By Jean Stratton

The opportunity to look one’s best at any age is becoming increasingly available. Today, there is no need to go “undercover” or “retire into the shadows” at a “certain age” when so many facial treatments offer very positive rejuvenating results. Whether one opts for a minimum “nip and tuck,” a full makeover lift, or one of the non-invasive treatments, a new look is waiting for you!

Nicole Schrader, MD, FACS specializes in facial plastic surgery, both cosmetic and reconstructive, and has practiced for 12 years, most recently in Princeton for the last decade. Her new, expanded office is located at 256 Bunn Drive. She has another location in Robbinsville.

Summa Cum Laude

Born and brought up in Germany, Dr. Schrader received her medical degree from George-August University in Gottigen, where she graduated summa cum laude. This was followed by a residency in otolaryngology/ head and neck surgery at Temple University in Philadelphia, and a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital through the AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery).

As a double board-certified surgeon in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat specialty) and head/neck surgery, Dr. Schrader can provide specialized treatment, which addresses a patient’s individual features, incorporating symmetry and balance. Her otolaryngology experience brings added dimension to her plastic surgery practice.

As she explains, “My background in otolaryngology is helpful in facial plastic surgery, particularly if it involves reconstructive cases or rhinoplasty and nasal surgery.”

Her focus today is primarily on facial plastic surgery, both cosmetic and reconstructive. “This field has always interested me,” she says. “I liked being able to help people look and feel better.”

Dr. Schrader’s practice includes men, women, and children. The majority of patients are women, who typically come in to see her around the age of 40-plus. Men are beginning to come in greater numbers, she adds.

“They are all working and want to look younger. There is so much competition in the workplace today that they feel they need to look their best.”

Realistic Expectations

Face lifts are the most common surgeries, as well as rhinoplasties and eyelid lifts. A full face lift includes the cheeks, jawline, and neck. It can last several years and usually involves a two-week recovery period, she notes.

“We use photography to show the patient what the outcome can look like,” explains Dr. Schrader. “I place emphasis on realistic expectations, and most of the patients are realistic about the hoped-for result.”

She pursues a conservative approach, which results in a “youthful and rejuvenated look that is natural and inconspicuous,” she explains.

Non-surgical treatments are becoming more and more popular, and many patients opt for non-invasive filler injections, including Botox, Juvederm, Restylane, and others. They are especially designed to reduce and smooth out lines, wrinkles, and folds around the nose and mouth areas. Results typically last six months to a year.

Although most patients for these treatments tend to be older, Dr. Schrader reports that “I am beginning to see patients in their 20s now who want to have Botox for prevention. If it is used earlier, it can help prevent lines and wrinkles from getting too deep later on.”

Dr. Schrader also offers advanced and state-of-the-art procedures such as fat grafting, PRP (platelet-rich plasma), and thread mini lifts to improve skin texture and lift tissue in the early stage of aging.

“I will often combine surgery with the use of fillers and skin care,” she adds. “The non-invasive procedures are really increasing, and I am actually doing more of these than surgeries.”

Dr. Schrader’s practice also includes a variety of skin peels, including chemical, exfoliating, pigment lightening, and others. In addition, a number of different types of facials and body treatments are available by her aesthetician at the on-site medical spa.

State-of-the-Art

Her new expanded location includes a state-of-the-art treatment area, where she performs non-invasive procedures as well as small surgeries, such as eyelid lifts.

For more involved surgeries, Dr. Schrader is affiliated with the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro and the University of Pennsylvania, where she is clinical assistant professor in the department of otorhinolaryngology. She is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; and the American Board of Otolaryngology.

She has co-authored more than a dozen papers and presentations, and she has been recognized as Best Plastic Surgeon in the 2017 Town Topics Readers’ Choice Awards.

The opportunity to help patients look and feel better, to restore their self-esteem and confidence, always emphasizing quality care, is Dr. Schrader’s highest priority.

“My goal is always to help my patients, offer them the highest level of care, and deliver results that meet and exceed their expectations. I enjoy everything about my work, and look forward to continuing to be able to do this and offer my best to my patients.”

Dr. Schrader can be reached at (609) 279-0009. Website: www.schraderplasticsurgery.com.