Alopecia: Partial or complete loss of hair; see hair transplant.
Androgenetic alopecia: Scientific name for male of female pattern hair loss.
Aqualipo: Liposuction method that combines water-based (or tumescent) liposuction with laser liposuction for additional skin tightening.
Auto-Augmentation Breast Lift: A breast lift shifts tissue upwards and reshapes the breast to a more rounded, tighter shape. If this is done without implants by simply removing the excess tissue and tightening up the skin, it is an auto-augmentation breast lift.
Beard Transplant: Hair transplant in which donor hair is extracted from the scalp and transplanted to the face to achieve a fuller beard.
Blepharoplasty: Scientific name for eyelid surgery.
Blepharoptosis: A condition of a sagging eyelid that droops over the eye as result of aging, trauma, or a variety of medical disorders.
BMI: See Body Mass Index.
Body Mass Index: Also known as BMI, this is a number calculated by using your weight and height to determine possible obesity.
BodyTite: Technology using radio frequency assisted lipolysis to coagulate, i.e. shrink, tissues to tighten skin; can be used on all areas of the body including the face (also see: FaceTite) and typically combined with traditional liposuction for best results.
Botox: An injectable made from Botulinum toxin to cosmetically remove lines and wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles, especially on the forehead and around the eyes. Typically needs repeat treatment every 3-5 months.
Botulinum toxin: Toxin that causes botulism, used in very small doses as Botox for cosmetic and medical purposes.
Brazilian Butt Lift: Minimally-invasive procedure using fat transfer to enlarge the buttocks with the body’s own fat. Warning: this procedure carries increased risk of embolism when the fat is accidentally injected in the bloodstream.
Breast Augmentation: A surgical procedure, also known as mammoplasty, to increase breast size using the placement of implants under breast tissue or chest muscles; breasts can also be augmented by using the body’s own fat gained from liposuction to inject into the breast tissue.
Breast Implants: Implants are made from a gel-like or fluid material in a flexible sac of various shapes to enhance a women’s breast; can be made from silicone or saline.
Breast Implant Revision: Also called breast implant exchange, this is a surgical procedure remove and replace breast implants; often coupled with capsulectomy to remove hardened tissues formed around the old implant.
Breast Lift: A surgical procedure, also known as mastopexy, in which excess tissue is removed and skin is tightened to lift a sagging breast and give it a perkier and more youthful, aesthetically pleasing shape. Can be combined with implants.
Breast Reduction: A surgical procedure, also called reduction mammoplasty, that removes excess fat, tissue and skin from the beast to reduce volume and give the breast a more aesthetically pleasing shape. One of the few elective surgery that may be covered by health insurance in specific cases. Also see male breast reduction.
Brow Lift: A surgical procedure also known as browplasty or forehead lift; elevates the eyebrows and reduces wrinkles to rejuvenate the forehead and area around the eyes.
Capsular Contracture: Hardening and tightening of scar tissue around an implant that can lead to aesthetic problems or pain; can be corrected with breast implant revision surgery.
Capsulectomy: Surgical procedure to remove hardened scar tissue around a breast implant before removing the implant itself; can be combined with placement of new implants in a breast implant exchange.
Cellulaze: Minimally-invasive procedure using laser energy from a small cannula inserted under the skin to sever connective tissues that pull down skin and give it a puckered appearance; also promotes collagen production.
Cellulite: A term describing the puckered, dimpled look of skin, particularly on thighs and buttocks and predominantly affecting women, caused by the uneven buildup of fat under the skin.
Chemical Peel: Skin treatment for the face in which a chemical solution is applied to the skin to remove the top layers so that smoother skin can grow back.
Collagen: The proteins in the skin responsible for strength and resilience.
Cohesive Gel Implants: Another name used for silicone breast implants.
CoolSculpting: Branded name for Cryolipolysis.
Cryolipolysis: Non-invasive treatment using cold temperatures to break down fat cells for fat reduction; typically requires repeat treatments.
Cutaneous Facelift: A facelift that focuses solely on tightening the skin without touching underlying tissues or muscles.
