Dr. Griffin attends Rhinoplasty Conference in Chicago, IL
Last week I attended the Advances in Rhinoplasty course held May 14th-17th at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. This is the longest-running rhinoplasty course in the world, bringing together plastic surgeons from across the globe to discuss and debate their newest and favorite techniques.
If you are anything like my wife, you might be wondering, “how can you talk about rhinoplasty for 4 whole days?” To many patients, rhinoplasty might seem like a very simple operation. Yet most plastic surgeons consider it the most difficult procedure they perform. Rhinoplasty is hard because it embodies not only a 3-dimensional sculpting problem, but also a structural engineering problem. Perhaps the most important thing we have learned over the past 25 years is that you have to make the nose stronger. After rhinoplasty, the skin “shrink wraps” back onto the underlying cartilage and bony framework. Just like if the frame of your house isn’t strong, if the framework of the nose isn’t strong, it will collapse, thereby making the nose look unnatural and often making breathing through the nose almost impossible. Dr. Tolan and I perform a fair amount of revision rhinoplasty for patients who have undergone rhinoplasty by a different surgeon and now don’t like their “pinched” nostrils and/or inability to breathe.
One goal of rhinoplasty is to create a smooth line from the eyebrows down the sides of the nose to the nasal tip. These are called the brow-tip esthetic lines. Wide or deviated nasal bones, or a very narrow middle of the nose, can create imbalance between the top, middle and bottom of the nose. Sometimes a “wide tip” is really an optical illusion caused by a very narrow middle of the nose.
One of the more interesting talks I heard at the conference was the concept of using small burrs to sculpt the nasal bones. This is in contrast to osteotomies – “breaking the bones” – that rhinoplasty surgeons traditionally perform to straighten a broken nose or narrow a wide nose. I think that in the right patient, sculpting the bones with a small burr may lead to more predictable results, with less pain or bruising for the patient.
Another fascinating talk discussed how social media and “selfies” are changing our perception of the nose. We spend a lot more time looking at ourselves close up on cell phone or computer screens, forcing us to focus on our nose more. But prospective rhinoplasty patients must remember that when a camera lens is close to the face, it magnifies the things that are closest, including the nose. This is called the “fish-eye” effect. So, your nose isn’t as big as it looks when you are face-timing with your mother. I promise.
Most importantly, the conference re-affirmed my dedication to mastering this challenging and wonderful operation. The nose is in the center of the face, but it should not be the focus of our attention. A beautiful nose brings balance to the face and falls into the background, allowing us to focus on the eyes.
Look no further. Dr. Tolan and the entire team is amazing. I’ve been a client for many years, and refer many friends and even my mother to their offices. Very professional and love the “less is more” approach. Sarah is my only go to for facials. If you haven’t tried a hydrofacial, book one soon. I can’t praise this clinic high enough, no need to look any further. This is the A team, on time and skilled all around. – AP
The staff is professional and personable. I have seen Dr. Tolan for several years and have been extremely satisfied with the results of treatments. I have facials with Amie, and it really feels like such a treat for myself. I would recommend this team to anyone who wants to look their best, without looking like they had help to get there. – KW
I saw Dr. Christopher Tolan at both the Woodbury and Eagan locations to remove a benign pillar cyst (bump from ingrown hair follicle) that had developed on the left side of the bridge of my nose, where glasses would sit. This was an extremely slow growing “hard ball” under the skin, that took 15 years to get big enough to be noticeable to others. I had asked my Mayo Clinic doctor about the bump a few years ago, and he said, “yea, it’s just a cyst.” Once it was large enough that it was bothering me and many were commenting on it, I knew it I wanted it to be removed and I asked my doctor who should I go to? Without any hesitation he said from his memory, “You want to go to Christopher Tolan”. After a free initial consultation, I felt confident in his skills, his facility, his reputation and his professional team. A few weeks later, the surgery took place in Woodbury at their surgery center, and it took about 1 hour. It was easy, painless and not scary. The entire surgery team was professional, friendly and put me at ease. I was not in much pain afterwords, and went to work the next day. They sent the cyst off to the lab, just to make sure it was benign, and they called a week later to confirm that. I am thrilled with the cosmetic look of the final look of the incision and scar. It will only keep getting more invisible as time goes on. It’s as good as I hoped and nearly invisible. I had three followup appointments with him at the Eagan location which is very close to my work. After about 4 months I am done with follow up appointments. Thanks Dr. Tolan! I am glad I found you and trusted my face to your expertise and surgery skills! – JG
Some of us inherit favorable family traits like our mother’s emerald green eyes, or our father’s dark full hair. But, what if the feature that is passed onto us is the dreaded ‘double chin’? Luckily, a new injectable on the market, Kybella, promises to make turtlenecks a thing of the past and let patients embrace a whole new profile.
