| Term |
Definition |
| Blepharoplasty |
Surgery of the eyelids where fat and excess skin, bags, pouches, wrinkles in the eye area are removed |
| BOTOX Botulinum Toxin |
Injected to temporarily relax facial muscles to eliminate wrinkles for three to six months |
| Cheek / ChinAugmentation |
Surgery where implants are placed in the cheeks or chin to improve bone structure and support sagging, soft tissues |
| Chemical Peels |
Resurfacing of the skin with an acid solution that peels the top layers and allows smoother, regenerated skin to emerge; an effective treatment for wrinkles caused by sun damage, mild scarring, and certain types of acne |
| Collagen Implant |
An injection of natural protein which raises skin tissue to smooth skin and make wrinkles and scars appear less visible |
| Dermabrasion |
A facial sanding technique used to treat deep scars and wrinkles, raised scar tissue, and some severe cases of cystic acne; top layers of skin are “sanded” off with a high-speed rotating brush or a diamond-coated wheel |
| Facial Reconstruction |
Surgery to repair or reconstruct facial features in victims of cancer, facial trauma and birth defects |
| Filler Injections |
Most commonly collagen — a gel like substance derived from purified animal tissue, and fat — which is harvested from the patients thigh or abdomen and then injected to plump up facial areas or “fill” wrinkled areas (see also Botox) |
| Forehead Lift |
Surgery to minimize forehead lines and wrinkles, and to elevate brows to reduce lid drooping |
| Hair Replacement |
Surgery to redistribute hair to hide the appearance of hair loss |
| Laser Resurfacing / |
Laser Resurfacing / |
| Laserbrasion Surgery |
Light beams vaporize top layers of the skin to lessen the appearance of wrinkles, scars, birthmarks or to generally resurface facial skin |
| Liposuction |
Surgery to reduce excess fatty deposits |
| Mentoplasty |
Surgery to balance a profile by enlarging, reducing or reshaping the chin |
| Microdermabrasion |
A mini-peeling with minimal risk of dyspigmentation or scarring that is achieved by projecting aluminum micro-crystals onto the skin (also referred as the “Power Peel,” “Euro Peel”, “Parisian Peel” and “Derma Peel”); safe for all skin types |
| Mini-or-Micro-Grafting |
A hair replacement technique where transplanted pieces of hair-bearing skin that are placed between the original “plugs” to refine the overall appearance |
| Orthognathic Surgery |
To alleviate problems with a patient’s “bite” or jaw alignment (performed in cooperation with a patient’s dentist, orthodontist or oral maxillofacial surgeon) |
| Otoplasty |
Surgery of the ear where protruding or deformed ears can be “pinned back” by reshaping the cartilage |
| Rhinoplasty |
Aesthetic surgery of the nose where cartilage and bone are reshaped and reconstructed; excess bone or cartilage may be removed |
| Rhytidectomy |
Facelift surgery where excess skin is removed and muscles are tightened |
| Scalp Flap Surgery |
A hair replacement method that involves rotating strips of hair-bearing scalp from the side and back of the head to the front and top; restores the hairline while maintaining normal hair density |
| Scalp Reduction Surgery |
Surgery to reduce the size of the bald area |
| Scar Revision Surgery |
Procedures to help minimize visible facial scars |
| Septorhinoplasty |
A form of rhinoplasty that is performed to reconstruct the nasal passage or to relieve obstructions inside the nose to correct breathing problems; the obstruction is removed through internal incisions and the interior of the nose is restructured |
| Skin Resurfacing |
Removal of the outer layer of the skin using abrasion, chemicals or a laser, resulting in smoother and less wrinkled skin |
Robert F. Gray, MD, FACS, is an honors graduate from St. Louis University School of Medicine, residency-trained at Emory University, and fellowship-trained at the University of California at San Francisco. He is dual Board-Certified in all aspects of complex facial plastic surgery.