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This page offers a general overview of cosmetic surgery
procedures. For more in-depth information on these
procedures, please follow the links in the left 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
Back to the Index
(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. |
BREAST
ENLARGEMENT
Back to the Index
(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. Mammagraphy 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. |
BREAST LIFT
Back to the Index
(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. |
CHEMICAL PEEL
Back to the Index
(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). |
COLLAGEN / FAT
INJECTIONS
Back to the Index
| 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. |
DERMABRASION
Back to the Index
| 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: |
EAR SURGERY
Back to the Index
(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: |
EYELID SURGERY
Back to the Index
(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. |
FACELIFT
Back to the Index
(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. |
FACIAL
IMPLANTS
Back to the Index
| 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 |
FOREHEAD LIFT
Back to the Index
(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. |
HAIR
REPLACEMENT SURGERY
Back to the Index
| 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. |
LASER FACIAL
RESURFACING
Back to the Index
| 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. |
LIPOSUCTION
Back to the Index
(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. |
MALE BREAST
REDUCTION
Back to the Index
(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 |
NOSE SURGERY
Back to the Index
(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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