The Surgical Artist's Blog

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.

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.

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.

Today, we had a patient come in for her one year breast augmentation follow up appointment. We took photos and compared them with her pre-surgical photos. She was so happy! She thanked us for helping her feel more feminine. She said "this is the best thing I have ever done!" I love my job! Have a great weekend! Jennifer, RN, BSN

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!

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!

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.

There is a new trend out there in the cosmetic surgery world called a liquid facelift. This is basically an in-office procedure that adds volume to your face and helps relax the muscles that cause the frown lines and crow's feet. We use Botox or Dysport to relax lines on the brow and near the eyes, and then use Restylane, Perlane and sometimes Sculptra for volume replacement of the lips and cheeks, which decreases as you age. The procedure can be done with local anesthesia only, requires no down time and the results are nearly instant. This does not replace a surgical face lift if that is what you need, but for the 30's and 40's crowd, this is a great option. And we often combine the liquid face lift with laser resurfacing (Affirm CO2) and also neck Smartlipo to tighten the neck line and reduce mild jowling.

Now is the time to get ready for summer and Bikini season! We are currently offering breast augmentation with saline implants for $3995 and silicone gel for only $4995. We often combine this with Smartlipo to get rid of those stubborn areas of fat that don't disappear with diet and exercise, like the outer thighs and love handles. This special price expires April 30th, so call soon for a complimentary consultation.

We are in the final planning stages for our new cosmetic surgery center in Chattanooga! We hope to break ground at our Southside downtown location this summer! The detailed plans will be available to check out in my Calhoun and Dalton offices soon. I'll keep you posted on the details and we look forward to serving the community of Chattanooga and East Tennessee.