“I knew I couldn’t escape it. My dad’s side of the family calls it the ‘Bullfrog Neck’, and while my sister was skipped, my brother and I succumbed to this unfortunate genetic legacy,” laughs Jackie, a Woodbury, MN healthcare professional who asked that her last name not be used for professional reasons.
“All joking aside, my chin was making me painfully self-conscious. I work out daily at the gym and eat clean, but the fat under my chin wouldn’t budge,” complains Jackie. “When I heard about this new fat melting injection, Kybella, on the news, I immediately made an appointment for a consultation with Midwest Facial Plastics.”
“We’ve been limited for years in non-surgical treatment options for the chin area,” says Dr. Christopher Tolan, an ENT & Facial Plastic Surgeon with Midwest Facial Plastics and a national physician trainer for Kybella. “We could, somewhat, downsize a double chin with tightening lasers, or mask the appearance by using dermal fillers along the jawline, but never consistently address it,” explains Dr. Tolan. “The addition of Kybella to our practice allows me to improve the appearance of the chin area for patients, and heighten their confidence,” he adds.
Kybella is the first, FDA approved, injectable for the treatment of sub mental fullness, or “double chin”. It is precisely injected, by your provider, into the areas of excess fat under your chin. In time, it progressively destroys the fat cells there, and your lymphatic systems clears them from your system permanently. Depending on the quantity of fat in the treatment area, multiple treatments may be needed. These are spaced 8 weeks apart, with full results seen 16 weeks after your initial injection.
“I still can’t believe the results,” exclaims Jackie, now a regular patient of Dr. Tolan. “I had quite a bit of fat there to start, so I needed the full 4 treatments, but I literally watched my chin change each month in the mirror. My results from Kybella have vastly improved my confidence in my appearance,” she continues.
“I even got Botox at my second Kybella appointment with Dr. Tolan,” Jackie proclaims. “I felt so much better about myself that I wanted to check out other treatments to make me look as young as I feel. That huge crease between my eyebrows was driving me crazy and people kept asking me if I was tired or mad at them. These are obviously NOT good questions from people when you’re a nurse,” laughs Jackie!
“Jackie is like many of our female patients, she initially comes to the practice with a specific concern, and once that concern is resolved, she becomes curious in other treatments to naturally improve her appearance, “explains Dr. Tolan. “It’s exciting to see the landscape of this industry change as women take a more proactive role in maintaining their skin’s health and appearance,” he continues.
Call today to schedule a consultation for Kybella, or any other treatment at Midwest Facial Plastics 651.632.9700! – Defy
I want to thank Dr. Tolan for doing such an amazing job with my rhinoplasty surgery. I absolutely love my nose! There doesn’t appear to be any swelling at all that I can see, but I know it takes awhile for it to heal. I feel fantastic! I’m able to breathe a lot better. Thank you so very much! – AS
I was very impressed with how prepared Dr. Tolan was for my appointment. While I hadn’t seen him in years (8-10) and I didn’t remember my own history, he took the time to review my incident and spoke very knowledgeably about my patient history, even providing pictures documenting my last visit. He clearly outlined my options, and explained the potential surgery process, which was helpful.
