Cosmetic Surgery Terms

Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck
Blepharoplasty or Eyelid Surgery
Cleft Lip Surgery
Cleft Palate Surgery
Liposuction or Suction Assisted Lipectomy (SAL)
Mastopexy or Breast Lift or Breast Enlargement
Maxillofacial Procedure
Nose Lift or Rhinoplasty
Plastic Surgeons
Skin graft

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is recommended for patients with redundant and flaccid abdominal skin, for those with excessive fat tissue, abdominal muscular weakness, and with scar deformities in the lower abdomen (striae of pregnancy). A large area of the lower abdomen is removed (the full thickness of skin and fat is excised), the abdominal wall tightened, the umbilicus reconstructed, and the remaining skin edges sutured together. It is usually performed on women who are beyond their reproductive years, and suffer the consequences of abdominal wall laxity and redundant fat and skin after pregnancy.

Blepharoplasty or Eyelid Surgery addresses the complaint of baggy eyelids. The eye area of the face plays a central role in the expression of emotion, health, and aging. And the eyes show significant changes as one gets older. The supportive underlying tissue around the eyes weakens and the fatty tissues around the eyes protrude, resulting in visible eye bags and swelling – a tired look. Facial rejuvenation is the most common indication for eyelid surgery. Eyelid Surgery removes the excess skin, the redundant muscles, and the protruding fat - offering a more youthful appearance. Eyelid surgery restores the aging face.

Cleft lip is sometimes called the hare lip because of the similarity to the animal’s divided upper lip. In the cleft lip there is a vertical separation which usually traverses the full thickness of the upper lip – the inner lining of the mouth, the muscle, and the skin. Depending on the degree of deformity, cleft lip usually involves a disruption of the nasal sill and the alveolus on the same side of the cleft. There are cases when the separation of the lip is on both sides, or bilateral – the disfiguring defect is more pronounced and harder to treat. Cleft lip surgery restores the anatomy of individuals with in-born deformities.

A cleft palate may occur in combination with a cleft lip. Cleft palate is an in-born separation of the roof of the mouth which puts a barrier between the mouth and the nasal cavity. The palate or the roof of the mouth has a hard and soft part. When you roll your tongue upwards you can feel the hard palate. The soft palate is way at the back, it is integral for speech. Affected children have hypernasal speech with difficulty with certain words. Other impairments associated with cleft palate include: maldevelopment and malpositioning of the teeth, difficulty of feeding, and abnormal collection of fluid in the middle ear which may result to a chronic ear infection. Palate surgery restores the anatomy of individuals with in-born deformities.

Liposuction or Suction Assisted Lipectomy (SAL) is the removal of fats under negative pressure using a cannula inserted underneath the skin along the fatty layers through multiple small incisions (yielding minimal scars). Liposuction is the most common form of body contouring surgery. The body parts usually addressed with liposuction are the abdomen, flanks (love-handles), arms, wings and back, and thighs. Liposuction removes the stubborn bulges.

Mastopexy or Breast Lift is performed for women with aging or sagging breasts for purposes of rejuvenation or enhancement. Augmentation Mammoplasty, popularly known as Breast Augmentation, utilizes an implant (saline or silicon) in order to enhance the breasts. With an over-sized breasts that are severely droopy, usually causing back pains, Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty) is recommended. A breast flap surgery restores the lost breast after mastectomy because of cancer.

A maxillofacial procedure restores a traumatic face from a vehicular crash.

Nose Lift or Rhinoplasty is the surgical enhancement of the nose. The two major parts of the nose that are given prime consideration are the root or the “bridge” and the tip. Most Caucasians undergo nasal reduction while most Asians, especially those coming from a Malay ancestry, undergo augmentation or the so called “lift”. Most cases, however, require remodeling of the nasal tip. Others also undergo trimming of the over hanging ala. However, in Oriental Rhinoplasty, the general attitude is simply to enhance the oriental features and avoid the pitfalls of an obvious and unnatural look because of “caucasianizing” the elements of the nose. Nose job recreates the nose.

Plastic Surgeons are those who have formally finished a training program in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, and perform cosmetic surgeries (on normal patients who want body improvements or beautification) as well as reconstructive operations (cases like burns, trauma, cancer defects, congenital anomalies). Cosmetic surgeons are those who only perform surgery for beautification.

A skin graft heals the burn victim.