Everyone wants to feel great in their own skin, and thousands have trusted Dr. Tate to make that a reality. His combination of skill, experience, and training is sure to exceed your expectations and make your personal transformation unforgettable.
Dr. Tate is well-trained in all aspects of facial plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures. Dr. Tate understands that everyone wants to feel confident at every stage of their life. He carefully listens to the goals of each patient and uses meticulous surgical technique to provide customized results.
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To accentuate the eyes, augment their beauty and give a more refreshed, well-rested appearance. A well done eyelid surgery, will lift the excess skin of the eyelid, and improve the heavy, fatigued look. Surgery of the eyelids often involves removal of excess skin, fat , or pouches.
Philosophy
The trick with eyelid surgery, is to remove enough skin to provide youth, but not to hollow the eyes giving a gaunt, elderly appearance. Aggressive eyelid surgery will often worsen the appearance of the eyes. This is evident, with many Hollywood celebrities that have had an overly aggressive eyelid procedure. If you examine a 20 year olds youthful eyes, you will note that there is a small amount of excess skin with good volume.
Commonly Asked Questions
Will my upper eyelid procedure be covered by insurance? There are strict criteria for having the eyelids covered by insurance. First, there needs to be actual symptoms such as difficulty with reading, driving, or looking at the computer. Second, photographs need to document the excess eyelid skin. Lastly, visual fields that simulate surgery, need to show a clear need for the surgery. Dr. Tate’s office will help assure all of the criteria are met.
Are lower eyelid procedures covered by insurance? Most lower eyelid procedures are considered cosmetic. In rare cases, droopy lower eyelids called ectropion may be covered by insurance, because of the eyelid discomfort and excessive tearing.
Does Dr. Tate’s office perform many eyelid procedures? Yes, Dr. Tate has extensive experience with eyelid procedures.
How long is recovery? Most patients are back to work after 7-10 days.
Is the procedure painful? Almost 100 percent of patients are off pain meds after 24 hours.
Will I be put to sleep? Most often, sedation or “twilight anesthesia” are used. This is a safe, comfortable, and effective way to perform the procedure.
Do I go home after the procedure? Yes, this is an outpatient procedure.
Will I look surprised after the procedure? The goal of this procedure is to give a natural un-operated look. Dr. Tate has not had a patient complain of a “surprised look.”
Many invasive and non-invasive techniques exist for improvement of sagging neck and facial tissues. However, none are more powerful than a well done Face and Neck lift. There are no lasers, skin creams, or gimmicks that you may see on television that can approach the results of a surgical lift.
Oftentimes, surgeons will devise ways to perform minimal procedures that they call facelifts, that are performed in 1-2 hours. Many surgeons will perform up to 4-5 of these lifts in a day. In my experience, these results often do not last, nor do they give the overall result of a well done full facelift. “There are no shortcuts to a well done facelift.”
As one ages, they will notice that not only does the neck lose definition, but the cheeks will lose volume and gravity will take effect with sagging. Only tightening the skin of the neck, may give an unnatural, operated appearance, that often makes the patient appear tighter but not more youthful.
Philosophy
Dr. Tate’s expertise is facial plastic surgery. He has trained under world experts in the field, including a national president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery. Simply put, facial plastic surgery is all he does. Dr. Tate has knowledge of available facelift procedures including mini-facelifts, SMAS lifts, and Deep-Plane lifts.
My personal technique is to tailor the facelift to the patient. When performing facelift, I will often lift the neck and mid-face as part of the procedure. Additionally, I often replace lost volume in the face, with structural fat grafting. Using these powerful, modern techniques produces a natural, youthful appearance. “There is no cookie-cutter, one-size fits all face-lift procedure.”
Facelift Surgery with Dr. Tate
Dr. Tate believes that facelift procedures should be performed at licensed surgical facilities with board certified anesthesiologists, and registered nurses. This is safest for patients, period. At the Centre for Facial Plastic Surgery, patient safety is the most important of our care.
Dr. Tate performs all of his facelift surgeries at the prestigious Patients’ Hospital of Redding, California. Patients’ hospital has received numerous awards. Most prestigious of which is #1 in patient satisfaction in the country. Also, Patients’ Hospital has one of the lowest infection rates in the state. Additionally, Dr. Tate encourages his patients to stay the night in the hospital after the procedure. In the private room, patients will find beautiful views and an assigned registered nurse with experience taking care of facelift patients. The culinary experience is second to none, with a chef preparing a meal, that is served on fine china. Dr. Tate will personally guide the care and perform any necessary wound care before you depart the next morning. The experience is truly an experience that rivals world class hotels.