He was professional, personal, and instrumental in guiding me to making an informed decision. I am comfortable getting surgery under his care. – CG
I am loving the results! My best friend of 35 years told me that I look so relaxed and younger since I retired. She does not know about any of the procedures I’ve had. Everything is great, the filler for my tear troughs is something I will want to do again. I can’t thank you enough!!! – NR
I want to express my gratitude to Dr. Tolan and the Midwest Facial Plastic Surgery & Esthetic Skincare staff for the reconstructive surgery for my husband. Your team was a Godsend. My husband and I have been married for 28 years and have four kids. He’s always been a confident man, but occasionally I would see him become so self-conscious about his cleft lip and nose it tore at my heart. I know it pained him. This never happens anymore. It’s been over a year since his first initial surgery and I’ve wanted to share with you how much I appreciate you helping others to see (at least physically) what I’ve always seen (spiritually) about my husband…the wonderful handsome man he is! I know he views you as a dear friend and incredible doctor. Thank you for sharing your God given talent. – LC
I love the results. Love them, love them, love them. I am going to get the peels and Botox from Midwest Facial Plastic Surgery & Esthetic Skincare for as long as I live. Wonderful. FIVE STARS! LOVE IT! – KD
I have found Dr. Griffin to be a highly skilled surgeon who listened carefully to my requests and preferences, answered all my questions pre- and post- surgery, and provided clear information. I’m very please with the results of my surgery and with all of my interactions with Dr. Griffin and his staff.
I just want you to know how thankful I am to you for everything that you’ve done for me since my consultation, until now. You have helped me be optimistic throughout the entire process. I could not be happier with the results of my septorhinoplasty and I beam with confidence everywhere I go! Oh, and it helps that I can now breathe too
“Hello Dr. Girffin, I tried to send this via email but once again I am technology challenged. You operated on my husband _____ face on ________. His follow up caregivers have all told us they were expecting a bizarre looking person according to the facial fractures he sustained that were documented in the chart and were surprised at how perfect his face looks now. One of the therapists said ____ it looks like Michaelangelo must have operated on him. His eye site is improving also. I can’t say thank you enough Dr. Michaelangelo!” – Dr. Michelangelo
So often we fail to express appreciation for those who attend to our everyday needs. This is certainly true who service our medical needs. However I want to thank you and your associate for going “the extra mile” in diagnosing, planning, preparation details and expert surgery skills and healing care during my surgery. Thanks for your patience, kindness and overall medical care for this 96 yr (not easy to care for) patient. Please express my appreciation to the many staff members. – RC
My experience with this office was TOPS from the first phone call for setting an appointment, to the receptionist at the front desk when I arrived, to the nurse who took me back to the studio and prepared me, and to the doctor who did my surgical procedure. I am extremely grateful and happy for my entire experience with MFPS and the results of Dr. Griffin’s precision work which removed a lump from the center of my face with minimal scarring (in fact it is practically invisible, amazing). I am most pleased and delighted. It was the best health care experience I have had all year–a total success. I have been proud of Dr. Griffin’s work (since the moment I took off the bandage some days after the procedure), and I have been singing his praises ever since, referring my friends to Dr. Griffin for their future reference, should they ever need a facial plastic surgeon. Thank you so very much for your professional expertise and help! I feel greatly relieved, happy, and confident for all that we accomplished together. It was great team work, a winner solution. I cannot think of one thing to improve my experience. Keep up the great work. I will be happy to come again if/as needed. – LC
I want to commend Dr. Griffin for his demeanor and calming way as I was very anxious. He explained each step of the surgery on my nose. I had basal cell cancer removed. I felt comfortable and confident that I had someone who knew I was anxious and knew how to allay my fears. I was elated when he removed the stitches and I saw my nose looking as normal as it had before the cancer. He is truly an excellent surgeon and I would not hesitate recommending him to my family and friends. – JL
Dr. Griffin spent plenty of time with me and discussed lots of options. He was honest and direct about my appearance and ways to improve it. He was not at all pushy. I was very happy with the treatment and would recommend Dr. Griffin to anyone interested in facial plastics or esthetic skincare. – RW
I was recently in for face fillers and botox, performed by Dr. Griffin. I have been simply astounded by the results. My closest family and friends just keep telling me I look great, but not one of them knows I had work done unless told. Dr. Griffin is an artist, pure and simple, and has the best bed-side manner. I am thrilled with the results and the experience. Never felt better. I am so happy with the results. – SM
