to say the least!! The team explained stuff so well and so often I couldn't even find a reason for my anxiety to take over. The nurse is BOMB her name is Kristina (hope I spelled it right) and she is so thorough and kills it in the IV department!!! She was with me from day one and was there all the way to my car. Few things that stood out other than pain and breathing factors. 1. Dr. Ridgway talks so much I could barely dream up questions but when I did he had an answer, metaphor, and/or story behind ever one!!! Both consultations were very long and even though I was slammed at work it didn't matter, I just couldn't stop listening. He only cares about the patient, bottom line! HE'S A ROCKSTAR TIMES THE GALAXY AND BACK. 2. He walked me to my car after surgery!!! What surgeon does that?!?!? He came into the waiting room to ease my fears beforehand. He also gave me his personal number. Dude is killer! I sadly have been in and out of hospitals majority of my life due to a couple chronic diseases so I am well versed in the medical field and have seen more providers of all specialties than I care to admit; Killer in my mind really means something. 3. I never was left wondering except for what scalpel he uses or kind of staples for my head because the entire team is so thorough, not to mention easy to talk to. It's kind of hard to believe since a lot of providers are very curt and medical - from my historical experiences at least. There is so much more but I don't have time to write a novel. He is worth every dime, hour spent, and laugh you will have. read more

Please read Teresa V.'s review. I completely concur with every word she used to describe Dr. James Ridgway. I had a consult with him a year ago. He spoke about himself for 98% of the appointment, so 1.5 hours. He went off on all these tangents unrelated to his practice or what I was there to discuss. He spoke in great length and detail about how he finished his degrees at a very young age, how he was in a bad car accident, how he looks like his mom ( or something to that effect) etc etc. I tried to interject a few questions about the consult, but he quickly turned the conversation back around to himself. I was extremely annoyed and not impressed. Finally after he finished his monologue about how great he was, he turned a piece of paper over and wrote the three things that he felt I needed done to my face. That was the consult. He did not even go into any detail about the procedure or why he felt certain things needed to be done etc. he didn't ask me once if I had any questions. but he definitely pressured me to have the surgery as soon as possible. He mentioned it twice that it was a good time to get it done. I don't care how bright or talented Dr. Ridgway is. I would never let him near my face with a 10 foot pole. He is a narcissistic. Last, but not least: Dr Ridgway requires patients to sign unlawful non-disclosure agreements, before receiving any treatment, that restrict them from posting truthful reviews. THIS IS ILLEGAL! Another doctor is being sued by the attorney general for this illegal practice. ( you can read online ). Another reason to stay away. read more

Beyond impressed. We know many people in this industry and spent considerable time interviewing before scheduling with Dr Ridgway. The appt required some time to get in and included consultation for upper and lower blepharoplasty. Price was not a primary consideration, just safety and results. The best outcome for my face and eyes were important enough to search for the most talented, trustworthy and accredited doctor on the West Coast. Of course the appt day arrives when I'm swamped at work, running late and show up to the office a bit irritable. By this time I thought my surgeon was already picked out (consultation with a different doc) and almost walked out of the consulting room in the 5 short minutes before Dr Ridgway walked in. I was basically looking for a reason to leave and instead it was the best appt I could have hoped for. It was quickly clear that he is in a completely different class from anyone else I had met with. He patiently spent almost an hour answering every question and successfully encouraged me to reconsider the double bleph surgery with something more effective at a fraction of the price and recovery time. Also to utilize some filler in a way that no other doctor of injector had considered. My previous consultations with different doctors were more than eager to take my deposit - but the expensive surgery and long recovery time would NOT have actually fixed what I was looking for. Many more reasons to schedule a consult with Dr Ridgway - I'm sure glad I did. read more

Dr Ridgway helped me with a deviated septum improvement surgery, which turned into a incredible improvement in my breathing. I am so thankful for him, his artistic talent and professional team. I had several concerns with the whole process and he thoroughly listened and addressed each one. He and his team is top notch and very professional. I 100% trust Dr Ridgway for any surgery in his area of expertise; he is passionate and absolutely committed to be the best in his field. read more

