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Tips for Your Facelift or Mini Facelift Consultation

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smiling-female-faceAs the years go by, we each notice signs of aging here and there and watch time slowly take its toll. For many, their aging appearance doesn’t reflect how youthful and energized they feel. If that’s true for you or if you just prefer to look younger, a facelift or Band Aid Mini Facelift could be the perfect way to get the results you want. Your journey toward a revitalized look begins with a consultation.

Your facelift or mini facelift consultation is an excellent opportunity for you to get a view of what your procedure will entail and make sure you’re heading down the right path. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facelifts, I’m happy to help you plan for your facelift consultation. Follow these tips to make your consultation more productive.

Understand Your Goals

Going into your cosmetic surgery consultation, it’s important to have an understanding of why you’re there and what you should be gaining from your consultation. There are multiple goals for a facelift consultation: to find out which procedure is the best fit for you and the results you want, to find out if the surgeon is the right fit for you, to learn about the procedure and the process ahead, and to get all your questions answered to determine if you are on the right path.

Do Some Homework in Advance

You want to go into your consultation with basic knowledge about the procedure you want, whether it’s a facelift or a type of mini facelift like my signature Band Aid Mini Facelift. Take time to learn about the procedure online and the essentials of how it works. This lets you have a more productive, informed discussion with your surgeon.

Organize Your Thoughts

You’re probably wondering about many questions related to your procedure – what to expect, whether it’s safe, how long it will take to heal, and so on. Even if they all seem like questions that will come up naturally during your consultation, it helps to jot them down in a list. Surgical consultations are intimidating to many people, so you may have more trouble remembering your questions in the moment.

Gather Relevant Medical Information

Your health is an important factor in plastic surgery and in guiding your surgeon’s recommendations, so be prepared to discuss it at your consultation. Write down everything you can about your medical history. This includes any current or past medical conditions, all medications you’re taking including herbs and vitamin supplements, any allergies, your family medical history, and any past procedures you’ve had, whether they were medical or cosmetic.

Bring Pictures

During your consultation, you’ll be discussing the results you want so your surgeon can plan a procedure that’s tailored to your goals. To make this easier and ensure that you’re on the same page with your surgeon, it helps to have pictures of generally how you’d like to look. For a facelift or mini facelift, it’s best to bring pictures of yourself when you were younger. All of these photos will allow you to have a candid discussion with your surgeon to determine if what you have in mind is possible.

Keep in mind that these photos are a guide, not an image to be photocopied. Your surgeon will work with your specific anatomy to create the most natural-looking, attractive results for you, so don’t expect to look exactly like those photos after your surgery.

Relax and Keep an Open Mind

Most importantly, relax and be calm during your consultation. You’re simply having an informative, educational conversation. You won’t be pressured to make any decisions you aren’t prepared to make and you don’t need to be intimidated by the surgeon. Simply relax and expect to have an open, honest dialogue.

Your facelift or mini facelift consultation is a vital step in the journey toward a refreshed, revitalized appearance. The tips above can make it a more productive experience for both you and your surgeon. If you’re ready to get started, schedule a facial rejuvenation consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Follow me on Facebook for more plastic surgery tips.

Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

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Liposuction is a highly popular plastic surgery, and this doesn’t come as a surprise to most people. After all, one look at any movie, TV show, or magazine makes it clear that our society’s beauty standard emphasizes slimmer physiques.

While liposuction can be a fantastic way to help you achieve the shape you’ve been working toward for your body, it’s important to know if this surgery truly is the right choice. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I have spent decades helping patients achieve their cosmetic goals, and that includes determining the best way to treat each patient’s needs. To find out if you may be a candidate for liposuction, begin by asking yourself the questions below.

What Area Do You Want to Improve?

What part of your appearance do you most want to improve? Fortunately, liposuction is a versatile procedure that I can perform for nearly any area of the body, including the abdomen, thighs, upper arms, hips, “double chin” area above the neck, and more. However, it’s important to note that liposuction is designed to treat only one or a few smaller problem areas at a time. If you want to slim down your entire body, it’s best to lose weight first and use liposuction to fine-tune your results.

What Results Do You Expect?

Like any plastic surgery, liposuction has specific uses and limitations. This procedure exclusively removes excess fat. It does not tighten your skin, nor does it reduce cellulite.

Take time to truly examine the area you are considering for liposuction. How firm is your skin in the area? Is it the size of the area that you dislike, or is it actually the quality of the skin? If you want to tighten the skin, you may be a better candidate for a different procedure like an arm lift, for example, or a combination of liposuction and a skin-tightening procedure.

Are You Healthy?

