Craig Vander Kolk, MD

After years of hating to look at my side profile I decided to bite the bullet and get a chin implant along with a bit of neck liposuction. Overall it has been worth it but I have made a few tweaks since getting the initial implant after the healing process.

Updated on 6 Apr 2019:
Ice packs, chin strap, and Tylenol are the key players in my life right now. The swelling after the first day was no joke and my head looked like a block! The pain wasn’t too bad though, just a dull ache and stiffness. The worst part was trying to sleep sitting upright to help with the swelling. I had some bruising at my neck and jawline but I was taking arnica and drinking a ton of pineapple juice to help with that.

Updated on 6 Apr 2019:
Back to work for me with the help of dermablend makeup to cover the bruising. My jaw definitely started to ache more after talking all day but it was manageable. However I couldn’t wake to get home to my ice packs!

Updated on 6 Apr 2019:
Swelling is definitely going down and slowly getting more definition. I forgot to write that I had a large silicone implant inserted under general anesthesia using the under the chin incision. My plastic surgeon did not recommend the intra-oral approach due to the risk of infection. The stitches were removed after 7-10 days and once it was pretty healed I started using the SkinMedica Scar Recovery Gel.

Updated on 6 Apr 2019:


Updated on 6 Apr 2019:
Finally seeing my profile more defined! Sometimes I wish I had a larger implant placed for more projection since the muscle in my jaw is super strong resulting in chin dimpling and almost flattening the chin projection when I close my mouth but overall I’m happy.

Updated on 6 Apr 2019:
Overall I’m happy with the final result. Due to my strong muscle in my jaw causing chin dimpling I do get Botox to try and relax it and have gotten Voluma in the dimpling areas as well. I no longer hate when I see pictures of me from the side. I can’t feel the chin implant at all. It just feels like my regular chin!

enticing but I still had reservations after reading reviews. I interviewed many doctors. I was pleasantly surprised at the cost, experience,facility & decided to proceed with. I scheduled my surgery for May 12th 2017 one week after my vacation to Florida. here are my before and after pictures. the doctor made a home visit today to remove the drain and dressings. this is my first day post op and I am pain free!

Updated on 15 May 2017:
I feel great. Bruising setting in. Neck tightness.

Updated on 18 May 2017:
5 days post op. Half sutures out.

Updated on 19 May 2017:
Still tight & swollen esp under neck. Minimal bruising & virtually no pain. Still have half the staples in behind ears. Healing well.

Updated on 19 May 2017:
I wanted to add these before pics

Updated on 29 May 2017:
Very pleased. Little down time. Still a bit swollen but no bruises. I get the staples out in a few days.

Updated on 22 Jun 2017:
I am so lucky. My recuperation has been totally uneventful, pain free & easy. I never really bruised. I marked off 2 weeks for recovery but saw patients on my 3rd day post. My husband who really said all the right things before the surgery, saying I didn't need it but it was up to me, is totally surprised & in amazed. Strangers tell me I look younger than 59. My biggest concern is what if it doesn't last.

Updated on 12 Oct 2017:
I am so glad I decided to do this.

Updated on 29 Nov 2017:
6 months post oo

Updated on 18 Jul 2019:
Very happy. No regrets. Went for my 2 yr post visit with Dr. Vanderkolt. No scarring, looks natural. neither pic is touched up or photo app (actually I don't know how anyway). I highly recommend my doctor. Also price should affect your decision in selcting something so important, I must say the most cost effective, artist, easy effortless healing.

I had fat injections to my nasolabial folds and marionette lines on my face to erase these aging areas. In addition, I had liposuction to my chin area to remove the jowls. I am extremely happy with the results! Many people think I am 15 years younger than I am. Dr. Vander Kolk is the only plastic surgery physician I would go to! I researched many plastic surgery physicians through family, friends, and other doctors. Dr. Vander Kolk was consistently the highest rated doctor in the Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery area.

After I was able to loose 80 pounds on my own I was stuck. I had Gastric Sleeve Surgery and lost the rest of my weight. Needless to say I was left with a lot of excess skin. The skin that bothered me the most was my arms and neck. The most visible. I am very pleased with my decision to have reconstructive surgery. I feel so much better about myself and for the first time in my adult life I am not ashamed to wear short sleeves. The weight loss added years to my neck and face and now I feel like I look my age or maybe even younger. I am very glad I decided to have these procedures done and that I had the surgeon that I did!

Dr. Vander Kolk has performed 2 surgeries to remove infected scar tissue from both of my axillas due to a rare condition known as hidradinitis. He has done an exceptional job!
I am about to have another surgery performed by him for a panniculectomy in 2 weeks. He & his staff are very professional and knowledgeable. I will continue to be a patient as long as he is needed.

