The world of cosmetic surgery is vast and seemingly endless, and one of the most confusing aspects of any cosmetic procedure is the amount of jargon that goes into the procedure. One of the keys to being comfortable and happy with your procedure is knowing exactly what's going on at every stage of the process. Before you get confused and freaked out by the huge words your doctor is throwing around, check out this list of common terms used by cosmetic surgeons and other professionals in the industry.
Rhytidectomy
This is simply the formal medical term for a facelift, so it's typically how your doctor and nurses will refer to your procedure. The word comes from Greek and means "wrinkle removal" when read literally. This is likely what you will see on bills and paperwork related to your surgery, so it's helpful to know that this is the more precise term for your procedure.
Blepharoplasty
This type of surgery is another option or add-on for those looking to have a face lift done, and refers to cosmetic surgery of the eyelids and surrounding skin. This procedure often involves removal of excess fat, skin, and muscle from the lower eyelid, and can complement a full facelift very well.
Local vs General Anesthesia
Anesthesia is what makes it so that you don't feel the procedure as it's happening, but rather allows you to be numb or unconscious during the procedure. Local anesthesia allows you to be awake during the procedure, but numbs your face so you won't feel a thing. General anesthesia knocks you our during the surgery, which is more comfortable for most people, but is also more expensive than local anesthesia.
Chemexfoliation
This is a process otherwise known as a chemical peel. In this procedure, a gentle acid is applied to the skin in order to weaken the outermost layer of your skin and allow it to be peeled off, revealing a younger, smoother, softer layer of skin beneath it. This procedure is often coupled with a traditional facelift to even out the younger look of skin across the entire face, and is often offered as an extension of a facelift surgery.
Hematoma
A hematoma is kind of like a bruise in that it consists of a small pool of blood underneath the skin. These are fairly common with any cosmetic surgery and will go away with time. If they're really unsightly and you want to get rid of them quickly, you can apply heat to the area in order to increase circulation and speed healing.
