4 minute read
Healthy Living
Omaha Face: Plastic Surgery and Medspa
Where You’re a Person, Not a Procedure
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By Maria Harding
Potential patients who enter Omaha Face expecting to encounter a sterile or clinical environment are pleasantly surprised by a feeling of coziness and familiarity. Owner and surgeon Dr. John Harbison notes that this is by design. “It has a boutique kind of feel,” he says. “We started small, and we’ve kept it small. We don’t want to deal in volume and lose that personal touch.”
Dr. Harbison’s credentials are second to none. Because he is a younger surgeon, all of his training has utilized the most state-of-the-art techniques and approaches. I asked him to explain these techniques in more detail. “The biggest advent in facial rejuvenation has been our appreciation of the deep muscular layers of the face,” he explains. “That leads to a longer lasting and more natural result. I’m able to merge my contemporary training with a great amount of personal experience to get to the best possible results.”
That modernity extends to his attitude toward aesthetics. Dr. Harbison’s approach is not to change his patients’ faces but to enhance their natural beauty. He has even dissuaded some patients from having surgery when he felt it would not be in their best interest. “That happens all the time!” he shares. “People come in with inspirational photos of models, and I tell them they have to stop looking at other people’s noses; we’re going to be doing a procedure on your nose. I think it’s important to share what is going to look realistic and tasteful.” At his practice, they shun the idea of a one-size-fits-all standard of beauty. All faces carry their own nobility. The surgical approach at Omaha Face results in natural, finely tuned features.
Dr. Harbison’s early clinical experience included trauma and reconstructive surgery for the head and neck at the University of Kansas Medical Center, as well as an internship in the prestigious program at the University of California—Irvine. Though his practice is now exclusively plastic surgery, he’s glad to have had a background in trauma procedures. “I think it made me a better surgeon,” he shares. “While I liked all aspects of head and neck surgery, plastic surgery gives me an opportunity to spend more time with each of my patients. It leads to a deeper interaction.”
Patients love the atmosphere and the results at Omaha Face. Patient J.K. shares, “I felt so at ease, as he took the time to answer my questions. I feel 10 years younger. Best gift I could give to myself.” Dozens of similarly glowing testimonials can be found at realself.com, a forum for online reviews. On the practice’s own website, omahaface.com, the gallery of before and after photos speaks for itself.
Recovery from plastic surgery takes less time than you might think. “Though it’s procedurally dependent, somewhere between one to three weeks is kind of typical,” Dr. Harbison clarifies. “For ‘aging face’ procedures, I generally tell people they’ll be ‘restaurant-ready’ in two weeks and ‘wedding-ready’ in two months.”
Omaha Face offers a wide selection of surgical options for the face and neck, including rhinoplasty (noses), otoplasty (ears), face and brow lifts, chin and jaw shaping, and much more. When asked what lesser-known treatments he finds to be remarkably impactful, Dr. Harbison says, “I would say radiofrequency, either delivering it in a minimally invasive surgery, where we go just under the skin, or even topically, to do a little bit of skin tightening. It gets good results without much downtime.” He admits that it does have limitations, and adds, “I would say it’s best for early changes. After about age 55, we’re probably not in the non-invasive category.”
There still tends to be a stigma around having cosmetic surgery. Patients sometimes go out of their way to avoid being “found out.” Dr. Harbison has a unique theory about this attitude. “I think part of it is that, unfortunately, overdone plastic surgery is out there, and people are afraid to be associated with that type of bad result,” he reasons. “But medicine has progressed so much that we can do it well, and when it’s done well, it’s empowering.”
At Omaha Face, you will be supported at every step during the process, from consultation to recovery and beyond. Dr. John Harbison knows how important his work is, and how personal. “Our face is part of our psyche,” he concludes. “It’s how we present ourselves in society. It’s a huge part of who we are as human beings.” He and his team don’t want to mask your beauty; they want to help you be your best, most confident self.
Omaha Face is located at 17837 Burke Street, Suite 101, in Omaha. To reach Dr. Harbison and his team, please call 402-739-8144 or visit omahaface.com.