The Surgical Artist's Blog

I have some exciting news for those of you in the region near Jasper, TN, South Pittsburg and North Alabama! I have partnered with Grandview Medical Center in establishing a Cosmetic Surgery office and will offer cosmetic procedures beginning next month. This is certainly new to the area and we hope to provide high quality cosmetic services to the people in the surrounding communities. Procedures offered will include face lift and neck lift, rhinoplasty, eye and brow lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks and Smartlipo laser body sculpting. Medical Spa services will include laser hair removal, chemical peels, Botox, Restylane, microdermabrasion and spa facials. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you achieve your cosmetic goals!

Have you looked in the mirror lately and wondered what those brown spots or splotchy areas are? These areas are hyperpigmentation. Sun exposure, acne scars, pregnancy or the natural aging process, are some of the causes of this condition. The Pigment Balancing Masque, by SkinCeuticals, is a customizable brightening treatment targeting these damaged areas. By treating these areas with the Pigment Balancing Masque, one can dramatically improve the uneven appearance of photodamaged skin.

The Pigment Balancing Masque combines high-performance brightening, anti-inflammatory agents, and a powerful exfoliant to accelerate cell renewal and diminish hyperpigmentation. The series normally consists of 4-6 treatments.  Come by and see me in the Calhoun, GA office, or visit our Dalton, GA location to learn more about our complete line of skin care products & services, as well as our cosmetic surgery options.  Treatments cost $125 ~ Amy C.

I am excited to share with you another patent pending formulation from SkinCeuticals.  Hyperpigmentation is the #1 skincare concern globally, affecting people of all skin types, ethnicities and age groups, and skin brightening is the fastest growing category of take-home skincare in the United States.

To be successful hyperpigmentation products must:

1. Reduce the production of excess melanin
2. Reduce the transfer of melanin to the top of the epidermis
3. Break-up and remove the existing melanin clusters on the skin's surface

Prior to the introduction of Pigment Regulator, by SkinCeuticals, no topical product has been able to address all three steps of hyperpigmentation safely and effectively.  Visit Southern Surgical Arts at one of our locations in Calhoun or Dalton, Georgia to learn more regarding this treatment .  Let the leader in the field of skin care therapy, Southern Surgical Arts, help you to look and feel your best. Tammy and I are here to get your skin beautiful for Spring and Summer. Call us! ~ Amy C.

Hey everyone! We are now offering a special price for Breast Augmentation with either silicone gel or saline implants from March 1st to April 30th, 2010. Get ready for spring break and summer bikini season, and be confident with how you look! Call now for a consultation with Dr. Nease who specializes in quick recovery breast augmentation, minimal scarring and with local anesthesia and sedation. And, get back to work and normal activities in less than a week. Special prices: saline $3995, silicone $4995 including all anesthesia, OR and surgeon fees.

I'm back to work after attending the annual AACS meeting in Orlando and am considering some new techniques to incorporate into my cosmetic surgery practice. The most interesting topic discussed was breast augmentation using fat transfer rather than saline or silicone implants. This technique has been studied for the last few years and is being used in many countries around the world. There are several surgeons in the US doing it now as well, but there is some controversy. The main issue is safety in regard to imaging for breast cancer screening, and most radiologists believe that they WILL be able to accurately interpret the mammograms in patients who have fat transfer for cosmetic or reconstructive reasons. The other problem is that several procedures may be necessary to get the size desired, as one session will likely only increase the breast by one cup size. Benefits include that fact that there is no foreign material used (implant) and the results have a very natural appearance. I think many patients will still prefer implants, but this will likely be an option for women seeking a natural enhancement in the near future. I will continue to keep up with the latest research and when I feel it is safe, I'll be excited to bring this new procedure to the women of North Georgia and the Chattanooga area.

I'm off to the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery in Orlando, hoping for warmer and sunny weather! I am speaking tomorrow about laser body sculpting and some research I did a few years ago studying ultrasound assisted liposuction. The meeting is always great, with over 500 cosmetic surgeons from around the US and the world, gathering and sharing their experience with the latest advances in the aesthetic field. This means better results for our patients, and assurance that they are getting the most advanced techniques and technology available. Follow me on Twitter, carey nease md, and on Facebook at Southern Surgical Arts' page. I'll keep you up to date with the latest advances in cosmetic surgery in real time! You'll be the first to know in the North Georgia and Chattanooga area if you follow me as I send out info during the meeting! I'll post something new and exciting soon!

