Women and men often visit my practice with questions about additional procedures to enhance the results of their nose job. Michigan surgeons offer a full spectrum of facial procedures that can help create more comprehensive. Understanding these treatments and what they can do can pave the way to a more balanced facial contour.

Here are some of the most common procedures I perform in conjunction with rhinoplasty:

• Facelift/Mini-facelift: This procedure is ideal for people who wish to correct sagging skin on the lower portion of the face. When combined with a rhinoplasty, a facelift or mini lift can help highlight facial contours to create a more youthful appearance.
• Eyelid Surgery: Performed on either the upper or lower eyelids, this procedure can help give patients a less tired, more rested appearance. This procedure is frequently performed with rhinoplasty to help enhance the upper half of the face.
• Ear Surgery: People often have ear surgery to correct ears that are out of proportion with the rest of the face. This, combined with rhinoplasty, can help create facial harmony without drastically changing a person’s appearance.

It is extremely important that patients choose a qualified surgeon for cosmetic procedures, especially when combining treatments.

When it comes to making a decision about having abdominoplasty surgery (tummy tuck) at my Champaign practice, we like to stress the idea that before-and-after pictures are quite important because they are representative of good results. When considering this procedure, make sure you ask to see before-and-after photographs of patients who had the same kind of issue that you have and whose surgery was done by the surgeon that you are considering.

In consultations in Bloomington and Champaign for tummy tuck surgery, we find the common reasons for seeking the procedure to be a large, flaccid stomach; loose skin and/or stretch marks throughout the lower abdominal area; the formation of an apron after weight loss or pregnancies; and contour deformities of the stomach, including the navel and surrounding tissue.

While the best candidate for tummy tuck surgery is a patient who is at or near his or her normal weight, we find that patients who are somewhat overweight tend to achieve very good results. In consultation with our patients in our offices in the central Illinois area, we stress that realistic expectations are quite important in the sense that abdominoplasty is not going to drastically reduce the weight of a person. In general, an active lifestyle, the correct diet and exercise are excellent companions for an expected good result.

A common request in my practice of cosmetic plastic surgery in Champaign and central Illinois is for a “Mommy Makeover” procedure. This involves doing an abdominoplasty and a breast augmentation or breast lift at the same time. This procedure is popular after pregnancy and breastfeeding, since pregnancy tends to significantly alter the tissues within the abdomen and breasts. The Mommy Makeover’s ability to solve abdominal and breast problems at the same time has been very valuable to our patients seeking breast surgery in Bloomington and Champaign.

With the constantly changing economic conditions, I sometimes talk with patients who want plastic surgery but aren’t sure how to pay for it. For example, a woman may desire breast augmentation in Rhode Island to enhance her appearance and self-esteem, but she may need to delay so that she can save up the money.

The good news: There are several payment options available.

• Talk with your surgeon and explain your concerns. While I do not offer this at my practice, some surgeons will allow you to spread out your payments and pay a set amount each month. In addition, there may be treatment options that will affect the price. Your surgeon can explore these options with you. For example, perhaps you want to smooth away lines on your forehead and around your eyes, but you can’t afford the cost of a traditional facelift. BOTOX® Cosmetic may be able to achieve a significantly less expensive solution.
• Ask your surgeon about medical payment programs. For example, patients at my practice can use CareCredit, which is a patient payment plan. Although it’s similar to a credit card, the CareCredit card is used specifically for health-related expenses, including plastic surgery. It offers a simple payment plan without hidden costs. You can learn more at CareCredit.com.

A number of concerns go along with any cosmetic procedure, but understanding the facts can help ease fear and anxiety. During consultations in Michigan for rhinoplasty, I often ask patients to tell me about any apprehensions they may have so I can address these and help them to feel informed and confident.

Here are some common concerns I’ve heard from nose reshaping patients:

How do I know my surgeon can create the results that I want?

