PROCEDURES AT - A - GLANCE
- Facelift.
If you are bothered by the signs of aging in your face, a facelift may be
right for you.
Technically known as rhytidectomy, a facelift is a surgical procedure to
improve visible signs of aging in the face and neck, such as:
- Sagging in the midface
- Deep creases below the lower eyelids
- Deep creases between the nose and mouth
- Fat that has fallen or is displaced
- Loss of muscle tone in the lower face that may create jowls
- Loose skin and excess fatty deposits under the chin and jaw
A facelift is designed to correct all of these aging features, restoring a
more youthful, rested appearance with uplifted contours and improved tone in
facial skin and underlying muscle.
Procedural steps: Typical incisions begin within the hairline, above the
temple and continue along or just inside the ear, ending behind the ear. This
allows access to tighten underlying tissue, remove excess fat and reduce sagging
skin.
A second incision under the chin is sometimes necessary. If skin tone is good
and only mid-face aging or excess fat in the neck will be corrected, abbreviated
techniques with shorter incisions may be used. Liposuction techniques may assist
with removal of fat deposits.
Your results: Swelling and bruising should subside within 2-4 weeks.
Final results may be apparent in 1-2 months. Incision lines will continue to
refine and fade for 1 year.

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- Eyelid Surgery.
Cosmetic eyelid surgery, called blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure to
improve the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both, restoring
firmness to the area surrounding the eyes and making you look more rested and
alert.
Specifically, eyelid surgery can treat:
- Loose or sagging skin that creates folds or hides the natural contour of
the upper eyelid
- Excess skin that hangs down from the upper eyelid, sometimes impairing
vision
- Excess fatty deposits that appear as puffiness in the upper eyelids
- Bags under the eyes
- Droopiness of the lower eyelids, showing white below the iris
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid.
A facelift is designed to correct all of these aging features, restoring a
more youthful, rested appearance with uplifted contours and improved tone in
facial skin and underlying muscle.
Procedural steps:
An incision within the natural crease of the upper eyelid allows access to
remove excess skin, muscle and underlying fatty tissue. Using an incision inside
the lower eyelid, fat is removed or redistributed and muscle modified to correct
a baggy lower eyelid.
An incision just below the lower lash line allows excess skin to be removed.
Laser resurfacing may be used to smooth lower lid skin.
Your results: Bruising should subside in 5-10 days and swelling should
subside in 2-4 weeks. Final results may appear in 1-2 months. Incision lines
will continue to refine and fade for 1 year.

