BY ELLEN BASSETT, FREELANCE WRITER
Contributors:
John A. Fagg, M.D., F.A.C.S. – Forsyth Plastic Surgery
Andrew Schneider, M.D., F.A.C.S. – Forsyth Plastic Surgery
Gilson Kingman, M.D., F.A.C.S. – Forsyth Plastic Surgery
George Lawson III, M.D., F.A.C.S. – Forsyth Plastic Surgery
Leslie Branch, M.D. – Forsyth Plastic Surgery
Gina Racca, LME – The VISTA at Forsyth Plastic Surgery
Kinsley Nix, LME – The VISTA at Forsyth Plastic Surgery
Haiden Gilley – Patient Care Coordinator, Forsyth Plastic Surgery
It’s November so there’s a high probability you’re in super planning mode trying to get ready for the holidays, New Year’s and beyond. Right? And that’s great. Because right now is really the perfect time to start planning – and scheduling for – a year of beauty and wellness in 2022. We asked the five board-certified plastic surgeons, medical aestheticians and a Patient Care Coordinator at Forsyth Plastic Surgery and The VISTA at Forsyth Plastic Surgery for their help with planning – and here’s what they had to say.
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2021
Checklist:
- If you’ve never been to a plastic surgery practice like Forsyth Plastic Surgery, first things first: schedule an initial consultation. Haiden Gilley: “Our office has an entire team of Patient Care Coordinators to help with this so you can call OR (and this is new) simply schedule an appointment online on our website: forsythplasticsurgery.com. We can answer questions and get you started.”
- If you’re an established patient, schedule all of your recurring appointments for the entire year. This will help you plan and budget for your beauty appointments, and help maintain your look. For example:
- Schedule four Botox appointments (Botox generally lasts about three to four months or slightly longer). So call and book appointments, say for example, for January, April, July and October. George Lawson III: “Take note of how many units of Botox you’re receiving during your treatment (our nurses record this as well). While every patient is different, in general you may want around 20 units for frown lines, 20 units for crow’s feet and about 20 units for forehead lines. This can help you maintain that nice, smooth look all year round.”
- Schedule any other regular injectable appointments like Juvéderm brand products. For example if you know you like to get a Juvéderm Voluma chin injection every year in April, go ahead and schedule that now.
- If you’re planning a cosmetic surgery in 2022, figure out what might be a good time for you to have a relaxed and stress-free recovery period. Then go ahead and make your consultation well in advance of that so you can plan, get your financing in place if necessary and get ready! John A. Fagg: “Many patients tell us after their final post-surgery check, ‘I wish I had done this sooner.’ So we’re always happy when a patient is ready to come in for a consultation. We are all board-certified plastic surgeons at Forsyth Plastic Surgery and we put the best interest of our patients first.”
- Make an appointment for your annual skincare consultation. Gina Racca: “If you haven’t had a skincare consultation with a professional, licensed aesthetician in over 6 months, it’s time to make an appointment with one. Your skin changes over time and you need to be proactive about choosing products that are going to give you the results you’re looking for.”
- Check your skincare supplies and replenish or upgrade as necessary. Kinsley Nix: “The goal is to actively be using your skincare products so you’re getting the best results. And you want to time the replenishment of your products so there’s not a gap where you’ve run out of an important part of your skincare regime. Our patients who are using something like OBAGI’s Nu-Derm system need to keep up with their skincare routine to get the results they’re looking for.”
- Register for (or make sure you can log into) your reward apps like Allē or OBAGI’s reward program “Premier Points.” Haiden Gilley: “Some patients are concerned that signing up and maintaining Allēpoints is time-consuming or complicated. It’s actually very easy and with each treatment you’re earning points to get money back. We love it when we get to say something like, ‘I see you have $30 in rewards … would you like to use that today?’ Our patients are excited.”
- Schedule a “no-peel” peel or a DiamondGlow facial to get your skin glowing for holiday parties.
- If you have a big event in 2022, like a wedding, reunion, party, corporate event, etc., look ahead and plan to have all of your treatments and procedures completed in advance. Leslie Branch: “It’s never too early to see us so we can make sure you are ready for your big day. For example, if you’re interested in a breast augmentation plus a chin injection, we can help you create a timeline so on event day, you’re looking and feeling beautiful and confident.”
