As a child “Dr. C” wanted to be a doctor, and as he progressed in his training he was constantly drawn to surgery and to the face. "It's the face that people notice first".

"The face is a surgically intricate and complex area, and I enjoy that challenge. Facial plastic surgery also gives an opportunity to help people with self confidence and esteem. I get great pleasure from performing surgery and from knowing my patients."

Q. What preparation should prospective patients take prior to their first visit with you?
It is good if they have done basic research and are familiar with some facial rejuvenation options; it's also important to know the surgeon's qualifications, board certifications, and experience. Patients should be prepared to discuss what facial areas bother them and why, and they should feel free to ask as many questions as they wish. With so much information in the marketplace, it's easy to become overwhelmed with all the treatments available for facial rejuvenation, and it is difficult to understand why these may or may not be the best solution for your specific problem. I spend a lot of time in the initial consultation clarifying the patient's needs and carefully evaluating the patient's face, skin, and individual features. I encourage questions, make recommendations on a treatment plan, and hopefully provide realistic expectations. Based on what the patient wants to achieve, we discuss alternatives to accomplish this. Just as there are different causes for specific problems, there are also multiple or combination procedures to achieve the patient's desired result.
I spend a lot of time with my patients; I like to understand their lifestyle, how much down-time is realistic for them, financial considerations, social issues, and what their motivation is. All of this is important information for any surgeon to know.
One consideration I always discuss with my patients is the condition of their skin. Initially patients don't realize how the skin condition affects the final result of their surgery. A facelift patient with a lot of sun damage and loss of elasticity requires a different treatment plan than a facelift patient with healthy more firm skin.
I also regularly conduct educational seminars which help potential patients prepare for the initial consultation. I discuss the wide array of services we offer, explain my approach and thoughts on procedures and answer questions about alternatives or any new technology that patients may have heard about.

Q. What does the term "Minimally Invasive" mean?
The term usually refers to surgery; and as a whole, surgical trends have been moving towards minimally invasive or a more minimal access surgery.
These procedures involve smaller incisions and therefore less disturbance of the tissues. With minimally invasive procedures there is less chance of a complication because there has been less interference with the normal functioning of that area. There is also quicker recovery because smaller incisions need less time to heal.
I have been performing minimally invasive surgery for years; the MaxLift´™ is a minimally invasive facelift. Assuming the patient is a good candidate, you can achieve very impressive results with a minimally invasive facelift. This is a good procedure for patients who do not want general anesthesia or who need to minimize downtime.

Q. How much time should a patient allow for the healing process?
Downtime after surgery varies depending on many factors including the type of procedure, skin condition, and patient lifestyle. When a patient undergoes surgery with larger incisions, I recommend one to two weeks before he can travel again. For smaller procedures, including eyelifts, dermal fillers, and skin treatments there is frequently very little to no down time and minimal recuperation time.

Q. Can you give advice to someone who may be considering Facial Rejuvenation?
There are three factors that affect our face and produce the appearance of aging. One is the condition of the skin itself: sun damage, loss of elasticity, change of pigmentation, spider veins, and wrinkles all make us look older. A second issue is deflation. The face loses volume as we age, and this creates a hollowed look in the mid-face and under the eye. Also as we age the lips become thin. The third factor is the descent of tissues. This includes the underlying tissues beneath the skin. When a patient notices his face is beginning to sag, this is descent of tissue. Jowls begin to form and the neck becomes lose and sagging.
When I rejuvenate a patient's face, I look at the overall reason behind a tired or aged appearance and fit the solution with the patient's lifestyle. Ideally, I want to improve the skin condition and texture, restore facial volume, and lift sagging tissue.
I would advise anyone considering surgery not to visit a doctor with a pre-determined solution in mind. Patients should have a consultation with a surgeon who has the expertise to provide advice and information about different options, and who will help them understand what can be done to accomplish their desired result. The goal should be to minimize an aged appearance and to achieve a more refreshed, youthful appearance.

Q. What should patients expect from their surgeon?
With facial plastic surgery, patients and their surgeon need to develop a trusting relationship. That's not something that happens with one visit or one interview.
Often patients will start with a small procedure, such as BOTOX®, or dermal fillers, and over time they build a strong doctor/patient relationship. They begin to trust the surgeon's judgment, understand his approach, and little by little, patients will comfortably and easily make decisions about facial rejuvenation that is right for them. Patients should expect their doctor to be open, honest, caring and always have the patients best interest at heart.
At the same time, the patient also gets to know the staff, and the office becomes somewhat of a destination for that patient. Our office is a place where I want my patients to feel comfortable when they walk in, a place where they know the people, and where they can sit, relax, feel stress free, and be treated special.
When I perform a facelift, my goal is to keep the patient looking natural. I get great pleasure when patients tell me that people are commenting about how good they look or are noticing something different, but can't quite put their finger on what it is.
I encourage patients to look at the surgeon's pictures, to talk to other patients, and get a feel for that surgeon’s signature style.

Coundouriotis Facial Plastic Surgery
727-547-1600
www.dr-c.com