Cosmetic surgery is low-risk when it is performed by an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon. Part of the reason for this is because well-trained surgeons know how to evaluate a patient’s health to look for factors that could increase your surgical risks. This includes medical conditions that could impair your healing after surgery. At your pre-surgical consultation, we’ll discuss your medical history to look for potential risk factors and you’ll receive a medical evaluation before your surgery as well.

Are You Prepared for Your Recovery?

Liposuction may be cosmetic, but it’s still a surgery, so it will require a recovery period. To be a candidate for liposuction, you need to be prepared to take time off work and to follow all of your post-surgical care instructions. It is particularly important that you can avoid tobacco or nicotine use for several weeks before and after your procedure. All of this and more will be discussed at your consultation and pre-surgery appointment.

Fortunately, though, your recovery may be shorter than you expect. Some liposuction candidates may also be candidates for my Band Aid Liposuction, a minimally invasive surgery that I perform in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia. While this procedure still achieves fantastic results, you’ll have about half the recovery time you would have from traditional liposuction.

What Are Your Future Cosmetic Goals?

Liposuction is designed to artfully contour your physique, much in the way that a sculptor precisely shapes a sculpture. If you gain or lose a significant amount of weight after your surgery, it will affect your results. This is why ideal candidates for liposuction have a stable weight that they plan to maintain in the long term.

While these questions can serve as helpful guides, the only way to know for certain whether you are a candidate for liposuction is to schedule a liposuction consultation. Call my Atlanta office today to schedule your consultation. Follow me as well on Facebook and Twitter for more cosmetic surgery tips and insights.

Tips for Your First Holiday Season after Plastic Surgery

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The holidays are coming up quickly, and if it’s your first holiday season after facial plastic surgery (or any plastic surgery, for that matter), it can feel like a mixed bag. Reconnecting with family and friends is even sweeter when you can feel confident in your appearance. And yet, it can be uncomfortable to be asked about your new and improved look, whether you want to keep your surgery discreet or not. To help you get through the next few months more easily, here are a few tips:

 

Tips for Your First Holiday Season after Plastic SurgeryTip #1: Anticipate questions and plan your answers ahead of time.

There’s nothing worse than being put on the spot in front of a group of people. Some of my plastic surgery patients are happy to tell the entire world about their procedure. Most, however, prefer to keep their surgery as a private matter, perhaps only telling a few of their closest friends or family members. This is entirely your choice to make, and every patient needs to find their own comfort level. But regardless of how discreet or public you choose to be about your plastic surgery, assume you’ll get some questions or comments about how much younger, thinner, or well-rested you look. Take some time to think about how you want to answer these questions when they arise, so you’re not caught off-guard at a holiday party.

Tip #2: If you only want certain people to know about your surgery, make sure they know to be discreet.

If you’ve chosen to only tell a few friends or family members about your Band Aid Mini Facelift or other cosmetic surgery, make sure they know not to tell anyone else. This is especially true if these people know others who you’ve chosen not to tell about your procedure. You never know what’s going to come up in conversation, especially at the holidays when everyone is reconnecting and talking about their year. It’s best to stay on the safe side and make sure everyone knows that you consider your surgery a private matter.

Tip #3: Learn how to camouflage your scars.

Every surgery will result in some scarring, thanks to our body’s ability to heal its skin. But one of the fastest ways to get questions about a surgery you want to keep discreet is to have a concerned loved one notice your scar. Some scars, like those from liposuction or a breast augmentation, are easy to hide with clothing (especially in the winter). Facial plastic surgery like a facelift, on the other hand, leaves scarring in a more visible area. I’ve spent over 20 years performing surgery with minimally visible scarring, and most patients find them very easy to disguise. If you want to take extra precautions, though, take time before the holidays to experiment with using makeup, a hairstyle, or clothing to keep your scars particularly well-hidden.

Tip #4: Be proud of your decisions.

Cosmetic surgery is often misunderstood. It’s not about vanity or “keeping up with the Joneses” – it’s about freeing yourself from a source of self-consciousness. Going through a lot of effort to conceal their plastic surgery makes some patients question whether they made the right choice. Just remember that you made the decision for a reason, and whether or not you want to share it with others, you should own your choice and be proud that you made the right decision for you.

As happy as you may be about your cosmetic surgery results, it’s fully understandable (and entirely within your rights) to prefer to keep your private medical procedure under wraps. As a plastic surgeon who genuinely cares, I’m happy to help my patients with every step of the process – including how to talk to your family and friends about it. Whether you choose to be discreet like most of our patients or more open about your surgery, the tips above can help you get through the holidays with more comfort and ease. For more guidance and to get answers to your plastic surgery questions, contact my Atlanta cosmetic surgery office today.

