For 25 years, the Hickory Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Center has been providing leading-edge cosmetic and reconstructive surgery services to the Greater Hickory area. Founded by Dr. Joseph Fewell in 1984, the practice has grown to include Dr. Steven Siciliano, who joined in 1993, and Dr. George Jennings, who joined in 2008.

“As board-certified plastic surgeons, we bring a wealth of experience to our patients,” says Dr. Siciliano. “Plastic surgery is such a vast field that you can’t specialize in everything. But with three surgeons of different ages, interests and training backgrounds, we have a distinct advantage. We bring a depth of experience and collaboration across the board.”

“We have the education, skills and experience to serve all plastic surgery needs,” adds Dr. Fewell. “We care about each patient individually and strive to not only perform exceptional plastic surgery procedures, but to make sure our patients are as involved and comfortable with everything they are experiencing.”

At the Hickory Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Center, a patient’s experience starts with the first faces they meet: the staff. “We get lots of compliments on our staff, from the front office to our nurses,” says Siciliano. “They are very caring and experienced, and we’ve had very little turnover. Most people have worked with us at least seven or eight years, on average, which means they are also very knowledgeable about what we do and who our patients are. They are invaluable in helping us provide a professional and consistent patient experience.”

That experience continues with each patient’s personal interaction with his or her surgeon. “We always do an initial complimentary consultation with our surgery patients,” says Dr. Siciliano. “What makes these unique is that we personally meet with our patients on their first visit. Other offices may have a nurse or other staff member screen patients, but we believe it is a huge plus for us to meet with patients from the first time they come in.

“At that first meeting, we sit down with our patients and go over what they’re interested in doing,” Siciliano explains. “We try to be sure that what they want is doable and that we can accomplish what they hope to accomplish. Managing expectations is one of the hardest jobs for any plastic surgeon, which is why we want to be involved from the beginning. It is our job to make sure patients understand any limitations and that their expectations are not above what we can achieve surgically.

“Once we decide to move forward, the surgical visit is scheduled,” Siciliano adds. “I always like to talk with cosmetic patients twice before we do surgery to make sure everyone has a thorough understanding of the procedure and potential outcomes. I have found that this second visit is well worth the time, because it helps clarify any remaining questions or expectations prior to the surgery.”

Most of those surgeries – more than 4,500 cosmetic procedures to date – take place on-site in the practice’s fully accredited in-house surgical suite. Nearly ten years ago, the practice was one of the first in the area to offer this on-site state-of-the-art convenience to its patients. If a surgery cannot take place on-site, all three surgeons have access to the operating facilities at Hickory’s two major hospitals.

“We do nearly all our cosmetic procedures in our in-office operating room,” Siciliano explains. “Having the suite adds to the comfort and convenience of the patient experience. We maintain leading-edge equipment and a fully staffed recovery room, which allows patients to have a seamless surgical experience. The suite also makes it easier to protect a patient’s privacy, which is something we take very seriously.”

Once the patient’s surgical experience is complete, one more step remains: evaluating patient satisfaction. For most cosmetic surgery offices, the proof is in the results. And when it comes to results, the Hickory Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Center has achieved a remarkable 25-year track record of success.

“As a rule, our patients are very satisfied,” says Dr. Siciliano. “I think that because we take the time to make sure our patients have realistic expectations, their satisfaction with their results is very high.

“People may feel that what we do is life-changing, but I wouldn’t call it that,” Siciliano adds. “What we’re trying to do with cosmetic surgery is improve existing structures. We don’t want people to go in with the expectation that it’s going to change their lives, even though some of our patients do term it that way. But that’s not what our goal is. We strive to help people feel more self-confident and secure with how they present themselves.”

While both plastic and reconstructive surgery require the same surgical skills, they vary greatly in approach and clientele. As a top plastic surgery practice, Hickory Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery offers the full range of procedures one would expect to find. This includes everything from face lifts to breast augmentation and tummy tucks. It also includes a fully-developed line of aesthetic services, such as injectibles, laser resurfacing, and skin care.

One service that stands out is rhinoplasty, which involves a reshaping of the nose. Dr. Jennings has a special interest in the procedure and is one of the few surgeons in the area to offer it. “Rhinoplasty can be done to correct either form or function,” Dr. Jennings explains. “This can be accomplished by altering external structures, internal structures, or both.”

Another popular area of expertise is liposuction utilizing the advanced VASER® system. “The VASER is an ultrasound assisted liposuction system,” says Siciliano. “It’s less traumatic to the patients because it uses ultrasound to help guide the procedure. It results in less bleeding and bruising and quicker healing time, and our patients have been very pleased with the results.”

In addition to improving appearance, the Hickory Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Center also focuses on restoring it. Reconstructive surgery involves patients of all ages and is utilized to restore appearance and/or function to areas of the body that have been affected by things like trauma or congenital defects. Examples include reconstruction after skin cancer excision, breast reconstruction after mastectomy, and dealing with deformities or wounds.

“There’s not really anything we don’t offer in the realm of cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery, and aesthetic services,” Siciliano says. “More importantly, we bring skilled training and ability to our practice. Patients need to be aware that not all cosmetic surgeons are plastic surgeons. Anyone considering aesthetic or even reconstructive surgery should understand the type of training their prospective surgeon has undergone.”