If you’re planning facial plastic surgery, Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute (aka Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery) wants to make sure your experience is a positive one. That means taking every necessary safety precaution, including eliminating certain medications and supplements in the months leading up to your procedure. Many medications and dietary or herbal supplements can remain in your body for weeks and may interact with other medications and anesthesia required at the time of your surgery. A negative reaction between two drugs could put your health or life at risk.

It's imperative that you tell your surgeon about any medications or supplements you're taking prior to your facial plastic surgery. Jacksonville's Garcia Institute can advise you.

For your safety, be sure you tell your Jacksonville facial plastic surgeon about all prescription and over-the-counter medications, dietary and herbal supplements and recreational drugs you have taken in the six months prior to your scheduled facial plastic surgery. Jacksonville-area patients are advised to avoid all types of aspirin and ibuprofen for two weeks prior to your procedure. Both of these medications are temporary blood thinners and thus can cause excessive bleeding during your surgery. If you need a pain reliever, ask your plastic surgeon if it’s okay to take acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. Acetaminophen may be safer because it does not interfere with blood clotting.

If you have been prescribed antidepressant medications, make sure tell your surgeon immediately. Antidepressants and other drugs classified as MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitors can negatively react to anesthesia. Telling your Jacksonville plastic surgeon and your anesthesiologist early allows them to make necessary adjustments and keep an extra cautions eye out for any potential problems.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that because herbal remedies are naturally derived they are safe. St. John’s wort, a popular natural supplement believed to help treat depression and premenstrual syndrome, is known to interact with anesthesia. St. Johns Wort, ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba can increase bleeding. Ephedra and kava can affect blood pressure and heart rate and interfere with anesthetic medications, and kava in particular can intensify anesthesia’s sedation effects. Echinacea can contribute to allergic reactions.

The Garcia Institute’s Drs. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia also strongly recommend that you not smoke cigarettes for at least two weeks before and two weeks after your facial plastic surgery. Jacksonville patients who do not smoke heal quicker and have less noticeable scarring than do patients who continue smoking.

If you’re considering facial plastic surgery, contact Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute for a consultation today.

At Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery, Jacksonville-area patients have lots of questions about various procedures – how they work, what results they achieve and how long those results will last. That’s a good thing in light of the many myths circulating about facial plastic surgery. Here are a few that we hear most often:

Confused about facial plastic surgery? Jacksonville's Garcia Institute dispells the myths.

Myth #1: Only celebrities and wealthy socialites have or can afford facial plastic surgery.

Jacksonville-area cosmetic surgery patients’ demographics mirror those in other areas of the nation. Studies show that a full 86 percent of plastic surgery patients are working women. And in a 2004 study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 60 percent of the respondents reported a household income of between $30,000 and $90,000, and 30 percent reported making less than $30,000. In fact, many people struggling in today’s tight economy are springing for plastic surgery procedures that will help improve their looks and boost their confidence. Why? Because studies by trusted institutions including the Harvard University and the Journal of Economic Psychology reveal that people who feel they are attractive also tend to have higher opinions of their worth and capabilities. That confidence means higher chances of landing competitive jobs and an average 12 percent higher income than their less attractive peers.

Myth #2: All plastic surgeons are created equal.

Save for the occasional rogue busted for performing cosmetic procedures without a license, all legally compliant facial plastic surgeons have the same core training and licensing. However, not all are board-certified in specialties within facial plastic surgery. Jacksonville’s Drs. Phillip Garcia and Roberto Garcia both are certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Phillip Garcia also is board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery and Dr. Roberto Garcia by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Even with the same certifications, plastic surgeons across Jacksonville and elsewhere have their own personal styles. Remember that much of cosmetic surgery is an art, so it’s critical that you ask to see many photos of a cosmetic surgeon’s work before choosing one.

Myth #3: Plastic surgery leaves no scars.

All surgical procedures heal with scars, but advances in minimally invasive and endoscopic procedures are making those scars all but invisible. At Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery, our Jacksonville surgeons make tissue incisions in strategic positions and directions to hide or minimize their visibility.

Myth #4: Plastic surgery results do not last.

