Charleston Facelift doctors

	Ronald Finger, MD Savannah Plastic Surgeon 5356 Reynolds St. Suite 505, Savannah		8 answers
	Marcelo Hochman, MD Charleston Facial Plastic Surgeon 2097 Henry Tecklenburg Dr. Suite 212 West, Charleston		1 answer
	Thomas Hahm, M.D. Charleston Plastic Surgeon 900 Bowman Rd Suite 101, Mount Pleasant
	Dana L. Heikes, MD Charleston Plastic Surgeon Charleston
	Richard Kline, M.D. Charleston Plastic Surgeon 1300 Hospital Dr Ste 120, Mount Pleasant

Recent Answers

Will I need to have a blood test done as part of evaluation to help determine if I'm a good fit for a facelift operation? What other things will be done in a consulation? What Criteria Will a Doctor Use to Evaluate if I'm a Candidate for a Facelift?

A: Blood test/ good fit for a facelift

Blood tests will be done, possibly with an EKG to see if you are in good health for a facelift and anesthesia. Whether you are a good fit for a facelift is determined by a plastic surgeon and depends on if a facelift will address the problems that you are concerned with.

Ronald Finger, MD

Savannah Plastic Surgeon

Why Can't I Have Neck or Facelift as a Smoker? I've had both upper and lower eye lid surgery, arm reduction and a tummy tuck. I am a smoker and am 51 years old. I've healed fine in all cases. Why can't I have a neck or facelift?

A: Facelift in a smoker

Having a facelift in a smoker is a bad idea. Ther risk of losing a skin flap and severe scarring are increased dramatically. Smoking constricts the small blood vessels in your skin robbing it of oxygen and nutrients. Even under the best conditions, healing is delayed. The flaps in a facelift are very thin, and the skin needs all of the blood supply it can get.

Ronald Finger, MD

Savannah Plastic Surgeon

Any Advantage to Fat Transfer During Facelift Vs Injecting at a Later Date? I am considering autologous fat transfer to face as part of facelift surgery, as recommended by one facial plastic surgeon. However, another plastic surgeon believes once tissue is elevated by facelift procedure alone, I may not need the fat augmentation to my cheeks. My question is not what to do, but if doing fat grafting/injection at a later date is likely to "take" as well. (I've heard fat grafting has better success rates if done during surgery.) Thank you in advance for your comments.

A: Fat Transfer During Facelift Vs Injecting at a Later Date?

Fat grafting can be inconsistant under the best of conditions. The keys to successful fat grafting are: acquiring the fat with low suction pressure, properly preparing the fat for grafting, and micro-droplet injections. The reason of the latter is that small grafts are more likely to get a good blood supply before they dissolve than large grafts. So adequate blood supply is paramount for the fat grafts to survive.

This leads us back to the question of fat grafting during or after the facelift. Fat grafting must be done in areas that are not being elevated during the facelift. There is inadequate blood supply in any area where skin has been elevated for fat grafts to survive. Areas that can be grafted would be around the mouth, lips, and even under the eyes and in the pre-jown sulcus (the depresson in front of the jowl). Any other areas, such as the cheeks or jaw, fat grafting should be done during a second procedure.

Ronald Finger, MD

Savannah Plastic Surgeon