The Surgical Artist's Blog

A recent article  in Plastic Surgery Practice titled Physicians Alarmed Over Labiaplasty Demand caught our attention. The article discusses a trend in younger women having Labiaplasty, a procedure that Dr. Deal performs at Southern Surgical Arts. At our practice, we see a different age group of patients who desire the procedure. "The patients we see that desire this procedure are primarily women who have had children and desire, just like any other cosmetic procedure, to look the way they did when they were younger," Dr. Deal said. "This is often a procedure women are embarrassed to discuss -- much like Breast Augmentation was decades ago," he said.

Vaginal Rejuvenation as a whole is gaining popularity in the United States. Many women are adding it to the "Mommy Makeover" for optimal restoration of their bodies. The Vaginal Rejuvenation procedures includes vaginal tightening and labiaplasty to the minora and majora to improve function and appearance.  "When I trained in Las Vegas, it was common for women to have vaginal procedures. In the South, we are more private about these concerns but it is still gaining momentum because they see the benefits," Dr. Deal said.

Watch Dr. Deal discuss Vaginal Rejuvenation.

We recently attended Formal Affair in Chattanooga, Tennessee and had an influx of soon-to-be brides requesting information on fillers and surgical procedures. Brides are increasingly turning to cosmetic surgery to get ready for their big day! We primarily see brides seeking Breast Augmentation, Smart Liposuction, fillers and other injectables such as Botox®. We also see patients requesting our laser technology, such as laser resurfacing, laser hair removal, treatment for acne and cellulite reduction. A Cosmetic Surgeon from California is seeing the same trend in cosmetic surgery and noted it in an article recently published.

Brides should consider the timing of their procedures. In fact, patients need about six months to see the final result of their surgical procedure. Further, Dr. Chad Deal notes that "patients getting married should remember to give themselves 2-4 weeks before a wedding for injectables and fillers and no less than three months for most surgical procedures."

Patients should always research the surgeon's education, training, experience and proven clinical competence. At Southern Surgical Arts, our surgeons are Fellowship-Trained Cosmetic Surgeons and Dr. Carey Nease is Board-Certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. We also encourage you to take a look at our Before and After Gallery and find how many women have discovered the art of beauty through cosmetic surgery.

Choosing a surgeon who is trained in Cosmetic Surgery is an important part of your surgical evaluation process.  Dr. Robert Kotler, a board certified cosmetic facial surgeon in Beverly Hills, recently contributed to Web MD. Dr. Kotler discusses an article in South Florida Sun-Sentinel after a death from “complications of liposuction and a buttocks enhancement procedure.” Dr. Kotler also notes the importance of choosing a surgeon based on the following requirements numbered below. Southern Surgical Arts, Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease agree with him. "The requirements outlined by Dr. Kotler are important in choosing your Cosmetic Surgeon. We encourage each of our patients to research his/her surgeon's education, training, experience and proven clinical competence. "Further a surgeon's before and after gallery should consistently display his/her results time after time and not just one or two examples of when they got it right," said Dr. Deal. Below are the criteria found in the article on WebMD:

1. The doctor should be board certified in a surgical specialty recognized by the ABMS and should be practicing within the scope of their training.

(At Southern Surgical Arts, our surgeons are Fellowship-Trained Cosmetic Surgeons. Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal performed over 700 procedures each during their cosmetic training. Dr. Nease is certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, and both are board certified in a specialty recognized by the ABMS.)

2. A post-graduate fellowship in Cosmetic Surgery is a very strong credential.

(Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease have both completed a year-long fellowship sanctioned by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. After the fellowship, Dr. Nease then became a Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeon.  Dr. Deal completed his fellowship in June of 2010 and will sit for his Cosmetic Surgery boards in April 2011.)

3. The procedure should be performed in a qualified, credentialed hospital or outpatient surgery center. Credentialing means that the facility has been awarded a stamp of approval by either the State Department of Health, the United States Department of Health & Human Services, or another independent accrediting organization.

(Southern Surgical Arts' office based surgery center is AAAHC-accredited, which is a nationally recognized accrediting organization.)

4. A specialist in anesthesiology should be in your service. My personal preference is a board certified doctor anesthesiologist because I have always favored the concept of "two doctors in the operating room." Some surgeons are comfortable supervising the work of a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).  If that is there choice, and the patient is comfortable, that is fine. But the patient does need to know the nature and qualifications of the anesthesia specialist.

(Southern Surgical Arts has a full time CRNA on staff in their current OR and is currently interviewing for an anesthesiologist in their new Chatanooga location)

There are many different types of Facelifts available and many promise minimal downtime, if any. The Vampire Facelift is a new type of Facelift that is gaining popularity (probably an effect of the Twilight craze) and the results last approximately two years. There is even a story today in the New York Times about the procedure. It uses your own blood to help provide a rejuvenated look to the face. Dr. Nease of Southern Surgical Arts warns patients to ask about the clinical studies and proven results, "The long-term results of this procedure, as well as other short-term Facelift options have yet to be proven."

