Posted on

What’s In A Nose? Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon Discusses the Rhinoplasty Craze

It’s that time of year again when women everywhere start discussing how they are working on their summer bodies. Thoughts of bikinis, shorts, pool parties, and beach vacations might lead you to think that breast augmentations and liposuction would be the most popular plastic surgeries this time of year, but that’s actually not the case. It might surprise you to know that during the summer months it is rhinoplasty that takes the lead as the most popular surgery.

Why is Rhinoplasty a Popular Summer Procedure?

There are a number of reasons why people choose to schedule a rhinoplasty during the summer. For one, many patients undergoing this procedure are in their late teens or early twenties so having summer break from school allows for ample healing time. Contact sports and rowdy summer fun can also lead to a broken nose.

If you have ever considered rhinoplasty you are not alone. It is the most common facial plastic surgery procedure. In fact, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says that more than 220,000 nose jobs are performed every year.

What is Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, is performed for a number of different reasons. These reasons include repairing nasal trauma, correcting difficult breathing or changing the aesthic to achieve a better look. Nasual trauma could be the result of a sports injury, broken nose or other injuries. Insurance may be able to help offset the cost in this situation.

A functional rhinoplasty may be performed to change the way you breathe. During a cosmetic or reconstructive rhinoplasty, it may be possible to correct structural issues at the same time making it much easier for the patient to breathe. A cosmetic rhinoplasty can be performed to reduce a nasal hump, refine the size or shape of the nasal tip or to give a more flattering symmetrical look to the face.

What is a Consultation for Rhinoplasty Like?

Because the nose is literally the center of one’s face, it makes sense that thinking about changing the shape or size can be a little unnerving. It is for this very reason that Dr. Hamilton uses video imaging to help show his rhinoplasty patients what results they may expect to achieve after their surgery. This is an important step in the consultation to ensure that both the patient and doctor are on the same page in regards to goals and expectations.

What is the Recovery from a Rhinoplasty?

Patients undergoing rhinoplasty should expect to take a week off from work or school to allow for the initial swelling and bruising to subside. After the outpatient surgery is complete, patients will wear a splint on their nose for the first week. Many patients are able to manage the pain with over-the-counter medication and cold compress, but the doctor may provide pain medication to use if needed.

Dr. Hamilton asks that his patients refrain from strenuous activities for the first two weeks and contact sports which could cause nasal trauma for six weeks. The initial swelling should subside within a few weeks revealing the successful results however, it can take up to a full year to see the complete finished product.

Is Financing Available for Rhinoplasty?

Dr. Hamilton and his staff at Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery seek to make facial plastic surgery, including Rhinoplasty, affordable for everyone and offer financing options to help in that effort.

Mark M. Hamilton, MD, FACS, is recognized as one of the “top physicians” in America for facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, specializing solely in cosmetic facial procedures, Dr. Hamilton provides his Indianapolis patients with exceptional skills and results that last. For more information on rhinoplasty or to schedule a private consultation at Dr. Hamilton’s Carmel or Greenwood office, please contact us.

Click here to view Dr. Hamilton’s Rhinoplasty before and after photos.

Posted on

Is Natural Lip Augmentation Possible in Indianapolis, IN?

When patients come in for a consultation for facial rejuvenation, one of their top concerns is that they want the results to look natural. This is especially important with the lips. Many patients have seen stars or media personalities who have taken their lip injections to the extreme, and this is what most patients think about when they consider a lip enhancement.

The reality at Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, however, is vastly different from what people see in Hollywood. Most of Dr. Hamilton’s patients want a very subtle enhancement that looks natural. Creating an aesthetically pleasing, slightly fuller lip is possible for most of Dr. Hamilton’s patients. For a small percentage, the lip structure does limit what can be achieved. But for the majority of patients, the choice of how they want their lips to look is an extremely personal decision.

During a consultation, Dr. Hamilton will discuss a patient’s goals and his or her lip anatomy with them. Injections are typically done with a hyaluronic acid filler (such as Juvederm®or Restylane®) that is naturally found in the body and is very well tolerated. If a patient is concerned about a filler being overdone, it is possible to under treat the lips and then re-examine the results in a few weeks. For patients who desire a fuller, more dramatic lip augmentation, it is possible to achieve such a result.

The best part of lip augmentation is that the fillers are reversible. If a patient is unsatisfied with his or her results, Dr. Hamilton can inject a small amount of reversal agent to undo the fillers.

If you are considering lip injections, but are concerned about them looking natural, consult with Dr. Hamilton or one of our experienced nurse injectors to explore your options for natural lip augmentation.

Posted on

Indianapolis Residents Ask: Which is Better-PRP or a Hair Transplant?

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is the latest rage in the hair restoration field. This nonsurgical treatment is a three-step process of drawing a patient’s blood, separating the platelet-rich plasma from the blood and injecting it into the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

Although the method is not completely understood yet, PRP does lead to the release of high amounts of growth factors. These growth factors have the ability to enhance the growth of existing hairs and stimulate the production of new ones. PRP can be done as a stand-alone treatment or combined with a hair transplant or other hair restoring treatments and medications.