I have been 'around' when it comes to Botox. The service seemed generic to me, anyone could do it. That all stopped when I went to a friends neck lift consultation with Dr. Ridgway. Meeting him, was a beautiful experience. I had never met a doctor with such beautiful bedside manner. Who actually invested in who you are and what you wanted. Not to mention he had a phenomenal portfolio. After seeing the results of the neck lift, I was beyond impressed. This man (who started out as a sculptor) creates flawless art. I booked my first Botox appointment. That's when my wandering days were over. Dr Ridgway not only did a masterful job (Botox) but also created better symmetry in my face. I had never looked better. If you are doing ANYTHING cosmetically with your face, GO TO HIM!!! There is no one better. read more

I recently had a procedure with Dr. Ridgway and cannot express how glad I am that I chose him to be my doctor. Dr. Ridgway spent a lot of time making sure I understood what to expect, and thoroughly answered the many questions that I had. The overall process (including the recovery) was very smooth due to his diligence in ensuring I was prepared. My family appreciated the fact that he provided his cell phone number to them in case of emergency on the day of surgery (of course they did not have to call, but it gave them peace of mind). The office is beautiful, immaculate and the staff is super friendly! My only regret is not visiting them sooner! read more

What a phenomenal doctor. I would HIGHLY recommend. He was personable, honest and well read in his field. He was patient, took his time and made me feel comfortable. He use to be a sculpture artist- so I really think that artistic eye is an important skill you can't learn in med school. In addition, he didn't take my money when he could have. He was honest about what I didn't need and even instructed the front desk to refund me my consultation money. He's literally an artist, on top of his field and just happens to also be a doctor. Great! read more

Over the recent years, my eyes started showing noticeable bags, and sagging. The combination made me appear unhappy and upset under normal expression even though I was perfectly happy. So, I started doing a fair amount of research to find a cosmetic surgeon. However, I could not decide because all the surgeons had both good and bad reviews. So, my wife did some research and found Dr. Ridgway, and convinced me that I should get a consultation with him. Somehow, I felt that it was going to be worth the consultation for $150. So, I went for the consultation and Dr. Ridgway thoroughly explained the best options for me, and showed me the surgery facilities. I explained to him that simply want the sags and bags gone, but didn't want to look prettified/feminine. A month or so later, I went for the surgery for Direct Browlift, Blepharoplasty - Lower eyelids. Thank goodness, everyday throughout the recovery process, I am extremely happy to see the results. My eyes look 20 years younger, and they look natural. Most importantly, the upset/unhappy look is gone along with the sags and the bags. It was a great pleasure to work with Dr. Ridgway, and his staff. I am very thankful! read more

I'm extremely grateful for Dr. Ridgeway. He's talented, experienced, and extremely intuitive about how to support his clients. I met him after having a terrible fall that left me with an ungodly scar across my lips in a way that's not ideal to surgically correct. With his experience with clef pallets, skin with lots of melanin, and genuine empathy, he was able to put me on the path to recovery. I had so much scar tissue I couldn't smile - now I wish I had seen him and his colleagues sooner for other challenges I'd experienced with my skin. He's amazing... and my smile is back, beautiful and natural. My scar is faint and I don't have to wear makeup if I don't want oto conceal it. read more

Dr. Ridgway was over one hour late for my appointment and acted very offensive when I pointed it out to him. During the consultation, he was extremely rude towards all my questions. read more

Very kind man. Honest and upfront - during the consult he told me the surgical procedure I came in for was completely unneeded, gave solid reason why, and offered to return my deposit so you know he isn't just in it for the money. He made recommendations for something subtle instead and even fit it in same day. He cares about his patients and it's obvious as he takes his time and answers all questions with full knowledge. See you again soon! read more

Woke up from surgery very nauseated, the doctor was yelling at his staff to "get me out." My ride was on a call downstairs after waiting 90 minutes after my stated pickup window. The nurse shoved me into the car, I threw up all over the parking lot, and the nurse left since I was officially discharged. The next day, my ride played me a VM of the doctor screaming to come pick me up because he shouldn't have to pay his staff for extra time waiting for me to leave. I saw the doctor for my first post op, he was too busy for subsequent scheduled appointments, so I saw nurses. I have long, raised scars under my eyes. I texted photos and was told not to "imagine things." Finally after a few visits (twice I left after waiting over an hour and rescheduled), the doctor agreed to consider revision for ONE eye. I went elsewhere. The first thing the second opinion noted was that my blepharoplasty was done with old techniques and the poor outcome could have been entirely avoided with a current approach. The first thing I noted was the second opinion and his staff were able to competently schedule and keep my appointment time. Dr Ridgway offered me a free mini facial in return for a review: this is it. read more