Dermal Fillers: Also called soft tissue fillers or facial fillers, dermal fillers are gels (typically made from hyaluronic acid ) that are injected in the skin to smooth moderate to severe wrinkles and folds such as nasolabial folds, as well as to augment (increase volume in) lips, cheeks, and chin.
Dermabrasion: A facial skin treatment that removes the top layer of skin to improve the appearance of minor blemishes like acne scars of sun damage.
Dermasweep: An advanced form of microdermabrasion applied to the face with a hand-held device to remove dead cells from the skin.
Designer Belly Button: Part of a tummy tuck procedure to repair a sagging or displaced belly button to an aesthetically pleasing shape and location.
Elastin: A protein present within the elastic fibers of connective tissue that accounts for the elasticity of the skin, where it works together with collagen, and other structures such as blood vessels, heart, lungs, tendons and ligaments.
Elipse Intragastric Balloon: Gastric balloon brand not yet FDA-approved for use in the United States.
Endoscopy: Form of non-surgical procedure using a probe instead of surgical incisions, for instance for the placement and removal of a gastric balloon.
Exilis: Non-invasive skin tightening technology using radio frequency energy to contract the skin by external use only. Can also be used for feminine rejuvenation (Exilis Femme).
Eyelid Surgery: Surgical procedure to correct ptosis (sagging eyelids), remove fatty bulges around the eyes, and eliminate wrinkles. Upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery are two distinct procedures; lower eyelids can also be improved with non-surgical skin tightening. Also known as ptosis repair when deemed medically necessary vs a cosmetic enhancement.
Facelift: A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that improves signs of aging, such as sagging skin, deep nasal folds, developing jowls, and excess fat and skin around the neck and chin.
FaceTite: Non-surgical facelift using radio frequency assisted lipolysis. Also see: BodyTite.
Facial Fillers: See dermal fillers.
Facial Hair Transplant: See beard transplant.
Fat Freezing: Another name for Cryolipolysis.
Fat Transfer: Minimally-invasive procedure to remove excess fat using liposuction and re-inject it into other areas of the body – most commonly the breasts. Can also be used as natural filler for face and hands.
Female Hair Restoration: Refers to non-medical, medical, and surgical approaches to treat female hair loss, which can follow different patterns than male hair loss and thus requires a more comprehensive treatment approach.
Female Pattern Hair Loss: Condition of hair loss in women, also called androgenetic alopecia, that causes gradual thinning at the part line, followed by increasing diffuse hair loss radiating from the top of the head.
Feminine Rejuvenation: Non-invasive radio frequency therapy such as Exilis Femme or ThermiVa to improve vaginal dryness, sagging of the vaginal lips, decreased sensitivity, and occasional mild incontinence for women who have been pregnant or gone through menopause. Also see Vaginal Rejuvenation.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE): Minimally-invasive hair restoration procedure to permanently reverse hair loss; Uses pneumatic pressure to extract hair follicles from a donor area of the scalp that is resistant to hair loss and transplant them into balding or thinning areas. Commonly used to restore hairline and crown, can also be used for facial hair transplant.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT): Surgical hair restoration procedure to permanently reverse hair loss; Uses the strip method to surgically extract a strip of hair from the back of the head, break it up into individual follicles, and transplant them into balding or thinning areas.
Gastric Balloon: Minimally-invasive endoscopic procedure that places an inflatable saline-filled balloon in the stomach to reduce feelings of hunger, improve portion control, and assist with long-term weight loss; after 6 months, the balloon is removed using the same procedure. Not to be confused with gastric bypass surgery.
Gummy Bear Implants: See highly-cohesive implants.
Gynecomastia: Enlarged male breasts. Gynecomastia surgery is also known as a male breast reduction.
Hair Restoration: See hair transplant.
Hair Transplant: A minimally-invasive procedure for women and men to restore a fuller head of hair by transplanting or grafting hair follicles from one area of the scalp to another or even into the face. Treatment for alopecia and male pattern baldness. Also see: NeoGraft, Follicular Unit Extraction, Follicular Unit Transplantation.
