Our experts provide exceptional, multidisciplinary care for individuals of all ages with clefts and other craniofacial disorders.
Facial Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery
Facial plastic surgery is performed when there is a desire to reshape structures of the eyes, nose, face or neck. Many patients who seek surgery want to lessen the signs of aging or improve their facial harmony. While other patients who seek facial plastic surgery want to restore the appearance and function of their face after a trauma or cancer surgery.
Facial plastic surgery, at CHI Health, is performed by a surgeon certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Consultation for Considering Facial Plastic Surgery
The first step in considering facial plastic surgery is a meeting with a surgeon to discuss goals, alternatives, and potential risks and benefits of various procedures. Once you and the surgeon have decided on a course of treatment, your surgery is scheduled. Surgery may be done in the office, or on an inpatient or outpatient basis, depending on your needs. You'll receive follow-up care from the surgery team which may include also working with the surgeon's advanced practice provider and nursing team.
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Services
CHI Health Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery specialists treat the following conditions and offer a full range of surgical services and procedures, though not all are available at each location. Please confirm when you request an appointment.
Cost & Insurance
In most cases, CHI Health does not require a physician referral for a Facial Plastic Surgery Consultation. Some insurers may require a referral. Please contact your insurance company to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.
All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need. The cost of some services are covered through insurance while others are strictly the patient’s responsibility. Our staff will help to determine the type of billing required. A Good Faith Estimate will be given for services booked in compliance with the 2022 No Surprises Billing Act.
Types of Procedures
We are dedicated to providing comprehensive care for individuals facing facial paralysis. Our team of experts, consisting of surgeons, physical therapists, physician assistants, and other medical specialists, is committed to evaluating and treating facial paralysis with a focus on improving appearance, facial function, non-verbal communication, and overall well-being.
Mohs micrographic surgery is a precise technique used to treat skin cancer and other defects. It involves cutting away thin layers of skin and checking each layer until there are no signs of cancer. The goal is to remove the skin cancer or defect and preserve the healthy skin around it.
For cancers and defects on the neck and face, the goal is to minimize the defect and, if needed, perform any reconstructive surgery needed at the same time as the Mohs surgery.
Sometimes referred to as “droopy eyelids,” ptosis can result from weakness in the eye-elevating muscle or severe tearing and stretching of the levator muscle. This can be congenital, meaning inherited, but it can also be acquired – typically in elderly adults but also in people as young as their 30s.
Ptosis is diagnosed when less than 80 percent of the iris of the eye is visible in one or both eyes. This can result in a sleepy, tired or even harsh appearance, but can also cause cause:
- Brow strain
- Inability to read for long periods of time
- Forehead wrinkles
- Dark circles and under-eye bags
- Vision problems
- Discomfort or irritation
- Dry eyes
Ptosis Repair
This complex but effective procedure tightens the muscle that elevates the upper eyelid or the eye-elevating muscle so it has more power and more effectively opens the eyes. It’s a delicate process as many layers of fine tissues and many blood vessels are affected. Different types of repairs include:
- Vertical eye enlargement – Widen the eye through to correct upper visual obstruction through double eyelid surgery or upper blepharoplasty.
- Double eyelid surgery – Excess skin and fat are removed and a double eyelid is formed with a full, partial or no incision.
- Upper blepharoplasty – Remove excess skin on the upper eye and tighten levator muscle.
- Non-incisional correction – For borderline ptosis, fine sutures shorten the muscle used to raise the upper eyelid margin.
Your Facial Plastic Surgeon is uniquely trained to address not only the appearance but the function of the nose. A wide range of nasal deformities exist from nasal “humps”, “too round” of a tip, deviated noses, asymmetric noses, “flat” noses, “droopy” noses, and congenital deformities adjust to name a few.
For many reasons, rhinoplasty is a challenging but rewarding operation. Your facial plastic surgeon does everything possible to give you the best outcome.
What to Expect
Surgery may take anywhere from 3 - 6 hours to complete. This time will be spent reshaping and rebuilding your nose so your results are durable. If you have problems with nasal obstruction, there will be special techniques used to improve the function of your nose.
Regular post-surgical follow-up is critical in ensuring long-term aesthetic and breathing results. You may be asked to do nasal exercises, tape your nose to decrease swelling, and occasionally receive steroid injections. Postoperative care can have a major impact on your long-term outcome and satisfaction. It is important to remember that healing from a rhinoplasty takes time. Final results may take 2 years or more to achieve. You must understand that your nose will look swollen and possibly wider early on, only to improve with time.
If you have had nasal surgery before, your surgeon may recommend the use of ear or rib cartilage to aid in the outcome of your surgery. It is important to understand that with rhinoplasty, some noses can be effectively corrected while others have a higher risk of problems or persistent deformity that may require an additional surgery. If you desire aesthetic changes to your nose, your surgeon may also recommend chin augmentation as well at the time of rhinoplasty surgery depending on your facial harmony.
It is important to remember that perfection in rhinoplasty does not exist. Our philosophy is that results in rhinoplasty should be as beautiful as they are natural. In some instances, you may be eligible for full or partial insurance coverage for this procedure. Ask your Facial Plastic Surgeon about if you qualify for insurance coverage of this procedure.