This is the one myth that has an ounce of truth – but it’s entirely up to the patient. Cosmetic surgery procedures are designed to give patients lasting results, though aging and weight will factor into the long-term efficacy of any procedure. By doing your part with a nutritious diet, ample sleep, regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle, you add years to your cosmetic surgery’s results.

If you’d love to look younger without the downtime of a traditional plastic surgery procedure (and who wouldn’t?) consider an endoscopic brow lift. Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery, also known as the Garcia Institute, offers this less invasive procedure as an effective alternative for its busiest clients.

An endoscopic brow lift offers a rejuvenated look with a fraction of the downtime, post-operative discomfort and scarring than a traditional brow lift.

With an endoscopic brow lift, Jacksonville patients who require less extensive treatment enjoy a rejuvenated look with a shorter recovery time than a traditional brow lift procedure entails. This procedure raises the eyebrow line and smoothes out wrinkles – much like its traditional counterpart. However, it’s achieved removing less skin. The difference is in the way incisions are made. A traditional brow lift involves the making one long incision from between the tops of ears, arching over the top of the forehead within the hairline. An endoscopic browlift instead requires just four to six small (about one inch) incisions behind the hairline.

In an endoscopic brow lift, Jacksonville’s Drs. Phillip Garcia and Roberto Garcia use an endoscope, a long, slender medical device that allows them to see the tissues beneath your skin on a monitor. This further allows them to work with smaller, fewer incisions. Less extensive incisions mean less recovery time, less post-operative discomfort and less scarring than is typical with a traditional brow lift. However, results may be less pronounced and shorter-lived. That’s why the ideal candidate is younger and does not need as much skin removed to achieve ideal results.

Both traditional and endoscopic brow lift procedures help address drooping brows, horizontal lines across the forehead, deep furrows between the brows, heavy upper lids and an angry or tired appearance that often comes with age or high-stress lifestyles. If you are interested in a traditional or endoscopic brow lift, Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute has the experience and expertise to offer you beautiful, natural looking results. Visit our website for more information and use our convenient Click to Call feature to schedule a consultation.

As specialists in facial plastic surgery, Jacksonville’s Dr. Philip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia know that the work they perform will yield the best results if patients are healthy and their skin is in optimal shape for their ages and lifestyles. That’s why they developed the Reviva Anti-Aging System, featuring anti-oxidant and Omega 3 vitamin and mineral supplement formulas specifically designed to help Jacksonville plastic surgery patients heal faster, ward off skin-damaging free radicals and keep not just their skin but their entire bodies healthy and strong.

The Reviva anti-aging vitamin line includes four formulas/stages: Stage I Multivitamin, Stage II Anti-Oxidant, Stage III Healing and Omega-3.  Each is designed for a specific result and together, they keep help keep the

Reviva Anti-Aging System by Drs. Phillip and Roberto Garcia

body’s internal processes healthy, promote healing after plastic surgery in Jacksonville, rejuvenate and protect your skin and hair. Read more »

When considering plastic surgery, Jacksonville clients must consider not only the surgeons and staff, but the facility where the procedure will take place. The Garcia Institute is located on the first floor of the Atrium Building at 700 Third Street in Neptune Beach near Jacksonville, just blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. Ours is North Florida’s only office-based surgery suite accredited and certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission is the nation’s leader in developing and enforcing the highest standards of quality and safety in the delivery of healthcare and in evaluating organizational performance based on these standards. Accreditation and certification by the Joint Commission requires an exhaustive evaluation that ensures compliance with the organization’s standards plus requirements by various regulatory agencies governing the medical industry. Evaluators go through a firm’s facilities and organizational procedures with a fine-toothed comb and make suggestions for improvement where needed.

The Joint Commission’s Office-Based Surgery Accreditation Program was introduced in 2001 to help improve the safety of office-based surgical facilities. To date, more than 400 office-based surgery practices are accredited by the Joint Commission, and we are proud to be the forerunner in accredited and certified office suites offering plastic surgery in Jacksonville and throughout Northeast Florida. The distinction allows us access to the commission’s expert advice and education on quality improvement and the ability to attract highly trained and qualified staff.