Highly-Cohesive Implants: A type of silicone breast implant made from highly cohesive silicone gel to lend more stability and prevent the implant from losing its shape even if the shell is broken. They are particularly well-suited for breast reconstruction where the stability is needed to lend shape, but may not be the best option for cosmetic patients as they much firmer and feel less like breast tissue than other silicone implants.
Hyaluronic Acid: Ingredient in many popular dermal fillers.
Hyperpigmentation: Excessive pigmentation of the skin that often manifests as dark spots.
Hypopigmentation: A lack of pigmentation of the skin.
Injectables: Drugs or gels injected into the skin to remove wrinkles or restore volume lost due to aging. See also: Botox, dermal fillers.
Intragastric Balloon: See gastric balloon
Juvederm: Branded name for hyaluronic acid dermal filler. Also see: Volbella, Vollure, and Voluma.
Keloid scar: A genetic condition that causes scars tp grow excessively at the site of an injury when too much collagen forms during skin repair.
Laser Liposuction: Minimally-invasive liposuction method that uses laser generated heat from a cannula to shrink tissues and tighten skin; is administered with a smaller cannula than traditional or tumescent liposuction to better target smaller areas.
Lip Augmentation: Procedure to enhance deflated or sagging lips to improve symmetry or reduce lines and wrinkles around the mouth. Can be achieved via injections (see dermal fillers) or implants.
Lipectomy: A term that encompasses fat removal in general, vs liposuction being more narrowly defined as removing fat via suction.
Lipo 360: Stands for liposuction around the entire midsection, front and back. It’s not a specific liposuction technique but simply refers to the area targeted with liposuction.
Lipolysis: The definition for the process of breaking down fats and other lipids in the body; the term is often used for various forms of laser, ultrasound, and radio frequency powered liposuction.
Liposculpture: Another name for fat transfer; sometimes also used to describe laser liposuction.
Liposuction: Minimally-invasive cosmetic surgery procedure for the removal of fat using a thin cannula inserted under the skin to disrupt and flush out fat cells.
Lower Blepharoplasty: See eyelid surgery.
Male Breast Reduction: Cosmetic procedure to treat gynecomastia, or enlarged male breasts. Can be achieved with minimally-invasive liposuction and skin tightening alone to remove excess fat, or surgically by removing glandular tissue, or a combination of both.
Male Pattern Baldness: Hair loss affecting men that occurs in a pattern of a receding hairline and partial or full baldness of the crown, leaving intact a zone of hair follicles around the back of the head that is resistant to hair loss.
Mammoplasty: Also spelled mammaplasty, the scientific name for breast augmentation.
Mastopexy: Scientific name for breast lift.
Mentor: Brand name for breast implants.
Microneedling: Also known as “subdermal adipose remodeling device” (SARD), a non-invasive facial treatment to tighten sagging skin using micro-needles that penetrate into the skin to stimulate collagen production. Several treatments recommended.
Micropigmentation: Application of permanent makeup by injecting iron oxide pigment into the middle layer of the skin (dermis), similar to a tattoo. Can be used on eyebrows or scalp to improve the appearance of hair.
Mini Tummy Tuck: A tummy tuck that only tightens the area below the belly button, does not repair underlying abdominal muscles, and usually results in a shorter scar than a standard tummy tuck.
Minimally-Invasive Procedure: Cosmetic procedure that requires several tiny incisions in the skin to insert a cannula to administer treatment to areas under the skin. Typically does not require stitches and does not result in visible scarring, and is administered under local anesthesia and mild sedation as needed.
Mommy Makeover: Plastic surgery procedure for women to address sagging and fat accumulation after pregnancy and childbirth; can be performed as one procedure or a series of several procedures to flatten the tummy and enhance breast volume or shape.
Morpheus: Branded name for “subdermal adipose remodeling device” (SARD), a non-invasive treatment also known as microneedling; tightens sagging skin around face and neck (also see: Morpheus Body) with micro-needles that penetrate into the skin to stimulate collagen production. Several treatments recommended.
Morpheus Body: A variant of Morpheus geared to treat larger areas such as the abdomen.
