October Cosmetic Surgery Seminars

Come and join us! Find out about treatments that can give you the beautiful look you've always wanted. You will have the opportunity to meet our staff and Dr. Graham, see Before & After photos, and have plenty of time for questions.

Breast & Body Seminar: October 12th from 6:30 until 8:00pm

Facial Cosmetic Seminar: October 19th from 6:30 until 8:00pm

(Additional future dates are available)

You can register several ways:
Register by e-mail (info@expertplasticsurgeon.com)
Register through our website, www.ExpertPlasticSurgeon.com
Register by phone 864-676-1707

Contact us now!

"My eyes make me look so tired." Eyelid blepharoplasty can fix that.

Some times patients notice it themselves. Sometimes it's because someone asks, "Why do always look so tired? Are you getting enough sleep?"

People judge our emotions and health by how we look to them. Hanging, loose upper eyelid skin or lower eyelid bags cause others to assume we are not our best.

Eyelid tuck, eye lift, or its medical name "blepharoplasty" is the procedure that is done to correct those characteristics. Under light anesthesia, or occasionally local, extra skin is removed, fat pockets are smoothed, crinkly skin is tightened with laser, etc. These procedures may be done only to the upper or the lower lids, or both. They may be combined with other procedures a patient desires like browlift, facelift, necklift, lip enhancement, facial fat grafting, etc.

Our goal is to give you a natural improvement in your appearance. We avoid techniques that distort, pull tightly, or unfavorably alter the shape of your eye area. We want everyone to notice how great you look, not notice that you look odd or different. Our photo gallery can be found at http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/eyelid-surgery-blepharoplasty-4802

Our cosmetic surgery is most often done in our nationally accredited out-patient surgical facility (in-office), complimented by a physician anesthesiologist (MD). Detail about our facility and a photo tour are available on our web site http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/about.html

Sutton Graham, MD, FACS is board certified in plastic surgery, and has almost 20 years experience performing cosmetic eyelid surgery (and other aesthetic / cosmetic surgery of the face, breast & body). Our office is located in Greenville, South Carolina. We serve a wide area of Georgia, North & South Carolina, including Hartwell, Athens, Clayton, Seneca, Keowee, Anderson, Greenwood, Clemson, Abbeville, Jocassee, Sunset Lake Communities (Cliffs, Reserve, etc.), Easley, Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Taylors, Cleveland, Spartanburg, Highlands, Cashiers, Franklin, Brevard, Flat Rock, Tryon, Landrum, Hendersonville, Asheville, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock

Facelift in South Carolina: Natural, beautiful results

There are plenty of jokes about poorly done, overly tight, unnatural appearing facelift patients. The reality is that well done facelifts are so natural that most people never know you had it done, they only see how great you look. Our photo gallery can be viewed at http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/facelift-necklift-4805/case-6-07394-16775

Dr. Sutton Graham has an excellent reputation for achieving beautiful, natural-looking results with face lift cosmetic surgery. A variety of techniques are classified under the simple title “face lift”, and the procedure can be adapted to suit each individual patient’s desires and problem areas. Standard procedures combine correction of looseness and sagging involving your cheeks, jowls, jawline, chin and neck. If the forehead and brow area is a problem, then minimal-incision browlift can be done. If eyelid area loose skin, hooding, bags, etc. are a problem, then eyelid blepharoplasty is the solution. Short-scar (limited-incision) facelift is appropriate for those with looseness limited to the cheeks and jawline areas - without much neck looseness. This latter procedure is known by a variety of names; mini-lift, lite-lift, lifestyle-lift, MACS lift, S-lift. These alternatives are considered for all patients. Additional information is on our website http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/facelift.html

Sometimes we simply hear our patients say, “I’m just looking so old and tired,” or “I look so much older than I feel.” A facelift at our Greenville practice can address these concerns, helping to restore youthful-looking beauty for both our male and female patients.

Dr. Graham is board certified in plastic surgery, respected in the community, has almost 20 years experience, cares for thousands of cosmetic patients, is a member of several regional and national professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons. We serve Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Columbia, Greenwood, Seneca, Clemson, Easley, Greer, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Taylors, Sunset, Lake communities of Hartwell, Keowee, Jocassee, Reserve, Cliffs, Landrum & Tryon, Hendersonville, Brevard, Asheville, Waynesville, Franklin, Highlands, Cashiers, Clayton, Hartsville, etc.

Public education success in Upstate South Carolina

We were very pleased with the response to our public education efforts last night.

Dr. Graham, our patient coordinator Betty Babb, and our nurse practitioner Janice Sasser hosted a well attended presentation at a beautiful restaurant meeting room in Seneca, South Carolina (Rudy's on Ram Cat). They had some great appetizers and refreshments for our guests.

