Plastic Surgery in Atlanta - Welcome to News & Updates
Dr. Jones’s Breast Augmentation Approach - No Scars, No Revisions
November 4, 2009. Dr. Jones’ experience, training, and ability to innovate have allowed him to implement a masterful way to accomplish breast augmentation.
“In 85% of my cases at six months after surgery, I would not be able to detect the scar on the breast even though I knew exactly where it was,” claims Dr. Jones. He explains further: “My technique encompasses a unique, 100% muscle coverage while supporting the breast implant such that it rarely—if ever—droops or falls. This minimizes the need for touch-ups or revisions. Moreover, my technique is ‘bloodless,’ relegating contracture or hematoma complications largely to the past. Finally, unlike many other breast augmentation procedures, my approach—in most cases—does not impact any future pregnancy or breastfeeding.”
To understand how Dr. Jones is able to accomplish such an exceptional outcome, it helps to understand some key choices he makes as he performs breast augmentation surgery. First, Dr. Jones places the implant behind the breast muscle instead of the top, which is most often the easiest way to do it. Furthermore, Dr. Jones has developed a way of stretching the breast muscle fibers at its thinnest spot to avoid cutting into the muscle while placing the implant. To accomplish this, placing the implant behind the muscle without cutting through it, requires a skilled surgeon with exceptional experience and manual dexterity and precision. Having been able to position the implant in this way, Dr. Jones achieves an augmented breast supported by its own, unharmed muscle on all sides. The risk of contracture and drooping with time is minimized.
Dr. Jones achieves the “scarlessness” by effecting a puncture-like short incision at the junction of the areola near the vertical axis of the breast. This allows for a minimal transverse dissection of the breast tissues to reach towards the bloodless retro pectoral muscle plane. In English, the scar is located where the dark area starts around the nipple, and the implant is positioned via the shortest route through the breast tissue and muscle. The small incision scar generally heals inconspicuously and is hard to detect even by Dr. Jones a few months post surgery.
To learn more about Dr. Jones’s approach, please see our illustrations and explanations at our website. The advantages of Dr. Jones’s approach speak for themselves, please see our website for a summary of the advantages.
Rejuvenating the Face — Do We Need a Knife?
June 24, 2009. In recent years, many new facial contouring treatments have been developed that can reduce or erase wrinkles, tighten the skin, and improve the overall look and shape of the face—all without the need to go “under the knife.” These non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques were discussed by an expert panel at the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) in Las Vegas last May. The ASAPS panel discussion focused on the nuances of the different agents and the importance of selecting the proper agent based on the patient, the area of the face, and other factors.
The achievement of cosmetic improvement without surgery is undoubtedly an attractive prospect to many. Factors that influence a patient to decide to pursue non-surgical procedures over surgery include shorter downtime, decreased risk of serious complications, the patient’s medical history, and his or her aesthetic goals. According the ASAPS statistics, Botox® injection was the most popular aesthetic procedure performed in the United States in 2008, with almost 2.5 million procedures. The other popular non-surgical procedures included hyaluronic acid (Restylane) injections, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, and microdermabrasion. Despite the growing popularity of non-surgical cosmetic treatments, facelifts are still the main component of many surgical practices, with over 132,000 procedures performed in 2008 according to ASAPS data.
The current fillers in the market have varying characteristics. It is essential that the person injecting understands how they work. Knowledge of facial anatomy, for example, is crucial in minimizing possible complications. The face is full of intricate muscles and fine nerves, and understanding not only the exact location of the parts that make up the patient’s facial structure, but also the way the particular filler interacts with its surroundings, is critical for a successful outcome.
Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones believes the fillers and other non-surgical facial procedures have an important role in facial rejuvenation; however, they cannot always replace what a facelift can accomplish a d thus may not be the recommended solution for everyone. “There is a limit to how much one can fill a sagging skin, or how much one can alter certain dimensions with just fillers,” he says. “On the other hand,” Dr. Jones continues, “a patients may think she needs a facelift when she really does not. Rather, a combination of non-surgical techniques accomplishes what she wants, but without the surgery.” Dr. Jones also reminds us that facial rejuvenation need not be a “one or the other” proposition. In fact, cosmetic surgery results can be enhanced by both pre and post-operative non-surgical procedures. These may or may not include strategically positioned fillers and a hydroquinone/tretinoin based skin care regimen.
Based on his years of experience and seeing product lines come and go, Dr. Jones and his aesthetician, Bella Molokandova, have chosen to carry what they believe are the most effective products in the market. They include Revision Skincare, Jan Marini, and IS Clinical. Depending on the patient’s skin, these lines offer safe and effective skin care systems to optimize any surgery or a non-surgical procedure results, and to make sure the delicate facial skin is cared for gently. Dr. Jones also offers Obagi, a leading hydroquinone/tretinoin skin care regimen, which has worked miracles with his patients. The main purpose of Obagi is to clear blemishes, minor sunspots, and acne scars, but the attractive side effect is that it also appears to even out wrinkles.
In the end, sometimes getting under the surgeon’s knife is the best and the most effective way to accomplish the desired aesthetic outcome. Fortunately, the fillers available today and the non-surgical procedures such as peels, laser, and dermabrasion allow for other options to accomplish the certain result. The optimal procedure choice depends on the patient’s health and skin condition and color, age, genetics, and some other factors. It is most advisable to discuss these options with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon.
Fractional Resurfacing Laser — Should We Believe the Hype?
