The Surgical Artist's Blog

Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal have both been selected to teach at the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery's Cadaver Dissection Workshop in St. Louis next month. Dr. Nease will teach various liposuction techniques: routine, laser-assisted and power-assisted. Dr. Deal will teach physicians about the Brazilian Butt Lift (large volume fat transfer to the buttock). "While it is always an honor to be asked to speak for the advancement of Cosmetic Surgery education, this event is a special occasion to be able to demonstrate safe and effective techniques on a cadaver in front of many esteemed national and international colleagues" says Dr. Nease.

Any surgeon interested in new and established techniques in breast and body contouring are encouraged to attend. "Never stop learning...our patients should not only appreciate this from their surgeons but they should expect it!" Dr. Deal reminds his own fellow who is training at Southern Surgical Arts this year. The three-day cadaver dissection workshop is an extensive hands-on cadaver workshop, which features world-renowned faculty who are experts in cosmetic surgery. It will be presented at Saint Louis University, one of the top venues in the world for surgical education workshops. Both new and established techniques in cosmetic breast, body and reconstructive surgery including breast augmentation, mastopexy (breast lift), reduction, and reconstruction will be taught. Hands-on body contouring including avelar abdominoplasty, belt lipectomy, buttock lifts, implants, thigh lifts, and brachioplasty will be performed during the workshop. An emphasis on complications, patient safety, and the newest techniques that deliver consistent results will be presented. Attendees have the opportunity to register for their choice of Breast, Body, or both workshops.

Highlights of the workshop are featured on page 2 at http://www.cosmeticsurgery.org/education/june2012programbrochure.pdf.

If you are interested in the latest advances in cosmetic surgery, please call one of our convenient locations:
Chattanooga, One North Shore: 423-266-3331
Calhoun: 706-629-8622

This year treat yourself to a post-baby body that just may be better than the original with a Mommy Makeover Plus from Chattanooga's leading Cosmetic Surgery Center, Southern Surgical Arts. Specific to their practice, the complete Mommy Makeover Plus procedure is only found at Southern Surgical Arts.

During a Mommy Makeover Plus, Southern Surgical Arts' board-certified Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal provide a combination of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures aimed at restoring a women’s body to her pre-pregnancy days. The Mommy Makeover has traditionally included a tummy tuck, breast augmentation (with lift if desired) and SmartLipo laser body sculpting. Now, offered exclusively at Southern Surgical Arts, is the Mommy Makeover 'PLUS' vaginal rejuvenation for a more complete approach to regaining that youthful feeling.

Just over 4 million babies are born in the United States each year. Today, many women are electing to under-go a Mommy Makeover Plus at Southern Surgical Arts because of the lasting effects single, or multiple, pregnancies have left on their body. These undesirable after effects include the stretching of skin, increase of fat deposits, noticeable stretch marks, weakness of the abdominal wall and an overly relaxed vagina. Having even just a few of these conditions can cause women to feel insecure with the dread of a forever-lost youthful figure.

Commenting on her treatment at Southern Surgical Arts, one patient noted, "The staff at Southern Surgical Arts is well trained and very professional. They made me very comfortable throughout the whole Mommy Makeover Plus procedure and my recovery time was not as bad as I originally thought. I now have my confidence back and no one would ever guess that I am a mother of three!"

For more information on Southern Surgical Arts' exclusive Mommy Makeover Plus, please call 423-266-3331 or visit www.SouthernSugricalArts.com.

The most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in 2011 is...drum roll, please... liposuction! According the statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgery, liposuction accounted for 325,332 cosmetic surgical procedures in 2011. That is more than the other top procedures: breast augmentations, breast lifts, eyelid surgeries and tummy tucks.

Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease are experts in the field of cosmetic surgery. Just last week, they presented to other surgeons from around the country on their liposuction techniques at the AACS conference in Beaver Creek, CO for Advanced Techniques in Liposuction Surgery & Body Contouring. Dr. Deal presented the Brazilian Butt Lift, which is a coined term for large volume fat transfer to the buttock. Liposuction is a large part of the procedure in which fat is taken and harvested. Dr. Nease presented on his technique for arm lifts, which usually require liposuction before removing the excess skin. Dr. Nease is also a frequent speaker and instructor for Cynosure, the company that makes the SmartLipo machine.

In June of 2012, Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal will again teach other surgeons on liposuction techniques at the AACS's New and Established Techniques in Breast and Body Contouring: A Hands-On Cadaver Workshop in St. Louis, MO. Dr. Nease will discuss the different types of liposuction and how they are different and Dr. Deal will discuss the popular topic, the Brazilian Butt Lift.

Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease are committed to staying up-to-date with the newest technology available for liposuction. There are many different techniques in the marketplace and ensuring we bring the safest and latest technology to our patients is our commitment to you.

For your complimentary consultation, contact one of our convenient locations serving Chattanooga, North Georgia, and North Alabama:

Southern Surgical Arts
Chattanooga, One North Shore: 423-266-3331
Calhoun: 706-629-8622

Should you smoke and have cosmetic surgery? Drs. Carey Nease and Chad Deal emphatically say no.

Most people only know of the long term affects of smoking such as its relationship to cancers and COPD, however there are immediate problems as well that tremendously affect the healing process of wounds. "I rarely see wound healing problems in non-smokers, and we know the risk of problems goes up significantly in those patient who actively smoke or are around second-hand smoke," said Dr. Carey Nease. Instantly when one begins to smoke even just one cigarette the small blood vessels constrict. This has disastrous effects on new wounds that can cause them to become necrotic and even completely open up.  "I can usually tell when a patient has not been forthcoming about smoking during their recovery after a breast lift," said Chad Deal, MD. "Nipples have a very hard time healing without the proper blood flow to them."  This is also especially true for other procedures such as facelifts, tummy tucks,and arm or thigh lifts.

