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Enhance Your Facial Rejuvenation with a Neck Lift

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facial rejuvenation and neck liftWhen you think of facial rejuvenation, facelifts, eye lifts, and brow lifts are often the first few treatments that come to mind, but neckline contouring shouldn’t be overlooked.  There is something to be said for a graceful, smooth, and contoured neckline.  It signals youth and restores balance to the face.  In some cases, neck lift procedures can enhance one’s appearance so significantly that there is no need for other facial cosmetic procedures.  Though, it is the ideal procedure to complement facelifts, eye lifts, brow lifts, as well as other surgical facial treatments.

What is a Neck Lift:

Neck lift procedures, also known as a lower rhytidectomy, focus on tightening and revitalizing lax skin around the jowls and chin.  Our collagen production decreases as we age, causing these areas to sag.  Other factors such as genetics, gravity, and lifestyle habits also affect the rate at which aging occurs, and this leads patients to seek cosmetic procedures which are aimed at restoring youth and rejuvenating the face and neck.

Contouring the jawline and neck will vary from patient to patient, and each person’s individual aesthetic goal will be unique.  Loose, sagging skin and weakened muscles can result in the look of what is sometimes referred to as a “turkey neck,” giving the appearance that the patient is older than his or her age.  This excess skin and noticeable muscle bands can also mask the appearance of the chin and jawline, eliminating the natural contour.  A neck lift procedure will remove excess skin and tighten the neck muscles.  As a result, firmness and definition are restored to the patient’s face, resulting in a youthful, balanced appearance and a defined chin and jawline.

My Band Aid Neck Lift Procedure:

My Band Aid neck lift procedure is unique because I can perform it in-office with gentle numbing, eliminating the need for an offsite surgical center and general anesthesia.  I always tailor my surgical procedures to each patient individually, but generally speaking, I will focus on excess fat removal, tightening muscles, and redistributing tissue to achieve a natural, rejuvenated appearance. 

Because I can perform this procedure in-office, the recovery period is shortened and the cost is less.  However, you will be asked to avoid strenuous activity for several days following the procedure to properly heal the treated area.  You should be able to return to your normal routine within one-two weeks of surgery.

I always strive to achieve a balance between restoring your youthful appearance and ensuring you will continue to look like yourself after any cosmetic procedure.  The goal isn’t to change who you are but to enhance and refresh your natural look and glow.  If you are considering a neck lift procedure, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy.  I would be happy to discuss this procedure in greater detail and answer any questions you may have.  For more information about me and my practice, follow me on Facebook.  

Get to Know Dr. John L. LeRoy

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When you’re trying to choose a plastic surgeon, it’s important to start with their qualifications and their experience. Be sure to look for a board-certified plastic surgeon, as a “cosmetic surgeon” does not need to be tested and qualified by a nationally-recognized board of leading surgeons (and if they’re double board-certified like Dr. LeRoy, that’s even better). But once you’ve narrowed your search to a few highly qualified surgeons, you should also be sure to take personality and other factors into consideration. The more you and your surgeon share a similar aesthetic vision and the more comfortable you are communicating with them, the more likely you are to work as a team to achieve a successful and beautiful result. To help you get to know Dr. LeRoy a little better before your consultation, we sat down with him for a fun Q & A session.

Atlanta plastic surgeonWhat is your favorite procedure to perform and why?

While I specialize in all aspects of the face and body, particularly in facial rejuvenation, my #1 favorite surgery to perform is the Band Aid Mini Facelift for a number of reasons. First, because it’s a procedure that I actually developed, it’s particularly rewarding to see how happy it makes my patients. And second, the procedure is actually performed using gentle numbing, so the patients are awake, and I love the opportunity to interact with them throughout the surgery. It makes it a much more personal experience.

When did you realize you wanted to be a plastic surgeon? What attracted you to it?

I knew for a long time that I wanted to be a doctor, but when I first entered medical school, all I knew was that I wanted to be a surgeon—I wasn’t sure which specialty I wanted to focus on. During medical school, we did a number of “rotations”: spending time in different specialty areas to experience them and have a well-rounded education. One of my last rotations was plastic surgery, and I just fell in love with the energy of it. Because patients were there by choice and were looking forward to their results, they had a very positive air about them, and I knew I wanted to spend my career in this type of atmosphere.

What hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I do a lot of reading when I have free time, but I also love spending time outdoors, like boating when the weather is warm. One of my big projects, though, is working on the land my family owns in South Carolina. My siblings all live in different cities, and we each enjoy spending some time there throughout the year operating the pine farm and just enjoying the land and the nature with different projects and activities.

Early in your career, you had a very prestigious fellowship at the Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH) in New York City. What would you say is the most valuable lesson or experience you took away from that fellowship?

