FAQ

This society requires that a surgeon be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (see below), be a member of ASPS (see below), and have a practice that is over 50% cosmetic. This means that they have the training and perform mostly cosmetic plastic surgery instead of mainly reconstructive. Verify by either calling 888-272-7711 or look them up on the web at www.surgery.org

This society requires that a surgeon be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and has been in practice at least two years. Verify by either calling 888-4-PLASTIC or look them up on the web at www.plasticsurgery.org

Note that any other word in place of Plastic is not the same, i.e. Cosmetic, Aesthetic, Facial Cosmetic, etc. Verify by either calling 1-215-587-9322 or look them up on the web at www.abplsurg.org.

All hospitals verify training and education and they only allow surgeons who are adequately trained for specific procedures to perform them in their hospital. They also have committees that monitor potential problems to help insure patient protection.

Feeling uncomfortable with the surgeon can actually affect the outcome because you may be more stressed and hesitant to ask questions that are important in how the procedure is done and its outcome.

This is important because often you spend more time dealing with the staff than the surgeon.

Your surgeon or his nurse should be reachable 24 hours a day for any questions you may have. It’s better to ask a seemingly simple question than to ignore a potential problem.

If you are given the option to speak with a patient who had the procedure that you are considering, it is normal for this to take up to a couple of weeks to happen. Due to patient confidentiality, the patient’s name cannot be given to you, and it can take a while to reach the patient and get them to call you.

A surgeon’s level of expertise is often evident in the before and after pictures.

Your health should be the primary concern and certain procedures need to be done in a sterile surgical facility. Whenever anesthesia is used, you will want to be adequately monitored. Going to a certified facility helps guarantee that you are in good hands and a safe environment.

While we always hope for an uneventful recovery, once in a while a minor revision is required in order to get the best result. To protect yourself, find out how the surgeon charges for revisions.

If you are the first patient that a surgeon is doing a specific procedure on, you have the right to know. Going to a surgeon who performs your procedure on a regular basis will increase your chances of getting a good result.

Plastic surgery is a specialty dedicated to the enhancement of the face and body.  For those who wish to improve their appearance, cosmetic surgical procedures offer patients the opportunity to reshape physical features and improve their self-esteem.

Patients tolerate postoperative pain in ways that are different from each other.  Appropriate pain medications, which minimize discomfort, are prescribed for postoperative patients.

There is no precise answer to this question.  Surgery does not affect the ongoing aging process which is largely dependent upon genetics.  What cosmetic plastic surgery does is turn back the clock.  Unfortunately, aging is inevitable.  Although with cosmetic surgery, you are able to continue to look more youthful and in shape.

Dr. McKenna performs surgery under most types of anesthesia:  local anesthesia, intravenous sedation (“twilight”), general anesthesia and regional anesthesia (nerve blocks).  The method of anesthesia used is based on the patient and surgeon’s preference.

Skin and facial tissue that sag along with aging can give you an appearance of tiredness or anger even when you are feeling happy and energetic.  Jowls and drooping skin around the neck cause you to appear heavy.  With facial rejuvenation, you appear rested, healthy and more youthful.  The idea is to look better, not different.

Often a mini-lift can be performed instead of a full face-lift.  The mini-lift is limited to the lower portion of the face, correcting jowl and neck problems, while the traditional face-lift includes the upper part of the face as well.  Some patients opt to combine a face-lift with other procedures, such as eyelid surgery, or skin resurfacing to achieve a full effect.

The techniques used by Dr. McKenna help to provide a natural, non-surgical appearance.  Every effort is made to improve your appearance in the most natural view.

The length of time for recuperation after plastic surgery varies depending on the procedure.  Most patients will require assistance for a day or so, and then will be able to care for themselves.  We will discuss with you in detail your postoperative care and recovery instructions.  The techniques offered today allow patients to return to work fairly soon following surgery.

Depending on the procedure performed determines when a patient may resume physical exercise.  All patients are encouraged to start a slow walking routine and hold off on anything more strenuous until after consulting with their doctor.

There is no ideal age to have cosmetic surgery.  The time to have an elective procedure is when the desired change will justify the time, effort and the cost involved.  Another factor to take into consideration is the potential length of time to enjoy the benefits.  For example, if an individual has a facelift earlier in life, the rewards of this surgery can be enjoyed for a greater period of time.