There are also a host of other problems that come from smoking during the healing process such as: increased risk of infection, increased risk of capsular contraction with implants, increased risk of hypertrophic scars, and others. Even from a pure aesthetic standpoint there is loss of elasticity with the skin so that during the recovery phase the skin will loosen up and will ultimately lose some of the "lift" with facelifts, tummy tucks, etc.

At Southern Surgical Arts, our policy is that you must quit smoking 6-8 weeks before surgery. This policy is also applied to the post operative healing process. Since improvement is the goal in cosmetic surgery, minimizing the possibility of complications is optimal.

Have you stopped smoking or in the process of quitting and ready to move forward with your cosmetic surgery procedure? Call us and take advantage of our complimentary consultation with one of our highly trained and skilled surgeons.

Chattanooga, One North Shore: 423-266-3331
Calhoun: 706-629-8622

For years, economists have said that the baby boomer discretionary income has fueled the Face Lift market for cosmetic surgery practices. Pair that with cosmetic surgery becoming more widely accepted, and advancing laser technology and science, it's a recipe for any baby boomer to become overwhelmed with their options. Cosmetic surgery includes many elective procedures for the face and body, but studies show that baby boomers are ready to have their facial appearance reflect how they feel on the inside.

"I've done more than 2,000 face lifts and facial rejuvenation procedures, and we are seeing more patients who want a more natural look," said Dr. Nease, a Triple-Board Certified Cosmetic and Facial Plastic Surgeon at Southern Surgical Arts. Seniors in good physical health can be considered for most cosmetic surgeries. Advancing age is rarely a disqualifying factor. Those with any significant medical problems may be discouraged from any invasive surgery or anesthesia and may be steered toward less invasive procedures that may still be beneficial.

Last year there were 84,685 surgical procedures among patients age 65 and older, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. They included 26,635 facelifts; 24,783 cosmetic eyelid operations; 6,469 liposuctions; 5,874 breast reductions; 3,875 forehead lifts; 3,339 breast lifts; and 2,414 breast augmentations.

Except for a brief turndown during the recession, those numbers have been rising for years now, and experts say the trend seems likely to accelerate as baby boomers begin to pass age 65.

The Cosmetic Face Lift is a face lifting technique offered by our fellowship trained and Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeons. Because Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease are trained in the latest techniques, the Cosmetic Facelift provides a more natural, refreshed, rejuvenated look that the traditional plastic surgery facelift. The ideal candidate is usually more than 50 years of age. Less invasive options such as Botox and the Laser Facelift are also available.

Southern Surgical Arts offers complimentary consultations to all cosmetic surgery patients. For more information on facial rejuvenation procedures and face lifting techniques, please call for an appointment or visit our website at www.southernsurgicalarts.com.

Chattanooga, Tennessee
One North Shore
423-266-3331

Calhoun, Georgia
706-629-8622

Recap of statistics:
84,685 surgical procedures in 2010 among patients 65 and older, a 21 percent rise from 2009

Cosmetic surgeries done for people older than 65 in 2010 include:
26,635 facelifts
24,783 cosmetic eyelid surgeries
6,469 liposuctions
5,874 breast reductions
3,875 forehead lifts
3,339 breast lifts
2,414 breast augmentations
Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Question: I've heard from friends that it's best to wear a sports bra 24/7 after any breast surgery, but my info pack said specifically not a sports bra. What type of bra should I be wearing after I heal?

Answer: After your procedure it is extremely important to wear your individually recommended post operative garment, bra, and/or wrap. This WILL affect the final aesthetic outcome of your breast. The single most important factor in post operative bra’s is that they are supportive! This means a bra that lifts the breast and holds it very high! This should be done for 24 hrs a day for 8 weeks (unless instructed otherwise) and then during the day for 4 more months. Bra’s that only push breast together or smash breast in like a sports bra don’t support the breast at all unless they also lift well. In essence your bra strap should be very tight to pull your breast upward. For this reason we also recommend a wide shoulder strap bra as well as a wide strap at the bottom without an underwire. Only if the implants appear not to be dropping after several weeks will we change our instructions for you. We may also recommend a wrap or strap for particular situations so please understand your instructions regarding this very well.

At Southern Surgical Arts, Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal, Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeons, perform surgery in Calhoun, Georgia at our fully-accredited AAAHC surgery center and Physicians Surgery Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a JCAHCO accredited surgery center.

It seems like this new procedure, the Mommy Makeover, has really become popular in the North Georgia and Chattanooga area. I have been asked numerous times to describe the procedure and have been doing it for about 2 years now with extremely good results and happy patients. Basically this procedure takes a woman from her current post-baby condition with stretch marks, drooping breasts and areas of stubborn, unwanted fat deposits, and takes her back to those confident pre-pregnancy days.

The most common combination of procedures is a tummy tuck with breast augmentation, breast lift and Smartlipo laser body sculpting of the abdomen and flanks (love handles). The breast procedure is done with either saline or silicone implants, and the type of lift done is specific to each individual patient. Sometimes no lift is necessary, which minimizes scarring. I typically perform a lollipop type of lift, which gives a significant lift and "perky" appearance while keeping scars very small. The tummy tuck is nearly always necessary, but my technique again minimizes scarring, keeping it low and as short as possible while getting a very tight and flat stomach.

Down-time is usually only about 10 days. My goal is simply to give you the confidence to wear a Bikini type bathing suit this summer or on your next vacation to the beach. Give us a call to set up your complimentary consultation!