The Surgical Artist's Blog

Using Facebook and other update-to-date technologies, Southern Surgical Arts delivers cosmetic surgery information in real-time.

The leading Chattanooga-area cosmetic surgeons at Southern Surgical Arts are staying on the forefront of modern technology and catering to their patients' communication needs with the use of social networking and specialty platforms TouchMD.com and SolutionReach.com. Known for their artistic cosmetic surgeries and natural enhancements, Southern Surgical Arts is adding to their first-class customer services with these online platforms.

In a recent poll taken from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery's (AAFPRS), it was found that last year 42% of plastic surgery patients received information on their selected procedures through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Jerris Prater recently told Southern Surgical Arts, "I'm so glad that you have an active Facebook page! It has been so easy for me to find all of the information that I was looking for about new procedures and monthly promotions. The before and after photos are amazing!" This shift to social based learning has allowed the cosmetic surgeons at Southern Surgical Arts to connect with consumers interested in their products and services on a level that caters to each patient's communication style.

Southern Surgical Arts welcomes all forms of open communications. They value the ability to educate the public on cosmetic surgery procedures and keep those interested informed of the latest industry happenings, which is apparent by fact that in one year, their Facebook following grew from 528 to 1602 Likes.

"We see Facebook as a way to keep our patients informed of upcoming events and specials and form a more personal relationship. It also allows patients to give us feedback about our practice, which in turn allows us to provide better service," said Jennifer Deal, Director of Marketing at Southern Surgical Arts. "Facebook has really given us a way to reach out to patients in their own time, and we check our Facebook page daily to ensure timely response to received questions."



In addition to Facebook, Southern Surgical Arts has engaged TouchMD.com and SolutionReach.com to add to their high-tech communication style. In the office, TouchMD provides an interactive experience while educating patients on their selected cosmetic procedure. It records valuable information at the consultation and allows patients to revisit their personal profile from home over the Internet. SolutionReach is a patient engagement platform that is helping to retain, reactive and acquire patients through social marketing initiatives and web-based technologies. The SolutionReach platform sends appointment reminders, feedback requests, surveys, specials and promotions, one on one communications and much more to Southern Surgical Arts patients for increased service.

By using new styles of patient outreach cosmetic surgeons Carey Nease, MD and Chad Deal, MD aim to better cater to the needs of their current and future patients. Those interested in connecting with Southern Surgical Arts or with questions regarding cosmetic surgery are encouraged to “Like” the cosmetic surgery center on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SouthernSurgicalArts.

Dr. Chad Deal received the Patients' Choice Award from vitals.com for 2011. The Patients' Choice honor is given to you as a reflection of Dr. Deal's patients' continued appreciation and praise for the quality of care and service he provides. Over the course of 2011, hundreds of thousands of patient reviews were written and shared. Only a select few consistently receive rave reviews. Dr. Deal has a near perfect score on vitals.com and his patients voted him for this honor.

Thanks to Southern Surgical Arts' and Dr. Deal's loyal patients who voted him for this honor.

Dr. Deal is a fellowship trained, board-certified cosmetic surgeon. With two offices, Dr. Deal serves the Chattanooga, North Georgia and North Alabama regions with cosmetic surgery offerings including Face & Neck Lifts, Laser Assisted Face Lifts, Eye & Brow Lifts, Breast Augmentation, Breast Lifts & Reductions, SmartLipo, Liposculpture & Laser Body Sculpting, Tummy Tucks, Brazilian Butt Lifts and Mommy Makeovers.

Earlier this month, Southern Surgical Arts announced a limited time discount on our standard breast augmentation procedure. In less than an hour, women can obtain a more youthful look to their breasts with a firmer, fuller appearance through a minimal scar either under the breast crease or in the axilla (armpit).

Breast augmentations are ideal for women age 18 to 65 who are non-smokers and in generally good health. Those looking to aesthetically enhance the look of their breast for a fuller appearance can greatly benefit from Southern Surgical Arts' experienced surgeons. The outpatient procedure is done in a fully accredited surgical center by placing an implant of FDA approved saline or silicone gel behind the natural breast tissue and chest muscle.  Recovery is typically 3-5 days.