One of the best ways to achieve the results you desire is to choose a qualified surgeon. I suggest seeking out a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in rhinoplasty and related procedures and who continues to stay up to date with new procedures and technology to develop his or her skills.

Will insurance cover my rhinoplasty procedure?

While some people view rhinoplasty as a necessity, insurance typically only covers the procedure for breathing-related issues. I recommend checking with your insurance provider to see if any portion of your surgery might be covered.

I’m worried I won’t recognize myself after surgery. Will rhinoplasty drastically alter my appearance?

Rhinoplasty procedures should naturally enhance a person’s face rather than change it. Advances in procedural techniques have made it easy to create more subtle, natural looking results.

At our day spa near Sonoma, I frequently tell patients that healthy skin is not a right; you have to earn it. People with smooth, soft, blemish-free complexions are not necessarily blessed with good genes. These individuals care for their skin on a regular basis and invest in medical spa treatments. To keep your skin in prime condition, here are my tips:

• Choose medical-grade skin care products. These formulas, which cannot be found at retail stores, contain high concentrations of active ingredients. Skin care products help to moisturize, protect and repair the skin for better overall skin quality. Clinical product lines such as Obagi®, SkinMedica® and SkinCeuticals® are all good options.
• Complement your skin care routine with medical spa treatments. Topical skin care products typically work on a superficial level. For longer-lasting changes, you have to reach the deeper layers of the dermis. Medical spa procedures such as chemical peels, laser treatments and injectable fillers can accomplish this goal. A twice-yearly or quarterly commitment should suffice, depending on the treatment chosen.
• Try a mineral makeup. Even healthy skin can look better with a little cosmetic intervention. Glō·minerals® is a line of mineral-based makeup that not only evens out the complexion but also protects the skin with pharmaceutical-grade antioxidants. Because Glō·minerals contains pure ingredients, there is very little risk for allergic reaction and the products are suitable for all skin types.

In general, there are two main groups of people who seek and are helped by liposuction at my Champaign, IL, and Bloomington, IL practices. While the main purpose is to improve their appearance and contours, the first group is in their normal or near-normal weight range and the second group is above their normal weight or overweight.

Both groups are helped by liposuction, creating better body proportions and a more sculpted figure. The first group seeks liposuction mainly for purposes of looking better, while the second group has the goal of decreasing volume and/or weight.

The first group typically seeks correction of contour deformities that remain unchanged after normal development and exercise. Examples of these would be saddle bag deformity (excess fatty tissue in the lateral thighs and buttocks), excess fatty tissue on the hip and/or waist areas, and abnormal deposits of fatty tissue in the stomach area. These all tend to be easily corrected with tumescent liposuction. These contour deformities are, for the most part, resistant and cannot be corrected through normal exercise or dieting. The results for this group are generally excellent with minimal recovery time and good contouring of the skin without undue skin relaxation.

The second group of candidates tends to have not only the same bulges and/or excess fatty tissue but also above-normal weight, placing them in the overweight or obese categories. In this group of patients, the goal is not only to remove the contour deformities but also to remove the excess volume. Generally, in my cosmetic plastic surgery practice, I can remove between 8 and 15 pounds. This is a significant volume reduction, equaling between 1 gallon and slightly less than 2 gallons of body volume.

An additional benefit that was just reported on September 30, 2011, is that of improved metabolic profiles regarding cardiovascular disease in a group of 322 individuals who presented with an increased body mass index and who underwent liposuction. The levels of triglycerides (bad fats in the blood) and the levels of leukocyte counts (abnormal white blood cell formations) after fat reduction surgery through liposuction show the beneficial effect of a reduction in the generalized inflammatory status. Patients with levels greater than 150 mg of triglycerides showed a 43% reduction after liposuction. In fact, 62% of these patients whose levels were at risk before liposuction had normal levels after liposuction. As we know, abnormal triglyceride levels of over 150 mg have been associated with elevated risk for metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease.

