Training and board certification
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| College | University of Southern Mississippi, Bachelor of Science |
| Dental school | University of Mississippi, Doctor of Medical Dentistry, 1994 |
| Medical school | University of Alabama |
| Internship | General surgery |
| Residency | Maxillofacial surgery, University of Alabama |
- Board certification as printed: "a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon." The site does not name the board.
- Ranked first in his dental class and received the Wallace V. Mann Academic Achievement Award; member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society.
- Associate Professor, University of Mississippi Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, teaching dental students and residents.
- Member of the American Medical Association, American Dental Association, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Central Mississippi Medical Society.
Eyelid surgery work
- Blepharoplasty. The eyelid page describes an eyelid lift for the upper lids, lower lids or both, for droopy upper lids, saggy lower lids or vision blocked by eyelid anatomy. Most patients are over 35; younger patients may seek it for congenital reasons (source).
- Surgery. Performed under sedation or general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure at the practice's surgical center. Someone must drive the patient home and stay for the first 24 hours.
- Result. The upper eyelid crease becomes higher and better defined and the lower lids smoother. Bags are unlikely to recur because the fat has been removed.
- Alternatives. Laser resurfacing of the eyelids is described as a non-surgical option that tightens skin but does not affect fat. Dr. Nichols may recommend BOTOX for crow's feet, which eyelid surgery does not usually change.
- The page lists possible complications: bleeding, swelling, delayed healing, infection, drooping of the upper or lower lid, asymmetry, double vision and dry eyes.
- The practice site has no before-and-after gallery.
Other procedures
The brow and forehead lift page states Dr. Nichols performs the operation through an incision behind the hairline along the temple and above the brow, or endoscopically through small scalp incisions. It may be combined with other surgery or needed instead of eyelid surgery (source). The site also lists face and neck lift, rhinoplasty, genioplasty, cheek augmentation, facial liposuction, cleft lip and palate, corrective jaw surgery, dental implants, facial trauma and the Defy Facial Spa.
Insurance and cost
- Brow lift: insurance "may pay for part or all of the cost of surgery if the procedure is performed as a result of visual impairment" (source).
- Patients are responsible for all fees regardless of insurance coverage; the office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Cherry and Care Credit (source).
- The site publishes no eyelid or brow prices.
Recovery
- Swelling begins to subside after the third day; some blurred vision is normal.
- Stitches out in 4-5 days.
- Swelling and bruising last about 10 days; makeup can be worn to conceal them.
- Normal activity within a week to 10 days; the new look shows in about 10-14 days.
- Scars may take about 6 months to lose their redness.
- Brow lift: sutures out within one week; normal activities within 1-2 weeks (source).