Garcia Institute Summer House Cottages Recovery Suite

The Garcia Institute’s state-of-the-art facility carries a home-like feel with soothing color schemes, soft lighting and plush furniture to help patients feel at ease. And our surgical suites boast the latest in equipment and technologies to assure you the safest, least invasive surgical experience possible.

To help get your recovery started quickly and smoothly, we offer single-night and extended stays in our Summer House Cottages recovery suites, located in a private and secluded Ponte Vedra Beach residence. The home is backed by a tranquil pond and is just blocks from the Atlantic shoreline. You’ll enjoy peace and quiet in a plush environment with valet service to the beach.

If you’re considering plastic surgery, Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute is among the most trusted firms in Northeast Florida. Browse our website to learn more about our services, staff and facilities and use our convenient, online Click to Call feature to talk with a representative about your plastic surgery needs.

If you’ve been putting off facial cosmetic surgery because of a packed schedule and a busy social life, consider opting for a Lifestyle Lift®. Jacksonville’s Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery Institute caters to many patients with hectic careers, full social lives and heavy travel schedules. Downtime is an elusive luxury for many, but Northeast Florida residents still want to look their best. After all, our year-round mild climate means lots of sunny days and clear nights to get out and about with friends and network with professional colleagues.

When you opt for a Lifestyle Lift at our Jacksonville surgery center, you’ll get a less-invasive approach to traditional facelift surgery performed by our highly qualified, board certified plastic surgeons. We use the most advanced cosmetic surgical techniques to tighten and smooth your face and neck, eliminating wrinkles and leaving you with a natural, youthful and refreshed look. The procedure is designed to address common signs of aging including a sagging jaw line, droopy eyelids and facial creases. The result is more significant than you’ll see with dermal fillers, but not as drastic a change as you would get with a traditional facelift.

Lifestyle Lift Before & After

Lifestyle Lift Before & After

With the Lifestyle Lift, Jacksonville area patients undergo local anesthesia (sometimes called “twilight anesthesia”), rather than general anesthesia. You’ll feel incredibly relaxed, even sleepy, but you’ll be able to respond and follow your plastic surgeon’s simple directions. While the thought of being awake during facial plastic surgery may sound a bit unnerving, local anesthesia typically causes a patient to forget all about the actual surgical procedure. The primary benefit, however, is that local anesthesia poses far less risk than does general anesthesia, which can be dangerous at worse and leave you feeling groggy for days afterward at best.

Fast becoming one of the most requested cosmetic procedures in Jacksonville, the Lifestyle Lift surgery typically takes about an hour for a skilled plastic surgeon to complete and most patients are able to return to their normal routines in a week’s time. Less time spent in surgery and the use of local anesthetics rather than more intense general anesthetics makes the Lifestyle Lift among Jacksonville’s most affordable options for effective, long-lasting facial rejuvenation.

Considering cosmetic surgery? Jacksonville-area patients have long turned to Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery Institute for a range of facial cosmetic surgeries including facelifts, forehead lifts, brow lifts, cheek implants, chin implants and lip enhancements among other procedures. Our highly qualified, board certified and caring cosmetic surgeons go the extra mile to make sure patients are happy with their results.

But will facial cosmetic surgery make you an overall happier person? It’s a tricky question and one that we at the Garcia Institute take very seriously. Over the last decade, our industry has seen a phenomenon of “plastic surgery addiction.” Patients (primarily women, but men are affected as well) experiencing depression or severely low self esteem issues began demanding multiple cosmetic surgeries and many unsuspecting, or downright unscrupulous plastic surgeons obliged. The problem gradually revealed itself when these patients returned repeatedly. Many of these patients initially seemed elated with their cosmetic surgery results, but soon returned saying they were dissatisfied.

Psychologists and cosmetic surgeons in Jacksonville and across the nation place at least some blame on popular extreme makeover television shows that make plastic surgery seem quick and easy. Scores of cosmetic surgeons have responded to the phenomenon by requiring patients who show troubling signs to undergo psychological screenings before their surgeries. Patients deemed emotionally fragile often are required to get further counseling before surgeries are scheduled and many plastic surgeons flatly deny services to patients who have shown evidence of an inordinate dependence on plastic surgery.

