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Background information: So for quite some time I...
Background information:
So for quite some time I had been contemplating getting work done on my nose. After perusing through the vast amounts of information regarding Rhinoplasty on the net, it became clear to me that such an intrusive/costly surgery (not to mention the revision rate!) was not an option. And so the quest to find a feasible alternative began!
As a black female, it was important for me to find a surgeon who could truly deliver on the aesthetic front in a way that would compliment my features without compromising the overall appearance of my face. I have never had an issue with my nose per se but rather the lack of definition especially around the bridge/dorsum area. I proceeded to search for a plastic surgeon that I could associate with in terms of appearance. (Could a surgeon of color possibly be responsible for MJs, and so many others, botched up “nose jobs”- I think not!) I’ll get back to this point in greater detail later on in my review…
Juvederm/Artefill/ Radiesse/Restylane etc… Kill me! there were just too many fillers to choose from! Eventually, in time, with the assistance of Dr. Banks’ office personnel-Yvonne Jeffers, it became clear to me that Radiesse was the way to go, mainly for its durability/cost-effectiveness. I had quite a few back to backs with the office personnel through email. We scheduled an appointment within a couple of days of my initial inquiry. To save time, it was suggested that I fill out medical information forms through their “secure site”, computerization of medical records first I had ever heard of it. Who knows, it may be a reasonable liability to take on…
Initial impression:
As walked into the waiting room (15 min early), it was clear that the office personnel had anticipated my arrival. I presented myself and was told that I would be called back momentarily. As I waited I skimmed through a self-help book discussing mental health within our community. Just as the passage titles got interesting, I was called and brought back to the operating room, which was in no way a bittersweet moment as I had been anxiously waiting on meeting Dr. Banks! I waited in the room for no more than five minutes, which still afforded me a bit of time to read through an Essence magazine (I paid close attention to all of the beautiful black women featured in the magazine while thinking over my description of what I wanted done).
On the wall hung a framed canvas of what appeared to be Egyptian hieroglyphics, on the side stool laid two boxes of Juvederm and a box of Radiesse. Hmm…
Meeting Dr. Banks + Procedure
I was surprised by Dr. Banks’ overwhelming quaintness. She later brought to my attention that she was originally from North Carolina. We briefly discussed that… Dr. Banks asked me about how I found her private practice and I freely went through the points made in my “background information” section. Although we opted for the use of Radiesse, Dr. Banks explained to me why Juvederm and similar products could be the choice of preference under particular circumstances. In my case, I wanted to define my bridge area, Radiesse offers more volume and could last up to a year longer than Juvederm. The Juvederm box was swiftly put away. She explained the steps to the procedure and I was told what to expect in the end result. Dr. Bank with her great diction managed to break down complex notions of molding, depression, illusion of facial symmetry, into manageable language (which is always great especially when making even the most minor adjustment to your appearance). It was clear to me that I had found the right match in a plastic surgeon; Dr. Banks nearly completed my sentences. Lines were drawn, photos taken, as I shifted into Dr. 90210 land. It’s actually happening!
Dr. Banks gave me three shots of an anesthetic substance, one to my lower forehead area, the other two to my upper inner gums. My face was numbed to no point of return (so it seemed). Dr. Banks made anywhere between 5-7 injections, only one syringe was needed to reach my desired result. The whole procedure, after the numbing period, took no more that 8 minutes! The injections (and I have a low pain threshold) were comparable to being aggressively pinched by a kid or playfully pinched by a partner. Phew! It was actually the pressure in the nose that acted as an annoyance (it took a few days to get used to!)
The mirror was raised and…
OMG my it’s…
OMG it’s my nose! My new and improved nose that is! All my fears laid to rest. I was pleased with the results although I noticed a slight asymmetry. I was reminded that the asymmetry had already been there and if we were to choose to counterbalance it, it may become more obvious. I trusted Dr. Banks (and thank god I did) after two days the swelling, which was expected, had decreased drastically and with it, the slight asymmetry! When I assured Dr. Banks that I was pleased with the results, she gave me instructions of what to do and what to avoid. I followed her advice very carefully as I feared ruining her great work (and possibly waking up to a hooked nose!) We parted ways, I thanked her repeatedly and made an appointment for a follow-up visit. As the swelling in my nose went down along with my cheeks, I definitely started feeling myself.
“You’re glowing…”
Within a week of my procedure I was anxious to take headshots with a DC photographer and great friend of mines that I had worked with in the past to see how my face photographed. To my surprised, he did not notice any change! As he took the photos, I was showered with compliment! “You’re glowing!” " You're looking better than ever!" “You’re skin is looking flawless!” I was close to positive that as a photographer, he would be able to notice the slightest change as he must have familiarized himself with lighting, depth, contouring etc… Was it my skin? Had I lost weight? Makeup? I guess it’s just one of the many secrets that I will have to take to the grave with me.
Two-week follow-up
The follow-up did not last long as there was no need for rectification and I had no issue really. Dr. Banks graciously told me to contact her if anything came up while reassuring me that everything should be fine. I was kind of disappointed though when Dr. Banks informed me that she had just returned from Canada (stopover in Toronto, and wasn’t able to visit although I believe she had already visited a few times in the past and had a great appreciation for Canada!)
BTW I forgot …I think it’s very important to mention that, I do not reside in the United States. I would definitely encourage all people of color to cross over the border if seriously considering any operation involving the nose. The prices are higher in Canada (metropolitan), also good luck finding a cosmetic surgeon (let alone PLASTIC surgeon) of Dr. Banks’ caliber.
The overly enthusiastic tone of this review mirrors my overall satisfaction with Dr. Banks’ work. I’ll be back in 12-18 months!
