Thornton said . “ And with the advances that have been made , people realize they can get some self-improvement to turn back the clock without have to do anything too risky , crazy or expensive .”
Dr . Mark Elliott , also of Meridian Plastic Surgery , said that he works to listen to patients and to let patients lead the process . Patients are given an opportunity to discuss concerns they have about their appearance . Then , possible options for various procedures are explored . “ It ’ s important to listen to the patient about their concerns – not to insert your own ideas in there without being asked ,” he said . “ The important thing is that the patient is happy with the result and feels good about how they look .”
Initial consultations often last 30 to 45 minutes and are held in a conference room instead of a medical type setting , Thornton said .
Elliott
“ We try to do some education in that first visit and to help people understand their options and what to expect with each option ,” Thornton said . “ We also have realistic conversations about how much time or money or effort a person is willing to spend . Those are all important factors and there are no right or wrong answers . It ’ s all very personal and customized .”
Usually , Thornton said he recommends patients start with smaller , less invasive efforts . Some treatments can be done with lasers and only take a few minutes reducing the appearance of wrinkles or the size of pores .
Many treatments do not require anesthesia , so patients can comfortably return to work or socializing after .
Sometimes , lasers also are used to minimize acne scars . Laser of implants , he prefers to do a “ fat transfer ,” where a patient ’ s own fat is taken from another part of body and used to enhance their breasts or buttocks .
In other cases , moms who are finished having children will choose to have a tummy tuck to tighten the skin in their abdominal area .
The cost of procedures varies dramatically , depending in part on complexity . Some laser procedures and filler treatments can cost around $ 200 , while a full neck and facelift would likely cost between $ 7,500 and $ 15,000 total , Thornton said .
Interestingly , patients from other parts of the country sometimes come to Meridian for surgery – possibly in part because the costs are lower here than in metropolitan areas , where plastic surgeons likely have to pay more for facilities and other expenses .
One day in mid-November , for example , the clinic booked two clients from Atlanta , Thornton said . While there are some definite trends in plastic surgery – like a current trend toward using body sculpting to amplify the buttocks area - the center generally tries to focus on innovation more than trends .
“ We want to offer a lot of options that are less invasive and less costly ,” Elliott said . “ People can come in and have fillers or even a mini-face lift done and it will cost less and require less in the way of recovery .”
One trend the doctors are seeing , though , is that patients are getting younger . While the average patient is now in their 50s , many patients are booking their first sessions in their 20s and 30s , seeking information on how to be proactive .
“ They want to know more about what to do for maintenance – how to maintain their skin and body to avoid needing some of the bigger procedures later ,” Thornton said . “ That ’ s definitely a valuable role of the less invasive procedures — they help people to avoid needing things that are more extensive later . The ideal is to be proactive from an early age .”
Thornton said he understands that some patients worry that getting plastic surgery and other treatments might make them
“ Most people can now access quality plastic surgery locally . And with the advances that have been made , people realize they can get some self-improvement to turn back the clock without have to do anything too risky , crazy or expensive .”
Dr . Lee Thornton , Meridian Plastic Surgery
treatments and injections like Botox typically do not require any recovery time , with patients often driving themselves directly back to the office after to finish their day .
Still . Thornton said it is important for patients to understand that sometimes , surgery is necessary to get the desired results .
“ If someone is a candidate for a facelift , they may not get the results with anything else ,” he said . “ But that doesn ’ t mean that surgery is right for everyone . Some people don ’ t want to do that , or they don ’ t want to spend the money or time . We respect all of that and we are just honest about what to expect .”
Looking beyond the face to the body , Thornton said breast enhancements and lifts are especially popular . He said instead seem like they are spending too much time , energy and money on their appearance .
But he said he is consistently impressed by how much physical improvements can lead to other positive life changes .
“ I tell people that appearance is just a part of the whole , but it can be a very important part ,” Thornton said . “ I don ’ t tell people to come and do this to change your life . I don ’ t think people should come looking for miraculous life changes . But I also can tell you that we really do see an overall change in people , where they truly feel more confident and they feel better about going into the workplace or social situations . Having that additional confidence , they feel happier , too . These are very real improvements .” www . meridianstar . com
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