Garcia Institute’s Jacksonville cosmetic surgeons and other staff care about our patients’ overall wellbeing – not just their outward beauty. So, we recommend that you strongly consider your reasons for having cosmetic surgery and your expectations. Study after study shows that patients who have realistic expectations of what their cosmetic surgery results will look like and how their lives will be affected fare far better than those with unrealistic expectations. If you look like Deborah Winger, we can’t (and wouldn’t if we could) make you look like Marilyn Monroe. Also, women or men going through major life changes or crisis situations definitely should hold off on undergoing cosmetic surgery. Although many of our procedures are minimally invasive and have relatively quick healing times, any surgical procedure and the required or recommended physical limitations during the healing phase can be stressful. A tough life situation on top of it is a recipe for trouble.

Bottom line, Jacksonville – cosmetic surgery most definitely can help improve your self esteem by improving your looks, and that self-esteem boost can spill over into many facets of your life. People who are confident and happy with their looks perform better in their careers, tend to lead healthier, more active lives and experience more fulfilling social and romantic relationships. But cosmetic surgery alone won’t heal a broken spirit. Improving your self-image from the inside will always be more important and more effective than any outward fix. If you are experiencing depression or severely low self esteem spend time with friends and family members who have positive outlooks on life, exercise (endorphins are great medicine!), get counseling from a pastor, mentor or professional counselor/psychologist if needed. When you feel beautiful inside, you’ll be even happier with what we can do for your outward beauty.

You’ve just made an investment that’s sure to pay off in multiple ways – an expertly performed facelift. Jacksonville area patients are anxious to get out into the beautiful Florida sunshine and show off their rejuvenated looks. While it’s important that you rest and take certain precautions while you heal, there are ways to minimize your post-surgery downtime.

The best recommendation we can make to ensure a quick recovery time is to get healthy now! Younger, healthier patients fare better post-surgery than others undergoing most any medical procedure. If your nutritional and exercise habits aren’t up to par (be honest) begin as early as possible before your facelift to adopt healthier habits like eating right and exercising each day. But it’s not just your physical health that counts. Reducing stress and going into your procedure with a positive mindset and realistic expectations make a world of difference.

Te ensure a quick recovery after a facelift, Jacksonville area patients follow these simple tips in the weeks surrounding their procedures:

•    Exercise each day. Just a 20-minute daily walk can help you lose weight, de-stress and get fit.
•    Avoid caffeine, aspirin and other blood thinners before and after your facelift, as thinned blood can delay healing.
•    Eliminate alcohol. It thins your blood, dehydrates you and can have dangerous interactions with anesthesia.
•    Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, drink water and avoid salt so that you’re skin is well hydrated but not retaining water – there IS a difference! Hydrated skin is more resilient. But retaining water can worsen post-operative swelling.
•    Stop smoking. Smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, slowing healing of incisions and putting you at a higher risk of scarring.
•    De-stress. Plan ahead to get your bills paid, your grocery shopping done and your home cleaned. Arrange for childcare, pet care and your own assistance and pampering.
•    Avoid excessive bending and heavy lifting in the two weeks following your facelift to minimize swelling and avoid bleeding.
•    Avoid sudden movements of the head and, when turning around, turn your shoulders as well to reduce tension on the sutures.
•    Avoid the sun or excessive heat including saunas, hot showers and hair dryers for four to six weeks to help minimize swelling.
•    Avoid excessive use of cell phones and telephones for two weeks after a facelift, as pressure from the receiver around the ear can damage tender skin. Instead, use a speaker phone or buy a cushioned ear piece to cover the receiver.
•    Take vitamins and minerals, but be sure to let us know of all the prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and supplements you’re taking as some can adversely interact with anesthesia and medications we may prescribe. Our Reviva vitamin and herbal supplement system developed by Drs. Garcia and compounding chemists is designed to boost your body’s healing mechanisms. Patients using the Reviva system report nearly 30% less swelling bruising and overall recovery time following  a facelift.
•    Avoid mirrors for the first few weeks. We know you’re anxious to see your results, but even the smoothest procedure results in temporary bruising and swelling. Be patient. Your beautiful new look will emerge soon.

Following these tips are sure to help keep your post-facelift recovery time at a minimum. Be sure to read all literature and follow all additional recommendations