Cosmetic Surgery Glossary

A

Abdominoplasty - surgery to remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen

Acne - an inflammatory eruption involving the oil-producing sebaceous glands

Aesthetic surgery - any surgery to improve one's appearance

Aesthetician - a skin care specialist trained in methods to enhance beauty

Age spot - flat, brown discoloration on the skin that results from overexposure to the sun and aging; also called sunspot or liver spot

Alopecia - loss of hair; can be caused by genetics, disease, malnutrition, or hormone imbalance

Anesthesia - loss of sensation in the body induced by an anesthetic

Anesthetic - a compound that reduces the ability to perceive pain; used in surgery to block pain

Anesthetist - one who adminsters an anesthetic; whether a physician, nurse, or

Antibacterial - any agent that is effective against bacteria

Antibiotic - a drug that is effective against bacteria

Areola - the pigmented area around the nipple

Asymmetric - uneven

Augmentation mammoplasty - the enlargement of the breasts using an artificial implant

B

Beauty mark - a mole or nevus

Benign - not containing cancerous cells

Biopsy - the process of removing tissue form living patients for diagnostic examination

Birthmark - a mole or blemish that is present on the skin at birth

Blemish - any mark or discoloration on the skin that mars the appearance

Blepharoplasty - any operation to correct a defect in the eyelids. In cosmetic surgery, referred to as an eye lift, eyelid correction or eye lift

Botox - a substance derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum; used to temporarily paralyze muscles and treat cross-eyed condition, muscle spasm, excessive sweating, and migraine headaches

Brachioplasty - surgery on the arm: usually the upper arm to remove excess skin and fat

Breast augmentation - surgical placement of breast implants to increase breast size and fullness

Breast implant - a silicone rubber shell filled with either silicone gel or inflated with a saline solution used to enlarge the breast

Breast lift - surgery to remove excess skin and raise the nipple for perkier, fuller breasts; to counteract gravity, loss of elasticity, and sagging; also called mastopexy

Breast reduction - surgery to remove excess skin, breast, and fatty tissue for smaller, shapely breasts, and to reduce back and neck strain

Breast implant removal - surgery to remove implants with or without replacement; for desired changes in proportions, or due to implant-related complications

Breast implant revision - surgery to enhance the appearance of breasts with surgery on the implant pocket, or replacement of the implant itself

C

Canula or cannula - a small, hollow tube used during liposuction surgery to remove fat by suction

Capillary - a tiny blood vessel that connects an artery to a vein

Cartilage - a type of connective tissue

Cellulite - a term used to describe an uneven, "cottage cheese", or dimpled texture to the skin overlying fat; sometimes treated with mechanical massage or mesotherapy

Cervicoplasty - commonly called a neck lift - ; surgery to remove excess skin to improve the neckline, correct "turkey neck", and improve one's profile

Cheek augmentation - a procedure to contour and angle the cheeks using injectable fillers, surgical implants, or grafts

Cheek lift - surgery to raise the middle of the face, the cheek, to enhance cheek and undereye fullness and contour; also called midface lift

Chemical peel - removal of the superficial layers of the skin with a chemical agent to remove wrinkles and age spots and to promote the regrowth of fresh, clearer new skin

Closed rhinoplasty - surgery of the nose without any visible external incisions

Collagen - the major protein of connective tissue that makes up the foundation of skin and other tissues; used as an injectable filler to temporarily plump depressed areas or augment deficient areas of the skin

Cosmetic dentistry - the specialty of dentistry to improve the appearance of the teeth and smile

Cosmetic surgery - an elective procedure performed to reshape normal structures in the body in order to improve appearance

Crow's feet - wrinkles at the outside corners of th eyes, resulting from aging and normal facial expression

Cyst - an abnormal sac containing gas, fluid, or a semisolid material

D

Dental implant - an artificial permanent device placed in the jaw bone to anchor a tooth, crown, or bridge

Dermabrasion - a technique of mechanical buffing or sanding of the skin to remove the superficial layers and improve imperfections such as wrinkles and scars

E

Ear surgery - pinning back of prominent ears or reducing and reshaping overly large or malformed ears; also called otoplasty

Electrolysis - the process of elimination excess hair by inserting a needle into each hair follicle to destory the hair bulb with a weak current of electricity

Enamel - the hard covering of a tooth

Endermologie - a nonsurgical method to reduce the appearance of fat and cellulite involving a series of treatments using heat and mechanical rolling devices for deep massage

Endoscope - a surgical device for seeing inside of the body via small incisions, through a tube with an attached camera and light source;

