PHOTOS BY JEJ PHOTOS
Exploring cosmetic surgery can be one of the most personal journeys you’ll ever make, and it’s certainly a venture you want to keep as real as possible!
Keeping things real is the primary mission at Salem Plastic Surgery as well. The talented, trusted, and personable staff knows no potential patient takes choosing their cosmetic surgery team lightly.
Founded in 1990 by Dr. Scott L. Tucker, who was joined by Dr. Hampton A. Howell in 2006, Salem Plastic Surgery is widely known for expertise in body contouring, facial surgery, breast enhancement and reconstruction, liposuction, SmartLipo, and a wide variety of innovative non-surgical procedures such as Botox®, the Juvederm® family of fillers, CoolSculpting, Emsculpt, to name a few.
Dr. Tucker and Dr. Howell, both Board-Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, enjoy a large, steadily growing patient following and are supported by their enthusiastic staff, all of whom are progressively continuing to increase their knowledge and the practice’s array of treatments and procedures.
In the fall of 2020, Salem Plastic Surgery introduced a large new addition, Renewal Med Spa, to offer patients an even broader expansion of the practice’s well-known patient-focused philosophy. This beautiful new space offers patients a comfortable oasis to receive a wide range of medical-grade, spa-type treatments. Both Dr. Tucker and Dr. Howell were understandably excited to welcome patients to their distinctive medical spa that expanded services to include non-invasive facial and body treatments. Surgical and non-surgical patients are invited to enjoy the calming atmosphere of Renewal Med Spa with the assurance they will be treated with the same high standards of safety and professionalism.
The Path to Surgery
The decision to have plastic surgery is a very personal decision which can be somewhat challenging. At Salem Plastic Surgery, the doctors will sit down with a prospective patient to listen to the patient’s goals and desires and then determine the best option to attain those goals, keeping in focus what is realistic and compatible with the patient’s lifestyle, genetics, and expectations, all of which contribute to the results of aging. Before surgery, and even following their procedure, they may encourage utilizing the resources at Renewal Med Spa to facilitate and maintain an excellent outcome.
When a new patient is interested in a complete, overall change, the surgeons at Salem Plastic Surgery may customize a plan that involves a combination of more extensive surgical procedures over a period of time, or advise a more gradual approach, performed in varying stages, sometimes with the addition of treatments at Renewal Med Spa. All decisions and procedure options are formulated with the safety and best interest of the patient in mind, still with an eye on the desired outcome.
Non-Surgical Options
On the non-surgical side, the team members have developed areas of expertise that ensure the best possible outcome for patients. The addition of a licensed Aesthetician, Meredith Luke, has opened a vista of treatments utilizing new and advanced technology to maximize patients’ skin health, and then maintain what has been enhanced. Nurse Injectors, Joy Goins, RN, and Alejandra Santos, RN, are excited to use their creativity and passion to help patients obtain the desired changes and provide improvements that ultimately make their patients’ journeys happier ones. Jessica McGarty, Body Contouring Specialist, focuses on non-surgical options, Emsculpt and CoolSculpting, to tone and shape contours. Finally, Becky Matlock is always available as the Spa Coordinator to assist and guide patients with scheduling and all other patient needs.
A good place to start on a journey is at the beginning. When thinking about skin care and non-surgical options, an honest assessment is the key. The following timeline can help by giving guidance at every age.
The Wisdom of Aging at a Glance
Your 20s—and earlier
It’s never too early to begin good skin care practices that will set the stage for preserving skin quality and prevention of later issues. In your 20s – and even younger – the emphasis should be on healthy eating habits to maximize the benefits derived from good food and exercise. Although it’s tempting to buy less expensive products, including both skin care and makeup, in the long run, this can actually prove to be the most expensive in terms of having to correct issues that weren’t prevented in a patient’s younger years. Renewal Med Spa’s aesthetician Meredith states, “Think of your skin care routine as the foundation to a new home you’re building. You wouldn’t build your home with a cheaper structure that will ultimately fail you in the future. It’s best to build your home with a proper foundation and materials that will only require minimal maintenance to uphold. This is the same principle as a proper skin care routine, where the focus and care you put into your skin care at a younger age will inevitably keep you from more invasive and costly procedures to fix your skin in the future.” Meredith is available to schedule appointments to discuss what skin care products are right for the patient’s skin care. Microdermabrasion is a simple, yet effective treatment to start in your 20s that will also help prime your skin for years to come. Monthly exfoliation, such as with Diamond Glow, is also important to remove dead cells regularly and prevent acne. Sunscreen is also a must as skin damage from sunburn and over-exposure can have a serious impact on aging adult skin down the road. Toner at any age is important as a barrier to protect the skin against nature’s elements.
Ages 30-40
These are the years when the skin’s ability to repair itself decreases, and as a result, skin may appear less vibrant. Decreased collagen production will manifest itself in thinning lips, loss of volume, noticeably lower cheeks and facial contours, and prominent fine lines and wrinkles. At Renewal Med Spa, patients are offered multiple options to help boost collagen and fill in noticeable volume loss, such as Botox and fillers, light medical grade Retinol, Rejuvapen and Red LED light therapy. Proven medical-grade products, such as IS Clinical’s GeneXC serum and the Obagi Professional-C Peptide Complex, round out a program for excellent skin care. Continuing a healthy diet and exercise regime, along with the addition of antioxidants, helps control free radicals, which have a significant influence on aging.
50s and beyond…
The once youthful and resilient skin becomes thinner and less taut at this age, with added dryness and volume loss. The emphasis now is on repair, moisturizing, and brightening. More emollient products such as IS Clinical Youth Intensive Cream help restore lost moisture. Discoloration due to exposure to the sun and the elements should be addressed with more aggressive treatments, such as IPL, and hydroquinone products, such as Obagi’s Nuderm line. For a real boost, AquaGold micro-needling offers a combination of benefits to further hydrate, lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, refine pores, tone, and texture, and increase luminosity for a glow that lasts up to four weeks. This is also the time to upgrade to stronger Retinol products to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen.
Contact Salem Plastic Surgery or Renewal Med Spa at 336-768-8483 to learn more about their services, or visit salemplasticsurgery.com. The practice is located at 1345A Westgate Center Drive in Winston-Salem, a convenient location even for lunchtime appointments.
Thank you to our photographer, Jon Eric Johnson, who masterfully coordinated a safe photo shoot for our cover! Our staff follows CDC guidelines and always wear our masks to keep our patients safe.