So for quite some time I had been contemplating getting work done on my nose. After perusing through the vast amounts of information regarding Rhinoplasty on the net, it became clear to me that such an intrusive/costly surgery (not to mention the revision rate!) was not an option. And so the quest to find a feasible alternative began!
As a black female, it was important for me to find a surgeon who could truly deliver on the aesthetic front in a way that would compliment my features without compromising the overall appearance of my face. I have never had an issue with my nose per se but rather the lack of definition especially around the bridge/dorsum area. I proceeded to search for a plastic surgeon that I could associate with in terms of appearance. (Could a surgeon of color possibly be responsible for MJs, and so many others, botched up “nose jobs”- I think not!) I’ll get back to this point in greater detail later on in my review…
Juvederm/Artefill/ Radiesse/Restylane etc… Kill me! there were just too many fillers to choose from! Eventually, in time, with the assistance of Dr. Banks’ office personnel-Yvonne Jeffers, it became clear to me that Radiesse was the way to go, mainly for its durability/cost-effectiveness. I had quite a few back to backs with the office personnel through email. We scheduled an appointment within a couple of days of my initial inquiry. To save time, it was suggested that I fill out medical information forms through their “secure site”, computerization of medical records first I had ever heard of it. Who knows, it may be a reasonable liability to take on…
Initial impression:
As walked into the waiting room (15 min early), it was clear that the office personnel had anticipated my arrival. I presented myself and was told that I would be called back momentarily. As I waited I skimmed through a self-help book discussing mental health within our community. Just as the passage titles got interesting, I was called and brought back to the operating room, which was in no way a bittersweet moment as I had been anxiously waiting on meeting Dr. Banks! I waited in the room for no more than five minutes, which still afforded me a bit of time to read through an Essence magazine (I paid close attention to all of the beautiful black women featured in the magazine while thinking over my description of what I wanted done).
On the wall hung a framed canvas of what appeared to be Egyptian hieroglyphics, on the side stool laid two boxes of Juvederm and a box of Radiesse. Hmm…
Meeting Dr. Banks + Procedure
I was surprised by Dr. Banks’ overwhelming quaintness. She later brought to my attention that she was originally from North Carolina. We briefly discussed that… Dr. Banks asked me about how I found her private practice and I freely went through the points made in my “background information” section. Although we opted for the use of Radiesse, Dr. Banks explained to me why Juvederm and similar products could be the choice of preference under particular circumstances. In my case, I wanted to define my bridge area, Radiesse offers more volume and could last up to a year longer than Juvederm. The Juvederm box was swiftly put away. She explained the steps to the procedure and I was told what to expect in the end result. Dr. Bank with her great diction managed to break down complex notions of molding, depression, illusion of facial symmetry, into manageable language (which is always great especially when making even the most minor adjustment to your appearance). It was clear to me that I had found the right match in a plastic surgeon; Dr. Banks nearly completed my sentences. Lines were drawn, photos taken, as I shifted into Dr. 90210 land. It’s actually happening!
Dr. Banks gave me three shots of an anesthetic substance, one to my lower forehead area, the other two to my upper inner gums. My face was numbed to no point of return (so it seemed). Dr. Banks made anywhere between 5-7 injections, only one syringe was needed to reach my desired result. The whole procedure, after the numbing period, took no more that 8 minutes! The injections (and I have a low pain threshold) were comparable to being aggressively pinched by a kid or playfully pinched by a partner. Phew! It was actually the pressure in the nose that acted as an annoyance (it took a few days to get used to!)
The mirror was raised and…
OMG my it’s…
OMG it’s my nose! My new and improved nose that is! All my fears laid to rest. I was pleased with the results although I noticed a slight asymmetry. I was reminded that the asymmetry had already been there and if we were to choose to counterbalance it, it may become more obvious. I trusted Dr. Banks (and thank god I did) after two days the swelling, which was expected, had decreased drastically and with it, the slight asymmetry! When I assured Dr. Banks that I was pleased with the results, she gave me instructions of what to do and what to avoid. I followed her advice very carefully as I feared ruining her great work (and possibly waking up to a hooked nose!) We parted ways, I thanked her repeatedly and made an appointment for a follow-up visit. As the swelling in my nose went down along with my cheeks, I definitely started feeling myself.
“You’re glowing…”
Within a week of my procedure I was anxious to take headshots with a DC photographer and great friend of mines that I had worked with in the past to see how my face photographed. To my surprised, he did not notice any change! As he took the photos, I was showered with compliment! “You’re glowing!” " You're looking better than ever!" “You’re skin is looking flawless!” I was close to positive that as a photographer, he would be able to notice the slightest change as he must have familiarized himself with lighting, depth, contouring etc… Was it my skin? Had I lost weight? Makeup? I guess it’s just one of the many secrets that I will have to take to the grave with me.
Two-week follow-up
The follow-up did not last long as there was no need for rectification and I had no issue really. Dr. Banks graciously told me to contact her if anything came up while reassuring me that everything should be fine. I was kind of disappointed though when Dr. Banks informed me that she had just returned from Canada (stopover in Toronto, and wasn’t able to visit although I believe she had already visited a few times in the past and had a great appreciation for Canada!)
BTW I forgot …I think it’s very important to mention that, I do not reside in the United States. I would definitely encourage all people of color to cross over the border if seriously considering any operation involving the nose. The prices are higher in Canada (metropolitan), also good luck finding a cosmetic surgeon (let alone PLASTIC surgeon) of Dr. Banks’ caliber.
The overly enthusiastic tone of this review mirrors my overall satisfaction with Dr. Banks’ work. I’ll be back in 12-18 months!
Provider Review