To summarize, candidates for liposuction fall into two groups. However, both have the abnormal levels of fat accumulation in multiple areas of the body that create contour deformities, bulges, etc. and make the body unattractive. Liposuction helps individuals with esthetic or cosmetic problems, as well as those who are overweight, in reducing body mass. In addition, it may well have beneficial metabolic effects by reducing triglyceride levels in people with abnormally high triglycerides.

When my patients tell me they’re interested in facelift surgery at my Denver area practice, they often envision a procedure in which their entire face is “lifted.” In reality, facelift surgery is designed to restore the lower two-thirds of your face and neck – primarily the jawline and mid-face.

Some common problems corrected by facelift surgery are:

• Jowls (poor muscle tone around the jawline)
• Naso-labial folds (creases that extend from the outer mouth to the nose)
• Wrinkles under the lower eyelids
• Sagging in the mid-face

In order to reduce wrinkles in the forehead or around the eyes, I perform a brow lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) at my Denver area practice. However, some facelift patients who are not ready to undergo an additional surgical procedure can correct the look of lines in these areas with non-surgical injections such as BOTOX® Cosmetic or dermal fillers. These treatments can soften wrinkles for several months, and they require little or no downtime.

As men and women begin to notice the effects of gravity and the natural aging process on their faces, they often turn to my practice for information about cosmetic facial surgery. One of the most popular choices is a facelift for Palo Alto area patients, but many people who are just beginning to explore their options don’t know what this procedure actually does.

A facelift targets winkles and sagging skin on the bottom two-thirds of the face. While this is an excellent procedure for restoring a youthful appearance, many people need complementary procedures to address signs of aging on the forehead and winkles around the eyes. One of the most popular options is a brow lift, which helps to raise the eyebrows and reduce winkles on the forehead and between the brows.

For patients who want a nonsurgical answer to aging of the upper face, I recommend treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic and injectable fillers. Although the results are temporary, nonsurgical treatments also can help create more complete, comprehensive results for facelift patients.

Pregnancy can be a wonderful period of a woman’s life, but it’s important to take precautions to ensure the health of your baby. Women who come to my spa in Louisville for laser hair removal sometimes ask if they can have these treatments while pregnant.

There are no studies that show laser hair removal to be dangerous, but there is little or no evidence to indicate that it is safe during pregnancy, either. Since hormones can stimulate hair growth during pregnancy, many pregnant women seek out laser hair removal specialists, but I recommend waiting until after giving birth to have hair removed.

If a patient is in the middle of a laser hair removal treatment program and becomes pregnant, I advise her to wait until after giving birth to resume treatment. Since the results are permanent, there’s no need to worry that any progress from pre-pregnancy treatments will be lost.

Although looking and feeling great are important, it’s vital that women avoid any procedures that might affect their health or the health of their unborn child. If you have any questions about a potential procedure, I recommend speaking with a qualified specialist about your options.

At my practice in Providence, BOTOX Cosmetic injections are just the beginning when it comes to anti-aging solutions. Becoming older and wiser is great, but wrinkles, sun spots, smile lines, rough skin and related concerns often accompany the aging process. And, those aren’t so fabulous.

In addition to BOTOX, which is considered the “gold standard” for non-surgical facial rejuvenation, I have an arsenal of weapons for winning the war against signs of aging. Among the proven treatments I offer my patients for a comprehensive rejuvenation program are:

• Dermal Fillers: Restylane®, Perlane® and JUVÉDERM® can take those creases, wrinkles and hollows and transform them. Are your lips too thin? I can use JUVÉDERM to enhance your lips and really give you a reason to smile. Also, dermal fillers can be combined with BOTOX to add volume, as well as sculpt, many parts of the face.
• Professional Skin Care Products: You can spend a lot of money on over-the-counter products but not get much in the way of results. That’s why I often design an advanced, customized skin care program for my patients, which includes high quality products such as SkinCeuticals® and Obagi®.
• Laser Resurfacing: Have age spots and sun damage got you down? Regain evenly toned skin with laser resurfacing.