"At Southern Surgical Arts our team of fellowship-trained and board-certified cosmetic surgeons are here to walk you through every step of breast augmentation, from discovering more about your options to post-operation recovery," assures triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon, Carey Nease, MD. "Doctor Chad Deal and myself have performed thousands of implant surgeries and are confident that you'll be pleased with the results."

"We highly encourage our patients to browse through our before and after gallery so that patients can get a good idea of what results they can expect. We are very proud of our outcomes and it brings us great joy to see the smiles on our patients during their follow up visits," said Dr. Chad Deal.

Patients with PIP implants who need them exchanged also qualify for a $250 American Express gift card from Southern Surgical Arts implant provider, Mentor Corporation.

To learn more about these cosmetic surgeries, or to book a breast augmentation consultation and secure your $500 discount, call 423-266-3331 today.

Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) implants manufactured by a French company have been recalled. The company was substituting medical-grade silicone for industrial-grade silicone, which can be harmful inside the body and potentially lead to breast cancer. Women who have them are scared and frantically trying to find a surgeon who can replace their implants.

Now that you've decided to enhance your beauty with cosmetic surgery, the next step is to call our office and schedule your complimentary consultation. Once your appointment date is set, our staff at Southern Surgical Arts will make the process easy for you to meet with one of our board-certified cosmetic surgeons, Dr. Carey Nease or Dr. Chad Deal.



Because we are a practice committed to the latest tools and technology, we have two ways to have a consultation with Dr. Deal or Dr. Nease: (1) online for our out-of-town or busy patients or (2) in-the-office for a personal, confidential discussion of each patient's goals and surgical and non-surgical options. Also, before each consultation, you have the option of choosing to complete your health history ahead of time online at your convenience or to do it in our office the day of your appointment.

Our staff will contact you before your appointment to so that you will be able to complete your health history information before your appointment using a secure portal that stores your information in our electronic medical records privately. You will have access to iPads and and other Apple technology to assist you during your appointment, and we will also research financing options available to you.

1. The in-office consultation
This is the traditional consultation at our practice.You should expect to spend 1-2 hours in our office. It is our goal to exceed your expectations during the entire appointment from the time you arrive by greeting you with a warm, sincere welcome. Our staff will check you in and offer you a beverage while you wait.


Above photo: Southern Surgical Arts, Reception Desk, Chattanooga

Next, you will be escorted to one of our comfortable consultation rooms. A nurse or medical assistant usually meets with you first to discuss your cosmetic surgery goals. Once she has documented your desires, either Dr. Deal or Dr. Nease will meet with you. Although, there are many questions you should ask your surgeon, we suggest to start with:

- What kind of surgery do I need?
- How many times have you performed this surgery?
- Will I need anesthesia?
- How long will it take me to recover?
- What will happen after the surgery?

After your consultation with one of our board-certified cosmetic surgeons, you will meet with our patient coordinator who will present a quote with recommendation from the surgeon. She will also discuss any questions you have about scheduling and financing. Once you decide to schedule surgery with us, we require a 10% deposit to schedule a surgery. Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal  usually require 4-6 weeks on average from the time of your consultation.


Above photo: Southern Surgical Arts, Post Consultation Room, Chattanooga

2. The online consultation
This process allows you to complete your health history online and upload pictures. One of our surgeons will review your information, pictures and provide recommendations and a quote to you. The surgeon will also make time to talk to you over the phone about your goals. Although you will still be required to see one of our surgeons before your surgery, this process allows you to get a quote with the doctor's recommendation without having to drive to the office. This process is excellent for patients who cannot meet during office hours, live out-of-town, or just want an idea of what their surgery will cost before committing to an in-office appointment.

After your online consultation with one of our surgeons, you will meet with our patient coordinator who will present a quote with a recommendation from the surgeon. She will also discuss any questions you have about scheduling and financing. Once you decide to schedule surgery with us, we require a 10% deposit to schedule a surgery. Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal  usually require 4-6 weeks on average from the time of your consultation.

