At Southern Surgical Arts, we frequently see patients who desire tighter, more youthful looking skin on their faces—especially around the forehead, chin and neck areas. Patients also ask us to help with sagging, loose skin on their neck and décolletage. Many of these patients aren’t ready for a surgical intervention or don’t wish to commit to the downtime that surgery would entail.
Read More →
Are you suffering from “tattoo regret?" If so, you’re not alone.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), more than 45,000 tattoo removal procedures were performed in 2013 alone, and perhaps for good reason. A recent study by Dr. Andrew Timming of St. Andrew's University School of Management in Scotland in 2013 revealed that visible tattoos still have a negative perception among employers and could be hurting job seekers chances of getting hired.
Read More →
Thousands of votes were cast in the Chattanooga Times Free Press’ “Best of the Best” awards this summer, and the results are in! For the sixth consecutive year, Dr. Carey Nease has been voted “Best Cosmetic Surgeon” in the Chattanooga area. Dr. Chad Deal was also voted a Finalist in the Best Cosmetic Surgeon category for the fourth year in a row.
The “Best of the Best” award is special to us because it’s a true “people’s choice” prize—the votes are cast by YOU. At Southern Surgical Arts, we are dedicated to creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere where our patients are comfortable and happy with every aspect of their experience—from the first encounter to the beautiful final result. Awards such as the “Best of the Best” let us know that our patients are satisfied with our expertise, training, technology and their results.
Read More →
Lean, toned arms are the goal of many women, who spend countless hours at the gym trying to achieve them. Younger women who have maintained a steady weight over the years are more likely to be successful at sculpting their ideal arms through exercise alone. But for women (or men) who have lost significant weight, or whose skin is not as elastic as it once was, achieving those arms may seem like a constantly-moving mirage. As a result, the “arm lift” (or brachioplasty) has become one of the hottest trends in cosmetic surgery.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently reported that there has been a more than 4000% increase in the number of arm lifts performed since 2000, with more than 15,000 women undergoing the procedure in 2013.
Read More →
You may think of cosmetic surgeons as your lifeline to a more beautiful “you”—but did you know some qualified surgeons are also a source of relief for those who experience chronic migraine headaches?
If you suffer from chronic migraines, you know the pain and frustration of how these intense, debilitating headaches can negatively affect every area of your life. Because of the extreme physical discomfort caused by migraines, chances are that your work and home life have been greatly impacted at one point or another. If medications and lifestyle changes haven’t brought you relief, you might want to seek help from an unexpected source—Botox®. Studies have found that both the frequency and severity of the migraine headache can be reduced by 50% as a result of Botox therapy.
Read More →
If you’re considering a tummy tuck or ‘mommy makeover’ procedure, one factor you’re sure to consider is the scar that results from the procedure. While you’re likely excited about losing excess skin and fat and having your abdominal muscles tightened, one thing you don’t want is an overly-obvious scar that announces, “I’ve just had work done.” The best cosmetic surgery is as invisible and natural-looking as possible, and that’s why Southern Surgical Arts approaches each tummy tuck with a focus on artistry.
The infographic below illustrates possible placements for tummy tuck incisions and the location in relation to your panty or swimsuit lines. As you’ll see, our board-certified cosmetic surgeons, Dr. Chad Deal, Dr. Vincent Gardner, Dr. Justin Gusching and Dr. Micheal Kluska strive to place tummy tuck incisions below your clothing lines so that the focus will be on your smooth, shapely abdomen, not on your scar. Our award-winning surgeons will also craft a new belly button for you and will use liposuction to sculpt sleek new curves for a youthful, beautiful and natural-looking tummy you’ll be thrilled to show off at the pool and gym.
Read More →
Liposuction is one of the most popular procedures we perform at
Southern Surgical Arts—with good reason. While diet and exercise can trim, firm, and tone your body, they cannot eliminate those stubborn deposits of fat around the waist (“lovehandles”), on the belly, inner and outer thighs (sometimes referred to as “saddlebags”), on the neck, above the knees, or on the back. This can be very frustrating for men and women who spend hours at the gym with unsatisfying results.
