SURGICAL SERVICES

Dr. Hutchins  is "triple-boarded" with certification by the following:

• Diplomate: American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• American Board of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery
• American Board of Otolaryngologic Allergy

Dr. Hutchins has over three decades of medical and surgical experience. He currently performs the following surgical procedures (among others) in both the hospital operating room and his office operating room in Gastonia:

SMARTLIPO™

Dr. Hutchins combines the techniques of SmartLipo™ laser lipolysis and tumescent microcannula liposuction for the superior results and safety.

Smartlipo employs the use of a laser to liquefy the fat for more efficient liposuction and skin tightening, further avoiding the skin laxity that often results from traditional liposuction. This new technology is the most popular type of liposuction available today.  Smartlipo is a painless and minimally invasive body sculpting technique offering superb results with minimal trauma, great safety, fewer complications, and a fast recovery rate.  Patients have essentially no down time, and they typically return to work in one to three post-op days.  This quick recovery further reduces the total cost.

Moles and Skin Lesions

Moles are growths on the skin that are usually brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups. Most moles appear in early childhood and during the first 20 years of a person's life. Some moles may not appear until later in life. It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood. As the years pass, moles usually change slowly, becoming raised and/or changing color. Often, hairs develop on the mole. Some moles may not change at all, while others may slowly disappear over time.

Skin Cancer Screening

Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread. It is important to remember that your doctor does not necessarily think you have cancer if he or she suggests a screening test. Screening tests are given when you have no cancer symptoms. If a screening test result is abnormal, you may need to have more tests done to find out if you have cancer.

Laser Tattoo Removal

Medlite® C3 Laser

Candela™ Alexandrite Laser

With both of the above:

• No scars

• Painless treatments
• Removes all colors.

We've all been impulsive at one time or another, only to later regret it. A tattoo that was once the height of fashion can often become an embarrassment. But you don't have to live with an unwanted tattoo for the rest of your life.

We have a painless laser procedure with which we can remove most tattoos in 3 to 7 sessions.  We are also able to avoid scarring, and pigment changes are usually temporary.  Amateur tattoos are the easiest and require fewer sessions, whereas professional tattoos require more sessions.

Tattoo lasers are Q-switched, meaning that they produce thousands of short, powerful bursts of light per second to break up the packets of tattoo pigment into smaller particles.  The macrophages (scavenger white blood cells that roam around through the tissue like little “Pacmen”) carry away the smaller particles of pigment for elimination by way of the lymphatic system.

Intervals of 6 to 8 weeks are allowed between sessions in order to allow time for the pigment residue to be absorbed by the lymphatic system.

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

(In all skin types)