Some vitamin and mineral supplements can interfere with your plastic surgery, Jacksonville surgeons say.

You might think that loading up on vitamins and minerals will help make your body and skin healthier, and thereby in better condition to undergo cosmetic surgery. Not so fast, says Dr. Phillip Garcia of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery. Jacksonville patients are advised to avoid particular vitamins and supplements that can interfere with plastic surgery procedures and healing. Some can cause post-surgical bleeding, worsen inflammation, raise your blood pressure or alter your sugar levels. And don’t think that an herbal supplement is safe simply because it’s natural.  Some can be downright dangerous.

Among the medications and vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements you should avoid at least three weeks before plastic surgery are:

• Any diet pills or appetite suppressants – herbal and otherwise
• Blood-thinning medications such as aspirin, Motrin or Advil
• Vitamin E
• Chromium
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Ginkgo
• Goldenseal
• Flaxseed
• Fish oil
• Echinacea
• Licorice
• Saw Palmetto
• Ephedra
• Ginseng
• Feverfew
• Kava-Kava
• St. John’s Wort
• Valerian Root

After your plastic surgery, Jacksonville’s top surgeons may recommend medications or vitamin and mineral supplements known to aid the body in healing. In fact, Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia, partners in the Garcia Institute, have developed a patented line of supplements proven to help speed healing. Patients report less swelling and bruising as well.

No matter who your plastic surgeon is, be sure to tell him or her about all prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals and supplements you have taken over the past six months to a year. Many patients are less than forthcoming, afraid that they’ll be ridiculed by their doctors, perhaps for buying into a bogus supplement claim. But in some cases, that information can help avoid a tragedy.

If you plan plastic surgery in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call 904-247-8522 to schedule a consultation at Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery today. And be sure to ask about the Drs. Garcias’ Reviva line of healing and anti-aging vitamins.

Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery offers New Years Resolution tips to help you prepare forand maintain beautiful plastic surgery results.

Will 2012 be the year you finally go for that facial plastic surgery procedure you’ve been thinking about? As 2011 comes to a close and the economy continues to recover (albeit slowly) people everywhere are ready for a fresh start – and a fresh look to go with it. If a youthful new look is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery has a few tips for that will help you prepare for and maintain your beautiful results.

By far, the most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, get more exercise and stop smoking.

“Each of these is a huge recommendation for patients preparing to undergo facial plastic surgery or even less invasive cosmetic procedures,” says Dr. Phillip Garcia, founder of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery and Reviva Medical Spa. Here’s why:

Losing weight typically improves a person’s overall health. But great weight loss can leave facial skin loose. Skin can be stretched only so far for so long before it loses its ability to snap back, and weight loss shows first in the face. If your slim-down plans are significant, lose that weight before you schedule your facelift for the best, most permanent results.

Smoking can dehydrate your skin, leaving it looking dull. It also is associated with lung and heart conditions that increase a patient’s risk of peri-operative and post-operative complications including anesthesia-related problems. Nix the habit before you undergo your facial cosmetic procedure and you’ll not only be happier with your outcome, but you’ll be safer throughout the procedure and healthier afterward. Plus, you’ll heal faster and you’ll be less prone to scarring.

Plenty of exercise; a nutrient-rich diet low in fat, salt and sugar; and lots of water will help keep your face hydrated and healthy. Like an artist starting out with a tight, smooth canvas, your plastic surgeon will have an easier time with your procedure if he can start with smooth and well-hydrated skin. Your results invariably will be better and you’ll heal faster if you go in with healthy skin.

Other tips for maintaining your new look include regular facials and taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery offers a variety of prescription skincare systems and a patented line of anti-aging vitamins and minerals, including supplements that designed to help you prepare for your surgical procedure and maintain the results. Patients who take these supplements report less bruising and swelling, and shorter recovery times than those who do not.

Resolve to be your most beautiful you this year! Call Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at 904-247-8522 to schedule your consultation today.

Give the gift of beauty with Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery.

What better holiday surprise than the gift of beauty? Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery offers a range of gift ideas perfect for the both the girls and guys on your holiday shopping list:

• A luxe new look: Facial cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-invasive, are increasingly popular gifts. If someone you love has talked about a chemical peel, brow lift or Botox injection, consider a Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery gift certificate toward a procedure of their choosing. A favorite this year is the Garcia Institute’s Contoura, a proprietary procedure designed to take years off a face in a matter of minutes. Certificates for a SunFX spray tanning session, hand rejuvenating treatment or lash and brow tint make great stocking stuffers.

