According to the most recent statistics provided by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), 119,006 surgical facelift procedures were performed across the country last year. In light of the popularity of this cosmetic procedure, we recently sat down with Dr. John Sarbak, our board-certified plastic surgeon, to discuss how he performs facelift surgeries at our Vero Beach plastic surgery practice. Below is our Q&A with Dr. Sarbak briefing the popular facial rejuvenation surgery from consultation to recovery.

Question: What are common reasons your patients generally give for wanting this procedure?

Dr. Sarbak: Most of our patients say they want to look better for their age but still want to look like themselves. I’d say the most common reason for the initial consultation is a prominent jawline with extra skin on the neck.

Q: Who is the ideal candidate for facelift surgery?

DS: There are so many aspects of facial aging that can now be addressed, it really depends upon the individual. Many of our patients start with BOTOX® injections and dermal fillers such as Restylane®, Juvederm®, and/or Sculptra®. Over time, the face evolves to a point where surgical intervention is necessary to provide a benefit that both the patient and myself are happy with. When patients reach the point of developing loose skin in the face and neck beyond the scope of laser and filler treatments, we start considering facial surgery.

Q: What is the general treatment progression your patients go through before undergoing facelift surgery?

DS: More and more patients are electing to receive BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers to address wrinkles and volume correction. Additionally, many patients are also electing to undergo laser and skin resurfacing treatments. These approaches tend to buy some time before a facelift becomes inevitable. When patients eventually reach the point where they can no longer achieve their facial rejuvenation goals with non-surgical techniques, we are certainly prepared to help them by performing facelift surgery.

Q: What type of care do you provide your patients both before and after the procedure?

DS: Most patients benefit from pre-surgical skin conditioning with such products as NIA24® and Obagi®. These products can be continued afterwards as well. Our patients also undergo preoperative laboratory testing consistent with their age and overall medical health. Their health status is reviewed by someone on our team of board-certified anesthesiologists who will call to speak with them before the procedure. Following surgery, most of our facelift patients stay overnight in a private room with their own nurse, and each patient sees me the following day. Additionally, many of our patients undergo fractional CO2 laser skin resurfacing starting at approximately three months after surgery. Usually one or two treatments is required for optimum results.

Q: What should patients expect in regard to recovery from a facelift?

DS: My answer to this really depends on what we are trying to accomplish. I perform seven different types of facelifts, and each one is tailored to an individual’s particular anatomic situation. We look at everything from skin thickness, wrinkle patterns, pigmentation, volume deficits, bony facial shape, muscle function, and inherent facial asymmetries to help formulate each individualized plan. In general, patients can expect bruising anywhere from five days to two weeks, and sutures typically come out at one week. Patients generally make a pretty full recovery within seven to fourteen days; however, I don’t typically recommend the Governor’s Ball for six weeks.

Q: What other treatments or procedures can be combined with a facelift?

DS: Most patients who have a facelift also have other areas of concern addressed at the same time. The most common additional area is the neck. The upper and lower eyelids as well as the brow are also added to multiple facial packages. We are performing fat grafting on a nearly universal basis, too. This helps restore areas of volume loss and can also lead to improved skin texture over time. A smaller subset of patients also want to address their nose and/or their ears at the time of a facelift.

Contact Dr. Sarbak

For more information about facelift surgery, or to determine if a facelift is the ideal procedure for your facial rejuvenation goals, please contact Dr. John Sarbak today to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Dr. John Michael Sarbak has recently been named Medical Director of the White Orchid Spa at the Vero Beach Hotel, and we would love for you to join us in celebration for an Evening of Beauty! Please see all the details below and don’t miss your chance to attend this wonderful event. We’ve got lots of surprises for you!

• When: Thursday, October 4th – 5:30 to 8:00 PM
• Where: White Orchid Spa at the Vero Beach Hotel, 3500 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963
• RSVP to the White Orchid Spa by Monday Oct. 1 at (772) 231-1133.
• Entry fee is $10, which will be donated to Healthy Start Coalition charity.
• All attendees receive a $25 gift card to the Spa and a goody bag.

Evening Highlights:

• Complimentary wine, beer and appetizers
• CoolSculpting™ live demo
• Other plastic surgery procedures and non-invasive procedures (slideshow and demos)
• Q & A  with Dr. Sarbak and Meredith Harris, ARNP (Manager of Medical Aesthetics at White Orchid Spa)
• Tour the Spa and see live treatments

You can also register to win fabulous prizes and services, including but not limited to: hotel stays, the CoolSculpting™ procedure, Radiesse® dermal filler treatment, laser hair removal, massage and facial packages, retail packages and more!

