Procedures
at a Glance
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 concious 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
(Augmentation Mammaplasty)
Procedure: Enhance the size of breasts using
inflatable implants filled with saline or silicone gel.
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.
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
(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
(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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Laser Facial Resurfacing
Procedure: Smooth the face and smooth fine wrinkles
using a carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) 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: Topical anesthetic
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.
Side Effects: Temporary swelling, discomfort.
Redness of treated skin. Sun sensitivity.
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: 3-5 days. Complete fading
of redness: 1-2 weeks or less.
Duration of Results: Long-lasting, but does not
stop aging. New wrinkles, expression lines may form as
skin ages.
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.
Side Effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness,
soreness, burning sensation. Tumescent: Temporary fluid
drainage from incision sites.
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
(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
(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.