• A sweet respite: Everyone can use a little R&R now and then. A luxurious facial treatment or massage is always a welcome gift. The Swedish massage is a favorite. The athlete in your life will love a sports massage, designed to release lactic build-up in the muscles and prevent injuries. And if someone you care about is carrying a stress load, our deep tissue massage will help him or her relax, rejuvenate and refocus.

• A little knowledge: If someone on your holiday shopping list is considering facial plastic surgery, make sure he or she is well informed. Penned by Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia, Just Faces: A Guide to Facial Plastic Surgery provides a comprehensive look at all you can expect while preparing for, undergoing and recovering from a cosmetic surgery procedure.

• A little swag: Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery and Reviva Medical Spa offer a full battery of top-quality skincare and beauty products to fill any stocking. We carry the LaLicious line of all-natural bath and body products including luxury shower scrubs, body oils and scented lotions in a variety of sumptuous scents. Known as the “skin care makeup,” Jane Iredale cosmetics are best known for their mineral makeup products that offer beautiful, smooth coverage while allowing the skin to breathe. And our DecoCandles soy blend jar candles fill your home or office with soothing scents.

• A little love: For the person who already has everything, consider a donation in his or her name to F.A.C.E., the Foundation for the Advancement of Children’s Aesthetics. This nonprofit organization provides free facial reconstructive surgery to underprivileged children with facial trauma or disfigurement throughout Northeast Florida. It’s a gift that will positively and permanently impact a child’s life.

For any of these gift ideas, stop by Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at 700 3rd Street, suite 102 in Neptune Beach near Jacksonville. Happy holiday shopping!

Baby Boomers are more likely to go rock climbing than sit in a rocking chair. And they're getting plastic surgery to help them look as lively as they feel.

These days, Baby Boomers just might be the coolest cats in town. They’re working out, launching new businesses, burning up the dating scene and looking as gorgeous as ever. For some that means indulging in a little plastic surgery to help them age gracefully.

A recent survey highlighted primary trends emerging among the Boomer generation:

1. They’re living longer. Medical advances and the easier-than-ever access to medical and health information is helping Boomers long outlive the life expectancies of prior generations. Well, why live longer if you can’t enjoy it? Boomers increasingly are reflecting upon their lives and reinventing themselves at each milestone year, setting new goals and taking up new hobbies or even launching new businesses. Seems the rocking chair has gone the way of the dinosaur.
2. They’re technologically and socially connected. Yes, Grandma is on Facebook. And she’s not there just to keep up with the grandkids. She’s got her own extensive list of Facebook friends, thank you very much. And her status updates just might make you blush. Statistics show that seniors are the fastest-growing segment signing up on Facebook and other social networking sites. Of course, since Grandma likely doesn’t have to get up and go to school or work in the morning, she’s got lots of time to meet and mingle with her Facebook friends off-screen. Seniors are on the social and dating scene like never before.
3. They’re competing and winning in the workplace: The financial crunch is affecting everyone, including seniors. But rather than stick to the jobs they’ve held for decades, many seniors are taking advantage of that milestone-year reinvention and going back to school in huge numbers. Many are enrolling to update their skill sets in an effort to land promotions at work. Others are ditching their old skill sets in favor of whole new ones with plans to switch career fields or launch new businesses of their own.
4. They’re aging gracefully. Those top three trends fold nicely into the proudly-going-gray movement. To help boost their success on the social scene, in the dating game and at work, seniors increasingly are undergoing plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures designed to help them look as lively on the outside as they do on the inside. Mind you, they’re not interested in the wind-blown, trout pout look of those who overdo it in an effort to shave decades off their looks. Today’s seniors are proud of their age and don’t care to look too much younger. They simply want to look their best at the age they are and they’re accomplishing that with expertly performed facelifts, brow lifts and eye surgeries or with less invasive procedures like Botox, Restylane or chemical peels.

If you’re a Boomer with an unbridled passion for life and want a look to match, contact Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery. Jacksonville’s top facial plastic surgeons can help you continue to look gorgeous throughout your golden years.

Reconstructive plastic surgery after a Mohs procedure can help restore your look.

Learning that you have skin cancer can be tough enough. But if your cancer is located on your face, it can be particularly tough emotionally. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery are specialists in post-cancer reconstructive surgery and can help beautifully restore your look.

