Toronto Plastic Surgery

There are many ways of finding a surgeon who performs your desired procedure. This may be through referrals from a friend, a referral from your family physician, through research on the Internet or through the Canadian or Provincial Plastic Surgery Societies. For a printable list of important credentials to consider when choosing a surgeon, click here.

Once you have decided to proceed with surgery, we will do our best to schedule it as conveniently as possible. Typically, most patients will return for a preoperative appointment 1-2 weeks prior to surgery, where you will have another opportunity to meet with Dr. Brown to review your decisions. This will also give you the chance to ask any further questions that you may have had since the consultation. Once the preoperative appointment is completed, Dr. Brown will take standardized preoperative photographs and you will be sent for any necessary lab tests. Dr. Brown’s nurse will provide you with a checklist for preparing for your surgery, including medications to avoid, diet and cessation of smoking.

Dr. Brown performs the majority of his cosmetic surgical procedures at The Cumberland ClinicTM. Designated as a CAAASF class III facility, The Cumberland Clinic^TM is a private, state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery facility located in the heart of the Yorkville district in mid-town Toronto.For more information about The Cumberland Clinic^TM, please click here.

Dr. Brown also operates at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. If preferred, your surgery can be performed at the hospital.

Dr. Brown has selected his anaesthetists to provide you with the most safe and gentle care possible. All of the anaesthetists are certified by The Royal College of Physicians of Canada and are experts in their field. You will have an opportunity to meet with the anaesthetist prior to your surgery to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Each procedure is slightly different. Dr. Brown will discuss the duration of your surgery and types of anaesthetic with you at the time of your consultation.

While the procedures Dr. Brown performs are generally very safe, there are associated risks as there are with any surgical procedure. Some of the general risks include bleeding, infection and reactions to anaesthesia. Dr. Brown will discuss the specific risks of each procedure with you in detail at the time of your consultation.

Dr. Brown and/or his surgical assistant will be available 24 hours a day through a pager system should you require assistance following your surgery.

Scars will usually turn red in colour during the first few months of healing. After this, they will fade and slowly approximate your normal skin colour. The time that it takes for this to happen varies from person to person. Most scars will take approximately one year to fully mature. It is important to remember that whenever possible the scars will be well positioned so as to be covered when wearing clothing, a bra or a bathing suit.

After the initial light dressing has been removed from your incision, Dr. Brown will instruct you on massaging Vitamin E oil or polysporin ointment into the scars on a daily basis. There are several other creams, lotions and scar treatments that Dr. Brown would be happy to discuss with you if you wish.

During the first year, it is important to keep the scars well protected from direct sunlight, as this may darken or pigment scars in the early healing period. It is advisable to sun tan only when your scars have matured completely.

Please click on any of the items below for a printed version of the document.

Questions to ask at consultation
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Preoperative Checklist
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After Care
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Botox is an approved, safe prescriptive medication, which is used to reduce or minimize wrinkles in the area it is applied. The most commonly treated areas are the deep lines between the eyebrows, the lines across the forehead and the lines around the eyes.

Yes. Botox has been used for over 20 years, and has been used to treat many diseases. In fact, it is used in children as young as two years old who have cerebral palsy. It has been proven safe through extensive research and testing.

Botox is a medication that is injected into a specific muscle to promote muscle relaxation. The relaxation is a result on the ability of Botox to neutralize an enzyme in your body that causes your muscles to contract. After three to four months the Botox effect lessens and your muscles return to the function they had prior to the treatment.

There is always a risk of bruising whenever a needle is being used. This may be minimized by stopping all medications that may be a blood thinner. We also use ice and a topical anaesthetic cream, which can make the blood vessels smaller. If you do have a bruise, you may use an arnica cream twice a day to speed its resolution. Makeup may be necessary for a few days. You will not see the effect of the Botox for 3 –4 days after the treatment and the results may take as long as two weeks to achieve its full effect. Botox treatments are tailored specifically to each individual. We like to see patients after the two-week interval so the effects of the Botox may be assessed and a follow-up treatment may be done if necessary.

There is a small percentage of the population who develop antibodies to the Botox and the treatment is ineffective.

The glabella, forehead and crow's feet are the only approved areas of the face that may be treated with Botox. There are many off-label uses for Botox that are becoming increasingly popular with great results. These areas include the horizontal and vertical neck bands, mouth corners, chin, jawline, lip lines, and underarms for excessive sweating.