I'm 5 days post op and I have had no complications. I believe the biggest factor in this decision is choosing your surgeon. During the procedure I was a bit loopy and I wanted to relax and sleep. What I felt wasn't pain exactly, but more like hard tickling. I felt a poke once on my hip bone but not a stick, just a poke. I was so worried about pain, and it was fine. Post op, no bruising except for a quarter size spot at one incision site. I started swelling a bit on day 2, and took just one pain pill. Day 2 was the hardest, day 3 I woke up much better. I have been up walking around with no real problems. I'm at day 5 now and still a bit tender and swollen. I had a big pouffy belly that is GONE:) I'm so happy I did this for myself, I weighed myself yesterday and I've lost 5 lbs. Estatic!! Please choose you Dr wisely, good luck!



Updated on 7 Jul 2012:
2 weeks and feeling great, still a bit swollen but not tender. I have noticed a few bumps, which my Dr said would be expected. I am massaging my stomach twice a day to help smooth them and increase circulation. I'm trained in lymphatic massage which has helped to relieve swelling. My stomach is still hard and my results are starting to show a little more everyday.

I have a 20 year history of crippling migraines. I would try imitrex and thought I was cured and then would become immuned to it same with zomig, fiornal w/codine, maxalt...the list is long. I went through MAYO for answers..nothing. I might go a month with no migraine....then BOOM everyother day for 2 months. I missed half of every week with either a headache or waking up from demerol/phenergan injections during middle of the night emergency rooms. Many times wished I could remove my head or just not wake up. I look back now and that thought makes me so sad that I felt I had no options but pain. 2years ago our clinic added "esthetico" which is a skin rejuvination/laser peels/facials/ and YES BOTOX. I received 16-22 injections and it cost somewhere around $400-$450 which wasnt covered by insurance no matter how you tried to explain its use....COSMETIC PROCEDURE...END OF STORY.

Oh my was I in a whole new world...3 months went by and no headache of any kind...went in for 2nd treatment (4 per year) and have been pain free up until last week as I couldnt make my appointment and never rescheduled. I took feeling good for granted cuz the migraine showed its ugly face and 2 trips to the ER in 3 days and then slept for 2 days and the next thing I new a week had passed and I kicked myself for not getting in there in time. Do you know what it costs to go to the ER/get iv/stay overnite due to my blood pressure in stroke level & pain meds...$2000 each day without any of my deductible me for the first time in 2 years!!!!! I hate reading on here the ignorant "lucky" people that dont know what head pain, sensitive to any noice or light, vomiting and laying on the bathroom floor til morning cuz you cant see to drive and therefore you wait til your husband comes home and finds you hours later and takes you to hospital. Good for you and your narrow view of botox and it only having a cosmetic use for the priviledged. You just put yourself in a "duh Im stupid" club...but you probably have heard that all your life...right?

All you sufferers...with years of documented migraine treatment and failures...FDA approved Botox as a medically necessary treatment for alot of migraine patients not only for proof of use but also not as cosmetic as it isnt injected in the typical wrinkle areas ...anyway not for me. but I dont care cuz smiling and not scowling in pain added to my looking younger. Do your research to find the qualified botox services and dont go for cheapest. Drop me a note a month after you try it. I pray it works for you too.

Updated on 27 Oct 2011:
I rambled on and on and forgot the best part...my insurance is paying for the botox!! I thing about me...I was the biggest pain in their ass each of the 4 times they denied. I had to pay for extensive research back 20 years in my medical file...pay a hefty copy fee...get anybody who knew me to write letters in my behalf regarding the migraine miracle I have received. Oh...I also got an estimate of the charges over the last 20 years in the ER/hospital and also what it would cost to have a neurosurgeon perform an operation for $50000+ that may or may not work. THIS WORKS PERIOD!! So explain it to your controller/supervisor of your insurance company who you need to talk to about cost effectiveness or which television station you should visit to tell your story about how they are knowingly contributing to the rise in health care costs/premiums foolishly. Migraine isn't sexy business...but it effects MANY PEOPLE and COSTS ALOT!! Meanwhile the insurance claim adjuster keeps denying the $400 claim 3x per (1600 year) due to COSMETIC procedure and pays the ER trips @$2000 per visit x 25 or more times per year @ $50000 less a deductible of $1000 of course. LOL

i guess i dont really know what to say but i guess my results could be better i have a small chicken pox scar and a small piercing scar and already have had 4 fraxel treatments i dont see any improvement like the other patients so i just keep going back, i really want my scars to just vanish.

