Most patients know that when they decide to rejuvenate their features, a facelift will help achieve a more youthful look. Facelifts smooth wrinkles, minimize creases, and lift sagging skin, returning a patient’s features to a more youthful appearance. But what many people don’t know is that the term “facelift” includes several smaller procedures. Each of these procedures can be undertaken solitarily, combined with body rejuvenation procedures, or used as part of a whole facial rejuvenation surgery.
Brow Lift
A brow lift is the surgical equivalent of a Botox injection. Instead of injecting a temporary, localized treatment into the muscle between the brows, a brow lift permanently lifts the skin on the forehead, minimizing wrinkles between the eyebrows and on the forehead. By restoring the eyebrows to their natural position on the forehead, Dr. Brantner can give his patients a more youthful and alert appearance.
Eyelid Surgery
As men and women age, they often find their eyelids drooping with time. This may lead to:
Bags under the eyes
Skin forming into creases and wrinkles under the eyes
Drooping skin on the lower eyelids that often reveals the whites of the eyes
Puffy, fatty deposits in the eyelids
Loose skin and wrinkles on the upper eyelid
Sagging skin above the eyelid that may impair vision
In the case of impaired vision, eyelid surgery is covered by some medical insurance companies. Eyelid surgery can reduce wrinkles, creases, puffiness, and sagging skin around the eyes. With lower eyelid rejuvenation, the mid-face is lifted. This improves cheek prominence, makes the lower lids look more youthful, and smooths the crease beside the upper lip.
Necklift
One of the few cosmetic procedures as popular with men as it is with women, necklift surgery smooths and lifts sagging skin around the neck and jawline. It can also reduce the appearance of muscle banding in the neck, remove excess fat under the chin, and reduce or eliminate jowls. Necklift surgery is often performed with a full facelift procedure, but is also commonly chosen by patients whose upper facial features are still smooth and youthful.
Dr. Brantner can perform a variety of small procedures to restore youthfulness to the face. To schedule a facelift consultation, a full facelift, or an in-office facelift procedure, call Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Johnson City, TN.
Dr. Brantner’s office may be in a new location with a new phone number, but he has the same skilled staff and family-friendly atmosphere as always. Here’s what to expect when you arrive for a consultation with Dr. Brantner.
Where Are We Located?
Earlier this summer, we moved a few miles down the road into a bigger office. If you’re coming from our old office on MedTech Parkway, you can find us by turning right onto Knob Creek and then turning right onto Sunset. Our new address is 1303 Sunset Drive Suite 5. Dr. Brantner sees patients in his office on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-4pm.
When you arrive at Dr. Brantner’s office, you’ll be greeted at the front reception desk. You’re welcome to fill out your paperwork beforehand and bring it to your appointment, or you can fill out the forms while you wait for your appointment. Dr. Brantner and his staff work hard to stay on schedule so each patient can be seen on time. Please have your paperwork, ID, and any additional information ready before you arrive, or arrive 15-20 minutes early to complete the intake process.
Your Cosmetic Surgery Consultation
Before performing any procedure, Dr. Brantner will meet with you to determine the best treatment available and discuss your individual needs. The nurse will take you from the waiting room to an exam room, where she will confirm your medical history. Dr. Brantner will then arrive for the evaluation. You should feel comfortable asking Dr. Brantner any questions you may have about the procedure, the recovery, and the look you want to achieve.
After Visiting Our Office
If you and Dr. Brantner have decided a procedure is in your best interest, you will be directed to our surgery coordinator. She will schedule your procedure, discuss cost and insurance, and discuss any pre-surgical testing that needs to be done. Many of Dr. Brantner’s minor procedures are performed in-office. If the surgery is schedule for ETASC or another surgical facility, you will make an appointment to sign consent forms, receive pre-surgical instructions, and schedule any lab work or pre-admission testing.
If you have any questions about your visit to Jim N Brantner MD: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, please call our office.
Last week we discussed myths about breast implants, focusing on aesthetics and recovery after the procedure. Although many patients worry that their breast implants will be too obvious, just as many are worried about the medical ramifications of breast augmentation surgery. This week we will address the top 5 medical myths about breast implants.
Silicone Implants Aren’t Safe
The medical industry has invested decades into researching the safety of silicone gel breast implants. The FDA has approved silicone breast implants in augmentations for women aged 22 and older, and in reconstructive procedures for women of all ages.
Breast Implants Increase the Risk of Cancer
Medical research has found no link between breast implants and the development of breast cancer or any autoimmune disease. All women should do regular self-exams for lumps and changes in breast tissue. A woman who has had a breast augmentation should notify her radiologist before her scheduled mammogram.