We are committed to ensuring you receive excellent service. We want to meet you where you are and believe using technology to help make the process easier for you. If you have any questions about our consultation process or if we can help answer any questions for you while you are researching your procedure, we want to help. Call our office today:

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

Dr. Carey Nease has been selected as the Best Cosmetic Surgeon in North Georgia. "I am pleased to be selected as the Best Cosmetic Surgeon by the Best of Best Awards in North Georgia! Our goal is to provide our patients with artistic cosmetic surgery like FaceLifts, Breast Augmentations, Tummy Tucks and SmartLipo.  My practice, Southern Surgical Arts, specializes in natural enhancements with minimal downtime and minimal scarring using the latest technology available," said Dr. Carey Nease.

Listen in on this previously recorded show about the significant differences between the specialty of Cosmetic Surgery and Plastic Surgery and learn why not all Plastic Surgeons are Cosmetic Surgeons. The public and the media in Chattanooga, North Georgia and North Alabama are often confused regarding the important differences between these specialties. Procedures like Facelifts, Liposuction, Breast Augmentations are all Cosmetic Procedures and not Plastic/Reconstructive!  The host, Leonard A. Rubinstein, M.D., is one of the original members of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, a Diplomat of the International Board of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery and a Diplomat of the International Board of Cosmetic Surgery.  He discusses this topic with his colleague and immediate past President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Angelo Cuzalina.

Listen here.

Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal are both Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeons. Their practice at Southern Surgical Arts is 100% committed, focused, dedicated to cosmetic surgery.  They do nothing else but Face & Neck Lifts, Cosmetic Breast Surgery, Tummy Tucks, Liposuction and SmartLipo, Mommy Makeovers, Vaginal Rejuvenation and other cosmetic procedures and services that can enhance your appearance and improve your self-confidence.

During Dr. Nease's and Dr. Deal's cosmetic surgery fellowships, each performed more than 700 major cosmetic surgical procedures in their training year alone.  Since then, each of our surgeons have devoted their practices around the latest laser technology to bring the patients a practice dedicated to experience and excellence. After more than 5,000 cosmetic surgery cases, 3 Best of the Best Awards, 3 Reader's Choice Awards and many happy patients in the Before and After Gallery, we believe our surgeons are the best in the area and the Cosmetic Surgeons for you.

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

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) launched an initiative with the Ad Council to encourage clinicians and patients to engage in effective two-way communication to ensure safer care and better health outcomes. At Southern Surgical Arts, we understand the importance of communicating the risks and benefits of cosmetic surgery with our patients. And we support the agency's efforts to help develop questions that help the patient make a good decision when choosing cosmetic surgery.

Here are a few questions that the agency suggests you ask in their interactive question builder. We believe the following questions are great conversation starters with your surgeon:
What kind of surgery do I need?
Have you done this surgery before?
Will I need anesthesia?
How long will it take me to recover?
What will happen after the surgery?

Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal have built a practice that focuses on the patient. This includes giving each patient the time they need to make a good decision about their cosmetic surgery procedure. "My goal is to answer all the questions that a patient has about the procedure I recommend. This includes discussing what happens before, during and after the surgery," said Dr. Deal. "I, as well as our clinical staff are available to answer questions for our patients throughout the entire process."

Southern Surgical Arts loves to hear from happy patients. One of Dr. Deal's patient, Danielle Webb had this to say about our communication process, "I cannot thank Dr. Deal enough for the awesome job he did. I felt comfortable with the staff and Dr. Deal immediately. He answered my questions, explained everything...I was just completely at ease. The day of the surgery, the follow up appts...everyone has been great!!."

Likewise, a patient named Heather wrote on our Dr. Nease's Google Places page, "Dr. Nease and his staff are excellent and knowledgeable. They were always available to answer my questions (and I had a lot!). The care before and after my surgery was above and beyond what was required."

Do you have questions about a cosmetic surgery procedure? What's keeping you from asking Dr. Deal or Dr. Nease? Our in-office and online consultations are complimentary and we look forward to seeing you soon.

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