At Southern Surgical Arts, we offer the traditional Facelift and the Laser Facelift. The traditional Facelift includes incisions, although at Southern Surgical Arts, Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease have specific expertise in minimizing scars. The Laser Facelift, developed by Dr. Nease, was designed for the patient who desires facial rejuvenation but is not ready for the traditional Facelift. The Laser Facelift combines Smart Liposuction, Laser Resurfacing and Fat Transfer to the face, which makes a person look approximately five years younger. Additionally, the Laser Resurfacing to the skin can be performed several times for optimal results.  The Laser Facelift clinical study was presented at the annual American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery conference in Phoenix, Arizona in January 2011 and the initial results show that over 75% of patients were highly satisfied.

When researching a Facelift that is right for you, make sure you ask:

1. How long the results will last?

2. How many procedures has the surgeon performed?

3. Does the procedure require anesthesia or is it done in an office-based setting?

In a recent article found on American Health and Beauty, a New York surgeon talks on the Rachel Ray show about new technology that helps reduce cellulite for approximately three months. At Southern Surgical Arts, our technology includes the Triactive Cellulite Workstation. The Triactive is similar to a therapeutic massage and can be combined with other treatments. Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal often add the Triactive technology after SmartLiposuction. "Approximately two weeks after  SmartLiposuction, the Triactive can be added to decrease swelling and to provide the skin a more smooth appearance," said Dr. Nease.

At Southern Southern Arts, we are committed to providing our patients with the best outcome by using the latest cosmetic procedures proven to show results.

Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the country. Recently, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conducted a survey with its members regarding preferences of liposuction. The results can be found at the Plastic Surgery Practice Web site. At Southern Surgical Arts, our experienced Cosmetic Surgeons, Dr. Carey Nease and Dr. Chad Deal, have many years of experience performing Smartlipo believe that the benefits of the laser-assisted liposuction has many benefits.

Carey Nease, founder and Cosmetic Surgeon at Southern Surgical Arts in North Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee said about the survey, "Though there are several ways to improve your body's shape, liposuction has proven beneficial for many patients over the last 25 years.  The newer technologies available have also proven helpful when added to traditional liposuction, especially lasers and ultrasound.  This article surveyed a group of plastic surgeons regarding their preferences among the various technologies available for body contouring, specifically traditional liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, laser-assisted liposuction and ultrasound-assisted liposuction.  It is not surprising that most of the surgeons preferred traditional suction-assisted liposuction since this is likely the method they initially learned and are most comfortable performing.  What does surprise me is that they felt strongly that laser addition was least beneficial and had the highest complication rate.  I have done all of the above types of liposuction, and after 3 years of performing Smartlipo (laser assisted), I can say that there are several benefits, including skin tightening and less bruising, and there is not a significantly higher risk of complications.  In experienced hands, I think this is the best technology available for body sculpting, particularly for people in good physical shape who have small areas of stubborn, unwanted fat."

The preferences of this study is limited to the ASAPS. It would be interesting to see the results that include the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, which provides extensive training to its fellows by providing FOCUSED training specifically in the field of cosmetic surgery.

Today it was official! My name was on the door at Southern Surgical Arts! I'm part of this awesome team! But, the reality is that I started this journey early this month. The staff at Southern Surgical Arts is by far the best I've worked with in my surgical career. I know that my choice to come and be apart of this Surgical family was the right choice.


I'm really excited to bring vaginal rejuvenation to the practice. I'm also excited to provide patients with the Brazilian Butt Lift (fat transfer to the buttock). These two procedures are two of the fastest-growing segments in cosmetic surgery.

--Dr. Deal

I just returned home from a speaking event in the mile high city where I presented my latest techniques for facial rejuvenation and laser body sculpting. I spoke to a group of surgeons in Denver who are interested in adding Smartlipo and the Affirm fractional CO2 laser to their practices. The highlight of the discussion centered around my use of both the Smartlipo laser and Affirm CO2 laser in combination for facial rejuvenation. One of the facial plastic surgeons there is involved in a laser face lift study similar to mine and we shared tips and techniques that will make us both better at using the technology for the benefit of our patients. It was a quick trip but well worth the time mainly because I get to meet other cosmetic, plastic and facial plastic surgeons across the United States who also pursue the latest technology and techniques to advance our field. I'm looking forward to the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgeons (AACS) in Phoenix in January!

Dr. Nease is a Double-Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon. What does that mean? That means that his practice is 100% commited, focused, dedicated to cosmetic surgery. He does nothing else but Face & Neck Lifts, Cosmetic Breast Surgery, Tummy Tucks, Liposuction and SmartLipo, Mommy Makeovers and a few other cosmetic surgeries that can enhance your body and your life.

During Dr. Nease's cosmetic surgery fellowship four years ago, he performed more than 700 cosmetic surgeries in his training year alone. Since then, Dr. Nease has focused his practice at Southern Surgical Arts around the latest laser technology to bring the patients of North Georgia and Chattanooga a cosmetic surgery practice dedicated to experience and excellence. After more than 3,500 cosmetic surgery cases, 2 Best of the Best Awards, 2 Reader's Choice Awards and many happy patients in the Before and After Gallery, we invite you to call for a complimentary consultation.

Over the last two years, Dr. Nease and Southern Surgical Arts have been dedicated to our community. In 2009 and 2010, we have donated to various worthy charities totaling more than $25,000 each year! We believe that there are some things in life that are worth standing for: Healthcare, Education, Community, Children, Animals and Character. Let us know if you would like to partner with us in advancing great causes in our communities. We'll stand with you.