We presented information on cosmetic surgery, cosmetic medical procedures, and professional skin care. We covered breast & body, and facial procedures in two, back-to-back sessions. We offered Dr. Graham's presentation, interesting statistics, before & after photographs, periods for audience questions, and time for individual questions. We were pleased with the numbers of people in attendance and their interesting questions. Thanks to all of you that came and shared the evening with us. We hope you'll want to do it again sometime.

Easley & Seneca, South Carolina: We're Coming to You!

In our continuing series of presentations to our communities, we will be visiting Easley and Seneca, South Carolina in the next two weeks. Come & join us! Bring your friends!

We're serving refreshments and highlighting our quality cosmetic surgery (our team, our facility, our wonderful patients, their beautiful results)

The presentations start at 6:00pm.
--6:00 until 7:15 Facial Cosmetic Procedures
--7:15 until 7:30 Break & Refreshments
--7:30 until 8:30 Breast & Body Procedures

We have many before & after photographs. We'll discuss skin care, non-surgical treatments, minimally invasive and standard surgical procedures.

You'll learn a lot from Dr. Graham's presentation. And you'll have plenty of time for questions in both sessions. You can also ask us to contact you afterward with additional information.

Easley's session is Tuesday, October 27th at Dunburk's Reception and Conference Center in historic downtown Easley, on South Pendleton Street. Parking is available street-side or in the large parking area behind the building. Directions are available on their website http://www.dunburks.com/Directions.html

Seneca's session is one week later, on Tuesday, November 3rd at Rudy's on Ram Cat Restaurant. This is in the historic district of Seneca on Ram Cat Alley. Parking is available street-side or in the large lot one block away on North Townville and Main Street. Their website also includes directions http://www.tigergourmet.com/rudys-on-ram-cat-alley.htm

We have picked these locations to give you our experience and detailed information in two wonderful facilities. Bring your interested family members and friends, and please join us.

Dr. Graham's Aesthetic Center for Breast & Cosmetic Surgery is a specialized cosmetic plastic surgery practice, located in Greenville, South Carolina. We serve Georgia, South Carolina & Western North Carolina.

Droopy eyelid skin; Removal is most common facial cosmetic surgery

Blepharoplasty is the medical term for a procedure often called eyelid tuck or eyelift. According to 2008 national statistics from the ASPS, eyelid cosmetic surgery was the most common facial surgery (followed by facelift, browlift). http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Press_Kits/Procedural_Statistics.html

Similarly, in our practice in upstate South Carolina, eyelid is most common. It is performed as a single procedure or in combination with facelift or browlift, or other procedures. For more information call 864-676-1707 or see the e-mail link on our website: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/other-face.html

Removal of hanging, loose, excess upper lid skin is the most common feature that patients request to freshen their appearance, make them look less tired or old. If there are upper fat pockets these can be removed. If there are lower eyelid bags these can be removed, tightened or hidden by a variety of techniques. If the skin texture is crinkled, then erbium:YAG laser resurfacing (peel) can be done to improve surface texture.

Each one of our patients is treated to post-operative lymphatic massage, carefully done by our experienced Skin Care Specialists (estheticians) to reduce post-op swelling, bruising or discomfort. They can also assist you with professional skin care products to enhance your surgical results, improve skin tone, pigmentation and texture. Make-up advice is available if you wish. We have Latisse eyelash enhancement prescription medication. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/skin.html

Cosmetic eyelid surgery and non-surgical eyelid enhancements at Dr. Sutton Graham's specialized practice. Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Columbia, Asheville

Facelift: making the result natural and beautiful.

Beautiful, natural facial rejuvenation is possible through facelift surgery. It all in how the surgeon does his work.

Dr. Graham is widely known for achieving such high quality results for his female and male patients. Our photo gallery gives many examples and we'll show you more when you visit the office for a consultation. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/facelift-necklift-4805. The skin is not pulled overly tight. The mouth is not stretched. the cheeks aren't flattened. The expressions remain natural. Many times your friends will only notice that you look better somehow, less tired, or they might think you lost some weight. Of course, if the concerns include slack jowls, "turkey-neck," lax cheek and neck skin, etc. those will be improved markedly.

Most patients feel well in days and return to light activities in about a week. There is relatively little down-time. You can resume exercise and an active lifestyle in 3 weeks.