Tips for Having a Band Aid Mini Facelift During the Summer

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For many men and women in the Atlanta area, my minimally invasive Band Aid Mini Facelift offers the opportunity to restore a more youthful appearance they can feel confident in without the extensive downtime and costs of a more comprehensive facelift. Still, there are considerations to keep in mind when you’re planning the timing and other details of your plastic surgery. This time of the year, many of my patients are preparing for family vacations, special events, and other fun occasions over the summer, so below are some tips for coordinating your Band Aid Facelift with your summer plans.

  • Tips for Having a Band Aid Mini Facelift During the SummerLeave yourself plenty of time between surgery and any upcoming events. While my mini facelift involves a significantly shorter recovery period than a traditional facelift, remember that everyone’s body can respond differently, and it may take longer for your bruising and swelling to resolve than it does for others. Based on the details of your specific case (like your medical history, the extensiveness of your surgery, etc.), we can discuss an expected timeline and how far in advance you should schedule your procedure before any trips or occasions when you’ll want to look your best. Ideally, you should schedule a consultation as early as possible so we can plan ahead and select the ideal timing for your needs.
  • Be particularly cautious about sun protection. While sun exposure can always be unhealthy for your skin (especially if you want to preserve a more youthful look, because the sun accelerates the aging process), it’s especially concerning for your surgical scars. New scars are particularly vulnerable to sun damage, and it can cause them to permanently darken and look more prominent. In general, we recommend that patients are diligent with their sunblock for at least six weeks after plastic surgery.
  • Stay in the air conditioning during your recovery. Whether you’re a fan of the Hotlanta heat or not, it’s important to keep your body comfortable while you heal. Particularly after a facelift, anything which causes your face to flush and become red is causing an increase in blood flow to your head, and this can contribute to swelling. A good guideline is to avoid anything which makes your face flush, including heat, exercise, and alcohol.
  • Arrange for child care ahead of time. If you’re a parent with children who will be home for their school’s summer break and you won’t have a spouse at home during the day, it’s a good idea to have someone else take care of your children while you’re recovering. For plastic surgery patients, pushing yourself to be too active too soon after surgery (by running after children, for example) can make your body take longer to heal. Plus, if an emergency were to occur, you may not be able to drive due to pain medications, so it’s best to allow yourself to focus on your recovery by making other arrangements for the kids.

There are many factors which come together to make a cosmetic surgery successful, and planning ahead is one of the most valuable steps you can take toward getting safe and satisfying results. Allow yourself plenty of time to research your procedure, find the right board-certified plastic surgeon, and choose the ideal time in your personal calendar. To get started planning your cosmetic surgery, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more helpful tips, join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

How Do I Know if I Need Injectables or a Facelift?

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Dermal injectables to re-plump facial volume as well as neuromodulators like Botox® or Dysport® to relax wrinkle-causing muscles have come a long way in the last few years.  Many patients are attracted to the smaller cost, lack of downtime and subtle results provided by injectable treatments.  However, when you’re deciding between non-surgical treatments like injectables, minimally invasive procedures like the Band Aid Facelift, or traditional facelift surgery, it’s important to understand what they can and cannot do to maximize your satisfactions with results.  Here are a few key takeaways for patients to think about and discuss with their plastic surgeon before deciding on the facial rejuvenation procedure right for them:

What’s the cause of your cosmetic complaint?

The signs of aging do not stem from just one source:  skin and muscle laxity, skin tone, and depleted tissue volume can all contribute to looking older than you feel.  The key to maximizing patient satisfaction is making sure that the treatment fits the complaint.  Surgical procedures like the Band Aid Facelift address issues like excess, drooping skin and muscle laxity whereas more comprehensive procedures like the traditional facelift focus on more severe lax muscles and excess skin.  To maximize the effectiveness of his cosmetic procedures Dr. LeRoy customizes his Band Aid Facelift and traditional facelift techniques to the individual patient’s needs.

john leroyHow dramatic do you want your results to appear?

The goal of any cosmetic treatment that I perform is to deliver refreshed, but natural looking results.  However, depending on the treatment that you elect and the extent of the issues addressed the results will be more or less dramatic.  Wrinkle filler like Restylane® and Perlane® offer re-plumping of deeper wrinkles and folds; however, they are only designed to treat the areas into which they’re injected and their effects typically last 6-12 months before the treatment needs to be repeated.

Do you plan on having other treatments done?

Just as there are multiple factors that contribute to the severity of signs of aging, it’s sometimes best to take a tiered approach to facial rejuvenation.  For example, if you’re a patient seeing subtle results for wrinkles around the eyes but also want to treat areas of hyperpigmentation, a combination of Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing and injectables may be recommended.  It’s also important to remember that if you do receive a combination of treatments, the results will most likely be gradual as each treatment requires a different healing process.

Contact our office to learn more about your facial rejuvenation treatment options from Atlanta cosmetic and plastic surgeon Dr. John LeRoy.  You can also stay abreast of the latest cosmetic treatment advances for facial aging by connecting with Dr. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.