- Consider microblading or permanent makeup in 2022. Kinsley Nix: “Our practice added microblading in 2021 and it’s been incredibly popular. We can fill in sparse brows, give you a perfect permanent eyeliner and tint lips for a very natural look. This saves time and keeps your makeup application look more consistent.”
- See if your plastic surgeon has satellite offices. Gilson Kingman: “Our practice has office hours in Elkin and Kernersville. This is really convenient for patients who live in these communities.”
JANUARY and FEBRUARY 2022
- Schedule laser appointments. Andy Schneider: “The winter is the perfect time to come in for a laser appointment, whether it’s for an IPL or CO2 resurfacing. There’s less sun this time of year so it’s really the perfect time for some skincare corrections.”
- Schedule a miraDry consultation for a sweat-free summer!
- Plan a CoolSculpting consultation or additional cycles. Gina Racca: “CoolSculpting can take up to 3-6 months to see the full benefits, so January and February are great months to get started and begin getting ready for summer.”
- Book a CoolTone consultation and begin to firm up your abs, fanny and thighs for spring break and the summer ahead.
- Wellness: Start and continue an exercise program. When in doubt, head out the door for a 20-minute walk.
- Great time to book a consultation for and have breast surgery (including an augmentation, lift or reduction). Also a great time for tummy tucks, liposuction and skin tightening treatments like Renuvion.
- Book a Rejuvapen or SkinPen appointment. Both will help your skin become firmer and regain elasticity.
MARCH, APRIL and MAY
- Restock and re-evaluate your sunscreen stash. Choose a medical-grade sunscreen (The VISTA at Forsyth Plastic Surgery has a sunscreen bar so you can try before you buy) and use it every single day. Leslie Branch: “Choosing the right sunscreen is just so important and I can’t emphasize this enough to my patients. Especially for our Botox patients, or patients who have had a facelift or eyelid procedure. This can protect your skin and your investment.”
- Look out for savings on CoolSculpting to freeze unwanted fat. The timing is great and you’ll see full results by end-of-
- Watch for CoolTone specials to strengthen your abs, butt and thighs.
- Wellness: Plan spring social events and trips.
- Book a dermaplaning appointment to remove the “peach fuzz” from your facial skin. It will help your makeup go on more smoothly and you’ll love the way it feels.
JUNE, JULY and AUGUST
- Check your skincare product stock. From Aesthetician Gina Racca: “We try to make it as easy as possible for our patients to pick up their products. At our practice you can text our Cosmetic Concierge Danielle and just pull your car up curbside.”
- Book a consultation for a cosmetic surgery if you’re interested in a holiday (i.e. Thanksgiving/Christmas) recovery period.
- Wellness: Plan summer cookouts, travel and outings with friends and family.
SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER and NOVEMBER
- Schedule your fall peel. Aesthetician Gina Racca: “Around this time of year, we generally recommend our patients come in for a peel and start to work on reversing the damage from too much summer sun.”Look for a peel from a science-based company like OBAGI, SkinMedica, SkinBetter or iS Clinical.
- Confirm your Botox and injectable appointments so you’re ready for the holidays.
Dr. Gilson Kingman: “Each year our practice plans Botox and injection events around the holidays and offers some special perks. We even have ‘Botox Late Nights’ with appointments up until 7:00 pm to accommodate our patients. You can follow our practice on social media or sign up for our newsletter and you can sign up in advance. We look forward to them.”
- Wellness: Plan holiday get togethers with friends and family.
- If your plastic surgery practice offers educational sessions on skincare, attend them. Kinsley Nix: “Our practice has a beauty event just about every month. These are a fun way to learn about innovations in skincare, hear from industry leaders, try new products and ask questions about what products would work best for you in a relaxed setting.”
DECEMBER
- Book a no-peel facial or a DiamondGlow facial to give you a nice glow without any flaking for holiday events.
- Shop for holiday beauty gift cards and take advantage of winter beauty savings.
- Wellness: Spend time with friends, family and neighbors.
So there you have a broad overview of an entire year of beauty. Let us know how we can accomplish your beauty goals this year at Forsyth Plastic Surgery and The VISTA.
Forsyth Plastic Surgery is proud to have been named the #1 Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Practice for the 12thyear in a row in 2021 and for The VISTA, our aesthetic center to have been named #1 in the Medical Spa category for the 2nd year in a row. For appointments, please call 336-765-8620 or book an appointment online.
