Aging Gracefully With Smaller, More Individualized Procedures

Plastic surgery is often thought of as a collection of beauty enhancing procedures that take an aged face from zero to youthful with one big procedure. With the introduction of modern non-invasive procedures and facial fillers, plastic surgery is turning more into a field of maintenance.  Dr. Kevin Smith of Charlotte, North Carolina goes in depth about why small procedures spread out through the years, perhaps even starting earlier in life, keeps aging at bay and helps maintain a patient’s beauty for years to come.

By: Kevin L. Smith, MD
and Adam McMillon
ThePlasticSurgeryChannel.com

More Options for Specific Problems Means A Better Rejuvenation

Plastic surgery patients can collectively rejoice; never before has such a variety of procedures and surgical tools been available to maintain a youthful appearance. “We have so many more tools in the tool box for facial rejuvenation now,” says Dr. Smith. “We’ve got great products for skin care, we’ve got fillers and Botox, and better surgical procedures.”

The plethora of both surgical and non-surgical options allow surgeons a finer touch. Maybe you only have a few wrinkles, or simply need some volume restored. Instead of resorting to a one-option-for-all type of procedure, plastic surgeons can create an individualized plan for your unique issues. Dr. Smith’s expertise at creating such a plan is expressed specifically at facial rejuvenation. “I like to think facial rejuvenation is like making a bed, and I explain this to my patients,” says Smith. “When you make a bed, you put the pillows in the right place, so that restores the mid face volume. When you tuck in the sheet, that’s the surgery part. We’re not done yet! If you make a bed with a wrinkled sheet or stained sheet, regardless of how tight you pull it, you still have those wrinkles and stains.”  This is where facial fillers, Botox and skin care might come into play.

Analyzing a Patient’s Unique Anatomy and Age

The bed analogy highlights the impressive new tools available to board certified plastic surgeons. “When you come into the office, we determine what the problems are during our consultation,” says Smith. “Plastic surgeons are problem solvers. We don’t simply apply operations.”

The justification for a face lift isn’t because a patient has an old-looking face. Surgeons analyze which parts of the face are combining to create a sense of age, and create a treatment plan to address those issues. “During the consult, I might say, ‘Well, you have a bit of extra eye lid skin, or you’ve lost a bit of cheek volume, or you have some wrinkles that we need to correct, or you have heavy neck skin.’,” says Smith. “Every operation is individualized to the patient.”

Maintaining Beauty for Years to Come

The individualized care with smaller, more precise procedures helps keep patients young consistently, instead of waiting to look aged and seek out one big dramatic change. “Plastic surgery has really become a maintenance field,” says Smith. “We’re starting earlier performing smaller, more non-invasive facial procedures. As the patient gets older, then we might look at doing the bigger surgical procedures as we see fit. In this way, with smaller procedures more often, patients don’t appear to age.”