If you want more information, see our website. Our contact page will get you started, and give you information on how to schedule a consultation. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/contact.html
Call 864-676-1707.
E-mail info@expertplasticsurgeon.com

Our specialized cosmetic plastic surgery practice can offer an in-office, private, nationally accredited surgical suite, with MD anesthesiology (board-certified). We perform facelift, cheeklift, short-scar facelift, necklift, neck liposuction, browlift, endoscopic browlift, eyelid blepharoplasty, fat graft augmentation of loss of fullness, lip augmentation, cheek augmentation, chin augmentation, chin implants, hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane & Juvederm), Botox & Dysport, laser skin tightening, laser peels, intense-pulsed light (IPL). We serve NE Georgia, Western North Carolina, South Carolina, including Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Columbia, Greenwood, Greer, Taylors, Clemson, Seneca, Reserve and Clifts Communities, Tryon, Landrum, Hendersonville, Asheville, Highlands, Cashiers, Beavard, etc.

Eyelid & Facelift Surgery: Attention turns to facial procedures

With summer almost over and fall approaching we notice a trend among our patients' interests. Many now want facial cosmetic procedures, often thinking ahead to looking their best for holidays, social and family gatherings.

Patients who have visited our office in the past and people who review our website have seen our strong emphasis on facial cosmetic surgery. Dr. Graham is well known for beautiful, natural looking facelifts, necklifts, short-scar cheeklifts, eyelid tuck (blepharoplasty), browlifts, laser wrinkle treatments, Botox & the new Dysport, lip enhancement, fillers such as Restylane, Perlane and Juvaderm, and finally natural fat grafts.

In addition to Dr. Graham, we have talented and experienced staff including 2 Skin Care Specialists (licensed estheticians) and our nurse practitioner (advanced-practice nurse). They enhance the results of both pre-op and post-op surgical patients and of women and men who want non-surgical enhancements. After surgery, our patients are provided sessions to reduce swelling and any bruising, improve circulation and increase comfort. If ultrasound or laser technology will speed healing, they can provide those as well.

Often we see a new patient who is wondering about facial cosmetic surgery, but isn't ready yet. We'll provide detailed information to help them with their decision. We have tools that they can use to help without surgery. For example, early eyelid skin wrinkles can improve with some combination of Obagi skin care products, microlaser peel, or Botox & Dysport neurotoxins. As another example, signs of age around the mouth can be improved with laser skin tightening (non-ablative), Juvaderm & Perlane fillers, and possibly selective Botox / Dysport. We also offer permanent make-up (medical tattooing) including lip liner, lip color, and eye liner which enhance those areas further. If you have facial pigmentation problems caused by sun exposure, hormones, etc. we have several treatments that can give you uniform smoother appearing skin.
http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/facelift.html
http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/other-face.html
http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/injectables.html#botox
The majority of our patients come from the million or so residents of Upstate South Carolina (Greenville, Spartanburg GSP, Anderson, Greer, Greenwood, Abbeville, Laurens, Clinton, Union, Gaffney, Inman, Taylors, Easley, Pickens, Clemson, Seneca). Georgia communities including Hartwell, Clayton, and Toccoa are included. North Carolina patients frequently consult us (Asheville, Henderson, Brevard, Highlands, Cashiers, Franklin, Waynesville). We do accommodate patients traveling from out-of- state through GSP airport, local hotels or B&B's, or those staying with family locally.

Nationally Accredited Office Cosmetic Surgical Suite

One of the benefits of our location on Halton Road, Greenville, SC is a clean, modern, spacious, and specially equipped Cosmetic Surgical Facility. It operates under the name Plastic Surgery Specialty Center, PA, and is overseen by Dr. Sutton Graham. The head nurse is Cathy Cole, RN, CPSN (registered nurse, certified plastic surgery nurse).

Our facility anesthesia is only delivered by Dr. Merritt Tolan, board-certified anesthesiologist with years of experience, and a wonderful caring manner. Tina Kraus, RN is our recovery nurse, and brings years of hospital recovery experience. Dr. Graham's surgical assistant is Terri Scott, CST (certified surgical technologist).

Our location features a specialized office surgical facility, with over 2,000 square feet that are designed and engineered to national accreditation standards. Our facility offers outstanding patient safety as well as comfort and privacy, and includes the following features:
Convenient and private entrance/exit
Sterility and infection control
Patient and blanket warming equipment
High-temperature in-house laundry facilities
Dedicated OR Nursing Director
Certified medical gas system
Experienced Anesthesiologist (physician)
Electronic patient monitoring equipment
Back-up power generator
High-efficiency OR air filtration system
Instrument processing and sterilization rooms
Monitored recovery spaces
Our Patients Experience the Difference
Unlike a typical hospital or multi-specialty surgery center, our facilities are used only for cosmetic surgery procedures. We do not have many different surgeons treating all types of unrelated procedures and diseases. Our accredited, on-site facilities are used only by cosmetic surgeon Sutton Graham, M.D., and each member of our staff really understands the unique needs and concerns of cosmetic surgery patients. Our specialized facilities and expertise helps ensure the quality and safety of each surgical procedure. In addition, we have carefully designed a number of protocols to optimize the postoperative recovery of each patient. Every patient is educated and given detailed information in advance.
To learn more about what sets our practice apart from others in Greenville, including our cosmetic plastic surgeon and nationally accredited facilities, please contact the Aesthetic Center for Breast and Cosmetic Surgery today.

