Are you in the early stages of planning a plastic surgery procedure? Then it would be good for you to know some common terms in the plastic surgery glossary.
- Cookie-cutter plastic surgery: It is a frequent term you hear when in search of a plastic surgeon. Cookie cutter means using the same pattern, procedure and techniques for everyone planning for a cosmetic procedure. A good surgeon will never have a cookie-cutter plastic surgery plan but always prefer an individualized treatment option depending on your specific concerns and goals.
- Back-alley plastic surgery: Looks sinister, doesn’t it? Never ever be a part of this trend which involves under trained or unqualified individuals offering plastic surgery procedures at a discounted price. You must always give priority to quality of care over the expense involved. Or else you may end up spending more in the long run.
- Invasive and non-invasive: When you approach a surgeon, he/she may discuss both the invasive and non-invasive options for your aesthetic concern. In the invasive method, there would be at least a small surgery and the procedure would also involve anesthesia administration. Recovery would take some time. In a non-invasive procedure, there would be no cuts or surgery, and the procedure can be done on an outpatient basis. There would be little to no recovery period involved.
- Words ending in ‘plasty’: When you search for a procedure, you may come upon words ending in ‘plasty’. If you see terms such as abdominoplasty or lipoplasty, don’t be intimidated. They are nothing but alternate usages for the very popular tummy tuck and liposuction respectively. Spend some time to understand the synonyms or similar usages for the procedures you are looking for.
Here are some other terms that you may come across when planning for popular procedures such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck or liposuction. These are just a few among the many terms in the glossary.
- Areola: Pigmented skin surrounding the nipple.
- Excision: To remove the skin.
- External incisions: Surgical incisions made on the surface of your skin.
- Graft: Tissue taken from other parts of the body.
- Local anesthesia: A drug is injected directly into the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
- Collagen: The major structural proteins in the skin that give it strength and resilience.
It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the common terms associated with the procedure you are looking for before entering the decision-making phase. That would really be helpful in communicating well with your surgeon and taking a well-informed decision.