Commonly Asked Questions
1. Which technique does Dr. Tate use? Dr. Tate will tailor his technique for your specific concerns and needs. For example, a 65 year old woman who has recently lost 40 pounds, will need an entirely different surgical procedure than a thin 45 year old woman who desires a more defined neck.
2. How long will the surgery take? Often times patients like additional procedures with the facelift. Such as blepharoplasty, browlift, fat augmentation...This will increase the surgical time. However, there are no shortcuts to a well done procedure, and surgical times often range from 3-6 hours.
3. Is the surgery painful? In the first 24 hours, there may be some tenderness that is well managed with pain medication. Remarkably, most patients discontinue there pain meds by day 2-3.
4. Will I be stuck at home for 3 weeks? No, not at all. In fact, by day 3, I encourage patients to take a walk around the neighborhood.
5. How long is recovery? Most patients are performing normal activities by day 7-12, including shopping, driving, etc. Camouflage makeup is permitted by day 7.
6. Who will I see for postoperative visits? Dr. Tate, always.
7. Do I need to stay overnight at the hospital? No, you do not need to stay overnight. However, Dr. Tate highly encourages an overnight stay for patient comfort. Why not take advantage of a private room, great food and a registered nurse addressing any pain, nausea or wound care needs.
Many new therapies and technologies are presently available to enhance the appearance of thin and aging lips. Dr. Randy Tate offers services such as fat transfer, injection of various filler materials. (Juvederm and Belotero). These procedures can restore a youthful appearance to the lips, minimize vertical wrinkles, or create a voluptuous.
It is important to identify inadequate chin projection at a cosmetic consultation. The chin, although often overlooked, is important to facial harmony and balance. The goal of a chin implant is to provide balance to the face. The implant often is performed in conjunction with a facelift or rhinoplasty to improve the overall result. The implant is made out of soft silicone and is placed through a very small incision underneath the chin. There are several different shapes of implants to choose from, and Dr. Tate will carefully choose the most appropriate implant for your facial balance.
To augment the chin, the surgeon begins by making an incision either in the natural crease line just under the chin or inside the mouth, where gum and lower lip meet. By gently stretching this tissue, the surgeon creates a space where an implant can be inserted. This implant, made of synthetic material that feels much like natural tissue normally found in the chin, is available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. This allows custom fitting of the implant to the configurations of the patient’s face. After implantation, the surgeon uses fine sutures to close the incision. When the incision is inside the mouth, no scarring is visible. If the incision is under the chin, the scar is usually imperceptible.
In chin reduction surgery, incisions are made either in the mouth or under the chin. The surgeon sculpts the bone to a more pleasing size. For orthognathic surgery, the surgeon will make an incision inside the mouth and reposition the facial bones. The procedure, depending on the extent of the work, takes from less than an hour to approximately three hours.
Is Mentoplasty for you?
As with all elective surgery, good health and realistic expectations are prerequisites. It is also key to understand all aspects of the surgery. A pleasing, balanced profile can be achieved by inserting an implant or moving the bone forward to build up a receding chin, or by reducing a jutting or too prominent chin. The result can be greater facial harmony and an increase in self-confidence.
Another possibility for improvement through chin surgery is submental liposuction in which excess fatty tissue is removed to redefine the chin or neckline. When there is a contributing problem of dental malocclusions or birth defects in the structure of the jaw itself, surgery of the jaw can improve the form and function of the lower face and greatly enhance appearance.
Your consultation can help you decide on the type of surgery that addresses your concerns. Your surgeon can also provide information on new medical techniques for chin surgery and offer recommendations for supplementary surgery that can ensure the greatest improvement.
Making the decision
Whether you are interested in chin surgery for functional or cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is extremely important. During the consultation, your surgeon will thoroughly examine your chin and jaw to pinpoint problems. In some instances, the surgeon will suggest chin surgery as a supplement to rhinoplasty because a small chin can make the nose appear larger.
Your surgeon will weigh other factors that could influence the outcome of surgery such as age, skin type, and attitudes toward surgery. The surgical procedure will be described in detail along with reasonable projections. If you opt for surgery, your surgeon will describe the technique indicated, the type of anesthesia to be used, the surgical facility, any additional surgery, and risks and costs.
Is there much pain? There is a mild amount of pain for the first few days. This decreases rapidly as the swelling improves.
Is there much risk of complications? The rate of adverse side effects for this procedure are extremely low. In fact, Dr. Tate has never had to remove/revise the chin implant.
Is there much scarring? The small incision (approximately 2 centimeters) is carefully hidden underneath your chin. With precise closure, scarring is minimal.
After the surgery
Immediately after surgery, the surgeon usually applies a dressing that will remain in place for two to three days. You will experience some tenderness. Post-operative discomfort can be controlled with prescribed medications. Chewing will probably be limited immediately after chin surgery, and a liquid and soft food diet may be required for a few days after surgery. Most patients feel a stretched, tight sensation after the surgery, but this usually subsides in a week.
