Blepharoplasty (eyes)
There are generally 2 reasons for blepharoplasty: correcting an Asian eye shape at any age, or rejuvenating eyelids that have begun to show signs of aging.

Brow Lift
A brow lift procedure is done to lift a brow that has descended downward, generally due to aging, though in some individuals a lowered brow is a result of genetics. Some people find that the drooping upper brow actually interferes with their reading while others just feel it makes them look sleepy or as if they are constantly frowning. In either case, Dr. Smith’s brow lift, whether done endoscopically or through incisions in the scalp, can create a younger, rested look for those who need it.

Face Lift
A face lift is almost always done in response to facial aging. As we age, everything gives way to the pull of gravity and starts to shift downwards. Our brow start to droop, the cheek pads drop lower on the face, causing jowling along the jaw line, and our neck can start to look like something a turkey might envy! Not to worry, as Dr. F. Matthew Smith has extensive experience in face lifting procedures. Whether you need just a mid-face to lift the cheek area or a more extensive lift that includes cleaning up the wrinkles in the neck, he has performed your procedure thousands of times with excellent results.

Forehead Lift
A forehead lift is usually the procedure of choice when a brow lift isn’t enough to lift the brows up away from the eyes. It can help minimize the horizontal lines in the forehead and can also be used to dissect the muscle between the two brows to eliminate the big wrinkle most people get there as they age. Although it’s called the 11’s, some of Dr. Smith’s patients called it their 111’s because they had several deep lines that were removed with the forehead lift and dissection of that corrugator muscle. A forehead lift can be performed either through incisions in the forehead and using an endoscope to visualize the needed repair, or through lifting the forehead through incisions from ear to ear in the scalp. Any final decisions about which procedure is best will be made at the patient’s private consultation at Dr. Smith’s Traverse City plastic surgery office.

Nose Reshaping
Most people request nose reshaping for one of these reasons: (A) to fix a previously broken nose; (B) to help them breathe better, as in the case of a deviated septum, or (C) to make a more attractive nose.

A person’s nose should match their other facial features. Dr. F. Matthew Smith is committed to making the nose look appropriate for the face that it sits on—in other words, in a man with a large, round face, a tiny little button nose would look silly; a beautiful black woman would look wrong with a nose that belongs on a Swede and vice versa. Dr. Smith wants you to love the results of your nose reshaping, so that you look like the “best you” possible, and that means paying attention to your unique physical characteristics. There are plastic surgeons whose noses all look the same, but Dr. Smith creates individual results for individual needs and goals.

Otoplasty
Unfortunately, kids can mercilessly tease other kids who have even the smallest physical defects, such as protruding ears. They get called Dumbo, as well as other not-so-nice names, which can damage their self-esteem well into adulthood. An otoplasty is a logical step for either children (age 7 and above) or adults who are not happy with their ears because they stick out too much, or because there are other issues with the size or shape of the ears.

Check out all our facial plastic surgery procedures by clicking on the items on the left. If you have more questions, call the office and come in and visit with Dr. Smith and his staff.