Middleton Doctors

Can the Alar Part of my Nose Be Fixed to Look More Feminine? (photo)

I feel as though the outer part of my nose is much bigger than most females and I have a curve between my nose and upper lip. I have already had rhinoplasty to remove a hump from the top of my nose. I am still unsatisfied with how my nose looks from the side.

Maybe some clarification might help with some of the posted answers.  The ala can be modified easily with small incisions typically hidden in the junction where they meet the face, or near their base.  That is a common part of many rhinoplasties.  Whether you see too much flaring on the front view, or too much width to their insertion, that 's a step that most rhinoplasty docs are comfortable with, and trust.

Your picture does not show that frontal view so it's impossible to see if that is your situation.  What the side view does show is that your remaining ala appear somewhat thick and sebaceous, especially after refinement you see in your tip.  That also has a described surgery to "debulk" the ala, but in my experience that has pretty unreliable results.  Either irregular, or unimpressive changes.  If that is your concern, I would agree with others that you might not want to pursue more revisions.  

Your other concern, about the curve between the nose and the upper lip is probably a simple fix, but should be evaluated in person.  Good luck.

Kevin Robertson, MD

Madison Facial Plastic Surgeon

What Are My Options For Fat Transfer Removal From Face? (photo)

I had fat transfer under my eyes/top of cheeks 2 years ago with terrible results. The area is uneven& lumpy, with hard little beads underneath. There are zillions of plastic surgeons in Atlanta. I thought the one I went to was skilled, but he ruined my face. I met w/ a top ps here. He thought the area looked "freaky" but would only recommend filler on the outer side to even things up. How do I find a ps w/ fat trans experience? What are the best options that won't make it worse?

Unfortunately after two years you can assume that additional time will not help your situation.  Options to inject a medication to dissolve some of the fat (like a steroid or some of the poorly supported products used with "mesotherapy") are not a predictable solution.  So you are left with direct surgical removal, or camouflage.   I would suggest you see someone reputable in Atlanta, like Dr Beaty who posted below, to get a responsible and honest evaluation of your situation.  It's a difficult situation with limited complication-free solutions. 

Kevin Robertson, MD

Madison Facial Plastic Surgeon

Why Do I Have a Rope Like Scar on Neck Where Drains Were After Neck Lift? Also Neck is Very Tight and I Cannot Look Up.

The Jackson Pratt drains were in for a week and where the tubes were is now a ridge around the front of my neck. There is a little fluid but mostly it feels hard. It has been 2 weeks. Also my ears are completely numb and the cut under my chin is 2 inches long and red and raised. My neck is so tight that I cannot look up. I am terrified that I will have an ugly rope around my neck forever. My ps says it is not a scar but what is it?

Two weeks is early in terms of recovery after a facelift.  So although we often suggest you can get back in public at this time, or that recovery is described as two weeks, a number of the things you see in yourself might be still within normal range of recovery.  Drain use varies with docs, with some using none at all and some with prolonged placement. A week is pretty long in that continuum.  The drain pathway will often form focal thickening around that foreign body, which resolves with time.  The longer the drain in place, the more of this response.  So bottom line is that it will go away but will take time.  Usually you would aggressively massage that tissue, and your doc might even consider judicious use of the injectable steroid kenalog to nudge this process along.  Think weeks though, maybe up to six or eight for full resolution.  That thickness, along with the normal steps of the surgery, will make looking up tight. By now I suspect that is getting better.

The numbness around the ears is normal, and will slowly return to normal over months.  Think six months.  The cut under the neck should also be resolving.  Since I now realize this was asked over three weeks ago, I suspect you will be enjoying some resolution by this time.  So stay patient, the body has an amazing reparative potential.  

Kevin Robertson, MD

Madison Facial Plastic Surgeon