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- Nose Surgery.
While the shape of your nose is usually the result of heredity; the
appearance may have been altered in an injury or during prior surgery.
Also known as rhinoplasty, surgery of the nose improves the appearance and
proportion of your nose, enhancing facial harmony and self confidence. Surgery
of the nose may also correct impaired breathing caused by structural defects in
the nose.
Rhinoplasty can change:
- Nose size, in relation to facial balance
- Nose width, at the bridge or in the size and position of the nostrils
- Nose profile, with visible humps or depressions on the bridge
- Nasal tip, that is enlarged or bulbous, drooping, upturned or hooked
- Nostrils that are large, wide or upturned
- Nasal asymmetry.
Procedural steps:
Incisions hidden at the nostril base and/or inside the nose allow access to
reshape underlying cartilage and/or bone. This may include lowering humps,
narrowing of nasal bones, shaping of the nasal tip or nostril size and improving
the angle between the nose and the upper lip.
This procedure also can correct breathing difficulties caused by structural
irregularities.
Your results: You should see a change within 6-8 weeks following surgery,
with continued refinement for 6-12 months. Cartilage is a flexible and growing
tissue, therefore results following surgery are not fully predictable.
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- Brow Lift.
If you have expression lines or other signs of aging in the forehead and brow
region which you find bothersome, a brow lift (also called a forehead lift) may
be right for you.
A brow lift:
- Minimizes the creases that develop across the forehead, or those that
occur high on the bridge of the nose, between the eyes
- Improves what are commonly referred to as frown lines
- Repositions a low or sagging brow that is hooding the upper eyelid
- Raises the eyebrows to a more alert and youthful position.
A brow lift is designed to correct all of these aging features, restoring a
more youthful, rested appearance with uplifted contours and improved tone in
facial skin and underlying muscle.
Procedural steps: Brow lift surgery can be performed through multiple
limited incisions hidden within the hairline or through a single incision in the
natural crease of each upper eyelid.
Results of a brow lift may be enhanced through laser resurfacing or a
chemical peel that can further improve skin tone and surface appearance.
When there is significant excess skin in the forehead, an alternate technique
using a wide incision across the top of the scalp may be recommended.
Your results: Swelling should subside in 2-4 weeks. Final results may
appear within 1-2 months. Incision lines will continue to refine and fade for up
to 1 year.
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- Facial Implants.
If you would like to change the contours of your face, you might want to
consider implants. They can improve proportion and profiles and correct
imbalance caused by injury or hereditary traits.
Procedural steps: Appropriately sized and shaped implants most
commonly in the cheek, chin, jaw or nasal region will be carefully selected and
placed. Incisions inside the mouth or discreetly placed external incisions
create space in soft tissues for implant positioning and support.
Generally performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with or
without sedation; general anesthesia may be recommended.
Your results: Almost immediate, initial swelling should subside in 2-4
weeks and dissipate in 1-2 months as final results appear.
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- Injectable Fillers.
If you would like to restore facial contours, or reduce the appearance of
lines and creases, injection therapy with soft tissue fillers may be right for
you. Injectable fillers can:
- Plump thin lips
- Enhance shallow contours
- Soften facial creases and wrinkles
- Improve the appearance of recessed scars.
Procedural steps: A pharmaceutical filler substance or your own fat is
injected below the skin surface to fill hollow areas and creases, or plump the
lips and back of the hands. Fat is typically taken from the inner thigh or
abdomen.
Your results: Swelling should dissipate in 2-5 days, or 1-2 weeks with
fat injections. This procedure produces temporary results, lasting a few months
to several years or more, based on the filler used, treatment site and
individual patient factors. Some products may be permanent.

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- Skin Resurfacing.
If you would like to improve the surface and appearance of your skin,
reduce fine lines, surface irregularities such as scarring, uneven pigmentation
and sun damage, then skin resurfacing may be right for you.
Procedural steps: A variety of lasers and intense pulsed light devices
achieve a wide range of benefits.
Chemical solutions of varying types and concentrations are applied to peel
the skin surface allowing new skin to form.
Mechanical resurfacing, dermabrasion or dermaplaning, uses a fine abrasive or
scalpel to scrape the skin surface to a controlled depth; generally used to
improve an irregular surface, such as acne scarring.
Your results: Any flaking or crusting should resolve in 5-10 days.
Results may appear in 10-14 days. Skin is most likely pink or flush for 1-6
months.

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- Breast Augmentation.
Breast size is important to many women for a variety of reasons. If you are
dissatisfied with your breast size, augmentation surgery is a choice to
consider. Breast augmentation can:
- Increase fullness and projection of your breasts
- Improve the balance of your figure
- Enhance your self-image and self confidence.
Also known as augmentation mammaplasty, the procedure involves using implants
to fulfill your desire for fuller breasts or to restore breast volume lost after
weight reduction or pregnancy. Implants also may be used to reconstruct a breast
after mastectomy or injury.
Procedural steps: Common incision locations include the breast crease,
in the underarm, or around the areola (pigmented skin surrounding the nipple).
Placement of implants beneath the chest wall muscle or directly behind breast
tissue using pre-filled implants or implants filled during surgery creates
desired volume.
Generally performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with
sedation; general anesthesia may be recommended.
Your results: Immediate. Swelling should subside in 2-4 weeks.
Incision lines will continue to flatten and fade for up to 1 year.
Implants may need to be
replaced: It’s important to know that breast implants are not designed to
last a lifetime. You should plan for an annual examination by your plastic
surgeon to see if the implants need to be replaced.

