A unique, collaborative plastic surgery practice is hard to find; but Dilworth Facial Plastic Surgery offers the first of its kind in Charlotte, and one of a handful in the country. The team provides a full complement of facial plastic surgical procedures, Botox, Dysport, injectable fillers, and even skin care. In addition to Catherine Gillon, RN, expert doctors and UNC Chapel Hill graduates Dr. Garcia and Dr. Surowitz give us an inside look into their highly successful practice.
Dr. Andrea Garcia:
When and how did you decide what your specialty was going to be?
My Dad is a Facial Plastic Surgeon. He absolutely loves his work, and he would show me photographs of his work on patients. This was so fascinating to me. He is my mentor, and I still ask him for advice involving certain complex patient problems.
What do you love most about your job?
I truly enjoy going to work every day. Josh and I have an absolute blast collaborating with patients to meet their needs. Our patients are such interesting people, and we could spend hours talking to them.
What is your biggest advice to those who are in residency currently?
Learn as much as you can from your mentors and spend as much time as you can in the operating room. I wish I could go back at times to watch my mentors operate and ask questions.
Is there anything people should know about facial plastic and reconstructive surgery’s process and procedure?
We are highly specialized surgeons of the face and neck who have spent 6 years of dedicated training to become board certified surgeons, and each patient benefits from having two surgeons with this level of experience. We concentrate our expertise solely on this region of the body.
Dr. Joshua Surowitz:
What is your biggest goal when thinking about your profession and practice?
Dr. Garcia and I share the shame goal and philosophy to strive to treat every patient as family and deliver the highest quality results. We provide a warm, relaxed, and comfortable environment so that the moment patients step in the door, they feel a difference.
What was the hardest thing you and your peers learned during residency? Is there any tips or tricks that helped you?
Residency is truly “drinking from a firehose” with the volume of information one must practice. Residency is hard, but learning the technical skills needed to be an excellent surgeon is the first and foremost lesson. As a resident, one must seek expert knowledge and technical skills, while striving for humility, empathy, and patience.
What is your favorite procedure to perform?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one, so I have three favorites. Facelift is a highly rewarding and technically enjoyable surgery restoring the midface, jawline, and neck for a youthful appearance. I also enjoy Rhinoplasty, or nose job. My background in biomedical engineering comes into play when performing Rhinoplasty because my love of art and engineering joins the need for form and function. Lastly, I enjoy hair restoration because of the ability to give natural, long-lasting results to both men and women.
Catherine Gillon, RN:
Tell us how your background in the medical field?
I am a registered nurse with over twenty years of clinical experience, including med-surg and clinical care experience. My background also includes ten years in the field of aesthetics as a licensed esthetician, in addition to eight years as a Nurse Injector.
Where does your interest in facial aesthetics stem from?
In learning how to take care of my own skin for anti-aging purposes and damage prevention. Positive self image is important for overall health. When you look your best, you feel your best.
What are your favorite non-surgical procedures to perform?
Botox/Dysport and dermal fillers are definitely my favorite non-surgical procedures. It’s amazing how much subtle changes can be created with neuromodulators and with filler. You can really see how much happier someone feels about their appearance with the softening of facial expression lines or adding volume to create facial harmony and balance.
What do you wish people knew more about when it comes to keeping their skin healthy and beautiful?
The importance of applying sunscreen everyday of the year and even if your makeup has SPF already in it. Makeup with SPF alone is not sufficient protection. It is also very important if you are thinking about having any injectables done, that you find an injector who is experienced and knowledgeable in ensuring safety, as well as how to manage any potential complications.
What is your favorite part about your job?
The best part of my job is the patients’ reaction after filler, when they are happy with their result and very appreciative for helping them feel better about something that has bothered them with their appearance.