After approximately six weeks, most swelling will be gone, and you can enjoy the results of your procedure. Rigorous activity may be prohibited for the first few weeks after surgery. Normal activity can be resumed after approximately ten days.
Facial plastic surgery makes it possible to enhance your appearance and eliminate signs of premature aging that undermine self-confidence. By changing how you look, facial plastic surgery can improve your self-image.
Insurance does not generally cover surgery that is purely for cosmetic reasons. Surgery to correct or improve genetic deformity or traumatic injury may be reimbursable in whole or in part. It is the patient’s responsibility to check with the insurance carrier for information on the degree of coverage.
Probably no other physical characteristic cries out for facial plastic surgery more than protruding ears. Children, long the victims of cruel nicknames like “Dumbo” or “Mickey Mouse,” are the most likely candidates for otoplasty, but this surgery can be performed at any age after the ears have reached full size, usually around five to six years of age. Even if the ears are only mildly distorted, the condition can lead to self-consciousness and poor adaptation to school. When it comes to otoplasty, conventional wisdom is the earlier the better.
Adults may also benefit from this procedure, which improves self-esteem with relative ease. Often, adults choose this surgery in conjunction with other facial plastic surgical procedures. Not only is it possible to “pin back” ears, but ears can also be reshaped, reduced in size, or made more symmetrical.
If you are wondering how otoplasty can improve the way you look, you need to know how otoplasty is performed and what you can expect from this procedure. This pamphlet can address many of your concerns.
Successful facial plastic surgery is a result of good rapport between patient and surgeon. Trust, based on realistic expectations and exacting medical expertise, develops in the consulting stages before surgery. Your surgeon can answer specific questions about your specific needs.
The Surgery
Surgery begins with an incision just behind the ear, in the natural fold where the ear is joined to the head. The surgeon will then remove the necessary amounts of cartilage and skin required to achieve the right effect. In some cases, the surgeon will trim the cartilage, shaping it into a more desirable form and then pin the cartilage back with permanent sutures to secure the cartilage.
In other instances, the surgeon will not remove any cartilage at all, using stitches to hold the cartilage permanently in place. After sculpting the cartilage to the desired shape, the surgeon will apply sutures to anchor the ear until healing occurs to hold the ear in the desired position.
Is Otoplasty for you?
General good health and realistic expectations are prerequisites. It is also important to understand the surgery. Otoplasty will not alter hearing ability. What is important for successful otoplasty is that the ears be in proportion to the size and shape of the face and head.
When considering otoplasty, parents must be confident that they have their child’s best interests at heart. A positive attitude toward the surgery is an important factor in all facial plastic surgery, but it is especially critical when the patient is a child or adolescent.
Adult candidates for otoplasty should understand that the firmer cartilage of fully developed ears does not provide the same molding capacity as in children. A consultation with a facial plastic surgeon can help parents decide what is best for their child, not only aesthetically, but also psychologically and physically. Timing is always an important consideration. Having the procedure at a young age is highly desirable in two respects: the cartilage is extremely pliable, thereby permitting greater ease of shaping; and secondly, the child will experience psychological benefits from the cosmetic improvement.
Making the decision
Your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. During the consultation, the surgeon will examine the structure of the ears and discuss possibilities for correcting the problems. Even if only one ear needs “pinning back,” surgery will probably be recommended on both ears to achieve the most natural, symmetrical appearance.
After the surgeon and patient decide that otoplasty is indicated, your surgeon will discuss the procedure. Following a thorough medical history, your surgeon will explain the kind of anesthesia required, surgical facility, and costs. Typically, your surgeon will suggest a general anesthesia for young patients and a local anesthetic combined with a mild sedative for older children and adults. Under normal conditions, otoplasty requires approximately two hours.
After the surgery
Surgery begins with an incision just behind the ear, in the natural fold where the ear is joined to the head. The surgeon will then remove the necessary amounts of cartilage and skin required to achieve the right effect. In some cases, the surgeon will trim the cartilage, shaping it into a more desirable form and then pin the cartilage back with permanent sutures to secure the cartilage.
In other instances, the surgeon will not remove any cartilage at all, using stitches to hold the cartilage permanently in place. After sculpting the cartilage to the desired shape, the surgeon will apply sutures to anchor the ear until healing occurs to hold the ear in the desired position.
“The most attractive nose is one that is not noticed.”
The goal of rhinoplasty is to put the nose in balance with the facial features. Patients often come to the office with concerns of prominent “humps” or feeling that the nose is too large for the face. These concerns may make one feel self-conscious, when in social situations, and especially when being photographed.
