Facial Cosmetic Surgery

With many different types of aesthetic surgeons in practice today, it is important for you to make an informed decision when considering an elective procedure. One of the most confusing issues facing patients when choosing a surgeon is that of board certification. It is important to seek out a surgeon who is board certified in the correct field of expertise. If you are considering surgery of the face and neck, that area of expertise is facial plastic surgery.

Facial Plastic surgeons may perform any or all of the following:

• Nose Surgery or Rhinoplasty (rye -no-plasty) is surgery of the nose–where cartilage and bone are reshaped and reconstructed and excess bone or cartilage may be removed. Recovery time is approximately one week. Results: Permanent.

• Eyelid surgery or Blepharoplasty (blef-a-roe-plasty) is surgery of the eyelids where fat and excess skin, bags, pouches, wrinkles in the eye areaare removed to make the eyes look less tired. Recovery time is approximately one week. Results: Lower lids, permanent; upper lids, ten years.

• Facelift or Rhytidectomy (rit-id-ek-tomy) is surgery to remove excess skin and tighten muscles in the neck and lower part of the face. Recovery time is approximately two weeks. Results: From five to 10 years, depending on the patient.

• Forehead lift/forehead lift–or browlift– is surgery to minimize forehead lines and wrinkles, and elevate brows to reduce lid drooping and provide a refreshed appearance. Recovery time is about 10 days. Results: 10 years.

• Chin augmentation or Genioplasty (jeen-e-o-plasty) or Mentoplasty (men-to-plasty) is surgery to augment a small chin or reduce a prominent chin. Recovery time is about one week. Results: Permanent.

• Ear surgery or Otoplasty (oh-toe-plasty) is surgery to “pin back” the ears by reshaping the cartilage. Recovery time is about one week. Results: Permanent.

• Skin resurfacing is where the outer layer of the skin may be removed with a laser (laser skin resurfacing), a liquid (chemical peel) or a spinning brush (dermabrasion) resulting in smoother and less wrinkled skin. Recovery time is about one to three weeks. Results: Generally permanent.

• Facial Reconstruction - after an accident or disease, surgery may be done to restore both function and appearance. This may include scar revision, fracture repair, laceration repair, vascular birthmark treatment, cleft lip and palate repair, surgery for craniofacial deformities, orthognathic surgery, or cancer reconstruction.

Our office also performs cosmetic procedures that are non-surgical such as injectables:

• Botulinum injections (BOTOX) - After years of laughing, crying and exposing other emotional facial expressions, many start to notice prominent wrinkles, particularly on the forehead, frown lines and crow's feet. Our office offers Botox treatments which utilizes a purified protein to aid in temporarily relaxing those overly used muscles. The improved facial lines and wrinkles will last from 4-6 months.

• Fillers- For those deep fold and furrows, commonly found on the cheek (smile lines), lips and back of the hands, our office offers Restylane, Radiesse, amd Juvederm treatment options. After treatment, your skin will appear naturally firmer and fuller, adding a new dimension to your appearance.

One of the most important factors for successful facial plastic surgery is the relationship between the patient and surgeon. An initial consultation provides the patient and surgeon an opportunity to discuss all that is involved in the desired procedure. It is advisable for the patient to write questions down before the consultation.

You may want to ask the following questions:

• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?

• How long will the operation take?

• What is the recovery time?

• What are the risks involved?

• Is post-operative medication necessary?

• What is the cost of the procedure?

It is also a good idea to write down the answers the surgeon provides so that you can review these carefully. The consultation also provides a chance to experience the personality of the surgeon to see if it is compatible with yours.

You should be prepared to be candid with the surgeon about your medical history, medications, allergies, habits, and background— which could affect the outcome of the surgery. The surgeon will also explain to you their experience and expertise in the area of facial plastic surgery you are considering. Some consultations may include computer imaging to show you what the surgery might accomplish. The surgeon can also describe what anesthesia is used for each of the surgeries you may be contemplating. The surgeon might also advise on supportive surgery to enhance the outcome. It is crucial for you to ask enough questions to find out about all aspects of the proposed surgery.

A large percentage of all facial plastic and reconstructive surgery is performed by board-certified otolaryngologists, whose rigorous training in the complicated head and neck area includes extensive experience with facial plastic surgery techniques. Dr Kim is a board certified Facial Plastic surgeon since 2001.