Over the last two decades facial plastic surgery has moved from the taboo to the widespread. The options available to turn back time are growing in number and the avenues to pursue these options are growing at an equal rate. Surgeries are more effective, with greater results and less down time. Nonsurgical treatments are more plentiful and often are effective to get the result you are looking for while staying out of the operating room. The choices of what to do, where to do it and who should provide these services can be dizzying. Let’s talk about what you should know as you start to address questions and plans you may have.

Finding the Right Solution Before pursuing any sort of procedure, you should be fully aware of what facial plastic surgery entails.

Facial plastic surgery is performed to reshape structures in the head and neck – typically the skin, nose, ears, chin, eyes, cheekbones and neckline – and can produce stunning and enriching results for many types of patients.

There are two types of facial plastic surgery:

Reconstructive facial plastic surgery – This is performed for patients with conditions that may be present from birth, such as birthmarks on the face, cleft lip and palate, disfigured ears, and a crooked smile, that also affect normal function. This type of procedure also can help reverse the results of accidents, trauma, burns, or previous surgery and can treat existing diseases like skin cancer.

Cosmetic plastic surgery – This is performed for patients with conditions that may also be present from birth, as well as conditions that develop over time, either from the results of aging or stress – these procedures can also treat skin cancer. And the results of this type of facial plastic surgery, when properly pursued, can be just as fulfilling and meaningful as reconstructive plastic surgery.

That is why it is important to find a board-certified facial plastic surgeon that takes into account your entire well-being and helps you determine the best methods in which you can help bring out your inner beauty by what you show the world – your face.

 

Cosmetic Facial Plastic Surgery Options

Let’s take a look at some of the procedures involved in cosmetic plastic surgery. These include:

Browlift — This improves forehead wrinkles and drooping eyebrows. As time (and gravity) take their toll, your brow may gradually or severely descend, producing a scowling or fatigued look; this procedure reverses that process.

Facelift – This term is a little misleading, as facelift now addresses only the lower face and neck. As we age, soft tissue from the cheeks descends, creating a visible break of the jaw line; as the same time, fat present below the chin also increases. The combination of these factors means that we lose our jawline. However, a meticulous cheek-neck lift may redefine the contour of the jawline and neckline without over-tightening the skin.

Fat transfer –We know that over time we lose youthful appearing fat in our face and what remains can descend lower into the face. Just as it sounds, a facial fat transfer allows a surgeon to take some of your own fat from another section of your body and transfer it in order to build up soft tissue in an area that has experienced descent in a specific area of the face.

Rhinoplasty/Septoplasty – This surgery restructures the outside and inside nose in which cartilage and bone are reshaped to improve the appearance and function of the nose. This can have a huge impact, not just in appearance, but also in function, as it can do wonders for improving nasal airflow, an important function for healthy cardiovascular function and stress reduction.

Blepharoplasty – This surgery of the upper and/or lower eyelids improves the function and/or appearance of the eyes. As our eyes are the windows to our inner self, they are the most striking feature of our faces, however the aging process that occurs around the eyes may belie the youthful energy within.

Otoplasty – This surgery reshapes the cartilage of the ears so that they protrude less – an often dismaying feature that can haunt us all from an early age.

Skin Surface Procedures – Lasers, chemical peels and derma-abrasion are all methods of improving the smoothness of the skin and rolling back the signs of stress or aging that can have a major impact on how we feel about ourselves.

Skin Cancer Reconstruction – Surgery to reconstruct defects in facial skin from this dangerous disease can relieve an enormous psychological burden on those affected. And there are a number of approaches, including the Mohs procedure, in which surgeons can remove layers of cancer-containing skin, that skilled practitioners may employ to revive both the look – and more importantly – the mindset of patients.

Schedule Your Visit

Contact Garlich Facial Surgery today.

Get Started

 

Recovery and Results

There is a common misconception that facial plastic surgery requires a lengthy recovery time, when, in reality, most patients fully recover within a matter of days, not weeks or months.

Certainly, patients should expect some swelling and bruising while incisions heal. However, careful and thorough surgeons will provide detailed postsurgical care instructions and pain relief recommendations to speed your healing. And most patients actually feel comfortable returning to work one to two weeks following their surgery, when swelling and bruising are reduced, and their appearance has improved.

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks people should consider during the discovery process and pursuit of results. Anesthesia poses a risk for some people, and those patients with health conditions such as obesity and diabetes may run higher risks.

However, there are several facial plastic surgical procedures that may be performed under local numbing agents, eliminating the need for deeper anesthesia.

The key is to find a board-certified facial plastic surgeon with a track record of high-quality results. You can ask the doctor for before-and-after photos of patients so you can get a sense of the quality of their procedures.

 

Finding the Right Surgeon

If your only tool is a hammer, everything becomes a nail. Fellowship trained, board-certified facial plastic surgeons have the training, knowledge and expertise to understand the nuances of the face and have a wider armamentarium of tools to treat cosmetic and functional issues of the face. So, finding a skilled surgeon that is willing to take the time to work hand-in-hand with you in order to find the option that works best for you is paramount.

One important question to ask is whether the surgeon collects data on outcomes, specifically patient satisfaction. If a high percentage of people are extremely happy with the results after five years, you’re more likely to have a successful procedure.

At Garlich Facial Plastics, Dr. Paul Garlich approaches each patient with the goal of helping them become the best they can be. Therefore, his practice centers around unlocking the beauty that his patients feel inside and then displaying it for the whole world to see.

Dr. Garlich’s experience and innovative approaches to facial surgery, nasal surgery, eye surgery, ear surgery, wrinkle reduction and skin cancer reconstruction, among other procedures, allows his practice to effectively treat all manner of concerns. And he has done so for patients throughout north Georgia.

If you have any questions about facial plastic surgery or are considering pursuing any of these procedures, please feel free to call our offices at 678-343-2190. Our offices in Gainesville and Braselton make it convenient for you to schedule an appointment today and let our professionals help bring out your inner beauty.