The surgeons I worked under at MEETH were well-known leaders in the field, and before I started, I had some apprehension—like many people do before they meet someone they idolize. But the surgeons definitely did not disappoint. They were outstanding in both their facial rejuvenation technical skills and in making me feel welcome and helping me to learn in a great environment, so it was a powerful experience in my training. Overall, I’d say there are two lessons I took away as a surgeon:

  1. Even though I was already very proficient before my fellowship, you can always learn more and you can always stay humble.
  2. If you’re a new doctor, accumulate as much training, experience, and education as you can before you start practicing. When you have great credentials already, you can go into your practice with confidence and without feeling like you need to prove yourself because you have already shown your expertise.

If you could go back and give your 20-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

To be honest, I don’t think I would tell him anything other than perhaps to relax a little more. One of my professors taught me about The Law of Unintended Consequences, and because I’m really happy with the way my life is now, I wouldn’t want to change any part of the journey that led here. I’ve often heard the saying, “Success is a poor teacher,” because you can learn more from your mistakes, but I don’t think that necessarily has to be the case—you just need to continue to make a conscious effort to grow, regardless of how much success you’ve already achieved.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this opportunity to connect with Dr. LeRoy and get to know him a little better. But remember, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of an in-person consultation, which is your time to not only meet your surgeon and get to know them but also to explain and thoroughly discuss your goals for the surgery, see more before and after photos, and discuss the unique recommendations Dr. LeRoy would offer for you. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call to schedule your consultation today. Or, for more fun facts, plastic surgery tips, and special offers, follow Dr. John L. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Announcing the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift

Announcing the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift

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In the more than twenty years that I have been a double board-certified plastic surgeon, my commitment has been to providing my patients with plastic surgery which will achieve the results they’re looking for but which can also fit into their busy lives. This has primarily come in the form of my Band Aid Facelift and other Band Aid procedures: minimally invasive versions of traditional cosmetic surgeries which offer natural-looking results with half the recovery time, because they’re performed in-office using gentle numbing and specialized techniques. To continue my goal of providing more accessible cosmetic solutions, I’m proud to introduce my newest innovation: the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift.

Announcing the Band Aid Micro Mini FaceliftWhile some plastic surgeries produce results which change little if at all over time (like nose reshaping and ear surgery), the issue with face lifts and other facial rejuvenation methods is that aging is progressive, and there is not a way to stop the process entirely. So while cosmetic surgery can make a powerful difference in that aging you have already experienced (in many cases, taking as much as ten years or more off a patient’s appearance), new signs of aging will arise over time. That’s where my Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift comes in.

It generally takes around eight to ten years after a facelift or Band Aid Mini Facelift for a patient’s aging to progress far enough to require another Band Aid Face Lift. In the meantime, some patients are happy with the results they achieve from Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing or Band Aid Skin Tightening. But for those who are looking for a more predictable and significant difference than non-surgical options can offer, the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift can be the perfect solution for three or four years after the surgery.

So what’s the difference between the Band Aid Mini Facelift I developed twenty years ago and the new Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift? I developed this new procedure because of my patients who had expressed interest in making more subtle, incremental changes than even my Band Aid Mini Facelift provides—essentially with the goal of continuously keeping up with new signs of aging as they appear. Both the Band Aid Mini Facelift and the Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift are performed in a minimally invasive way, in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia. The Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift, however, is a milder version of the surgery, and it requires just half the cost and half of the already shortened recovery time the Band Aid Facelift needs. For most patients, maintaining ideal results will begin with a Band Aid Facelift or a traditional facelift, followed by incremental “touch-ups” as the years go by to address future aging, like Band Aid Micro Mini Facelifts and non-surgical treatments.

When it comes to cosmetic surgery (as well as non-surgical aesthetic procedures), the biggest advantage to having a larger number of treatment options is that we can find the choice which best aligns with your goals, needs, and priorities. Whether you’re looking for an extensive improvement or just a quick touch-up, schedule your plastic surgery consultation to discuss your cosmetic options. Or, to keep up with the latest plastic surgery news as well as tips and special offers, follow Dr. John L. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Tips for Getting the Facelift Result You Love

Tips for Getting the Facelift Result You Love

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No one walks in for their facelift and says, “I just want my results to look mediocre.” Every patient has a picture in their mind of precisely how they want to look, and the entire reason they’ve chosen plastic surgery is to look their best. We’ve discussed quite a bit about helping your recovery process go smoothly, but there’s also plenty you can do before surgery to get the best possible results.

Tips for Getting the Facelift Result You LoveChoose the right surgeon.

It may seem obvious that the surgeon you choose will have a powerful bearing on the quality of your results (and your safety, for that matter), but it’s so crucial that it is worth a reminder. Look for the words “board-certified plastic surgeon,” and pay close attention to whether the surgeon you’re considering is a part of professional organizations like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon and a member of both of these organizations myself, I can attest to the strict requirements they uphold for each surgeon’s knowledge, training, and experience.

