Cosmetic
Surgery — Cosmetic Procedures — Laser
Skin Treatments Medical Dictionary
Look beyond the hype about popular cosmetic procedures to get
the facts based on solid medical science. This medical dictionary covers the
terms used in the report, Cosmetic Surgery A to Z, and includes details
on the benefits, risks, costs, and success rates for many cosmetic surgeries,
such as laser procedures, botox, liposuction, breast augmentation, and others.
abdominoplasty (tummy tuck): A
procedure to remove excess skin on the abdomen
and tighten the underlying muscle and inner girdle.
Often combined with liposuction.
ablative: Describes skin-resurfacing
procedures that remove surface skin layers, in
contrast to non-ablative procedures.
blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): Surgical
removal of fat, excess skin, bags, pouches, and
wrinkles in the upper or lower eyelids.
Botox: Brand name for a substance
made of botulinum toxin type A that eases the
appearance of some facial wrinkles by relaxing
the underlying muscles.
breast augmentation: Insertion
of implants to enlarge the size of the breasts.
chemical peel: Use of mild
to strong chemical solutions to wound the outer
layer of the epidermis and encourage new collagen
growth.
collagen: A fibrous protein
that’s the main component of connective
tissue.
corrugator muscle: One of the
muscles that forms frown lines on the mid-forehead.
dermis: Middle layer of skin
that contains collagen, elastin, blood and lymph
vessels, nerves, hair follicles, and glands that
produce sweat and oil, all of which is cushioned
in a gelatinous matrix consisting primarily of
hyaluronic acid.
elastin: The protein that gives
skin its elasticity.
epidermis: The outermost layer
of skin.
fibroblasts: Cells in the skin
that secrete collagen.
forehead lift: Surgical removal
of loose skin between the brow and the hairline
to reduce horizontal forehead lines and frown
lines between the eyes and to correct drooping
brows.
hyaluronic acid: A hydrating
sugar secreted by cells; it’s the predominant
substance in the dermis. Hyaluronic acids used
as injectable fillers include Restylane, Hylaform,
Perlane, Juvaderm, and Captique.
injectable fillers: Materials
derived from non-animal sources, purified animal
or human tissue, fat, or other substances that
are injected to fill in wrinkles or scars and
add plumpness to the face or lips.
intense pulsed light (IPL): A
nonlaser device emitting broadband light used
in photorejuvenation to improve skin.
laser: A word derived from
the acronym of “light amplification by
the stimulated emission of radiation.” Lasers
produce intense beams of light energy that generate
localized heat used in surgery, removal of vascular
and pigmented lesions, and skin rejuvenation.
LED photomodulation: Nonthermal
technique for enhancing skin tone and texture
using a panel of bright light–emitting
diodes (LEDs).
liposuction: A technique for
suctioning fat from areas that resist fat loss
by exercise and diet.
mastopexy (breast lift): A
procedure to reduce breast droop by removing
excess skin and elevating the position of the
breasts.
microdermabrasion: A procedure
to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and to even
skin tone by applying aluminum hydroxide crystals
to the skin under high pressure.
nasolabial folds: Lines or
grooves leading from the nose to the outer corners
of the mouth.
necrosis: Tissue death.
non-ablative: Used to describe
skin procedures that leave the surface of the
skin intact.
photorejuvenation: The use
of intense pulsed light to improve skin tone
and texture.
radiofrequency: A technique
for tightening lax skin on the face, using an
electromagnetic current to penetrate deep within
the skin’s dermis.
rhinoplasty (nose reshaping): Reshaping
the cartilage and bone of the nose to achieve
the desired profile.
rhytidectomy (facelift): A
surgical procedure that involves removing excess
skin and tightening the underlying muscle to
correct sagging around the jaws, jowls, and neck.
Does not include work on the eyes or forehead.
rosacea: A skin condition that
enlarges vessels, causing redness of the nose and
other parts of the face.
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