Episodes

For people in their 50’s, here’s how to take action and avoid looking "old." Dr. Koehler and Kirstin share tips in this third episode of our mini-series on skin care throughout the decades. In your 50s, it's time to consider more aggressive rejuvenation treatments while still focusing on prevention, so keep your sunscreen and Retin-A handy. Botox and filler can still work wonders, but it's important to avoid going overboard. In this decade, skin resurfacing treatments can take care of wrinkles...

Mary Emma Pitman, CRNP leads our bioidentical hormone replacement therapy program at Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery. Taking the time to understand everything from your sleep habits to your stress triggers, Mary Emma dives deep with comprehensive lab tests in order to create a personalized hormone replacement plan that’ll have you on your way to feeling amazing. Alabama the Beautiful is the cosmetic surgery podcast co-hosted by Dr. James Koehler, a surgeon with over 2 decades of expertise in co...

We don’t just want to look young, we want to feel young, too. Hormone replacement can improve quality of life for both women and men by tackling issues like brain fog, fatigue, low libido, and anxiety. Mary Emma Pitman, CRNP is our in-house hormone replacement therapy specialist. She’s all about getting to know you and customizing a treatment plan that fits your unique symptoms, not one-size-fits-all solutions. Aging is inevitable, but suffering through it doesn’t have to be. Find out how to t...

To slow down the effects of aging in your 40’s, Dr. Koehler and Kirstin reveal the must-have products and must-do treatments in the second episode of our mini-series on skin care throughout the decades. In your 40’s, it’s all about prevention and a little bit of reversal too. Forget the drugstore basics and start looking at Retin-A and medical grade skin care products. Get serious about microneedling and add lasers to your beauty plan for those deeper lines. Dr. Koehler dishes on the most comm...

In the first episode of our mini-series about taking care of your face throughout the decades, Dr. Koehler and Kirstin share tips for your 30’s to keep yourself looking young. Entering your 30’s calls for a solid anti-aging treatment plan you can stick to. Start with a nightly skin care ritual and don’t be out sun-worshiping with no SPF. How quickly our skin ages depends on lots of factors—some within our control, others not so much. Find out when it’s time to start getting Botox, fillers and ...

Sometimes breast implants need a little help within the first year, while others have implants for decades with no need to make a change. But trends and feelings change, and someday you might want to be smaller or larger, or just want them out completely. Dr. Koehler and Kirstin talk through the different types of breast revision surgeries available depending on your concerns. Find out what the two most common unplanned reasons for replacing implants are, and how to tell if these worrisome co...

The secret to great breast augmentation results is getting the right size and style of implant for your body. Kirstin asks Dr. Koehler the most common questions about breast augmentation and a few weird ones, including how big can you really go? What is the best incision location? Do I really have to have them replaced later? In this conversation about all the things women worry about before breast augmentation surgery, you’ll learn all there is to know from Dr. Koehler’s experience doing thou...

Losing weight and looking great feels amazing, but for some people there’s loose skin hanging around that won’t go away on its own. When this happens, there’s a range of non-surgical and surgical approaches to solve the problem, including a tummy tuck, extended tummy tuck, or body lift. Dr. Koehler explains why some of these surgeries are better done in a hospital or may require multiple procedures, and how long you should maintain a stable weight before getting them. Read more about post wei...

While trends come and go and fewer people are seeking the full booty look, the BBL is so not over. Thanks to better awareness and stricter regulations, BBLs are much safer now than before. Dr. Koehler breaks down the techniques he uses to safely achieve the best possible results. Learn the risks of bargain shopping, what the skinny BBL is and who it’s for, how to sit down during recovery without putting pressure on your butt, and how much fat will actually stick around for the long haul. Read ...

You can have the best results in the world, but being mentally and physically unprepared for recovery will affect your experience. Dr. Koehler and his team believe the more you know at the pre-op appointment about what to expect, the less anxiety and questions you’ll have later and the better the outcome. Compression isn't going to make or break your result, but it is helpful and speeds up your recovery. Find out what types of compression garments Dr. Koehler recommends as well as how often an...

No amount of exercise or diet can correct skin laxity and muscle separation. Although Dr. Koehler finds the term “mommy makeover” to be overused, it represents the surgical options designed to get the pre-kids body back. Most commonly, it’s the breasts and tummy. Some women just need a breast augmentation and tummy tuck, others need a breast lift with implants and tummy tuck, and others need it all: breast lift with implants, tummy tuck, liposuction, and fat transfer to the buttocks. And don’t...

Is it safer to have surgery in a hospital or an in-office surgery suite? Both are safe, of course, and ultimately it is the surgeon doing your surgery which makes it safe, not the location. But what you might not think to verify ahead of time is whether or not your surgeon has hospital privileges. While it may seem mundane, the reasons for understanding these important credentials are a major factor in what might be the most important decision you ever make. Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Alaba...

Eyelid surgery (the procedure that “fancy people” call blepharoplasty) is how we help fix dark circles and eye bags. The goal isn’t to make you look different, just less tired or old. Eyelid surgery techniques differ for men and women. Unless you’re going for a feminine look, you don't want to show much upper eyelid as a man. Dr. Koehler restores men’s eyes without throwing their masculinity out the window. For anyone thinking about eyelid surgery, Kirstin asks Dr. Koehler the important questi...

Each fall, Dr. Koehler serves on the faculty of an advanced facial rejuvenation surgery course led by Dr. Mike Nayak at St. Louis University. Doctors from all over the country and around the world travel to this course to refine their techniques and learn from the best. In the course of teaching this course, Dr. Koehler has also learned a thing or two, refining his own approach to delivering natural, fresh-looking results for his patients. For those of us who can’t go inside the doors of an ex...

Dr. Koehler does it all, but the procedure he’s most known for around the Eastern Shore and beyond is the face lift. Unapologetically candid with patients, if someone’s concerns call for additional procedures he may recommend some TLC to the eyes because, after all, the curtains need to match the carpet. His #1 rule is to always achieve a natural look with the least noticeable scars and the least risk. Dr. Koehler answers FAQs about the face lift, including: How can you postpone the need for ...

Nestled in a quiet corner of Fairhope, Alabama, people from all over the Southeast are pleasantly surprised to find a team of world-class aesthetic professionals led by an exceptional cosmetic surgeon. No matter who’s asking or why, when it comes to the life-changing decisions of cosmetic surgery, Dr. James Koehler tells it like it is. For this honesty, he’s well known and loved in the area for his consistently beautiful results and clear-headed approach. As co-host Kirstin Jarvis lovingly pok...

Alabama the Beautiful is the cosmetic surgery podcast co-hosted by Dr. James Koehler, a surgeon with over 2 decades of expertise in cosmetic surgery and his trusty co-host Kirstin, your best friend, confidante, and the snarky yet loveable “swiss army knife” of Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery. Have a question for Dr. Koehler or Kirstin? Record your voicemail at https://alabamathebeautifulpodcast.com/ and we’ll answer it on the podcast. Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery is located along the Eastern ...