Given my experience, Dr. Ridgway deserves zero stars. I was very much looking forward to my first consultation with him and rearranged my schedule as much as I had to in order to make it happen, especially given the fact that he had no available appointment slots for his new clients for the next 45 days and I felt fortunate to be offered one of his cancellations. My appointment was at 2 pm. I arrived on time. After waiting for him for 50 minutes with no explanation from his staff other than "he is still with another client", around 3 p.m I informed his staff that I couldn't wait any longer. This was obviously related to Dr. Ridgway, who suddenly appeared and asked me without any greetings or introductions, "Are you leaving?!" I politely pointed out that he was one hour late. One would think that at the very least out of common curtesy, if not out of respect for anyone else's time but his own, he would be gracious enough to offer a simple apology. But no apology was given and he clearly didn't think that my time was nearly as valuable as his. He briskly "suggested" that me leaving would probably be best. He was unpleasant and visibly irritated. This kind of treatment is absolutely unacceptable and it is the first impression like this one is usually also the last. read more

From the initial consultation to the actual surgery then the follow up appointments, my experiences with Dr. Ridgway have been very pleasant. He's got a beautiful facility and a team of friendly staff. I trusted him with his professionalism and very satisfied with my results. Wish I had gone to him sooner. read more

There are not enough positive things to say. I am a Nurse and have experience working in plastic surgery. Dr. Ridgway far exceeeds any doctor I've come across in my practice and as a patient. His kind manner makes you feel like the only patient he has (despite how busy it may be) and he spends time really listening to your concerns before treating. What I loved most was his attention to detail and precision, which seems like an art . He has a true gift to find balance and symmetry making his treatment so outstanding . I appreciate his ethics and honesty when managing unrealistic expectations. He did a great job enhancing and correcting my features without making me look "done". I am very happy with my results and I highly recommend him. read more

Good bye chubby cheeks! I got buccal fat removal about a year ago and I have NO regrets. I had always felt insecure about my round face because of my chubby cheeks my whole life. I tried everything from dieting and exercising to try and slim my face but no matter what I did my cheeks remained the same. After doing research I decided to choose Dr. Ridgway and I am 100% sure I made the right decision. He explained the procedure down to the last detail. Everything he said would or could happen did. He answered all my questions and was always very transparent. Nothing caught me off guard. I am more than satisfied with my results and now my face is slim. I was nervous about my procedure but he made me feel safe and now, I can't thank him enough because I am extremely happy with my results. His staff is very professional and caring and Dr. Ridgway is an amazing surgeon. I would go back to him for another procedure in a heart beat. I recommend him to anyone, I trust him! read more

After reading the other 5 star reviews on Yelp, I totally agree with others with the positive experience they had. Dr Ridgway and his amazing team not only met my expectations but went far above. I had a lower bleph, my mom had several surgical procedures including a lower face lift, rhinoplasty, neck which left her looking years younger! The professionalism, calm and sensitive demeanor and tremendous expertise of Dr Ridgway was all I needed to see and experience before booking my surgery and referring my mother and her friend. As a RN, I've have not encountered such a well-educated, multi-certified surgeon in my quest to find a solution to the puffy bags under my eyes. Multiple professionals have tried without success until I went to Dr. Ridgway! My husband even has remarked how young and refreshed I look. I would recommend Dr Ridgway without hesitation for the best results you could ask for. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Ridgway for his experience, knowledge, respectful manner, and his attention to detail which is very important when you are dealing with facial procedures. I have received numerous compliments on the work that he did and I would definitely use him again, and refer him to my friends. read more

Dr. Ridgway is hands down the absolute best in his field. Upon meeting with him for a consultation, it was obvious he was very knowledgeable in his field and I felt comfortable with his suggestions. I told him everything I was thinking of doing and rather than just taking my money, he gave his professional opinion of what was recommended and what should be held off. He saved me thousands of dollars which I would have paid him. I highly recommend Dr. Rigway at Newvue in Bellevue. read more

Just had Rhinoplasty surgery to correct horrendous breathing I have lived with my whole life. Dr. Ridgeway was my surgeon. He is simply the best. I came in to get a complimentary consultation and learn more about the procedure & Dr. Ridgeway explained everything so well I decided to go ahead with it. Now I don't let just anybody cut me open, but I had confidence in his abilities and have to say his unique style suited me perfectly. His pure talent was on display during the surgery and post op. Most wonderful doctor. Very thankful I found him. He helped me breathe like I never have before. read more