Named for its originator Dr. Fred Mohs, Mohs surgery also is known as Microscopically Controlled Excision. The technique first became available in the 1940s and involved using a chemical fixative to kill the cancer and still its movement in the skin, allowing for its removal. It gave way to “chemosurgery,” a term widely used today although the surgery has been refined over the years and rarely makes use of the chemical fixative today.

The aim of Mohs surgery is to remove cancerous tissue in an extremely precise manner, leaving as small a wound as possible. But even a small scar can mar a patient’s face, causing feelings of self-consciousness. That’s where Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery comes in. Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia work closely with Northeast Florida’s top Mohs surgeons to help patients heal with little or no scarring. The Mohs dermatologist typically will remove your cancer in his office, then place a dressing over it. You’ll then see one of the Drs. Garcia, who will carefully repair the defect at Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s JCAHO-certified office-based surgery suite.

If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer on your face and plan to undergo Mohs surgery, call Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at 904-247-8522 to schedule your post-Mohs reconstructive procedure. We’ll make sure that people see you – not your scar.

Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery is North Florida's only JCAHO-certified office-based surgery suite.

If you’ve perused our website, you probably know that Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery is Jacksonville’s only office-based surgery site certified by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Organizations. But what does a JCAHO certification really mean and why is it beneficial to patients?

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission is the undisputed leader in developing and the highest standards for quality and safety in the delivery of healthcare, and in evaluating organization performance based on these standards. In fact, more than 19,000 health care providers use JCAHO standards to dictate the way they administer care and continuously improve performance.

JCAHO certification means that a plastic surgery center is:

• Continually working to provide the highest quality services.
• Periodically evaluated by The Joint Commission for compliance with the standards and other requirements.
• Provided with expert advice and education from The Joint Commission about quality improvement.
• Able to attract qualified staff because they have more opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge.

Plus, our facial plastic surgeons, Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia, both are double-board certified, highly experienced and highly respected by both peers in the plastic surgery field and by countless satisfied patients. There are dozens of plastic surgery suites in Northeast Florida, but only one can boast JCAHO certification. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s Jacksonville practice also offers single-night or extended stays at its Summer House Cottages, a private and secluded recovery suite located just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s the perfect mix of cutting-edge treatment and unmatched comfort.

Your skin can take a beating in the fall and winter months. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery offers tips.

Cooler temperatures are sneaking up on us. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery in Jacksonville offers tips for protecting and pampering your skin throughout the fall and winter season.

1. Hydrate your skin: A hallmark of the fall and winter seasons is a drop in humidity. Unfortunately, this seasonal change alters the skin’s natural PH level and makes it more susceptible to moisture loss. Keep your skin hydrated from the inside and out. Find a hydrating moisturizer or mask that works well with your skin type. Drink lots of water and juices and fill up on fruits and vegetables. This is particularly important if you plan to undergo a surgical procedure such as a facelift during the fall and winter months. The healthier and suppler your skin is, the better your facial plastic surgery results will be.
2. Exfoliate: Gently exfoliate your skin once or twice a week to remove dead, flaky skin cells. Look for products with natural, grainy ingredients like oatmeal, ground almonds, sugar and sea salt. Once or twice a month, opt for a professional facial treatment designed to exfoliate, hydrate, tighten and smooth your skin.
3. Swap lotion for cream: Creams typically offer more potent moisturizing ability than do lotions. The heavier oily barrier reduces water loss from the outermost layer of your skin, protects skin from the cooler, drier temperatures and aids in restoring moisture balance and elasticity.
4. Switch to a cold-processed, unscented soap: Heat-processed soaps loaded with dyes and fragrances can strip your skin of essential oils, leaving it dry, dull and cracked. Cold-crafted soaps create a glycerin byproduct that acts as a humectant to draw moisture to the skin.
5. Don’t slack on sun protection: Although the temperatures are frigid, the sun still shines. And it still pounds down on your skin with harmful UV rays just like it does during the summer. That’s why some of the most common skin cancer sites are areas of the body exposed year-round, like your face, ears and the left arm of drivers. Keep on using sunblocks with the same vigilance you do during the hot weather months.

For more ways to keep your skin and face looking youthful, vibrant and healthy visit Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville.

Before & after results of the revolutionary new Contoura procedure available only at Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville.

Imagine looking years younger in less than an hour with no downtime and a lot less out of your pocket than you’d imagine. Sound too good to be true? Not when you visit Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery in Jacksonville and ask about the new Contoura procedure.

Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s Dr. Phillip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia are undisputed leaders in the plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation fields, having developed multiple specialized procedures and a patented line of vitamin supplements designed to facilitate pre- and post-operative health and keep skin looking young and supple. Now, they’ve developed the Contoura procedure, a proprietary combination of facial rejuvenation and skincare procedures that immediately shave years off your look. Contoura addresses signs of aging in the face including sagging jowls, deep creases around the mouth, flattened cheeks and sagging around the eyes. The Drs. Garcia are the only plastic surgeons in the Jacksonville/North Florida and South Georgia areas that perform this procedure.

The Contoura procedure is performed at Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s Jacksonville-area JCAHO-certified surgery suite under local anesthesia. Most procedures take just under an hour to complete and results are almost immediate. There is no downtime and most patients return to their normal routines the very next day. All this at a fraction of the price you’d pay for a facelift.

To find out if the Contoura procedure is right for you, contact Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at 904-247-8522 or via our convenient online email form.

Baby Boomers are driving a new trend in plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures for men, Jacksonville's Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery says.

Surgical and cosmetic procedures for men are on the rise according to statistics recently released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Overall, cosmetic plastic surgery procedures in men jumped two percent in 2010 compared to 2009. However, the numbers were much higher when zeroing in on particular procedures. Facelifts for men led the charge, jumping an impressive 14 percent.

ASPS’s statistics show that men underwent more than 1.1 million cosmetic procedures, both surgical and minimally invasive. But six of the top ten procedures that men chose last year are surgical ones – a significant turnabout of the previous trend toward less invasive cosmetic treatments. Men increasingly are embracing plastic surgery as a way to remain competitive in the workplace, boost their confidence when it comes to dating, or simply to keep looking on the outside as young and active as they feel on the inside.

“Baby Boomers hitting retirement age are the new face of the male plastic surgery trend,” says Dr. Roberto Garcia of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville. “They’re still healthy, active and sharp minded. Those who are retiring are looking forward to enjoying all the free time they’ll have on their hands and want to look great doing it. Others feel they’ve got a few more years of competitiveness in them and are opting to delay retirement. Those guys know they’re competing with younger coworkers climbing the ladder, so they want to go head-to-head with them on all the factors that determine career success – including looks.”

For the best in cosmetic procedures, men in the Jacksonville area turn to Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery. Board certified plastic surgeons Drs. Phillip and Roberto Garcia specialize in facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, plus a full battery of minimally invasive procedures designed to help you continue feeling confident and competitive. Call 904-247-8522 to schedule a consultation today.

Men’s Top Ten: Fastest-Growing Male Cosmetic Procedures (by percentage increase)

1. Facelift – 14% Increase
2. Ear Surgery (Otoplasty) – 11% Increase
3. Soft Tissue Fillers – 10% Increase
4. Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox) – 9% Increase
5. Liposuction – 7% Increase
6. Breast Reduction in Men – 6% Increase
7. Eyelid Surgery – 4% Increase
8. Dermabrasion – 4% Increase
9. Laser Hair Removal – 4% Increase
10. Laser Treatment of Leg Veins – 4% Increase

“There is nothing as beautiful as the bond between a mother and her baby,” says Dr. Roberto Garcia of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville. “But both pregnancy itself and the stress of day-to-day life as a mom can affect a woman’s looks.”

Moms unselfishly devote their time and energy to their children, often putting off caring for and pampering themselves. Many eventually become distressed by what they see in the mirror – the physical toll that busily juggling parenthood, marriages and careers can take. Yet many feel that taking time away from their families to undergo and recover from cosmetic surgery would be a selfish, even vain act. However, study after study shows that having a positive self image yields many benefits. Women who feel attractive and confident invariably are more active and enjoy stronger, more fulfilling relationships with spouses, family, friends and colleagues.

If you’re a busy mother whose devotion to family has made its mark on your appearance, plastic surgery or a less-invasive cosmetic procedure such as Botox can help rejuvenate your look. Many moms schedule their mommy makeovers for January, when the stress of the holidays has passed and the kids are back in school. Not yet sure about undergoing a plastic surgery or other cosmetic procedure? Regular facials at Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s Garcia Reviva Medical Spa can help refresh and maintain your look while providing some coveted pampering and relaxation time.

Great moms deserve a great look. To learn all about your options for a rejuvenated look, from our Organic Passion Peptide Facial to dermal fillers to full facelifts, contact Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at 904-247-8522 or via our online email form. Drs. Roberto Garcia and Phillip Garcia can design a course of treatment that helps you look your youthful best and get back to enjoying your family before they can say, “Hey Mom, what’s for dinner?”