This page offers a general overview of cosmetic surgery
procedures. For more in-depth information on these
procedures, please follow the links in the
right column.
While this section explores cosmetic surgical
offerings, many of these procedures may also fulfill true
medical needs. You should understand that the circumstances
and experience of every individual will be unique.
- If you're considering cosmetic plastic surgery,
please ask your plastic surgeon for further information
about the particular procedure and what you expect.
- In addition, please note that all surgery carries
some uncertainty and risk, including the possibility of
infection, bleeding, blood clots, and adverse reactions
to the anesthesia. You can reduce your risks by choosing
a qualified plastic surgeon and closely following his or
her advice, both before and after surgery.
ABDOMINOPLASTY
(Tummy Tuck)
| Procedure: |
Flatten abdomen by
removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles
of abdominal wall. |
| Length: |
2 to 5 hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
General, or local
with sedation. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Either depending on
individual circumstances and extent of surgery. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary pain.
Swelling, soreness, numbness of abdominal skin,
bruising, tiredness for several weeks or months. |
| Risks: |
Blood clots.
Infection. Bleeding under the skin flap. Poor
healing resulting in conspicuous scarring or skin
loss. Need for a second operation. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work:
2 to 4 weeks. More strenuous activity: 4 to 6
weeks or more. Fading and flattening of scars:
3 months to 2 years. |
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BREAST
ENLARGEMENT
(Augmentation Mammaplasty)
| Procedure: |
Enhance the size of
breasts using inflatable implants filled with
saline. |
| Length: |
1 to 2 hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary soreness,
swelling, change in nipple sensation, bruising.
Breast sensitive to stimulation for a few weeks. |
| Risks: |
Lack of implant
permanence -- surgical removal or replacement of the
implants may be required to treat problems,
including: deflation; the formation of scar tissue
around the implant (capsular contracture), which may
cause the breast to feel tight or hard; bleeding or
infection. Increase or decrease in sensitivity of
nipples or breast skin, occasionally permanent.
Mammography requires a special technique.
(Note: Some women have reported
symptoms similar to those of immune disorders. Ask
your doctor about these and other FDA concerns.) |
| Recovery: |
Back to work:
a few days. Physical contact with breasts: 3
to 4 weeks. Fading of scars: several months
to a year or more. |
Duration of
Results: |
Variable. Implants
may require removal or replacement. |
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BREAST LIFT
(Mastopexy)
| Procedure: |
Raise and reshape
sagging breasts by removing excess skin and
repositioning remaining tissue and nipples. |
| Length: |
1 to 3 hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient.
Sometimes inpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary bruising,
swelling, discomfort, numbness, dry breast skin.
Permanent scars. |
| Risks: |
Thick, wide scars;
skin loss; infection. Unevenly positioned nipples.
Permanent loss of feeling in nipples or breast. |
| Recovery:
|
Back to work: 1 week
or more. Strenuous activities: 1 month.
Fading of scars: several months to a year. |
Duration of
Results: |
Variable; gravity,
pregnancy, aging, and weight changes may cause new
sagging. Results may last longer or be enhanced when
breast implants are inserted as part of the
procedure. |
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CHEMICAL PEEL
(Phenol and trichloroacetic
acid [TCA])
| Procedure: |
Restore wrinkled,
blemished, unevenly pigmented, or sun-damaged facial
skin, using a chemical solution to peel away skin's
top layers. Works best on fair, thin skin with
superficial wrinkles. |
| Length: |
1 to 2 hours for
full face. |
| Anesthesia: |
None; sedation & EKG
monitoring may be used. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient.