The laser face lift study that we are conducting at Southern Surgical Arts is going very well so far. We have completed more than 5 procedures and have 10 more in the next few weeks on the schedule. Most of the patients are from the Chattanooga and North Georgia area. We have 10 more slots to fill and expect to do so in the coming weeks. The results so far have been very good with all patients being satisfied with the short-term results, and the down-time has been about a week as predicted. Overall, I am very pleased with the progress.

I expect the results from the laser facelift study procedure to improve over the six-month follow-up period because the collagen production and skin tightening from the laser treatment starts 30 days after the procedure and continues for 3 to 4 months.

There is one set of before and after photos on our site now, and we will add more soon. Be sure to check our website over the next few weeks to look for more as we have 15 patients scheduled. If you are interested and qualify to participate - age 40 - 55, non-smoker, never had a facelift, generally healthy, -please contact our office to set up a consultation.

The Laser Face Lift involves the combination of the Affirm CO2 fractionated resurfacing laser and the SmartLipo laser for neck and jowl tightening. The downtime is about a week and requires only light sedation and local anesthesia with essentially NO perceptible scars.

We'll keep you posted with more information as it comes! Look for our Chattanooga office to open this spring.

Liposuction has been redefined. Today many cosmetic surgeons are using laser technology for body sculpting, and in 2010 I expect that trend to continue. Traditional liposuction is quickly becoming a thing of the past, as the benefits of laser technology have made the results so much better. At Southern Surgical Arts, I have been using Cynosure's Smartlipo laser for the last 18 months. My experience has shown significant improvements over traditional liposuction, including less pain, less bruising, less swelling, better skin tightening and overall happier patients. The best candidate for Smartlipo laser body sculpting is someone who is generally healthy, near their ideal body weight, and has a small stubborn area of unwanted fat that just won't go away with a good diet and exercise.

Common areas of treatment are the neck, arms, bra line, abdomen, love handles and thighs. The procedure is done with tumescent local anesthesia and IV sedation. Recovery is typically just a few days.

Another new treatment available at Southern Surgical Arts is the Triactive cellulite laser. This low level laser is combined with a mechanical massage for smoothing the skin and reducing the appearance of cellulite. It is not a surgical procedure but is often combined with Smartlipo for really great results, particularly on the backs of the thighs, the flanks and abdomen. Triactive laser treatments are typically done both before and after the Smartlipo laser body sculpting, and there is no pain and no anesthesia required. Based on my extensive experience, I truly believe that laser liposuction is here to stay. And we bring the latest liposuction technology to the Chattanooga and North Georgia area at Southern Surgical Arts.

We have been working long hours over the last few months and are very close to completing the design of our new cosmetic surgery center which will be located in downtown Chattanooga between Broad St. and Cowart St. The design is very fitting to the Southside, but will certainly be unique. The exterior surfaces will include slate, copper and stone, with cedar complementing the other natural elements. The 3.5 story building will be multi-use, including a state of the art surgery center, cosmetic office, medical spa and learning center for future training of surgeons from around the country in the art of cosmetic surgery. There will be office and retail space as well for lease, and pre-leasing has already begun. The project will likely achieve LEED certification based on the ECO-friendly design, including water reclamation, glass and surface choices and landscaping. We are very excited about the project and hope to contribute positively to the development of the Southside of Chattanooga! When the artist's rendering is complete, I will post an image for you to see what we have designed. It really is a work of art.

Last weekend, I attended the annual CACS meeting in San Diego and met with some of the most influential cosmetic surgeons in the country, including the current presidents of the CACS and AACS. We discussed several topics, including the latest technology available for body contouring, including laser liposuction and the newest treatment for cellulite called the TriActive laser by Cynosure. I was so impressed with the TriActive laser that I bought one there at the meeting! We are beginning treatment with it next week after some staff training. I plan to use it for not only new patients but to improve the results of Smartlipo laser body contouring as well, particularly on the buttocks and back of the thighs. The improvements in the dimpling of the skin are really remarkable, and I expect it to be in high demand right away.

We also discussed my currently ongoing laser facelift study, and several other surgeons may be including some of their patients in the study to increase the overall number of participants. The combination of the two lasers (the Smartlipo MPX and Affirm CO2 fractionated laser) has been impressive so far, and we have enrolled about 10 patients, with plans for a total of 25 at my office. The key benefits are reduced down time (less than a week) and no scars! Check out the first set of photos in my before and after gallery.