Women with Breast Implants Should Fear Infection
Any implantable medical device, from pacemakers to breast implants, may get infected. This most frequently occurs 6 months to a year after the implantation. Always notify health care professionals about past breast augmentation surgery. Consult Dr. Brantner several days before any scheduled invasive procedure or dental work. He will prescribe an antibiotic to prevent the unlikely spreading of bacteria.
Mothers with Breast Implants Can’t Nurse
There is no research to suggest that breast implants prevent mothers from nursing. Many mothers with breast implants have no trouble nursing, just as many mothers without implants face difficulties. If you’re worried about nursing with breast implants, discuss your concerns with Dr. Brantner during your surgical consultation.
Breast Implants Need Frequent Replacing
Women with breast implants, particularly women with silicone implants, should see their physicians yearly to make sure there has been no damage to the implant. Manufacturers recommend replacing silicone breast implants every 10 years, but if the implant and surrounding breast tissue are in good condition, there is no reason to undergo another surgery. Some implants may last 25 years or longer.
Plastic surgery is a topic full of misinformation. Everyone who’s ever read a gossip magazine believes they know the ins and outs of bad boob jobs and Botox injections. Whether you’re contemplating breast augmentation surgery or you’re simply curious, read on as we debunk common myths about breast implants.
Myth: Implants Look Fake
Whether you’re worried that your breast implants will look plastic, or you’re simply concerned that acquaintances will comment on your surgery, fake looking breasts are a non-issue if you pick a skilled surgeon. The most common cause of stretched, overly-round looking breasts is implants that are too big. Before your procedure Dr. Brantner will measure your chest wall and existing breast tissue, discuss your desired increase in bust size, and make size suggestions based on your body type. He will educate you on how silicone implants, saline implants, and breast implant placement will affect the natural shape and appearance of the breasts.
Myth: All Women Who Get Implants Want Huge Breasts
The reasons for choosing a breast augmentation are as varied as the patients themselves. Many women who get breast implants only go up a cup size or two. Others get breast implants to lift sagging breasts, balance the shape of their bodies, or fill out clothes better. The only “wrong reason” for getting breast enhancement surgery is to please someone else.
Myth: Recovery is Incredibly Painful
Each patient has her own recovery experience, but today’s breast implants have a faster recovery time than augmentation procedures ten years ago. Dr. Brantner uses a special technique that creates a pocket of anesthetic around the incision, limiting the pain during recovery. Most patients experience one to three days of moderate discomfort.
Botox injections are a popular non-invasive cosmetic procedure used to treat crow’s feet, lines between the eyebrows, and forehead wrinkles. It’s common in pop culture to mock the stretched, unmoving faces that result from improperly administered Botox injections, but thousands of men and women in and out of the spotlight receive regular Botox treatments. Botox is an easy, relatively inexpensive way to gain more youthful skin without undergoing facelift surgery. If you want to refresh your appearance this summer without worrying about the cost and recovery of a face or neck lift, Botox may be the procedure for you.
Benefits of Botox
Botox is popular because of its minimal discomfort, short recovery time, and non-permanent status. Botox allows men and women to enhance their self-esteem by minimizing or eliminating lines around the eyes and forehead. It subtly smooths the skin, resulting in more youthful appearance without patients appearing to have “had work done.” Botox procedures require no anesthesia, take less than fifteen minutes, and cause no lasting discomfort. Although Botox is used to treat wrinkles and creases beneath the surface of the skin, studies show it may also reduce the effects of recurrent headaches or migraines.
How Much and How Often?
Cases of “Botox gone bad” are often the result of miscalculations by non-accredited physicians or misinformation on the part of the patient. The amount of Botox injected and how soon a patient should receive another treatment are determined case-by-case. Dr. Brantner will determine how much Botox is necessary based on the severity of a patient’s lines and wrinkles, the elasticity of his or her skin, and whether the patient has had previous Botox injections. Botox injections typically last between 3 and 4 months, at which time the patient can schedule another treatment. After several treatments, the effects of Botox build up, resulting in smoother skin and less frequent injections.
Most patients know that when they decide to rejuvenate their features, a facelift will help achieve a more youthful look. Facelifts smooth wrinkles, minimize creases, and lift sagging skin, returning a patient’s features to a more youthful appearance. But what many people don’t know is that the term “facelift” includes several smaller procedures. Each of these procedures can be undertaken solitarily, combined with body rejuvenation procedures, or used as part of a whole facial rejuvenation surgery.