Full-face phenol peel may require admission for 1 to
2 days. |
| Side Effects: |
Both:
Temporary throbbing, tingling, swelling, redness;
acute sensitivity to sun. Phenol: Permanent
lightening of treated skin; permanent loss of
ability to tan. |
| Risks: |
Both:
Tiny whiteheads (temporary); infection; scarring;
flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold
sores. Phenol: Abnormal color changes
(permanent); heart irregularities (rare). |
| Recovery: |
Phenol:
Formation of new skin: 7 to 21 days. Normal
activities: 2 to 4 weeks. Full healing and
fading of redness: 3 to 6 months TCA: New
skin within 5 to 10 days. |
Duration of
Results: |
Phenol:
permanent, although new wrinkles may form as skin
ages. TCA: variable (temporary). |
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COLLAGEN / FAT
INJECTIONS
| Procedure: |
Plump up creased,
furrowed, or sunken facial skin; add fullness to
lips and backs of hands. Works best on thin, dry,
light-colored skin. |
| Length: |
15 minutes to 1 hour
per session. |
| Anesthesia: |
Collagen: usually
none; local may be included with the injection. Fat:
local. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary stinging,
throbbing, or burning sensation. Faint redness,
swelling, excess fullness. |
| Risks: |
Collagen: allergic
reaction including rash, hives, swelling, or
flu-like symptoms; possible triggering of
connective-tissue or autoimmune diseases. (A skin
test is required before collagen treatment to
determine whether an allergy exists.) Both:
Contour irregularities, infection. |
Duration of
Results: |
Variable; a few
months to 1 year. |
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DERMABRASION
| Procedure: |
Mechanical scraping
of the top layers of skin using a high-speed rotary
wheel. Softens sharp edges of surface
irregularities, including acne and other scars and
fine wrinkles, especially around the mouth. |
| Length: |
A few minutes to 1
hour. May require more than 1 session. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local, numbing
spray, or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary tingling,
burning, itching, swelling, redness. Lightening of
treated skin. Acute sensitivity to sun; loss of
ability to make pigment (tan). |
| Risks: |
Abnormal color
changes (permanent). Tiny whiteheads (temporary);
infection; scarring; flare-up of skin allergies,
fever blisters, cold sores. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: 2
weeks. More strenuous activities: 4 to 6
weeks. Fading of redness: about 3 months. Return of
pigmentation/sun exposure: 6 to 12 months. |
Duration of
Results: |
Permanent, although
new wrinkles may form as skin ages. |
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EAR
SURGERY
(Otoplasty)
| Procedure: |
Set prominent ears
back closer to the head, or reduce the size of large
ears. Most often done on children between the ages
of 4 and 14 years. (Occasionally covered by
insurance.) |
| Length: |
2 to 3 hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Young children:
usually general. Older children or adults: general
or local, with sedation. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary throbbing,
aching, swelling, redness, numbness. |
| Risks: |
Infection of
cartilage. Excessive scarring. Blood clot that may
need to be drained. Mismatched or artificial-
looking ears. Recurrence of the protrusion,
requiring repeat surgery. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work or
school: 5 to 7 days.
Strenuous activity, contact sports: 1 to 2
months. |
Duration of
Results: |
Usually permanent. |
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EYELID SURGERY
(Blepharoplasty)
| Procedure: |
Correct drooping
upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by
removing excess fat, skin, and muscle.
(Upper-eyelid surgery may be covered
by insurance if used to correct visual field
defects) |
| Length: |
1 to 3 hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Usually locally with
sedation or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary
discomfort, tightness of lids, swelling, bruising.
Temporary dryness, burning, itching of eyes.
Excessive tearing, sensitivity to light for first
few weeks. |
| Risks: |
Temporary blurred or
double vision. Infection, bleeding. Swelling at the
corners of the eyelids. Dry eyes. Formation of
whiteheads. Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring.
Difficulty in closing eyes completely (rarely
permanent). Pulling down of the lower lids (may
require further surgery). Blindness (extremely
rare). |
| Recovery: |
Reading: 2 or 3
days. Back to work: 7 to 10 days. Contact lenses:
two weeks or more. Strenuous activities,
alcohol: about 3 weeks. Bruising and swelling
gone: several weeks. |
Duration of
Results: |
Several years.