my doctor claims everyone heals different, but does this mean that its just not working for me? or for me to just continue the treatment until it does?

im confused about what to do although i know this is the only option i have for scars,i thought maybe because i was darker complexed it would take longer or not work at all, i really want a clear enough answer because i really want my skin to look good again and to have more confidence too.

people have had scars way deeper than what i have and since like 3 treatments you cant even tell. i did have a modeling career going for me for a while, but they say my skin has to be flawless so im not sure im going to continue it, but despite my skin i take really good pictures so they never said anything about that but ever since i heard them say that to me it been painful and it just make me want to continue the treatment for as long as i can.

i know im not going to see results over night but if theres any other advice you can give me that would be great too.

hi im rebecca and i have an old chicken pox scar and a piercing scar which are both not that deep but however ive already had 4 fraxel treatments on each one and i still cant really see any improvement i thought maybe because im a dark complexed person its not going to do much but i really dont know, most people ive read on have only had about 3 treaments and look great i just despretly need to know should i just continue the treaments or just for get about it?

I was left high and dry with no good explanation. Though he had agreed to do a 3rd procedure, when I returned when I had the time and money he fired me as a patient, saying repeatedly that he "didn't have a good feeling" and when I reminded him that he had agreed to do it he waved his hand and said "whatever." He wears a baby blue suit instead of a white coat now. He just wants to do butt lifts and tummy tucks now and not have to think or care anymore. He didn't do a thorough job in the first place anyway.

Insurance just approved my reduction I'm over joyed to finally get rid of this back pain once and for all. I'm also a little draw back by some of these reviews but I have to be optimistic about this and just hope for the best because I'm sure it will be worth it when it's all said and done. My boobs just sprouted once I graduated high school.

Updated on 5 Apr 2017:
One week before my Br and I can't stop reading so I won't miss or forget anything needed in the healing process or what to expect. My reality still hasn't set in yet which probably won't happen until they take me back lol. Ladies is there anything you wish somebody would have told you before to make things easier if so please share away

Updated on 11 Apr 2017:
Hey ladies today was the day and I must say I had a wonderful experience from the registration ladies to the surgeon everybody we're wonderful so nice and helpful I woke up in no pain . I have drains and a numbing system along with my pain medicine. The pain medicine wasn't needed but they told me to take it anyway to avoid waking up to pain midnight . I had no nausea feeling but boy was I tired lol . Surgery took 2 hours and they removed 2 1/2 lbs from each breast that's a lot but I love my new size now I have to work on this belly. Well I'll get some rest and update you ladies when I can

Updated on 16 Apr 2017:
Ok so now that my boobs are much smaller my stomach really sits out lol it has to go I knew it was big but my breast really hid it for me or blended. Ok but in another note I feel pretty good these drains and on q pain system are a work of art I haven't really felt any pain at all just a little discomfort when I do too much but anybody that's against them is out of there mind. Yes they are in the way but I'll take that instead of pain any day.

Updated on 16 Apr 2017:


Updated on 18 Apr 2017:
It's been a week since my br and lift and I actually feel great. I need to slow down. I feel myself doing to much I'm such an independent person and the word rest is unknown in my book lol. On a good note my drains and on Q system was removed today it was a piece of cake no pain what so ever. I'm enjoying this being Shoferd around thing even though I was cleared to drive as long as I wasn't taking my pain medicine

Updated on 20 Apr 2017:
What to do my incision opened up in my right breast

Updated on 26 Apr 2017:
Two weeks

Updated on 26 Apr 2017:
Opening of left breast

Updated on 30 Apr 2017:
Looks like my open wound is doing better but I discovered a new open wound as well smh

Updated on 3 May 2017:
I'm cleaning them twice a day with dial soap and water then applying Polysporin then gauze on top (morning and night)

Updated on 19 May 2017:
I've always wondered how people were healing so I decided to keep everyone in formed it's a very long process so u have to be Patient but I'm healing slowly but surely

Updated on 21 May 2017:
I've been using Neosporin n I wasn't getting any results so I just gave Vaseline a try n it works like magic wish I would have know this a few weeks ago

Updated on 1 Jun 2017:
Here's an update of how my open wounds healed I can say I'm pleased now let's fade these scars lol

Updated on 4 Jul 2017:
I must say I'm really pleased with the way I've been healing that coco butter stick has been doing great I tried scar strip n nope it made the open wound spot darker so I stopped so I'll be great with my stick

Updated on 12 Oct 2017:
I’m having a hard time with finding something that works reducing my scar visibility

Updated on 13 Dec 2020:
Scar cover up tattoo

Updated on 25 Jan 2023: