The Surgical Artist's Blog

Question: How does the CO2 laser compare to chemical peels?

Answer: The CO2 laser is very different from a chemical peel.  The laser treatment is intended to significantly rejuvenate the facial skin, including removing a majority of the skin's sun damage, pigment changes and fine lines.  It should also be able to tighten the skin and soften deep wrinkles and improve acne scarring.  The down time is usually 3-7 days.  Most chemical peels have the goal of mild to moderate skin exfoliation, improvements in surface texture, resolution of acne breakouts, and an overall "glow."  Down time is typically 1-3 days, if any. A deep chemical peel can have significant rejuvenating effects, but with the more advanced fractional CO2 laser technology available, the deep chemical peel is rarely used in our practice.

Answer provided by Triple Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeon, Carey Nease in Chattanooga, Tennessee and North Georgia. Call for your appointment at Southern Surgical Arts: 423-266-3331 or 706-629-8622.

Question: How Do Chemical Peels Affect Rosacea?

Answer: People with Rosacea typically have very sensitive skin and a chemical peel can cause the skin and vessels to react and flare up more. Thus, causing more redness and sensitivity. I would recommend treating the skin with a good at home regimen and possibly treating with an IPL/fotofacial.

Answer provided by our Aesthestician, Leigh Hudgens in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Call for your appointment at Southern Surgical Arts: 423-266-3331

We recently found a fabulous article titled Botox and the Beauty Premium: Can Taking 10 Years Off Your Face Add 10K to Your Salary? The author (and we recommend you read this blog in full) suggests that although Botox and Fillers can make you look younger, the long-term alternative is surgery  ( face lifts, brow lifts, eye lifts, etc.) for a 15 to 20 year difference.

At Southern Surgical Arts, we carry a full line of injectables and fillers to suit our patient's needs when surgery is not an option. But we do offer longer-lasting surgical techniques such as Laser resurfacing, fat transfer, physician grade chemical peels, and a Laser-assisted  Cosmetic Facelift that will give you a naturally youthful result and avoids the pulled, plastic look that you typically see with the Plastic Surgery facelift. "The face lifting technique that our practice provides uses the latest laser technology and expertise, training and skill to provide you with natural results, so that you will look refreshed, younger but not different," said Dr. Carey Nease.

There are always advantages and disadvantages to competing products. Dysport was approved in 2009 to provide temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines. This was the first time Botox had a competing product. And now, there is a study that shows Dysport works better on crow's feet than Botox.

At Southern Surgical Arts, we offer both Botox and Dysport to our patients. With studies like this and better "challenger" marketing, Dysport is making some headway in the marketplace. "More and more of our patients are trying Dysport but many are still loyal to Botox," said Dr. Deal. "Botox has created brand loyalty through its marketing programs and that has been a powerful tool for Botox."

If you'd like to try Dysport in the crow's feet area, we suggest you take advantage of our summer special, which allows you to get one area of Dysport or Botox for $200. Call today for your appointment.

Calhoun: 706-629-8622
Chattanooga: 423-366-3331
Contact us on the web at http://southernsurgicalarts.com/index.cfm/PageID/2646

Question: Can chemical peels help my acne?

Answer:
1. The Jessner Peel can help remove acne scars, small wrinkles and pigmentation embedded within the skin’s surface, and leaves skin looking smooth and clear within a few days. One of the biggest benefits of the Jessner Peel is a rapid increase in collagen production; the peel is powerful enough to stimulate healthy skin cell production, and will help get rid of acne scars for the long-term.

2. BHA peels are ideal for light scarring and blemishes from acne, since they can buff away dead skin cells and brighten up the complexion. If you have acne-prone skin that is still breaking out occasionally, a Betahydroxy Acid peel may be the best choice for you.

3. Medium-strength peels are typically made with tricholoractic acid (TCA), an ingredient that provides deep exfoliation and sloughs away dead skin cells.

Answer provided by Licensed Aesthestican, Amy Cheek in North Georgia. Call for your appointment at Southern Surgical Arts: 706-629-8622.

Summer is certainly here. Today the high is 97! Drink lots of water and wear your sunscreen to protect your beautiful skin! In the meantime, come by our office (in the air conditioning, of course) and take advantage of one of these awesome summer deals! Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal also offer complimentary consultations when you are ready to discuss the Mommy Makeover, SmartLipo or Breast Augmentation, which will help you look fabulous in your swimsuit this summer.

With the economy growing, the demand of cosmetic injectables will also grow. This is part of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's (ASAPS) 2011 predictions. In just a few minutes, wrinkles and folds can be minimized.

Americans are seeking ways to make their lives easier. This is evident with all the quick and easy dinner recipe books sold each year. At Southern Surgical Arts, this trend rolls over to patients who want fast ways to look rejuvenated and refreshed without traditional surgical techniques. "Non-surgical and quick alternatives to surgery are often preferable to patients who want to look a few years younger and only have a few minutes to give," said Chad Deal, MD.

At Southern Surgical Arts, Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal help patients reduce the appearance of wrinkles daily. Our practice is a leader in the Chattanooga and North Georgia area for ALL injectables and laser treatments and we offer a wide array of injectables, including Botox®, Restylane®, Dysport®, Perlane®, Juvederm® and Radiesse®. Our complimentary consultations offer a way for patients to talk to the surgeon about his/her goals and then allows physician to make recommendations that meets those goals.

