Guilford Woman Magazine for the Women of Guilford County NC

by Alica Garcia Photos by Tim Talley Photography

Unlike most women (this writer included,) Dr. Sera Jacob doesn’t mind if you ask her how old she is. “I’m 48,” she says proudly. And the fact is, if I, like Dr. Jacob, looked ten years younger, I might be more inclined to answer honestly. The next question to ask would be, “What’s your secret?” but by spending time with her it became quite obvious to me that her secret had something to do with confidence.

Dr. Jacob was born and raised in the Carolinas. She attended the University of South Carolina where, in 1984, she earned a BS degree in the very male dominated field of Chemical Engineering. After ten years of working as an engineer in the Midwest, Sera missed the close connection with people and made the decision to return to school to become a doctor. After earning her MD degree from the University of Kansas, her husband, Phil and their new daughter, Hailey, moved back to the South for Sera’s training in Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. After five years of residency training and the birth of her son, Grant, Dr. Jacob decided to stay close by and joined the group of otolaryngologists (the official title of an ENT) at Greensboro Ear, Nose & Throat Associates.

Dr. Jacob’s experience and knowledge has enabled her to create a strong reputation in the community and to maintain a wide patient base. She has served on the Head and Neck Cancer Board, and presently, she serves on the Operating Room Peer Review Committee and is Chief of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Like many doctors, Dr. Jacob’s friends and clients would come to her with questions about new treatments they had heard or read about, especially certain cosmetic procedures. Many of them already knew that as an ENT, Dr. Jacob had an extensive knowledge of the face and neck. They then began to ask if she would be willing to do the treatments. After receiving the proper training, Dr. Jacob and associates, Dr. Wolicki, Dr. Shoemaker and Dr. Bates started offering clients these services. The demand became such that they were able to dedicate a portion of their practice to this area and the Greensboro Center for Facial Rejuvenation was born. The Center itself is located next to the Greensboro Ear, Nose & Throat Associates’ offices, and through it, Dr. Jacob and her colleagues provide patients with access to procedures such as Botox®, Juvéderm®, Radiesse®, Latisse®, and Fraxel®. Each new patient first meets with one of the physicians for a complimentary in depth consultation to establish short and long term goals for treatment and to answer questions. In addition, the Center offers cosmetic and skin care consultations and aesthetician services (i.e. chemical peels, microdermabrasions, facials.)

In most academic centers as well as community hospitals around the country, otolaryngologists are called on to take care of major facial trauma. This is no different in our community. If you were to have an accident that involves your head or neck in any way, odds are, you may find yourself looking up at Dr. Jacob or one of her partners. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing, she assures me. In fact, Dr. Jacob’s group handles the majority of facial trauma in the city and in the surrounding communities.

Many are sometimes surprised to hear that an ENT has been called in for such cases, but these surgeons are oftentimes best qualified to deal with complex head and neck trauma. As an otolaryngologist, one must have a thorough understanding of face and neck anatomy, and have training and experience in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. It is another reason that Dr. Jacob and her colleagues felt that that it was a natural transition for them to enter the facial cosmetic portion of their field. In addition to the rejuvenation portion of the cosmetic practice, they are also able to offer those less fortunate trauma patients with the need for scar treatment, helpful services such as cosmetic camouflage, laser therapy, dermabrasion and other treatments.

The next step for Dr. Jacob and her partners is to continue to expand the services that they offer through the Facial Rejuvenation Center. Their approach at the Center is to find a way to make the biggest impact with the smallest change, and some times, doing so may not require an injection. For some it may be as simple as renewing one’s self confidence. To do so, some women are looking to return a little youthful fervor to their skin. Others are looking to reduce fine and larger wrinkles; to take care of excessive pigmentation that the sun and pregnancy have left, and some just want a little fullness restored to their smiles. Whatever the reason, Dr. Jacob and her colleagues work hard to bring about the desired changes for each individual.

Another one of Dr. Jacob’s goals is to find a way to bring supportive women together. She plans to do this by having gatherings that showcase local businesswomen and women with relevant talents. With these gatherings she believes everyone will benefit by learning to become empowered, to gain confidence and, most of all, to have fun.

Undeniably, without a certain measure of confidence and self-assuredness, Dr. Jacob wouldn’t be able to do what she does, and so often that is an obstacle for women. But, in Dr. Jacob’s eyes, it doesn’t have to be, and she is looking for ways to help women overcome that.

For more information about Dr. Jacob or the Greensboro Center for Facial Rejuvenation, visit their website at: http://www.greensborofaces.com