Communicate your desired results clearly and from the beginning.

The phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is certainly true, and after more than twenty years in cosmetic surgery specializing in facial procedures, I’ve seen firsthand that each patient has their own idea of how they want to look. Pictures can even be helpful—for instance, a face lift or Band Aid Mini Facelift patient may bring in a picture of themselves from ten years earlier and say, “my goal is to look the way I did in this picture.” Just keep in mind that surgery does have limitations, so in your pre-surgical consultation, I’ll be able to explain what you can realistically expect.

Look through before and after pictures.

While plastic surgeons may have fewer pictures of the results they’ve achieved with a facelift than with, for instance, a tummy tuck (simply because fewer patients are willing to consent to their pictures being used if it’s their face that must be shown, rather than a more “anonymous” area like the abdomen), they should still have some for you to review. Plastic surgery before and after photos are a great way to determine whether you and the surgeon have the same aesthetic vision, and you can also point out to him which results more resemble the way you want to look. While I have several pictures on my website, during your consultation you’ll also have the opportunity to see photos from many more patients who prefer that their pictures are shown in-office only.

Don’t assume, “after this surgery, I won’t have to worry about aging again.”

Face lifts aren’t a cure-all or a “permanent fix.” For most patients, the best way to get natural-looking results is not to try to remove every fine line and wrinkle in surgery, but to address these remaining concerns with injections like Botox® or facial fillers later as aging continues. The alternative of being overly aggressive in surgery can result in the “windblown” look. It’s also important to recognize that plastic surgery cannot stop the aging process (nor can anything in medical science, for that matter), so new wrinkles and skin laxity will appear as you age in the future. Many patients eventually address these concerns with a follow-up surgery or with non-surgical procedures like my Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing and Band Aid Skin Tightening.

Make sure your decision is logical, not emotional.

Some people who become depressed believe that plastic surgery will give them the emotional pick-me-up they need. While looking your best can undoubtedly make you feel more positive, optimistic, and confident, keep in mind that a facelift (or any other cosmetic surgery) has a healing period, and some patients get “the blues” during this time due to simply having less energy, being primarily confined to their home for a few days, and not yet being able to see their results immediately. If you’re already depressed going into surgery, this can put a damper on your healing ability. Don’t enter into plastic surgery assuming it will fix all your problems and “make you happy again.” Instead, look at it as a way to address this one specific concern you have: self-consciousness. For many patients, lifting this self-consciousness can give them a more positive outlook on life, but this should be seen as an added perk, rather than your reason for pursuing surgery in the first place.

Achieving optimal results from a facelift or a Band Aid Mini Face Lift is a team effort, requiring you as the patient and me as the board-certified plastic surgeon to develop a shared vision and communicate openly to make this vision a reality. If you’re ready to start discussing your options, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery tips, helpful information, and the latest news, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Ask Dr. LeRoy: What’s the Difference between a Band Aid Facelift and a Traditional Facelift?

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The facelift is one of the most well-known plastic surgery procedures, and for good reason. Aging affects us all, and while it progresses at different rates or in different ways from one person to the next, it’s almost always an unwelcome change. That’s why so many people choose to take control of their appearance with a combination of healthy choices, at-home skincare, and professional treatments. But when skin laxity has reached a point when only plastic surgery can produce the desired results, patients in past years often struggled with the decision because of the recovery time, risk, and expense associated with a traditional facelift. That’s where my Band Aid Mini Facelift comes in.

Ask Dr. LeRoy: What's the Difference between a Band Aid Facelift and a Traditional Facelift?As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I believe that everyone should have the option to become their most confident and beautiful self, so I developed the Band Aid Mini Facelift nearly 20 years ago to make surgical-quality facial rejuvenation accessible to patients who were in that uncomfortable “in-between” stage: their aging had progressed far enough that they were no longer happy with the results non-surgical treatments could provide, yet not far enough for them to justify a comprehensive facelift. As a minimally invasive procedure, the Band Aid Facelift is performed in-office using gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia. I also use specialized techniques in order to target the specific areas of concern while leaving smaller incisions for more discreet scars. Ultimately, this unique plastic surgery offers natural-looking results with significantly less downtime, swelling, bruising, scarring, and cost compared to a traditional facelift.

So why do some of my patients still choose the conventional facelift? The simple fact is that different procedures are ideal for different types of patients, and the Band Aid Facelift is designed for a moderate level of aging. Those who are looking for a more extensive change to their appearance are often better suited for a traditional facelift. At the end of the day, the goal is to design a plan that makes you feel comfortable and to match you with the surgery that will give you the best balance between your results and your priorities.

While researching your cosmetic options is an important first step, remember that the only way to truly know what procedures you may be a candidate for is to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has the experience to translate your aesthetic goals and other needs into a surgical plan. To get started toward feeling confident in your appearance again, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more helpful tips, special offers, and plastic surgery news, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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