West Virginia is a state of small cities and smaller towns.  The largest city and the state’s capital is Charleston, with a population for the entire metro area of 310,000 people.  Other cities include Huntington, Wheeling and Morgantown, which is home to West Virginia University. 

Charleston and its suburbs have an established group of cosmetic plastic surgeons, some of whom are in multiple-partner practices and some of whom practice on their own, in their own clinics with the support of properly trained medical staff.  Like surgeons in many of the smaller markets, Charleston’s plastic surgeons will often combine both cosmetic surgery procedures and reconstructive surgery in their work. 

Some facial experts will perform eyelid surgery, nose surgery (rhinoplasty), chin reshaping, brow lifts and total face lifts.  Many will also provide neck surgery options such as the removal of fat deposits that form rings around the neck, tightening of the chin and neck muscles to minimize jowls, and general tightening of the skin along the neck.  These same doctors make themselves available for reconstructive surgery following facial trauma or removal of cancers such as melanoma. 

Both cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery can include grafting of cartilage or bone or both, depending upon the procedure.  Plastic surgeons who have studied reconstructive surgery are generally familiar with the more popular cosmetic surgical procedures, and vice-versa.

Wheeling has a number of dermatologists who also provide cosmetic plastic surgery for the face and skin.  Treatments may include the use of laser for either skin treatment or for hair removal.  Microdermabrasion is also a popular technique for minimizing facial scars and blemishes, for both smoothing and tightening the facial skin which provides a more youthful look.

In Southern West Virginia the city of Beckley has become a regional hub for its metro area of over 200,000 residents.  There are a substantial number of practicing plastic surgeons in Beckley, including one practice that is dedicated to treating vein and skin problems.  This practice also has an office in Charleston, suggesting that Beckley has become a good secondary market for cosmetic surgery.  Where varicose vein treatment at one time consisted of vein stripping, now aesthetic surgeons have tools powered by the use of laser light.  This choice makes varicose vein treatment a non-surgical procedure of sixty to ninety minutes.

West Virginia’s cosmetic plastic surgeons utilize the latest in body enhancement technology.  That is not an insignificant claim, given the rate at which new minimally evasive techniques are being developed for body enhancement.