Hair transplantation remains a very reliable solution for hair loss. All patients that receive the procedure can expect some new growth, with more than 90% of grafts typically taking. The downside of a hair transplant is that it is a surgical procedure, and most importantly, not everyone is a candidate. Often, patients are too early (young men) or not good candidates (many women), and that is why PRP becomes a great alternative.

Although PRP has many advantages, such as being nonsurgical and requiring little downtime, there are some disadvantages. First,it does require several treatments to receive the maximum benefit. Second,and most importantly, while many patients see new growth, some patients do not experience new growth at all, despite undergoing a complete series of treatments. Comparatively, with a hair transplant, virtually 100% of patients see new growth. This is why many hair transplant surgeons tell patients this is their best option, as long as they are a viable candidate.

In summary, for patients who are good candidates and are willing to have surgery, hair transplantation is the best option for the long-lasting results. For those unwilling or who are not good candidates for a hair transplant, PRP provides a new and exciting alternative to try.

Posted on

Laser Skin Treatments in Indianapolis, IN

With the holidays over, the new year beginning and not much sun, January is a great time to focus on ways to jump-start your skin. Lasers and broadband light devices offer the most up to date options. Here is a look at some of these treatments and what they can do for you.

Intense Pulsed Light for Mild Skin Damage

For those with early sun damage and signs of aging, IPL (intense pulsed light) devices are a great choice. In our office, we use the Cutera Limelight. These treatments remove the reds and browns that are the first signs of aging and sun damage. Procedures are done in the office with minimal downtime. Typically, 2 to 4 treatments are performed spaced a month apart. As with most laser treatments, sun avoidance before and after is important, making January a great time to start. Patients will notice a more even skin tone and color as well as a smoother appearance to their skin.

Fractional Laser Treatment for Moderate Skin Damage

With more advanced aging and the development of fine to moderate wrinkling, we recommend for most patients a fractional laser treatment. We use the Active FX/Deep FX from Lumenis, the Pearl Fractional from Cutera and the Sciton HALO device. These lasers remove a portion of the top-most layers of skin to allow fresh new skin below come to the surface. Treatments are still done in the office but are associated with a little more downtime- typically between 4-7 days depending on the device and the level of treatment. Some redness may persist for several weeks (requiring sun avoidance), but makeup can be applied by a week or sooner, and you can return to most activities. Patients will notice a softening of wrinkles in one treatment; moderately deep wrinkles typically will require more than one treatment.

CO2 Laser Resurfacing for Significant Skin Damage

Patients with significant sun damage and wrinkles may consider traditional full-strength CO2 laser resurfacing. This treatment provides unprecedented wrinkle removal and skin tightening. Downtime, however, can be 10-12 days. Patients can wear makeup by two weeks but will have some pink discoloration and will need to avoid the sun for up to 4 months. In addition, this treatment is reserved for those with lighter skin types as it can and often does cause a lightening of the skin. In general, we reserve full-strength laser resurfacing for those who are done with the sun, always wear makeup and are looking for maximal improvement.

For those with naturally darker skin, we offer the Syneron Candela Profound. This device deposits energy in the skin via tiny microneedles. This avoids injuring the more superficial, energy and light sensitive skin precluding any pigment issues and making this treatment safe for all skin types. The Profound offers skin tightening and some reduction in skin wrinkling. Patients may resume all activities within 48 hours as well as wear makeup. Some swelling can persist for up to a week.

Contact Us

January is a great time to rejuvenate your look. If you are considering making an improvement in your skin, consider consulting with Dr. Hamilton or one of our licensed aestheticians to explore your options.

Posted on

Can I do PRP with my hair transplant?

PRP Therapy in Indianapolis, INMore and more patients are learning about the benefits of PRP for hair loss and the list of studies showing benefit has grown. Traditionally PRP has been used as a non surgical treatment done in the office to stimulate hair growth. A more recent trend is to use PRP during the hair transplant to minimize hair shock and improve the overall result.

Like with much of PRP, the claims have gotten a little ahead of the science. PRP stands for platelet rich plasma. It is obtained from your own blood and extremely safe.  It has been used now with success for a wide variety of medical conditions.  For hair loss patients, PRP is high in growth factors that can help with hair growth. Studies have for the most part shown benefit with these treatments when injected into the scalp in the office to stimulate hair growth. We also have seen some nice results in our own patients, but also have some that have seen not as much of a response. While it appears that PRP can stimulate real hair growth for some patients, we are all still figuring out who are the best candidates, what is the right formula and how many treatments be performed.

A more recent trend is to use PRP for hair grafts during the hair transplant procedure. One recent study demonstrated less hair shock and better graft take when using PRP during the procedure. PRP contains high amounts of growth factors to help with healing and stimulate new grafts to grow. Future studies will be needed to confirm these possible benefits.

We are excited to be able to offer PRP during our hair transplant procedures for those patients interested. Other than a quick blood draw, there is no downside to this technique. The hair transplant is done in the same fashion, but the grafts are soaked in this growth stimulating serum prior to implantation. Hair transplantation is already a procedure with a high success rate. We look forward to seeing even better results as we incorporate PRP into our procedures.