Endoscopic lift - any surgical lift that is done through an endoscope

Endoscopic surgery - minimal-incision surgery can be performed using tiny cameras and long instruments; typically results in a quicker recovery than surgeries performed with larger incisions

Endoscopy - a technique using an endoscope to view images of the body's internal structures through very small incisions

Epidermis - the outer, protective layer of the skin

Exfoliant - an agent that causes the outer layers of skin cells to slough off

Exfoliation - the removal of upper skin in thin layers

Eyelid ptosis surgery - procedure to raise one or both droopy upper eyelids to restore an alert appearance and possibly improve visual fields

F

Face lift - a surgical procedure to rejuvenate the appearance of the face and neck which reducse jowls under the cheeks and improves the jawline by repositioning muscle and removing excess skin; also called rhytidectomy

Fat transfer - see "fat grafting"

Female genital surgery - surgery to reshape the labia for increased confidence and enhanced sexual experiences; also called "labiaplasty"

Filler (filling agent) - a substance such as collagen, silicone, or one's own fat that is injected beneath the skin to contour, or fill in wrinkles or scars

Free radicals - free-floating electrons resulting from oxidation that hve been linked to the aging process, cancer, and autoimmune diseases

Frontalis - a muscle under the skin of the forehead

G

General anesthetic - an anesthetic administered to induce sleep; sometimes referred to as a "general"

Genioplasty - surgery of the chin

Glabella - the smooth area between the eyebrows

Glabellar lines - vertical forehead creases between the eyebrows

Glycolic acid - a fruit acid (AHA) derived from sugar cane, used in superficial chemcial peels

Glycolic peel - the removal of skin surfaces using a fruit acid

Graft - any free living tissue moved from one part of the body to another

Gynecomastia - male breast enlargement; treated with excision or liposuction

H

Hairband incision - a surgical cut in the scalp crossing from ear to ear, used in a coronal browlift

Hair graft - a thin strip of hair-bearing scalp is removed, separated into pieces of 1 to 5 hair follicles, and then implanted into hairless areas

Hair transplant - see "hair graft"

Hair follicle - a deep, narrow canal with its enclosed developing hair

Hirsutism - condition of excess bodily hair

Hooding - an abnormal appearance of the upper eyelid caused by excessive sagging of the eyelid skin

Hyperhidrosis - profuse sweating

Hyperpigmentation - darkening of the skin through overproduction of melanin

Hypoallergenic - designed to reduce the chance of allergic reaction

I

Implant - a surgically placed, permanent device that is used to correct an anatomical deficiency or to create a more desirable appearance

Incision - a cut or surgical wound

Inflammation - redness, swelling, and pain as a result of irritation, injury or infection

Injectable filler - any of several substances used to plump up a depressed area of the skin or lips

L

Labial - pertaining to the lips

Labiaplasty - surgery to reshape the labia

Laser - acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Used to resurface skin; remove unwanted veins, hair, blemishes, and tattoos; and make incisions that bleed very little.

Laser-assisted liposuction - technology using light energy to break up fat

Laser resurfacing (laser peel) - use of laser to vaporize damaged skin while leaving surrounding tissues undamaged; used to eliminate or modify unsightly skin defects

Lesion - a wound, injury, or pathological change in the tissues, such as a skin growth

Lip augmentation - any procedure that increases the size and definition of the lips; uses temorary or permanent fillers or implants

Lip reduction - any surgery that reduces the size of the upper and / or lower lip by removing a thin strip of tissue

Lip lift - any surgery using a variety of mehtods to raise the edges of the lips and enhance its appearance

Liposuction - removal of fat lying under the skin through the use of a cannula and vacuum

Liposculpture - liposuction through very small cannulas to more precisely contour the site

Lipotransfer - see "fat grafting"

Lipstick bleed lines - deep, vertical lines that radiate around the mouth as one ages, especially in smokers

Local anesthetic - an anesthetic injected to numb the area being treated

M

Mammaplasty - plastic surgery of the breast

Mastectomy - breast removal

Mastopexy - a surgical breast lift that removes extra skin and repositions the nipple in a higher position

Melanin - a pigment in the skin or hair that gives it its tan, brown to black color

Mentoplasty - chin augmentation with an artificial implant

Microdermabrasion - a technique using sand crystals and a vacuum to remove superficial skin cells and improve minor skin imperfections

Moisturiser - an agent that softens and smoothes the skin

Mole - a benign growth on the skin that is usually pigmented; also called a nevus

N

Nasolabial fold - the crease extending from the side of the nostril to the corner of the mouth; smile or laugh lines

