Cosmetic Surgery Glossary of Terms

Abdominoplasty: A surgical procedure performed to flatten your abdomen by removing extra fat and skin, and tightening muscles in your abdominal wall. This procedure is commonly referred to as a tummy tuck.

Acne: A skin condition characterized by the excess production of oil from sebaceous glands in which the hair follicles become plugged.

Acne scar: Scars due to severe acne. They can range from deep pits to scars that are angular or wavelike in appearance.

Age spots: Small flat pigmented spots that are most often seen on areas of the body that have been exposed to the sun over a period of years. Age spots usually occur after the age of 40.

Anaesthesia: Lack of a normal sensation brought on by an anesthetic drug.

Asymmetry: Lacking symmetry; parts of the body are unequal in shape or size.

Blepharoplasty: A primarily cosmetic surgical procedure that reduces bagginess from lower eyelids and raises drooping upper eyelids. The procedure involves the removal of excess skin, muscle, and underlying fatty tissue.

Breast augmentation: A surgical procedure done to increase breast size.

Brow lift: A surgical procedure in which the skin of the forehead and eyebrows is tightened to eliminate sagging eyebrows or correct frown lines in the forehead.

Buccal Fat: Buccal fat pads are located above the jaw line near the corner of the mouth. They can be removed in individuals with excessively round faces to give a more contoured look.

Buttock Lift: Excess fat and loose skin in the buttock area can be reduced by performing a buttock lift in combination with liposuction.

Cannula: A hollow tube attached to a high-vacuum device used to remove fat through liposuction.

Calf Augmentation: Increased fullness of the calf can be achieved using implants made of hard silicone which are inserted from behind the knee and moved into position underneath the calf muscle.

Capsular contracture: The most common complication of breast surgery, it occurs if the scar or capsule around the implant begins to tighten.

Cheek / Chin Augmentation: Surgery where implants are placed in the cheeks or chin to improve bone structure and support sagging, soft tissues.

Chemical peel: A process in which a chemical solution is applied to the skin to remove dead skin cells and stimulate the production of new skin cells.

Collagen: The major structural proteins in the skin that give the skin its strength and resilience.

Crows Feet: The fine lines found around the eyes. They are often caused by sun exposure; however, smoking also contributes to their formation.

Dermabrasion: A surgical procedure in which a patient’s skin, scarred from acne, pox, or other causes, is frozen and then removed using a high-powered rotating brush.

Deviated septum: A condition in which the septum (the wall inside the nose that divides it into two sides) is not located in the middle of the nose where it should be. The condition is commonly treatable with surgery.

Eye lift: A primarily cosmetic surgical procedure that reduces bagginess from lower eyelids and raises drooping upper eyelids. The procedure involves the removal of excess skin, muscle, and underlying fatty tissue.

Face lift: This surgical procedure is done to eliminate the sagging, drooping, and wrinkled skin of the face and neck.

Fat injections: A plastic surgery technique used to correct wrinkles, depressions in the skin, and/or scarring.

Gynecomastia: A condition in which the male's breast tissue enlarges. This increase in tissue usually occurs at times when the male is having hormonal changes, such as during infancy, adolescence, and old age; sometimes it can just be a case of extra fat.

Hematoma: Blood that collects under the skin or in an organ.

Hypertrophic scar: A raised and red scar, similar to a keloid scar, but different in that it stays within the boundaries of the injury site.

Keloid scar: A type of scar that continues to grow beyond what is needed at the site of an injury. This type of scar is caused by too much collagen forming while the skin is being repaired. The tendency to develop keloid scars is genetic.

Liposuction: A cosmetic procedure in which a special instrument called a canula is used to break up and suck out fat from the body. This procedure is also known as lipoplasty.

Liposelection: Same treatment as liposuction though the fat is broken down before removal using ultrasonic sound waves.

Mastectomy: The surgical removal of part or the entire breast.

Mastopexy: Also called a breast lift, this procedure removes excess skin in order to lift up sagging or drooping breasts.

Maxillofacial: pertaining to the jaws and face.

Mini tummy tuck: This procedure is ideal for individuals who have fat deposits limited to the area below the navel.

Nasal: Relating to the nose.

Otoplasty: A surgical procedure done to correct misshaped or protruding ears.

Pinnaplasty: Also known as otoplasty, a surgical procedure done to correct misshaped or protruding ears.

Ptosis: The drooping of a body part, especially the eyelids or the breasts.

Reconstructive plastic surgery: One type of plastic surgery that is performed on abnormal structures of the body that may be caused by trauma, infection, developmental abnormalities, congenital defects, disease, and/or tumours. This type of surgery is usually performed to improve function, but may also be performed to approximate a normal appearance.

Rhinoplasty: A cosmetic procedure used to enhance or change the appearance of the nose. Rhinoplasty is commonly referred to as a nose job.

Rhytidectomy: Commonly called a facelift, this surgical procedure is done to eliminate the sagging, drooping, and wrinkled skin of the face and neck.

Scar: The body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged skin. A scar is usually composed of fibrous tissue. Scars may be formed for many different reasons, including as a result of infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue.

Septoplasty: A surgical procedure done to improve the flow of air to your nose by repairing malformed cartilage and/or the bony portion.

Septorhinoplasty: A form of rhinoplasty that is performed to reconstruct the nasal passage or to relieve obstructions inside the nose to correct breathing problems; the obstruction is removed through internal incisions and the interior of the nose is restructured.

Suture: The stitches used to hold tissue together or to close a wound.Thigh Lift: A thigh lift can be performed to tighten sagging muscles and remove excess skin in the thigh area.