Philosophy
Not every plastic surgeon performs rhinoplasty because of the high level of expertise needed for the procedure.
Dr. Tate is uniquely qualified to perform nasal procedures because he is Dual board certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgey and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery. Dr Tate is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Surgeons (F.A.C.S.). Only experienced board certified surgeons with the highest qualifications attain this certification.
Dr. Tate will carefully analyze your nose and facial structures and discuss a customized approach. This will include careful analysis of your chin, because often a gentle chin augmentation will improve the overall balance of the face.
Right for you?
Whether the surgery is desired for functional or cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. Many facial plastic surgeons are trained in both ear, nose, throat, and facial cosmetic surgery, which provides you, the patient, with the highest level of training and expertise. Your surgeon will examine the structure of your nose, both externally and internally, to evaluate what you can expect from rhinoplasty. You are most likely to be pleased with the results of your surgery if you have a realistic idea of what nasal surgery can and cannot do.
You can expect a thorough explanation of the surgeon’s expectations and the risks involved in surgery. Following a joint decision by you and your surgeon to proceed with rhinoplasty, the surgeon will take photographs of you and discuss the options available. Your surgeon will explain how the nasal structures, including bone and cartilage, can be sculpted to reshape the nose and indicate how reshaping the chin, for example, could enhance the desired results.
After conducting a thorough medical history, your surgeon will offer information regarding anesthesia, the surgical facility to be used, and the costs for the procedure.
Understanding the Surgery
The definition of rhinoplasty is, literally, shaping the nose. First, incisions are made and the bone and cartilage support system of the nose is accessed. The majority of incisions are made inside the nose, where they are invisible. In some cases, an incision is made in the area of skin separating the nostrils. Next, certain amounts of underlying bone and cartilage are removed, added to, or rearranged to provide a newly shaped structure. For example, when the tip of the nose is too large, the surgeon can sculpt the cartilage in this area to reduce it in size. The angle of the nose in relation to the upper lip can be altered for a more youthful look or to correct a distortion.
The tissues are then redraped over the new frame and the incisions are closed. A splint is applied to the outside of the nose to help retain the new shape while the nose heals. Soft, absorbent material may be used inside the nose to maintain stability along the dividing wall of the air passages called the septum. Alternatively, soft nasal supports that permit nasal breathing post-operatively can be placed.
After Surgery
Immediately after surgery, a small splint will be placed on your nose to protect it and to keep the structure stable for at least five to eight days. If packing is placed inside the nose during surgery, it is removed the morning following the surgery. Your face will feel puffy,especially the first day after surgery. Pain medication may be required. Your surgeon will advise you to avoid blowing your nose for seven days after surgery. In the immediate days following surgery, you may experience bruising and minor swelling in the eye area. Cold compresses often reduce the bruising and discomfort. Absorbable sutures are usually used that do not have to be removed. Nasal dressing and splints are usually removed six or seven days after surgery.
It is crucial that you follow your surgeon’s directions, especially instructions to keep your head elevated for a certain period after surgery. Some activities will be prohibited in the weeks after the procedure. Sun exposure, exertion, and risk of injury must be avoided. If you wear glasses, special arrangements must be made to ensure that the glasses do not rest on the bridge of the nose. Tape and other devices are sometimes used to permit wearing glasses without stressing the area where surgery was performed.
Follow-up care is vital for this procedure to monitor healing. Obviously, anything unusual should be reported to your surgeon immediately. It is essential that you keep your follow-up appointments with your surgeon.
Insurance does not generally cover surgery that is purely for cosmetic reason?. Surgery to correct or improve nasal function or surgery for major deformity or injury may be reimbursable in whole or in part. It is the patient’s responsibility to check with the insurance carrier for information on the degree of coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rhinoplasty right for me? We will provide you with a customized consultation that will fully analyze your face.
What should I expect in preparation for surgery? Dr. Tate will carefully listen to your goals of surgery, and make sure that your expectations are reasonable. Detailed photographs will be taken for reference during surgery. Preoperative medications and instructions will be given. You will have plenty of time to discuss surgery with Dr. Tate and have all of your questions answered.
What should I expect after surgery? eThere will be a small amount of bruising and swelling around the eyes. This is normally concealable after approximatey 3-5 days. A nasal splint will need to be worn for 6-7 days. After 7 days, all sutures and splints have been removed. The majority of nasal swelling will be gone after 3 weeks, and at that point, most patients are very happy with their nose. A small amount of swelling will last for about 9-12 months as the skin redrapes to the new nose.
Should I expect scarring? Most incisions are made on the inside of the nose. Sometimes a small incision is made on the outside of the nose. These incisions typically heal up without any evidence of scar after about 2-3 months.