Plastic Surgery Glossary
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
A surgical procedure, also known as tummy tuck, to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.
Areola
Pigmented skin surrounding the nipple.
Auditory canal
A passage in the ear.
Augmentation mammoplasty
Breast enlargement by surgery.
Beta Peel
A peal for acne and acne scarring.
Bilateral gynecomastia
A condition of over-developed or enlarged breasts affecting both breasts in men.
Biocompatible materials
Synthetic or natural material used in facial implants and designed to function along with living tissue.
Blepharoplasty
Eyelid surgery to improve the appearance of upper eyelids, lower eyelids or both.
Brachioplasty
A surgical procedure, also known as arm lift, to correct sagging of the upper arms.
Breast augmentation
Also known as augmentation mammaplasty; breast enlargement by surgery.
Breast lift
Also known as mastopexy; surgery to lift the breasts.
Breast reconstruction
Breast reconstruction is achieved through several plastic surgery techniques that attempt to restore a breast to near normal shape, appearance and size following mastectomy.
Breast reduction
Reduction of breast size and breast lift by surgery.
Brow lift
A surgical procedure to correct a low-positioned or sagging brow. Smoothes furrows across the forehead and between the brows.
Capsular contracture
A complication of breast implant surgery which occurs when scar tissue that normally forms around the implant tightens and squeezes the implant and becomes firm.
Cheiloplasty
Cleft lip repair surgery.
Cheiloschisis
The scientific term for a cleft lip.
Cellulite
Is nothing more than normal fat beneath the skin. The fat appears bumpy because it pushes against connective tissue, causing the skin above it to pucker.
Chemical peel solutions
Substances that penetrate the skin’s surface to soften irregularities in texture and color.
Circumferential thigh lift
A surgical procedure to correct sagging of the outer and mid-thigh.
Cleft
A separation of the upper lip and/or the roof of the mouth.
Cleft lip
The incomplete formation of the upper lip.
Cleft palate
The incomplete formation of the roof of the mouth.
Collagen
A natural protein used as an injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation.
Columella
Tissue that separates the nostrils.
Constricted ear
Also called a lop or cup ear, has varying degrees of protrusion, reduced ear circumference, folding or flattening of the upper helical rim, and lowered ear position.
Contracture
A puckering or pulling together of tissues; a potential side effect of cleft surgery.
Contractors
Scars that restrict movement due to skin and underlying tissue that pull together during healing and usually occur when there is a large amount of tissue loss, such as after a burn.
Dermabrasion
Mechanical polishing of the skin.
Dermal Fillers
Utilized to reduce wrinkles and smooth out fine lines on the face, combating the signs of aging such as sagging and wrinkled skin. Examples include: Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane, Radiesse and Botox.
Dermaplaning
The treatment removes “peach fuzz,” those small hairs that cover certain portions of the skin.
Diastasis
The separation of parts of the body that are normally joined together, such as the separation of certain abdominal muscles during pregnancy, or of adjacent bones without fracture.
DIEP flap
Deep Inferior Epigastric perforator flap which takes tissue from the abdomen.
Donor site
An area of your body where the surgeon harvests skin, muscle and fat to reconstruct your breast – commonly located in less exposed areas of the body such as the back, abdomen or buttocks.
Dupuytren’s contracture
A disabling hand disorder in which thick, scar-like tissue bands form within the palm and may extend into the fingers. It can cause restricted movement, bending the fingers into an abnormal position.
Disport
An injectable form of botulinum toxin Type A. Dysport is similar to Botox – the toxin is injected into specific wrinkles and the muscles become temporarily paralyzed.
Endocrine system
A group of glands that make hormones which help to control activities in your body such as reproduction, metabolism, growth and development. Testing of your endocrine system may be done to look for signs of diabetes, thyroid disorders, growth hormone deficiency, osteoporosis, hypertension and obesity.
Epidermis
The uppermost portion of skin.
Excision
To remove the skin.
External incisions
Surgical incisions made on the surface of your skin.
Flap techniques
Surgical techniques used to reposition your own skin, muscle and fat to reconstruct or cover your breast.
General anesthesia
Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness.
Grafting
Tissue taken from other parts of the body.
Gummy bear implants
Teardrop shaped implants for more of a natural look.
Gynecomastia
A common condition characterized by the benign enlargement of breast tissue in males.
Hematoma
Blood pooling beneath the skin.
Human fat
Harvested from your own body and used as an injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation.
Hydrofacials
A non-invasive, non-irritating skin treatment that combines all the anti-aging benefits of a more complex skin resurfacing treatment with no discomfort and no downtime.
Hyfrecation
Spider vein treatment in which the vessels are cauterized.
Hyperpigmented scar
A scar that is darker in color.
Hypertropic scar
Thick clusters of scar tissue that develop directly at a wound site.
Hypopigmented scar
A scar that is lighter in color.
Illuminize Peel
Tightens and freshes up your skin without the exfoliation. Also improves clarity, color and skin texture.
IPL PhotoFacial
A solution for treating skin damaged from sun exposure, age spots, wrinkles, rosacea, pigmentation conditions, clogged pores and significant or dark under eye bags.
Injectable fillers
Substances used to restore volume and your youthful appearance.
Intramural
Inside the mouth.
Intraoral incisions
Surgical incisions made inside the mouth.
Intravenous sedation
Sedatives are administered by injection into a vein to help you relax.
Jessners RX Peels
Resurfacing Peel for anti aging, pigmentation and acne.
Keloids
Large scars that can be painful or itchy, and may also pucker which can occur. anywhere on your body, developing more commonly where there is little underlying fatty tissue, such as on the breastbone or shoulders.
