Articles

Question: I am a 35 year old male from Greenwood and have a wide nasal bridge. Am I a good candidate for a finesse rhinoplasty? Answer: Rhinoplasty can be used to correct many nasal features, including a wide nasal bridge. This is typically corrected with precise bony cuts along the lateral side of the nose. Once these are created, the surgeon can narrow the nasal bones and thus narrow the nasal bridge. Determining if you are a good candidate for nasal bridge narrowing and rhinoplasty begins with a consultation with a board certified facial plastic surgeon. Schedule your consultation with Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery today. Posted by […]

Question: Will my skin become dry and flaky after my microdermabrasion treatment? Answer: Microdermabrasion exfoliates dead skin cells so skin doesn’t usually become dry and flaky afterwards if it is properly moisturized. Posted by Mark M. Hamilton M.D. FACS […]

Question: I am female, 50 years old, and would like laser hair removal of my chin and upper lip. How many times must I undergo the laser treatment before this is a permanent removal of my facial hair? Answer: Laser hair removal only works on dark, coarse hair. Treatments usually consist of 6-10 and are performed at 4 week intervals. Hormones can be a factor in hair growth and can cause new hair to grow even after laser treatments. I recommend a touch-up visit maybe once a year if needed. Posted by Mark M. Hamilton M.D. FACS […]

Question: What is a phenol peel? Answer: A phenol peel is a very aggressive type of chemical peel treatment. This type of peel removes several layers of skin to improve wrinkles, discoloration and overall skin texture. Posted by Mark M. Hamilton M.D. FACS […]

Patients considering rhinoplasty are often concerned with what the final result will look like. “Does my surgeon understand what I want?” or “Am I being realistic?” are common question from rhinoplasty patients. Of all facial cosmetic procedures, rhinoplasty is the most difficult for surgeons to effectively communicate expected results to their patients. Video imaging has helped all of that. Using specialized software, surgeons can use a patient’s image and create an expected post surgery result. Side views, which patients do not often fully appreciate, can be viewed. Side by side before and after comparisons can be viewed by both the surgeon […]

Question: How long is a typical chin implant surgery? What is the implant made of? Answer: Chin augmentation typically takes around an hour or less to perform. There are a wide variety of materials that can be used for chin augmentation including mersilene mesh, silicone, medpore and Gortex. My personal choice is typically mersilene mesh. It a made from a nylon mesh material that can be individually contoured to each patient’s needs. The material is soft and pliable providing a natural result that patients appreciate the implant can’t be felt once completely healed. The body’s tissue grow into the implant over time allowing […]

Question: The tip of my nose is too round. Can this be corrected with rhinoplasty? Answer: Patients often feel the tip of their nose is too large or round. This can be corrected during rhinoplasty with a variety of techniques. Cartilage removal techniques can decrease the size of the lower nasal cartilages decreasing the size of the nasal tip. Suturing techniques can be used to narrow and refine the nasal cartilages as well. With healing, these sutures provide a permanent change in the appearance of the nasal tip. Patients with thicker skin may require more aggressive cartilage cutting techniques to get the definition they want. Your […]

Question: In what ways is septoplasty different from rhinoplasty? Answer: A septoplasty is a procedure to straighten the septum inside the nose, correction of this often improves airflow allowing patients to breathe easier. Rhinoplasty is surgery to alter the outside structure of the nose. It is usually done to improve the aesthetic appearance of the nose, but can also be done to improve breathing. Deciding which or if possibly both procedures are right for you begins with a consultation with a board certified facial plastic surgeon. Posted by Mark M. Hamilton M.D. FACS […]

Question: Is microdermabrasion similar to sandblasting? What is used for the “sand”? Does this treatment provide any long lasting effects? Answer: Microdermabrasion treatments provide a smoothing effect to the skin similar to an object that has been sandblasted. Some Microdermabrasion treatment machines utilize aluminum oxide crystals that are abrasive feeling like “sand” across your skin. We use the Diamond-Tome Microdermabrasion machine that utilizes diamond-tipped wands instead of aluminum oxide crystals. This method is actually less messy. Microdermabrasion treatments do provide long lasting effects with regular routine maintenance. Posted by Mark M. Hamilton M.D. FACS […]

Question: What kind of grafts can be used in rhinoplasty? Answer: Grafts are often an important part of a rhinoplasty procedure. There are a variety of types ofgraft materials that can be used in rhinoplasty as well as many locations/functions they can serve. A detailed description is beyond a blog question, but in general grafts are used for support and appearance.Materials used for grafts include nasal septal cartilage, ear cartilage, rib cartilage or synthetic materials.Because of its proximity in the surgical field, I most often use nasal septal cartilage. It provides good strengthand yet is relatively easy to contour. When more material or support […]