Although injectables are growing, so are minimally invasive surgical techniques such as skin resurfacing. Southern Surgical Arts uses the Affirm CO2 and the Sciton Profractional lasers to improve skin texture, stimulate collagen and help eliminate sun damage. Carey Nease, MD pioneered the Laser Face Lift, which combines the Affirm CO2, Smart Liposuction to the neck and jowls and often injectables to give an overall improved results. Dr. Nease said about the Laser Facelift, "It is a quick, one-hour procedure with down time of only 3-5 days and very little pain, both during and after the procedure."

With offices in Chattanooga and Calhoun, Southern Surgical Arts offers the Chattanooga and North Georgia markets two convenient ways to pop in and out of our office with little time needed on the patient's behalf.

Chattanooga office, opening July 2011: 423-266-3331
Calhoun office, 706-629-8622

Southern Surgical Arts is attending the 2011 Ladies Night Out hosted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press on Signal Mountain this Thursday, May 12 from 4:00 pm  - 9:00 pm! We invite you to attend and talk to one of our trained staff members about our services, products, Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease. Sign in at our booth and enter to win fabulous prizes:

- One area of Botox or Dysport worth $300

- Two areas of Laser Hair Removal worth $150

- One bottle of Latisse®

We look forward to seeing you there!

In the South, we start getting ready for summer in April. The heat hits, and we're ready to pack up and head to sunny beaches. And lots of weddings. Are you ready? Here are some ways Southern Surgical Arts can help you get looking your best and ready for summer:

We recently came across this post where a plastic surgeon will be presenting a new face lift technique at the Aesthetics meeting organized by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF). This new Face Lift, as written in the article said, "The new cosmetic surgery approach involves lifting and filling areas where fat compartments in the face have degenerated with age, as opposed to previous face lift techniques which focused on pulling the skin tight. The new technique eliminates the undesirable windswept look that has received much negative press, and replaces it with a fuller, more youthful look."

At Southern Surgical Arts, our surgeons are fellowship-trained Cosmetic Surgeons where this technique has been taught for many years. Dr. Carey Nease, Double-Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon and the pioneer of the Laser Face Lift said, "I've been doing this for many years." So the idea that this is a new face lift technique proves that some surgeons are just catching up with what Cosmetic Surgeons have been doing for years.

Dr. Deal and Dr. Nease have been explaining the difference in face lift techniques for quite some time. In fact, each of our potential patients leave knowing that there is a difference between the Plastic Surgery Traditional Face lift, Fad Lifts, The Cosmetic Surgery Face Lift and Southern Surgical Arts' Laser Face Lift. The differences are noted as:

Traditional Plastic Face Lift
The traditional plastic face lift procedure involves significant reduction in excess skin, neck banding and wrinkles. The benefit to having a traditional face lift is that you will have very noticeable results. The downside is that the surgeons who learned this technique did not likely learn how to add the refining touches to make the patient look natural or focus on minimal scarring. Women and men no longer want to look hollow, pulled or plastic and have unsightly, visible scars, all obvious signs of surgery.

Benefits: 10-15 years younger
Downside: Scars, plastic look, long recovery (4-6 weeks), long surgery, general anesthesia

Fad Lifts
An answer to the downside of the traditional face lift came about in the 1990s with mini face lifts like LifeStyle, Feather, S-lift, MACS lift, String lifts, etc.  These fad mini face lifts were and are in demand because many patients want the benefits of looking younger but also are seeking to minimize scarring, cost and recovery. These mini face lifts are typically less expensive and can be done under conscious sedation or even local anesthesia. The problem is that very often they do not have significant or long lasting results.

Benefits: Minimal scars, short recovery, local anesthesia
Downside: Little results

The Cosmetic Face lift (at Southern Surgical Arts) does include incisions, suturing and excess skin removal, although at Southern Surgical Arts, Dr. Nease and Dr. Deal have specific expertise in minimizing scars and placing them in well-hidden areas that are difficult to find.  They also offer fat transfer and lipo-sculpting the face for a more natural, youthful appearance.  Both surgeons have been using the latest techniques and laser technology for the past 4 years at Southern Surgical Arts to provide our patients the answer to beautiful, long-lasting, natural results in facelifts. As Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeons and an eye for artistry, they use advanced laser technology to get maximum results along with minimal scarring and quick recovery.

Benefits: 15-20 years younger, minimal scars, short recovery (10-14 days)
Downside: IV sedation anesthesia





The Laser Face lift (at Southern Surgical Arts), developed by Dr. Nease, was designed for the patient who desires facial rejuvenation but is not ready for a traditional Cosmetic Facelift with incisions and skin removal. The Laser Face lift combines Smart Liposuction, Laser Skin Resurfacing, Fat Transfer, Botox and fillers 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 conducted by Dr. Nease in 2010 was presented at the annual American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery conference in Phoenix, Arizona in January 2011 and the initial results showed that more than 75% of patients were highly satisfied.

Benefits: 5-10 years younger, no scars, short recovery (5-7 days)
Downside: IV sedation anesthesia

For more information about Cosmetic Surgery Face Lifts or The Laser Face Lift at Southern Surgical Arts, please call 423-266-3331. Consultations are complimentary, and we are always happy to provide examples of the different approaches to Face Lifts so that patients can make an informed decision.