Liposuction has become increasingly popular due to its ability to do what diet and exercise can’t—specifically target and eliminate those fat pockets for long-lasting, beautiful results. However, one of the best treatments available is a newer technology that takes the already impressive results of traditional liposuction to a new level—laser liposuction or Smartlipo.
Read More →
If you’re one of the nearly 14 million Americans with rosacea, you know how frustrating the condition can be. The characteristic redness on the cheeks, nose, and chin may eventually lead to visible blood vessels, small lumps and bumps and thickened skin. Adding to the frustration, one of the more popular “go-to” treatments for skin resurfacing—the chemical peel—will only irritate the sensitive skin of rosacea sufferers even more.
Even if you don’t have rosacea, redness may still be an issue for you. You may have “cherry” moles, port wine stains, or vascular lesions like surface capillaries. Or, you may have fresh surgical scars or stretch marks that are reddish in color and have not yet begun to fade.
Fortunately, advances in cometic laser technology mean that we can treat these red-hued lesions with more beautiful results than ever before, thanks to the Vbeam pulsed-dye laser at Southern Surgical Arts.
The Vbeam laser is the gold standard in treating red marks and lesions. It delivers an intense but gentle burst of light into targeted areas of the skin. The light is absorbed by the targeted blood vessels or red-pigmented areas in the skin (depending on which skin condition is being treated). The goal of this treatment is to fade the targeted red areas so they blend more readily into the surrounding skin.
One of the many attractive features of this treatment is that discomfort is minimal and there is little downtime. The Vbeam has a patented cooling technique that minimizes stinging. Your face may look slightly reddened for about 24-48 hours and you may experience some short-lived, mild swelling. Results will be influenced by factors including how long you’ve had the lesions and the locations on your body.
The Vbeam laser is most effective on patients with fair to medium skin tones. It is not recommended for darker skin tones because the contrast between the surrounding skin’s color and that of the treatment area may not be enough for the laser to target effectively.
To learn more about how Vbeam can help to reduce redness, please call Southern Surgical Arts at 423.266.3331. We are happy to share additional information with you.
Q.
Ever since I had my children several years ago, I’ve had very prominent stretch marks on my tummy. None of the creams and lotions I’ve tried have worked. Are there any treatments that can permanently remove stretch marks?
A.
We hear this question a lot at Southern Surgical Arts—in part because stretch marks are so common, especially among women who have had children. We also get this question from patients who have developed stretch marks because they have quickly gained or lost a significant amount of weight for reasons other than pregnancy, or experienced rapid growth during puberty.
You are also more likely to develop stretch marks over the course of your life if you are fair-skinned, have a family history of stretch marks, have certain adrenal disorders such as Cushing’s Disease, or use steroids to build muscle mass rapidly.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect remedy for stretch marks. In fact, no reputable cosmetic or plastic surgeon will promise to remove them. We hope technology will exist in the future to eliminate these scars as it would certainly be in demand! In the meantime, we do offer two treatments that can minimize the appearance of stretch marks and help you love your skin more.
1. Vbeam Pulsed Dye Laser—This laser treatment is very effective at reducing redness in “fresh” stretch marks. Time will eventually fade the color of stretch marks, but for those who are ready for them to be less visible ASAP, the Vbeam pulsed dye laser is an excellent option. The cooling “mist” feature also keeps this treatment comfortable during each pulse of the laser.
2. MesoPen—This “skin pen” microneedling treatment has provided remarkable results in our practice at Southern Surgical Arts. The pen creates tiny holes in the skin, which the skin “perceives” as injuries. This triggers the skin’s natural repair response to produce collagen and elastin, creating smoother skin. Although it works best on fresh, red marks, the aestheticians at Southern Surgical Arts are very impressed with improvements to texture and appearance of older stretch marks as well.
If you would like to see if you are a candidate for either of these treatments, please call our office at 423-266-3331 for more information or to make an appointment.
When you hear the name “Sciton NanoLaserPeel™”, you might think of a futuristic technology or possibly something out of a science fiction movie. This is only appropriate, as the Sciton NanoLaserPeel is one of the most cutting-edge new procedures available today for skin rejuvenation. Southern Surgical Arts is proud to offer this exciting technology to our patients.
What is NanoLaserPeel?
Read More →