Laser resurfacing
A method to change to the surface of the skin that allows new, healthy skin to form at the scar site.
Laser therapy
An intense beam of light passed over the leg to eliminate spider veins.
Laser treatment
An intense beam of light directed at the spider vein, which obliterates it through the skin.
Latisse
A prescription treatment, it can only be purchased through a physician’s office. This eyelash enhancement product is applied to the upper lash line once a day before bed, and shows dramatic results between 4 and 16 weeks.
Latissimus dorsi flap technique
A surgical technique that uses muscle, fat and skin tunneled under the skin and tissue of a woman’s back to the reconstructed breast and remains attached to its donor site, leaving blood supply intact.
Light therapy
(Intense Pulsed Light) Pulses of light that can be used to treat discoloration and texture changes of the skin.
Lipoplasty
Another term for liposuction.
Liposuction
Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums out fat from beneath the skin’s surface to reduce fullness.
Local anesthesia
A drug is injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
Local flap
A surgical procedure used for skin cancer in which healthy, adjacent tissue is repositioned over the wound.
Lower body lift
Surgical procedure to correct sagging of the abdomen, buttocks, groin, and outer thighs.
Mammogram
An x-ray image of the breast.
Mastectomy
The removal of a breast, typically to rid the body of cancer.
Mastopexy
A surgical procedure to lift the breasts.
Medial thigh lift
A surgical procedure to correct sagging of the inner thigh.
MicroLaser peel
Utilizing a laser treatment developed to rejuvenate and remove the outer layer of skin, MicroLaser Peel successfully removes the surface layers of dead skin and will help smooth and clarify.
Microsurgery
High magnification to repair or reconnect severed nerves and tendons, common in trauma cases and often used to reattach severed fingers or limbs.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging; a painless test to view tissue similar to an x-ray.
Nasolabial fold
Deep creases between the nose and mouth.
Nevi
A mole.
Omnilux light therapy
New technology based on narrowband Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that treat a wide range of skin conditions including skin rejuvenation, acne, photodamage, and wound healing post elective surgery.
PMMA
A widely used implant material formed into tiny microspheres and suspended in a collagen gel for use as a wrinkle filler.
Profactional laser treatment
State-of-the-art laser microbeam, thousands of tiny areas of the skin are pinpointed with great precision to improve the appearance of scars, wrinkles, fine lines and uneven skin tone.
Reduction mammoplasty
The surgical removal of breast tissue to reduce the size of breasts.
Rejuvenize peel
Resurfacing peel for melasma, pigmentation, photodamage, fiine lines, and acne.
Rhinoplasty
A surgical procedure designed to place your nose in harmony with the rest of your face. This may entail altering the shape, size, or general appearance of your nose.
Rhytidectomy
A surgical procedure, also known as facelift, to reduce sagging of the mid-face, jowls and neck.
Saline implants
Breast implants filled with a salt water solution.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerosing solution injected into a vein, causing it to collapse and fade from view.
SGAP flap
Superior Gluteal Artery perforator flap, which takes tissue from the buttock.
Shaped implants
Natural looking breast implants with a teardrop shape.
Sientra
Breast implant company featuring shaped implants.
Silicone implants
Breast implants filled with an elastic gel solution.
Skin graft
A surgical procedure used for skin cancer. Healthy skin is removed from one area of the body and relocated to the wound site. A suture line is positioned to follow the natural creases and curves of the face if possible, to minimize the appearance of the resulting scar.
Skin resurfacing
Treatment to improve the texture, clarity and overall appearance of your skin.
Soft tissue augmentation
The use of injectable fillers to restore volume and your youthful appearance.
Suction lipectomy
Another term for liposuction.
Support hose
Special stockings that compress your legs, typically used for varicose veins and post-surgical conditions.
Sutures
Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together.
Tissue expansion
A procedure that can substitute for skin grafts. An inflatable balloon called a tissue expander is placed under the skin near the scar site to stretch additional skin to be used to revise a scar. Oftentimes, multiple procedures are needed.
TRAM flap
Also known as transverse rectus abdominus musculocutaneous flap, a surgical technique that uses muscle, fat and skin from your own abdomen to reconstruct the breast.
Transaxillary incision
An incision made in the underarm area.
Tumescent or super-wet liposuction
Requires an infusion of saline solution with adrenaline and possibly anesthetic prior to removal of excess fat.
Tummy tuck (Abdominoplasty)
A surgical procedure to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.
Unilateral gynecomastia
A condition of over-developed or enlarged breasts affecting just one breast in men.
Ultrasound
A diagnostic procedure that projects high-frequency sound waves into the body and changes the echoes into pictures.
Ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty
Uses ultrasonic energy to liquefy excess fat prior to surgical suctioning.
Vaser liposuction
A form of liposuction that uses ultrasonic energy in a deliberate controlled fashion to assist the surgeon in the selective removal of fat in body contouring surgery.
Vitalize peel
Resurfacing peel for acneic, hyperpigmentation, and melasma. You will see results after one peel and it is safe for all skin types.
Visia complexion analysis
A multi-spectral and RBX technology to expose the damage on and beneath the surface of our skin which is not measurable by a visual assessment.
Z-plasty
A surgical incision technique that creates small triangular flaps of tissue that help to close wounds over areas of the hand where bending or flexing is essential to function, such as around knuckles.
Z-plasty for scar revision
A surgical technique that creates angled flaps on either side of the original scar site that can completely reposition or change scar direction, interrupt scar tension or improve scar flexibility.