Neck lift - surgery to remove excess skin to raise the neckline, correct "turkey neck", and improve one's profile; also called cervicoplasty

Nipple and/or areola reduction - surgery to remove excess skin and tissue of the nipple and / or areaola to provide a more aesthetic appearance

Nipple inversion repair - surgery to correct flat or inverted nipples through a small incision around the areola

Nurse Anesthetist - a nurse trained and specialising in the administration of anesthesia

O

Open rhinoplasty - surgery of the nose involving an incision at the base of the columella between the nostrils

Otoplasty - surgery of the ear to pin back prominent ears or reduce and reshape overly large or malformed ears

Overbite - when the top teeth extend forward more than the bottom teeth when the jaw is closed

Outpatient - a person who receives treatment and who does not need to stay overnight; the term can also be applied to the facility itself (such as outpatient clinic)

P

Pectoralis - the primary muscles of the chest

Perioral - Around the mouth.

Periorbital - Around the eyes

Phenol - a strong chemical solution used to remove deep wrinkles in the skin

Plastic surgery - the branch of surgery dealing with the repair or enhancement of malformed, injured, or lost organs or tissues

Porcelain veneer - a thin covering attached to the surface of the tooth to improve it's appearance

Pore - tiny opening in the skin

Port-wine stain - a congenital overabundance of blood vessels beneath the surface of the skin

Postoperative - refers to a period of recovery and healing that takes place after a surgical procedure

Psoriasis - a chronic skin disease characterized by inflammation and pink or silvery scaly patches

Ptosis - drooping or sagging, commonly referring to eyebrows, eyelids, and breasts

Pulsed light - a beam of light emitted in a short burst of energy

R

Reconstructive surgery - surgical procedures performed on abnormal structures of the body, to improve function and approximate normal appearance

Reduction mammoplasty - surgically reducing the size of the breast by removing extra skin, fat, and breast tissue

Refraction - the act of measuring the degree of error of the power of one's

Rejuvenate - to make youthful

Rhinoplasty - surgery of the nose;surgery to reshape the nose for a more aesthetically desirable appearance

Rhytidectomy - a facelift; surgery to reduce jowls under the cheeks and improve the jawline and neck for a more youthful look; also called rhytidoplasty

Rosacea - a condition causing flusing, dilated blood vessels, and sometimes acne on the nose and cheeks

S

Saline - salt water; used as replacement fluid during surgery, or in tumescent solution for anesthesia

Scar - a permanent mark containing connective tissue that results from the body's response to injury

Sclerotherapy - a technique for treating dilated veins by injecting a solution that irritates and collapses the vessel

Sebaceous gland - oil producing gland of the skin

Sebum - oil from sebaceous glands

Septoplasty - reconstructive surgery of the nasal septum, used to repair a deviated septum; can improve breathing ability

Septum - a thin wall dividing two cavities, such as between the nose

Skin tag - a benign fleshy growth commonly found on the neck, under the arms, and on the eyelid

Skin resurfacing - a surgical procedure that removes upper skin layers to produce new skin

Spider vein - non-essential superficial dilated veins that lie just beneath the skin

Sunblock - a cream that reflects ultraviolet radiation. Usually containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide

Sunscreen - a cream that absorbs ultraviolet radiation

Suture - to close a wound surgically; the stitch that joins together the edges of an incision

Sweat gland - a gland that secretes perspiration through a pore in the skin

Symmetric - equal and balanced when one side is compared to the other

T

Tattoo - a permanently etched or pigmented mark in the skin

Tummy tuck - repair of abdominal muscle and removal of excess fat and skin to flatten the abdomen, especially beneficial after pregnancy or weight loss; also known as "abdominoplasty"

Turkey neck - excess skin and fat under the chin

U

UVA - ultraviolet light type A, with a wavelength of 320-400nm; causes aging and damage to the elastin and collagen in the skin as well as tanning

UVB - ultraviolet light type B, with a wavelength of 290-320; causes reddening and some tanning of the skin

V

Varicose veins - abnormally dilated or enlarged veins

Vein stripping - the surgical removal of varicose veins

Veneers - a covering applied to the tooth made from porcelain to improve the tooth's appearance

Vitiligo - an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the pigment cells and leaves the skin with patchy white areas

W

Wart - a benign lump on the skin caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV)

Widow's peak - a sharp point of hair growth in the midline of the anterior scalp margin. Can occur as a result of the hair line recessing

Wrinkle - a furrow, ridge, line, or crease in the skin; also called a rhytid