Sometimes permanent. |
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FACELIFT
(Rhytidectomy)
| Procedure: |
Improving sagging
facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin by removing
excess fat, tightening muscles, redraping skin. Most
often done on men and women over 40. |
| Length: |
Several hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient.
Some patients may require short inpatient stay. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary bruising,
swelling, numbness and tenderness of skin; tight
feeling, dry skin. For men, permanent need to shave
behind ears, where beard-growing skin is
repositioned. |
| Risks:
|
Injury to the nerves
that control facial muscles or feeling (usually
temporary but may be permanent). Infection,
bleeding. Poor healing; excessive scarring.
Asymmetry or change in hairline. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: 10 to
14 days. More strenuous activity: 2 weeks or
more. Bruising: 2 to 3 weeks. Must limit exposure to
sun for several months. |
Duration of
Results: |
Usually 5 to 10
years. |
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FACIAL IMPLANTS
| Procedure: |
Change the basic
shape and balance of the face using carefully shaped
implants to build up a receding chin, add prominence
to cheekbones, or reshape the jawline. |
| Length: |
30 minutes to 2
hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient.
Occasionally overnight hospital stay. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary
discomfort, swelling, bruising, numbness and/or
stiffness. In jaw surgery, inability to open mouth
fully for several weeks. |
| Risks: |
Shifting or
imprecise positioning of implant, or infection
around it, requiring a second operation or removal.
Excess tightening and hardening of scar tissue
around an artificial implant ("capsular
contracture"), causing unnatural shape. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: about
1 week. Normal appearance: 2 to 4 weeks. Activity
that could jar or bump face: 6 weeks or more. |
Duration of
Results: |
Permanent. |
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FOREHEAD LIFT
(Browlift)
| Procedure: |
Minimize forehead
creases, drooping eyebrows, hooding over eyes,
furrowed forehead and frown lines by removing excess
tissue, altering muscles and tightening the forehead
skin. May be done using the traditional technique,
with an incision across the top of the head just
behind the hairline; or with the use of an
endoscope, which requires 3 to 5 short
incisions. Most often done on people over 40. |
| Length: |
1 to 2 hours. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary swelling,
numbness, headaches, bruising. Traditional
method: Possible itching and hair loss. |
| Risks: |
Injury to facial
nerve, causing loss of motion, muscle weakness, or
asymmetrical look. Infection. Broad or excessive
scarring. |
| Recovery:
|
Back to work:
7 to 10 days, usually sooner for endoscopic forehead
lift. More strenuous activity: several weeks.
Full recovery from bruising: 2 to 3 weeks.
Limit sun exposure for several months. |
Duration of
Results: |
Usually 5 to 10
years. |
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HAIR
REPLACEMENT SURGERY
| Procedure: |
Fill in balding
areas with a patient's own hair using a variety of
techniques including scalp reduction, tissue
expansion, strip grafts, scalp flaps, or clusters of
punch grafts (plugs, miniplugs and microplugs).
Works best on men with male pattern baldness after
hair loss has stopped. |
| Length: |
1 to 3 hours. Some
techniques may require multiple procedures over 18
months or more. |
| Anesthesia: |
Usually local with
sedation. Flaps and tissue expansion may be done
with general anesthesia. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary achy,
tight scalp. Unnatural look in early stages. |
| Risks: |
Unnatural look.
Infection. Excessive scarring. Failure to "take."
Loss of scalp tissue and/or transplanted hair. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work:
usually 2 to 5 days. More strenuous activities:
10 days to 3 weeks. Final look: may be
18 months or more, depending on procedure. |
Duration of
Results: |
Permanent. |
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LASER FACIAL
RESURFACING
| Procedure: |
Smooth the face and
smooth fine wrinkles using a carbon dioxide (CO2)
laser device that treats layers of damaged skin.