Procedures performed include: Breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift, nipple & areola corrections, replacement of breast implants, correction of implant problems, facelift, cheeklift, necklift, browlift, eyelid lift (blepharoplasty), chin implant, fat grafts for lips / cheels / nasolabial grooves, tummy tuck abdominoplasty, liposuction, thigh lifts, arm tucks (brachioplasty), and others.

Patients come to us from throughout our region and beyond. (North Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina). For example: Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Easley, Pickens, Seneca, Clemson, Pendleton, Piedmont, Tryon, Landrum, Greenwood, Hartwell, Newberry, Clinton, Asheville, Hendersonville, Flat Rock, Brevard, Highlands, Cashiers

Just Released: 2008 statistics on plastic srugery

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) just published its 2008 annual statistical comparisons. The main findings are:

For the first time in 12 years, liposuction is no longer the most popular cosmetic surgery -- it is breast augmentation. Botox is again the most popular non-surgical treatment.

The top 5 surgery procedures for women (92% of patients) were breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty and breast reduction. That is reflective of my practice, although facelift is also very common.

The number of procedures decreased 11% from 2007. Among males, procedures decreased 23%. 53% of procedures were performed in office-based surgery facilities. Total spending was $12 billion. Details are available at http://www.surgery.org/

Busy Fall Season: Breast, Face & Body

Now is the time to plan your fall and winter season cosmetic surgery procedures. At this time of year we begin to hear from new and established patients who want to schedule a consultation. They are making their plans to have various operations. The want to coordinate them with plans to travel, and to gather with family and friends.

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years provide holidays from work that many patients use to recover with minimal down-time. Many of our patients have seasonal businesses that slow in December. Every individual has reasons for choosing this time of year that work for them. We are glad to accommodate and assist your plans. Call our office or e-mail. Find the contact information at out website: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/index.html.

Interest in Cosmetic Procedures in a Down Economy

In addition to general reporting on the US economy, many national media reports mention the impact on cosmetic surgery and cosmetic medical procedures.

Greenville and Upstate South Carolina appear to have several advantages. Our regional economy is stronger because of our exporting sector. We continue to have employers expanding and investing. We have not seen the dramatic home price inflation of other areas. Our region remains attractive to families moving from many parts of the country.

In our practice, as summer winds down, Skin Care clients return to continue their routines and minimize the effects of past sun exposure. Minimally invasive procedures (BotoxCosmetic, Restylane, Juvaderm, MicroLaserPeels, laser hair removal, etc.) continue being popular. Breast and facial cosmetic surgery procedures continue to be the most sought after, followed by body contouring (tummy tuck and liposuction). We expect to be busier as fall season approaches.

Sagging versus Wrinkles

I recently heard a great analogy comparing facial skin to fabric. If the surface isn't smooth you need to iron it (surface treatments such as Obagi skin care or laser peels). If the fabric hangs too much you need to take away the slack (necklift, facelift, browlift, etc.).

I'm sure many readers can relate!

Beauty for Life Update

In my first post, I said everyone should be aware of this concept: appropriate procedures (minimally-invasive and surgical) are available at different stages of life. Our national societies have published a new website www.beautyforlife.com.

It starts with good skin care in your teens. Botox may help maintain softer expression lines. Breast lift & tummy liposuction or tuck are known as the mommy make-over, after having children. Eyelid lifts and facelifts compliment the later changes in our faces. If you're interested, look at our practice website and the beauty for life site.

Cosmetic Procedures Increase 7%

Here are the highlights from 2007 from ASPS:

Facelifts up 14 %
Breast Implants up 6%
Slight increase for eyelid surgery
Injectables increase
Ethnic patients up 13%
Mild inc. in breast reduction & reconstruction
Liposuction steady
Decreases in rhinoplasty
Steep drops in collagen and hair transplants

The biggest news was that facelifts, that had decreased in the last few years, now returned as more commonly requested by patients. This may be due to realization of the limits of Botox and Hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane, etc.). They don't correct laxity, sagging, drooping skin & deeper layers.

Breast augmentation remains the most popular procedure, and its popularity increased. It remains popular in 2008 at our office.

The TOP FIVE surgery procedures were: Augmentation, Liposuction, Rhinoplasty, Eyelid, and Tummy tuck. The TOP FIVE non-surgical procedures were: Botox, Hyaluronic fillers, Peels, Laser hair removal, and Microdermabrasion.

We thought you would like to know!