Leo J. Urbinelli, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon *Top Plastic Surgeon in CNY* Bringing his expertise from NYC and Los Angeles back home to Upstate NY
Leo J. Urbinelli, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon *Top Plastic Surgeon in CNY* Bringing his expertise from NYC and Los Angeles back home to Upstate NY
A child’s facial or body concern is never just a medical issue. We are concerned with function, comfort, growth, teasing, confidence, scars, future procedures…all of it.
Here at Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY, Pediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Syracuse, NY, is led by Dr. Leo J. Urbinelli, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with extensive experience in pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery.
Dr. Urbinelli has devoted his career to these children and families and is passionate about the care of these patients. He offers levelheaded, clear guidance and skilled hands to children who need reconstructive care for facial, body, ear, scar, or craniofacial reconstructive concerns.
Dr. Leo J. Urbinelli has spent much of his professional time focused on delicate and unique care of pediatric plastic surgical and craniofacial patients. With Pediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Syracuse, New York, children are not just little adults. The anatomy is often underdeveloped, missing, or blunted, not to mention smaller. Children’s needs from surgery and after surgery differ from adults. The children’s bodies and faces grow and change with development; hence, the surgery must heal over time and account for growth changes. Their bones, soft tissue, scar placement, and emotional needs all have to be considered before any plan is made.
At Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY, Dr. Urbinelli sits down with families and the children to discuss the concerns, review the options, and help parents know what they can do now and what they may need to keep an eye on as time passes.
Dr. Urbinelli may evaluate children for concerns such as:
Pediatric Plastic Surgery in Syracuse, NY needs to be a calculated and personalized plan. Parents must understand why we may suggest one approach over another, what the procedure will entail, what the recovery is like, and what outcome to expect.
At Premier Aesthetics, the first step is meeting Dr. Urbinelli so he can examine the child, review history, look closely at the issue, ask about symptoms or earlier treatment, and hear what the family’s and/or child’s concerns are.
With children, function as well as appearance are part of the same result. One cannot detract from the other; the form should support function.
During the visit, Dr. Urbinelli may review:
Children are growing, and often their bodies are still changing. That makes reconstructive planning different. A result that looks good today also must make sense as the child grows. Dr. Urbinelli considers age, tissue development, symmetry, and long-term appearance before suggesting a treatment path.
Some procedures are best done early. Others are better delayed. That answer depends on the concern and urgency of the issues (airway, brain development, feeding, etc). Timing is part of the expert knowledge.
Dr. Urbinelli focuses on:
Some of the most common pediatric concerns involve the ears, scars, or facial soft tissue. These concerns can affect how a child feels at school, in photos, or around other children. Parents often notice the emotional side first.
Dr. Urbinelli handles these concerns with care. For ear shape issues, he looks at the cartilage, symmetry, and how the ear sits against the head. For scars, he studies the scar timing, child’s skin type, thickness, color, and tension. Facial repair requires a steady balance between function and appearance.
Treatment may aim to:
Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY offers the following services in Syracuse, New York:
Pediatric Plastic and reconstructive surgery
Craniofacial Surgery
Otoplasty Ear Surgery
Neck lift surgery
Eyelid Surgery
Gynecomastia surgery
Liposuction
Breast lift
Facelift surgeon
Parents want straight answers. They want skill too, but also someone who is down to earth, relates to them and their child. Dr. Urbinelli offers that unique mix of high surgical skill, experience, and knowledge with a compassionate approach. He has helped children with difficult craniofacial and reconstructive needs for many years, but he still views every patient as personal and unique.
At Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY, the main purpose is to address areas/concerns that may need help with function and/or form while honoring the child’s natural features, family ethnicity, or goals.
Dr. Urbinelli knows that pediatric plastic surgery and reconstruction carry physical and emotional weight. Parents need to feel heard. Children need to feel safe.
Some families come in after years of waiting. Others arrive prenatally, immediately after birth, or shortly after an injury. Either way, Dr. Urbinelli helps them slow the moment down and understand the options.
Recovery depends on the procedure, the child’s age, and the area treated. Some repairs can be minor (skin lesions, scar revisions). Others require more comprehensive care and multidisciplinary therapies, planning, and check-ups. Dr. Urbinelli explains things in detail for aftercare so parents and older children know what to look for and how to help healing at home.
Swelling, soreness, and scar changes can occur. Kids often heal fast, though scars still improve as months go by.
Follow-up visits help Dr. Urbinelli check progress and guide families through each stage.
Pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery is a way to address a child’s functional or cosmetic concerns, such as birth-related (congenital concerns) or acquired (injuries, scars, prior surgery), cleft-related, or facial/body differences. Dr. Urbinelli thinks about how a child grows, how their body works (function), and how they will potentially look/feel when he makes a surgical plan.
A child may need pediatric plastic surgery for things like ears that stick out, scars on the face, problems with the skull or face (cleft or craniofacial concerns), damage to soft areas (soft tissue injuries), or other areas. Talking with our team and Dr. Urbinelli can help families navigate this process.
All surgery comes with risks, but Dr. Urbinelli reviews your child’s specific health history, their facial or body concern, and the options/procedures available long before he suggests anything. Being safe, calculated, and having a clear plan are extremely important in the successful execution of safe and effective surgery for children and adults.
No scars are invisible; however, children often heal very well. We always attempt to leave incisions and scars in hidden or camouflaged areas, so they are not easily seen. All surgical procedures result in scars, but Dr. Urbinelli specifically handles the tissues of the face/body gently to allow the scars to heal well and be discreet or inconspicuous. How a scar heals also changes over different developmental ages (younger children often heal better than older children or teens).
Parents should set up an appointment if a facial concern impacts how the child’s face looks and functions (chewing, speech, breathing, smiling, and overall looking like a face to the world), or negatively impacts their psychosocial comfort (their self-esteem). Getting an early check-up (evaluation) doesn’t mean the child will require surgery right away or at all.
If you’re searching for Pediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Syracuse, NY, Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY is a great place for families to begin.
Dr. Urbinelli will take a close look at your child’s needs, talk through the choices available, and help you figure out what steps (if any) make the most sense right now.
Book a consultation with Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY to talk through your child’s care with Dr. Leo J. Urbinelli.
Call Premier Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery of NY today if you want honest guidance from a surgeon with real pediatric plastic and reconstructive experience!