Softens lines around the eyes and mouth and
minimizes facial scars and unevenly pigmented areas. |
| Length:
|
A few minutes to 1
hour. May require more than 1 session. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient,
unless combined with other surgical procedures that
require hospitalization. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary swelling,
discomfort. Lightening of treated skin. Acute sun
sensitivity. Increased sensitivity to makeup.
Pinkness or redness in skin that may persist for up
to 6 months. |
| Risks: |
Burns or injuries
caused by laser heat. Scarring. Abnormal changes in
skin color. Flare-up of viral infections ("cold
sores") and other infections (rare). |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: 2
weeks. More strenuous activities: 4-6 weeks.
Complete fading of redness: 6 months or less. Return
of pigmentation/light sun exposure: 6-12 months. |
Duration of
Results: |
Long-lasting, but
does not stop aging. New wrinkles, expression lines
may form as skin ages. |
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LIPOSUCTION
(Suction-Assisted Lipectomy)
| Procedure: |
Improve body shape
by removing exercise-resistant fat deposits with a
tube and vacuum device. Can be performed using the
tumescent technique, in which targeted fat
cells are infused with saline containing solution
with a local anesthetic before liposuction to reduce
post-operative bruising and swelling. Common
locations for liposuction include chin, cheeks,
neck, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks,
hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles.
For larger volumes of fat or for fibrous body areas,
ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) may be
used. UAL is a new technique in which a ultrasound
probe is inserted beneath the skin to "liquify" the
fat before it is suctioned. |
| Length: |
1 to 2 hours or
more. UAL: 20-40 percent longer than
traditional liposuction. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local, epidural, or
general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient.
Extensive procedures may require short inpatient
stay. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary bruising,
swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensation.
Tumescent: Temporary fluid drainage from
incision sites. UAL: Larger incisions for
cannula. |
| Risks: |
Asymmetry. Rippling
or bagginess of skin. Pigmentation changes. Skin
injury. Fluid retention. Excessive fluid loss
leading to shock. Infection. UAL: thermal
burn injury caused by the heat from the ultrasound
device. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: 1 to 2
weeks. More strenuous activity: 2 to 4 weeks. Full
recovery from swelling and bruising: 1 to 6 months
or more. Use of tumescent technique or UAL may
decrease post-operative bruising and swelling. |
Duration of
Results: |
Permanent, with
sensible diet and exercise. |
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MALE BREAST
REDUCTION
(Gynecomastia)
| Procedure: |
Reduce enlarged,
female-like breast in men using liposuction and/or
cutting out excess glandular tissue. (Sometimes
covered by medical insurance.) |
| Length: |
1 hour or more. |
| Anesthesia: |
General or local. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary bruising,
swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensation. |
| Risks: |
Infection. Fluid
accumulation. Injury to the skin. Rippling or
bagginess of skin. Asymmetry. Pigmentation changes
(may become permanent if exposed to sun). Excessive
scarring if tissue was cut away. Need for second
procedure to remove additional tissue. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: 3 to 7
days. More strenuous activity: 2 to 3 weeks.
Swelling and bruising: 3 to 6 months. |
Duration of
Results: |
permanent |
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NOSE SURGERY
(Rhinoplasty)
| Procedure: |
Reshape nose by
reducing or increasing size, removing hump, changing
shape of tip or bridge, narrowing span of nostrils,
or changing angle between nose and upper lip. May
also relieve some breathing problems. (May be
covered by insurance.) |
| Length: |
1 to 2 hours or
more. |
| Anesthesia: |
Local with sedation,
or general. |
| In/Outpatient: |
Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: |
Temporary swelling,
bruising around eyes, nose and headaches. Some
bleeding and stiffness. |
| Risks: |
Infection. Small
burst blood vessels resulting in tiny, permanent red
spots. Incomplete improvement, requiring additional
surgery. |
| Recovery: |
Back to work: 1 to 2
weeks. More strenuous activities: 2 to 3
weeks. Avoid hitting nose or sunburn:
8 weeks. Final appearance: 1 year or more. |
Duration of
Results: |
Permanent. |
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