Frequently Asked Questions about cosmetic surgery procedures at Pearson Facial Plastic Surgery
Q: How much does surgery cost (or office procedures) and what's included?
A: Specific answers to these questions are best answered at the time of your consultation when various treatment options are tailored to your unique concerns. However, our Patient Coordinator can give you a general idea of the cost of individual procedures simply by calling us. Written quotations are provided at the end of your consultation and include a discussion of our payment policies (which you can also read by clicking here

Q: Where does Dr. Pearson operate? What hospital or surgery center does he use?
A: For procedures requiring general anesthesia or sedation, Dr. Pearson has surgical privileges at Fleming Island Surgery Center and Middleburg Surgery Center as well as Orange Park Medical Center. For all of his cosmetic surgery patients, however, surgery is performed at one of the two surgery centers and not the hospital. Both surgery centers are fully accredited by the AAAHC (Accrediation Association for Ambulatory Heath Care) to ensure the highest levels of patient safety and quality of care and utilize actual licensed anesthesiologists.
Q: How long will it take to heal? How long will I be off from work?
A: The exact answer to this question will depend on the specific type of surgery you are having. Everyone heals individually, and no two people will have exactly the same procedure. We caution patients that the timelines for recovery are rough guides only.
Some procedures, such as lip augmentation, are performed in the office and have essentially no "down time." For procedures done in the operating room, nearly all can be done on a out-patient basis. For most surgeries, patients can go back to work as soon as they feel able, which is generally within a few days, but most patients will take one to two weeks off.
Most swelling and bruises, if present, will have faded by 14 days. Bruises as well as any incisions can be concealed immediately with camouflage makeup, if desired. However, other standard cosmetics should be avoided for the first week after surgery. In most cases, by two weeks patients no longer "look surgical" and can engage in work and social activities without worry about their appearance. For more information, click on the link for the specific procedure of interest for more precise details about recovery.
Q: When do the stitches come out?
A: Dr. Pearson uses a variety of dissolvable and "permanent" sutures, as well as surgical stainless steel staples. Permanent skin sutures will not dissolve and will need to be removed in the office. Most sutures are removed in about four or five days, with remaining sutures being removed between a week and ten days. Staples, if used, are generally removed between seven and ten days as well. Dissolvable sutures come in several varieties and will go away on their own. Each class of dissolvable suture has a pre-determined time that it lasts before it disintegrates. In some cases, Dr. Pearson will apply Steri-Strip tape or Dermabond adhesive across an incision after removing the sutures to provide additional strength and protection. These tapes and adhesives will fall off on their own or will be removed by Dr. Pearson.
Q: What if there are complications?
A: Special care is always taken to avoid complications, but unfortunately they can occur. Should a complication occur, every effort is made to limit and correct its effects. Fortunately, the human body is remarkably adept at healing, and often little more than patience, reassurance, and close follow-up visits are required. In all cases, frequent monitoring of the patient is essential to optimizing the outcome, and generally patients welcome the reassurance that comes with such visits.
Additionally, if necessary, Dr. Pearson is quite comfortable consulting colleagues for second opinions as well as doctors of related areas of medicine who may be able to assist in a patient's recovery.
Q: Does Dr. Pearson perform any body cosmetic surgery such as breast augmentation (breast implants) or abdominoplasty (tummy tucks)?
A: No. Dr. Pearson specializes exclusively in the face and neck. His training in Facial Plastic Surgery as well as Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery has equipped him with advanced knowledge of the complex anatomy, physiology, pathology, and wound-healing characteristics that are unique to the head, face, and neck.
For cosmetic and resconstructive surgery of the body, Dr. Pearson is happy to refer his patients to trusted colleagues in the community who do perform those procedures.
Q: Does Pearson Facial Plastic Surgery® charge a "no-show" fee?
A: Yes. Cancellations require 24 hours' notice or the prospective patient will be billed for the cost of the consultation. When you schedule a consultation with Dr. Pearson, you are reserving an hour of office time where Dr. Pearson and his staff are exclusively yours. Obviously, he cannot consult with other patients during this time. As a courtesy to us and to other prospective patients eager for a timely appointment, we prefer that you only book your consultation when you are confident of your schedule.
Q: Where do most of Dr. Pearson's patients come from?
A: Most of our patients come from the local region including Jacksonville, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Ponte Vedra Beach, St. John's, and St. Augustine, Florida as well as other areas of central and north Florida and southern Georgia. A smaller percentage of patients hail from various parts of the southeastern United States and occasionally abroad.
Q: I have a question that I don't see answered here. What can I do?
A: Let us know! If there's something you feel we should add to this Frequently Asked Questions page, please let us know by sending us feedback on our feedback page. We can't guarantee your question will appear here, but the whole point of this page is to help our visitors by compiling a list of those questions that we receive all the time, so be sure to check back often. And please keep in mind that we cannot offer specific medical advice via the web.To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Pearson, please call 904-215-7377 or e-mail us.