Dr. Burstein's Glossary of Terms for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery
Blepharoplasty
A surgical procedure to remove fat, excess skin, and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids.
Brachycephaly
A facial defect characterized by a high and wide forehead region with the eyes unusually far apart on the head.
Brow Lift
The surgical lifting of the skin and muscles to raise the brows and smooth the wrinkles and furrows on the forehead. (Also see Upper Facelift)
Chemical peel
A chemical skin treatment to even skin tone and improve skin texture.
Chin Abnormality
A disfigured chin, unusually small or prominent and large.
Chin Surgery
(See Genioplasty)
Cleft Lip
A congenital defect where the upper lip is split, either in the middle, on one side, or on both the sides of the mouth. Cleft lips can be accompanied by missing teeth, misalignment of the jaw, or breathing problems.
Cleft Nose
A congenital defect where a cleft, or split, affects the appearance of the nose and nasal passages and can affect breathing.
Cleft Palate
A congenital defect where there is a cleft or a separation in the palate (also known as “the roof” of the mouth).
Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery refers to a subset of plastic surgery concerned with aesthetic enhancement and correction of structures of face and body for aesthetic reasons.
Craniofacial Surgery
A specialty subset of maxillofacial surgery, targeting areas of the skull, jaw, and face affected by congenital deformities.
Craniosynostosis
A birth defect of the face where the fibrous joints (called sutures) of the skull fuse improperly and prematurely.
Deformational Plagiocephaly
A deformity of the skull caused by repeated pressure to the same area of the head and a subsequent asymmetrical head shape in infants.
Deviated Septum
The misalignment or off-centered position of the septum, the hard wall running down the middle of the nose, which cuts the nasal passages in half.
Ear Reconstruction
(See Otoplasty)
Endoscope
A tube, used for minimally invasive surgeries, to see underneath the skin.
Eyelid Surgery
(See Blepharoplasty)
Facelift
A surgical procedure involving the removal of excess skin and the re-draping of tissue on the face and neck to create a younger, tighter, and smoother look.
Facial Abnormality
An area on the face that is disfigured or abnormal compared to the average, natural shape either due to congenital defects, trauma, or disease.
Facial Implants
Silicone implants of various shapes and sizes surgically inserted into the face, used to enhance certain features of the face and improve symmetry.
Facial Cleft
A very rare birth defect where the cleft, or separation, lies in the middle of the face, resulting in missing tissue and bone.
Facial contouring
The reshaping of the facial structure through surgical sculpting and facial implants to improve the face’s contour and overall balance.
Fat transfer/Dermal fat grafting
A procedure where fat is extracted from one area of the body, purified, and then injected into another part of the body (usually the face or buttocks) to enhance shape.
Forehead Lift
(See Brow Lift)
Genioplasty
Also known as chin surgery, this is a surgical procedure to enhance the chin, typically using facial implants or reducing the size of an overly prominent chin. Genioplasties can be performed for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes.
Hemangiomas
Red spots, usually present at birth and tending to fade with age; more commonly known as port wine stains.
Jaw Abnormality
Disfigurement affecting the upper or lower jaw.
Laser Resurfacing
A cutting edge laser light treatment to ablate or remove layers of damaged skin to improve the look of wrinkles, scars, blemishes, and skin tone and texture.
Lower Facelift
A less-invasive, smaller-scale version of a full facelift, typically using an endoscope, to lift and tighten the lower region of the face. Liposuction is used to remove small pockets of fat under the chin (commonly referred to as a “double chin”).
Malocclusion (misalignment of teeth)
A defect marked by misalignment of teeth, also known as either cross bite, under bite, or over bite depending on the individual patient. Severe cases of malocclusion will require maxillofacial surgery.
Maxillofacial surgery
Maxillofacial surgery is a type of specialty reconstructive surgery used to correct form and function in a wide spectrum of diseases, defects, and/or injuries of the face, head, neck, and jaws.
Microtia
A facial defect of the ear, causing them to grow improperly and sometimes causing the closure of the ear canal (atresia).
Mid-Facelift
The surgical lifting and tightening of the triangular area formed between the corners of the mouth and two corners of the eyes to correct wrinkles and sagging.
Nasal Abnormality
Defects of the nose, either caused by congenital defects, disease, or trauma.
Neck lift
Contouring the neck area with liposuction and tightening of the neck muscles and skin.
Nose Surgery
(See Rhinoplasty)
Otoplasty
Reconstructive or cosmetic surgery to reshape the look and position of the ears.
Plagiocephaly
A facial deformity in which the bones in the forehead stop growing, resulting in a flattening of one side of the head and prominence on the opposite side of the head.
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty concerned with the aesthetic enhancement and correction of the face, breast, and body.
Reconstructive Surgery
A surgical field dedicated to restoring the form and function of the various areas of the body that have been affected by trauma, congenital defects, diseases etc.
Rhinoplasty
Surgical reshaping and restructuring of the nose to restore nasal function and/or repair a birth defect, effect from trauma, or enhance the overall aesthetic look.
Scaphocephaly
A condition caused when the suture, or joint of the skull found in the middle of the head, prematurely fuses resulting in a narrow, elongated skull shape.
Trigonocephaly
A facial defect that causes the forehead to become pointed with eyes abnormally close together.
Upper Facelift
A less-invasive, smaller-scale version of a full facelift, typically using an endoscope, to lift and tighten the forehead/brow area.
Vascular Malformations
Birth defects affecting the veins and arteries, the most serious type is known as anteriovenous malformations, that are present at birth and increase in size as a person grows.