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- Breast Lift.
Also known as mastopexy, a breast lift raises and firms the breasts by
removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and
support the new breast contour. Sometimes the areola becomes enlarged over time,
and a breast lift will reduce this as well.
Procedural steps: Excess skin is surgically removed to raise the
nipple and tighten the breast tissue. Incision patterns vary, depending on
degree of excess skin and amount of lifting required as well as patient and
surgeon preference.
Your results: Swelling should subside in 2-4 weeks. Breast shape may take
1-3 months to fully refine. Incision lines will continue to flatten and fade for
up to 1 year.

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- Gynecomastia.
Enlarged male breasts, also known as gynecomastia, can cause emotional
discomfort and impair your self confidence. Gynecomastia is characterized by:
- Excess localized fat
- Excess glandular tissue development
- A combination of both excess fat and glandular tissue
- Gynecomastia may present unilaterally (one breast) or bilaterally (both
breasts).
Gynecomastia can be surgically treated by removing excess fat, glandular
tissue and/or skin. The result is a better proportioned, more
masculine-contoured upper body and the freedom and self confidence to lead an
active life.
Procedural steps: Surgical removal of excess tissue is performed by
excision and/or liposuction. This procedure can include areola reduction.
Your results: Initial swelling should dissipate in 2-4 weeks. Final
results may appear in 2-4 months. Incision lines will continue to fade for up to
1 year. Significant weight gain can reverse results.

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- Tummy Tuck.
If you want a tighter, flatter abdomen, then a tummy tuck may be appropriate
to help achieve your goals.
Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck removes excess fat and skin, and
in some cases restores weakened or separated muscles. This creates an abdominal
profile that is smoother and firmer, often enhancing your body image and
confidence.
Procedural steps: A tummy tuck involves the surgical removal of excess
abdominal fat and skin and includes tightening of the abdominal wall where
muscles have weakened.
A full tummy tuck requires a horizontal incision in the area between the
pubic hairline and navel. Incision size is largely dependent on the amount of
excess skin to be removed.
Where correction is isolated to the area below the navel, a limited or mini
tummy tuck with a shorter incision at the pubic bone may be recommended.
Liposuction may be performed with a mini tummy tuck where excess fat is the
only factor.
Your results: Swelling should subside and initial results may appear in
2-4 weeks. Final results could appear in 8 weeks. Incision lines will continue
to flatten and fade for up to 1 year.

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- Spider Veins.
Also known as sclerotherapy, this cosmetic procedure reduces or eliminates
surface vessels or spider veins, commonly on the face and legs.
Procedural steps: Sclerosing solution is injected directly into a
vessel, causing it to slowly fade or disappear and may be used in conjunction
with Doppler ultrasound device for larger veins.
Laser or intense pulsed light therapy reduces tiny surface vessels on the
face and legs.
Your results: Veins gradually fade, usually in 7-10 days for significant
improvement, and the final results will be apparent in 2-6 weeks.

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- Liposuction.
Despite good health and a reasonable level of fitness, some people may still
have a body with disproportionate contours due to localized fat deposits. These
areas may be due to family traits rather than a lack of weight control or
fitness.
Liposuction slims and reshapes specific areas of the body by removing excess
fat deposits, improving your body contours and proportion, and ultimately
enhancing your self-image.
These techniques may be used to reduce localized fat deposits of the:
- Thighs
- Hips and buttocks
- Abdomen and waist
- Upper arms
- Back
- Inner knee
- Chest area
- Cheeks, chin and neck
- Calves and ankles.
Procedural techniques: There are three common variations to the
procedure:
- Traditional liposuction is surgical suctioning of excess fat deposits
- The tumescent or super-wet technique requires an infusion of saline
solution with adrenaline and possibly anesthetic prior to removal of excess
fat
- Ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty uses ultrasonic energy to liquefy excess
fat prior to surgical suctioning.
Your results: Swelling should subside, bruising should fade and initial
results may appear in 2-4 weeks. Final results could appear in 2-6 months.
Significant weight gain can cause recurrence of fatty deposits.
