Nonsurgical Cosmetic Procedures
At the University of Chicago Medicine, our Plastic & Reconstructive Physician Assistants will walk you through your cosmetic consultation. Offered at convenient locations in Orland Park, River East and Hyde Park, our experienced Physician Assistants will address all of your cosmetic concerns from skin care to nonsurgical interventions. We will discuss your long term goals and can refer you to one of our plastic surgeons if a surgical option may be more appropriate for you.
The appointment includes a consultation, and usually, treatment on the same day. We offer a variety of nonsurgical options including the Obagi skin care line, chemical peels, Botox injections and dermal filler. We will help you achieve natural results with minimal downtime. We also offer nipple and areola complex tattooing for patients who have undergone breast reconstruction after breast cancer.
These procedures are not performed on patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Please check with your provider for other restrictions to any of the below procedures prior to making your appointment.
COVID-19 Disclaimer: At this time, masks must be kept on during the appointment preventing any treatments underneath the mask.
Procedures Offered
We offer the Obagi skin care product line. We have a number of products and kits that are designed to nurture your skin and give you a more youthful glow. We also offer Latisse, which is an FDA approved product to help grow your eyelashes.
Please inquire at your cosmetic appointment about which products may be right for you.
A chemical peel is a minimally invasive treatment that uses a superficial salicylic acid based peel with lactic and glycolic acid. Chemical peels can help improve the appearance of your skin tone and texture by improving fine lines and/or wrinkles. The peel results in more radiant, smooth and refined looking skin. It also helps to minimize appearance of mild-moderate photoaging.
Before your peel, we recommend you discontinue use of hydroquinone, tretinoin/Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid cleansers or toner 48 hours prior to the procedure. We also recommend you have no recent sun exposure, electrolysis, laser or waxing in the week prior. You may not receive the peel if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Your provider will evaluate if you are a candidate for this treatment.
To begin the treatment, your skin will be prepped and the peel will be set on the skin for approximately 10 minutes. After the treatment, the peel will be washed off and lotion and sunscreen should be applied.
Typically, it is OK to resume normal skin care 1 week after your treatment. You should avoid sun exposure for 1 week and always apply sunscreen. We recommend a series of four - six peels to achieve the best results, however, you can still achieve smoother, tighter and brighter skin after one peel.
The peel may result in minor peeling, redness or irritation. Depending on your skin sensitivity, you can expect at least 2 - 3 days of recovery. If you have sensitive skin, it is recommended you leave at least 1 week of recovery time prior to any big events.
Botox consists of small injections of botulinum toxin into specific areas to temporarily relax the muscles and improve the look of moderate to severe wrinkles or lines.
If approved by your primary care provider, we usually recommend no recent blood thinner use in the past 2 weeks (including but not limited to ASA, Advil, Aleve, Lovenox, Warfarin). You should also avoid this procedure if you have any muscle or nerve conditions. You may not receive injections if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Your provider will evaluate if you are a candidate for Botox.
The Botox procedure itself will take less than 15 minutes. We perform facial analysis prior and make sure we discuss all of your concerns.
After the procedure, you should not exercise, bend over or lay down for approximately four hours. Normal facial movements will work the Botox into the muscles. After this, you may resume normal activity as tolerated. You may start to see results in 1 week, but it will take a full 2 weeks for your Botox to settle. If you are in need of any touchups, please contact your provider after 2 weeks to arrange a visit.
You may experience minor bleeding or "wheels" where injections are placed on the day of the procedure. You may also experience bruising which may last 1 - 2 weeks depending on how you heal.
This procedure consists of the injection of hyaluronic acid into certain areas of the face to help improve volume loss due to aging. Generally, filler is injected into areas such as the cheeks, nasolabial folds, marionette lines and lips. We carry Juvederm Ultra and Juvederm Volbella fillers.
If approved by your primary care provider, we usually recommend no recent blood thinner use in the past 2 weeks (including but not limited to ASA, Advil, Aleve, Lovenox, Warfarin). You may not receive injections if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Your provider will evaluate if you are a candidate for filler injections.
Before the procedure, we perform facial analysis and make sure we discuss all concerns with you prior. We will provide numbing cream, if desired. The procedure will vary in time depending on the areas being injected.
After the procedure, an ice pack will be provided for comfort. You may ice for 2 - 3 hours at 15 minute intervals after injection, but make sure not to apply pressure to the area injected and place a cloth between the ice and your face. You should not exercise or rub your face for 24 hours. You can expect to see full results in approximately 2 weeks.
You may experience minor bleeding and swelling on the day of the procedure and more significant swelling in the first 72 hours. You may also experience bruising which may last 1 - 2 weeks depending on how you heal.
We offer nipple and areola complex tattooing on patients who have undergone breast reconstruction after breast cancer. We perform tattooing on patients who have had nipple reconstruction and also offer 3D tattooing for those who have not had nipple reconstruction. We use medical grade ink, which we believe is safest for our patients. This ink does fade — we generally have patients come back for a touchup in 2 - 3 months, if desired.
If approved by your primary care provider, we usually recommend no recent blood thinner use in the past 2 weeks (including but not limited to ASA, Advil, Aleve, Lovenox, Warfarin). You may not get the tattoo if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Your provider will evaluate if you are a candidate for this procedure.
Before the procedure, we will discuss with you the location, size and color of the nipple and areola prior to the tattoo. The procedure itself can take anywhere between 1 - 2 hours, depending on what is needed.
After the procedure, you will apply ointment to the tattoo for 2 - 3 days — after this, you will begin to apply lotion. You are able to shower the next day.
You will need to avoid sun exposure and any lakes/oceans, pools, baths or tubs until you are fully healed. We also recommend no exercising for 1 - 2 weeks to prevent the tattoo from fading. Additional instructions will be provided to you after the procedure.
Laser can be used to improve the appearance of facial skin by addressing unwanted pigmentation, scars and lines/wrinkles. The procedure is done in our River East office with minimal downtime.
Request an Appointment
To speak to someone directly, please call 1-888-824-0200. If you have symptoms of an urgent nature, please call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.
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