Don’t forget to RSVP (772) 231-1133, or you can contact our practice for more information and an itinerary of the evening’s events!

At his Vero Beach plastic surgery practice, Dr. John Sarbak discusses the Transumbilical Breast Augmentation, or TUBA, method of breast enhancement surgery, which allows women to avoid scars directly on the breasts. Additionally, Dr. Sarbak says that implant placement during TUBA breast augmentation is more accurate than other traditional methods.

John Sarbak, MD, PA, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Vero Beach, FL, discusses the innovative approach to breast enhancement known as the Transumbilical Breast Augmentation, which allows women to avoid visible scars commonly associated with more traditional breast enlargement techniques. Dr. Sarbak adds that he and his team have found the TUBA method allows for more accurate implant placement, with recovery times reduced in many cases.

In traditional methods of breast augmentation, Dr. Sarbak says the performing surgeon must create a pocket for the implant, and then attempt to match the opposite side by appearance and feel. However, the TUBA approach allows the surgeon to watch the pocket form, which allows for more specific placement in relation to the nipple while allowing for direct aesthetic comparison. When coupled with the fact that scars are hidden within the bellybutton, the TUBA method leaves little to no evidence of surgery. In comparison to more traditional techniques that require incisions in the areola or underneath the breast, Dr. Sarbak says the small incision employed in the TUBA technique can create increasingly natural-looking results.

Dr. Sarbak says the TUBA method is currently limited to saline breast implants; however, he stresses the benefits of this innovative method allow him to provide a natural result for breast augmentation. Whether patients choose to have the implant placed directly beneath the breast tissue or behind the chest muscle, Dr. Sarbak says the avoidance of visible scarring and reduced recovery times make this an attractive procedure for his patients.

About Dr. Sarbak

Dr. John M. Sarbak earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He then completed his trained general and plastic surgery residency at the University of South Florida, as well as an additional year of plastic surgery residency training at the University of Pittsburgh Division of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Sarbak is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and the Florida Medical Association. He also travels annually to South America to volunteer his time and expertise helping Peruvian children with congenital deformities of the lip and palate.

Dr. Sarbak’s plastic surgery practice is located at 3735 11th Circle, Ste. 203 in Vero Beach, FL 32960, and can be reached at (772) 563-0930, or found online at www.drsarbak.com and the Dr. John M. Sarbak, Vero Beach Plastic Surgeon Facebook page.

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So good they are given away in celebrity gift bags!!! Free to the next 1 million callers!!!!

Not really… but how about a breast augmentation procedure that offers: no scars on the breast, minimal recovery time, extremely accurate implant placement, and very little evidence that you ever had breast surgery.

Transumbilical Breast Augmentation (TUBA) is a surgical technique that allows placement of breast implants through the bellybutton while avoiding scars on the breasts themselves.

The technique was invented by Dr. Gerald Johnson a Plastic Surgeon from Houston Texas (now retired) in 1993. It requires a small incision within the umbilicus and utilizes specialized instrumentation along with an endoscopic camera to create a space for the implant. This space can be located either above or below the pectoralis major muscle.

Patients tell us that compared to other breast augmentation approaches the recovery seems to be significantly quicker. Most of our patients either go shopping or out to dinner the evening of their surgery day.

We have found that implant placement utilizing the TUBA approach to be very precise and maybe more accurate than with other techniques. The difference is that during the TUBA the surgeon can see the inside of and the outside of the breast at the same time. That allows for meticulous fine tuning. Other techniques (except axillary) require the surgeon to look either at the inside of the breast through the operative incision or to look at the surface of the breast, but never at the same time.

Although larger studies need to be done we have seen a trend of lower rates of infection and capsular contracture utilizing the TUBA technique.

The technique is particularly attractive to patients between the ages of 18 and 22 because they are limited by law to saline implants and this option allows them to avoid incisions on their breasts.

***Dr. Sarbak is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He received personalized training from Dr. Johnson in 2004 and has been performing TUBA since that time along with multiple other breast procedures.

Dr. Sarbak has integrated the latest in computer technology that even allows you to access portions of your initial visit, anatomic diagrams, procedure related videos, and photographs securely over the Internet from the comfort of your own home.

Surgically Dr. Sarbak follows a strict code of attention to detail. In some cases that may mean more time in the operating room, but we feel that our results are worth the extra effort. Dr. Sarbak and his staff offer the latest plastic surgery procedures and products but only after they have been shown to be safe and effective.