June 23, 2009. Since the early 1990s, lasers have become the high tech equivalent of dermabrasion or deep chemical peels for skin resurfacing (removal of the outer layer of the skin). American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) figures indicate that laser skin resurfacing was the fifth most common cosmetic treatment in the United States in 2008 with over 570,000 treatments, an increase of 12% on 2007 statistics. Last May, the leading experts held a panel discussion at the ASAPS annual meeting in Las Vegas, asking, “Is laser far superior to chemical peels and dermabrasion?”
First, let’s describe the fractional resurfacing laser technology and how it works. Unlike earlier laser technologies, with fractional resurfacing only a specified percentage of the skin receives the laser light. It was introduced to maintain the effectiveness of ablative lasers while minimizing the complications such as loss or change in pigmentation and in some cases, scarring. Moreover, patients of color may now be safely treated for a variety of skin conditions with this type of less invasive laser. Fractional laser technology delivers a series of microscopic, closely spaced laser spots to the skin while simultaneously preserving the normal healthy skin between. It allows for more rapid healing and less risk for complications. The latest fractional resurfacing treatments are office-based procedures done on an out-patient basis, with recovery time (time away from public eye) between three and seven days. Costs can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, and because they are usually considered cosmetic, these procedures are generally not covered by insurance.
After all the discussion of the pros and the cons, the ASAPS panel of leading experts concluded that there is no clear answer to whether laser is superior to the more traditional techniques of dermabrasion and chemical peels. True, recovery time from fractional laser tends to be less than from dermabrasion and chemical peels, but a lot of questions such as the ideal depth and strength of the laser beam and the long term impact of laser on the skin, remain unanswered. On the other hand, laser is easier to control for specific spots, whereas a peel or a dermabrasion works a general surface area of the skin.
Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones has followed the discussion of these techniques closely over the years, and tends to side with what is the safest for the patient and with the least risk of any adverse effects. “Safety has always been the primary concern of my practice, and the long term consequences from burning the dermis of the skin, which laser effectively does, are difficult to predict,” Dr. Jones exclaims. “The impact of any kind of burn is likely to vary from person to person, depending on their skin type and condition,” he continues.
The ASAPS panel also concluded that fractional resurfacing may not be ideal for every skin condition. Deep wrinkles, for example, may require so much density from the machine that severity of the treatment compare to the ablative laser in the dermis, thereby defeating the purpose of fractionation entirely. Conversely, fractional technology that penetrates deep into the dermis could be an overkill for someone with only surface blemishes. For best results, it is important for the plastic surgeon to identify the goals of the treatment and establish clear expectations with the patient. Only then can the surgeon recommend the most effective resurfacing technique to accomplish the desired results, whether with laser, dermabrasion, or chemical peel. The most popular option is not always the most appropriate option.
New Prescription Product Increases Length, Thickness, and Darkness of Eyelashes
February 3, 2009. Do you want longer, thicker, and darker eyelashes that are your own? In December, the FDA approved LATISSE™ as a new treatment to increase eyelash growth. It is the first and only science-based treatment approved by the FDA to enhance eyelash length, thickness, and darkness. Only available through a doctor, LATISSE™ is applied daily to the base of the upper eyelashes with a disposable applicator. Users can expect to see significant results in two months, with full results in four months. Just like a plant fertilizing process, continued treatment is required to maintain full effect, for the eyelashes will return to their pre-treatment state within a few months after treatment is discontinued (average eyelash life cycle). To conclude, this product gives patients a clinically significant aesthetic benefit with a good safety profile.
When scheduling an appointment for consultation, be sure to tell our receptionist that you also want to find out more about LATISSE™.
A Cut Above the Rest:
Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones’s Invisible Scar Technique (IST)
Results in Superior Shape and Natural Feel for the Breast
January 27, 2009. Breast augmentation is a medically approved, socially acceptable, and individually satisfying procedure that has improved the appearance, confidence and self-esteem of women around the world. Achieving the perfect look, shape, and natural feel of the human breast is the goal of every surgeon and the dream of every patient; however, some procedures are vastly superior to others.
Dr. Mark Mitchell Jones, an eminent Atlanta plastic surgeon with more than three decades of successful, practical experience has developed the Invisible Scar Technique (IST) to achieve the most natural, perfect-looking and feeling breast.
Dr. Jones developed his procedure through his extensive training at Emory, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and Oxford Universities, and in Paris, France, where he studied under the French innovators of plastic surgery. Complementing his training with years of thoughtful observation, study, and progress, Dr. Jones’s Invisible Scar Technique is unique in the world of plastic surgery.
Dr. Jones has planned and implemented his procedure with his patients’ ultimate and long term satisfaction as his primary focus. The Invisible Scar Technique results in the most natural look and feel achievable. Dr. Jones’s IST procedure is virtually bloodless, ageless, gravity defying, and beautiful. In fact, the ‘invisible scar’ is a trademark of Dr. Jones work, first coined by an MDTV reporter in the mid 1990s. The procedure is required once, touchups are not needed.
Many techniques employ incisions through the areola area, while others cut muscle tissue to complete the implant placement, resulting in inevitable sensitivity loss, bleeding, and other issues. Still other implants are placed on top of the breast muscle, in which cases gravity sag the implants over time.
Dr. Jones’s IST employs his unrivalled skill to create what he describes an invisible incision. The implant is manipulated through the muscle fibers creating a natural bra suspension of the implant inside the breast. This ingenious procedure provides the desired support, classic form, and natural feel and sensitivity for Dr. Jones patients.
Practically no bleeding, no lumps, the most beautiful, natural, and ageless breast is the absolute goal and final result of Dr. Jones superior Invisible Scar Technique. His ‘invisible scar’ is the crowning achievement of his superior procedure.
If’ you’d like more information, please contact Dr. Jones directly at 404-355-3566 or via this website.
