Minimally Invasive Facial
Cosmetic Surgery

Serving Chattanooga, Tennessee

Planning for a facial cosmetic surgery involves a great number of considerations. Potential patients travel a road with which they have little or no familiarity. Most have a "mind’s eye" view of what they would like to achieve, but few are sure of how to get there. To help navigate this potential minefield, the most important choice is, of course, the guide---your surgeon.

In past articles, I have discussed researching Board Certification in Plastic Surgery, university and hospital appointments, as well as the reputation of your surgeon’s work in the medical community. Choose your guide wisely, and you should arrive at your destination safely.

An investment in aesthetic surgery involves considering costs---- both for the intervention and the down time from your usual activities. Minimally invasive technologies have become increasingly attractive for patients who prefer a hastened return to normal activities, or have concerns about more aggressive surgical approaches.

Examples of this approach are injectable agents to improve facial aesthetics. The use of BOTOX and RESTYLANE has increased dramatically in just the past year. BOTOX is used to weaken specific facial muscles that cause wrinkling, especially around the forehead and eyes. RESTYLANE injections can fill in deep lines around the mouth and plump lips to youthful fullness.

The minimally invasive "S" facelift can freshen one’s appearance without the postoperative healing concerns of a more traditional approach. The "S" lift is carried out through a rapidly healing incision just around the ear. Under a sedative anesthetic, the sagging muscles of the lower face are repositioned and held in place with permanent sutures. With this method, the jaw line can be redefined with a weekend for recovery.

Aesthetic eyelid surgery techniques can now minimize postoperative swelling and bruising. Use of a LASER can afford the removal of bulging lower lid fat without a visible incision or wound to heal. Upper lid blepharoplasty has now been refined to the point that most patients can return to work in 36-48 hours after surgery.

A variety of brow lift techniques are now available to cosmetic surgery patients. Endoscopic approaches employ a camera on the tip of a probe to guide surgery through small incisions made in the scalp. Hairline incision techniques permit brow lift without creation of a high forehead, yet still minimize recovery time.

Skin care is always coupled with minimally invasive techniques to maximize the result. Medical strength fruit acid peels can correct pigment flaws and fine lines during a lunch break. Home programs of skin care maintain and enhance results.

Education is the aesthetic surgery patient’s greatest ally when researching minimally invasive surgery. Be on guard. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bogus claims about this machine or that machine yielding spectacular results with no healing time can be very disappointing-- and costly. It is safe to say, however, that there are minimally invasive surgical techniques which are tried and true. When these are custom fit to the appropriate patient’s needs, results can be very satisfying. For more information on facial cosmetic surgery contact us today.