Neck Lift: A procedure that removes or reduces fatty tissues and tightens skin on the patient’s neck to address sagging skin, a double chin, or an ill-defined jawline. Can be accomplished with either surgery or minimally-invasive radio frequency assisted lipolysis.
NeoGraft: Branded name for hair transplant using the Follicular Unit Extraction method.
Non-Invasive Procedure: Cosmetic procedure that does not break the skin and is only administered from the surface. Does not require incisions or stitches and is typically administered without anesthesia.
Non-Surgical Facelift: A skin tightening method using RFAL technology like FaceTite or Renuvion to tighten sagging skin on the face and neck to achieve facelift-like results without surgery.
Power-Assisted Liposuction: Liposuction method that uses a cannula with a vibrating tip to more easily break down dense fat deposits.
PRO-NOX: Patient-controlled pain management system using a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen (laughing gas) to alleviate discomfort and anxiety during a medical or dental procedure.
Obalon Balloon System: Branded name for FDA-approved gastric balloon; also see Orbera.
ORBERA Weight-Loss Balloon: Branded name for the most popular FDA-approved gastric balloon.
Ptosis: Scientific name for sagging skin, often used to describe drooping breasts but also used to describe sagging eyelids (see blepharoptosis).
Renuvion: Technology using radio frequency energy powered by helium plasma to deliver highly controlled heat to underlying tissues to coagulate, i.e. tighten skin in targeted areas of body and face; typically combined with traditional liposuction for best results.
Reshape Intragastric Balloon: Gastric balloon brand that has been discontinued and rolled into the Orbera brand.
Restylane: Branded name for hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Rhinoplasty: Commonly referred to as a nose job, a procedure to enhance the appearance of the nose.
Rhytidectomy: Scientific name for facelift.
Saline Implants: Breast implants filled with a saline solution.
SculpSure: Non-invasive treatment applying laser energy to the skin surface to melt away fat; typically requires repeat treatments.
Sientra: Brand name for breast implants.
Silicone Implants: Breast implants made from silicone gel. Also called cohesive gel implants.
Skin Tightening: Can be non-invasive by external application (i.e.: Exilis, truSculpt) or minimally-invasive by delivery via a cannula inserted under the skin (i.e. BodyTite, Renuvion). The latest skin tightening technologies are radio frequency (RF) powered and typically achieve more contraction than laser powered technologies.
SlimLipo: Branded name for laser liposuction.
SmartLipo: Branded name for laser liposuction.
Spatz3 Adjustable Gastric Balloon System: Branded name for gastric balloon currently under review for FDA approval.
Subcutaneous fat: Type of fat that responds well to removal using liposuction.
Surgical Procedure: Cosmetic procedure that requires incisions of various size in the skin to remove underlying fat and/or excess skin. Can be administered under general anesthesia but does not require it, most commonly it is performed under IV sedation. Requires sutures and a recovery time of up to several weeks depending on the procedure.
Tear-Drop Implants: A type of textured highly-cohesive silicone breast implant that is sometimes also referred to as gummy bear implant.
Temporal Facelift: Facelift where the incisions are placed at the temples and tissues are moved up diagonally away from the center of the face.
ThermiVa: Branded name for Feminine Rejuvenation.
Tumescent Liposuction: The most common form of liposuction; before the fat is suctioned off, the surgeon injects a solution of saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine into the treatment area to aid with fat removal, relieve pain, and constrict the blood vessels.
Tummy Tuck:
Also called abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin to flatten the abdomen; in most cases, it also repairs weakened or separated abdominal muscles, which are often a result of pregnancy and childbirth.
truSculpt: A non-invasive skin tightening treatment using monopolar Radio Frequency to deliver targeted heat to underlying fat tissues.
Ultherapy: FDA-approved skin tightening treatment using ultrasound technology to remove lines and wrinkles and improve the appearance of sagging skin of face and neck.
Umbilicoplasty: Belly button reconstruction surgery. See designer belly button.
Upper Blepharoplasty: See eyelid surgery.
Vaginal Rejuvenation: A non-invasive (external) treatment using radio frequency energy to contract sagging skin, tighten the vaginal wall, and improve mild post-pregnancy incontinence. Also see Feminine Rejuvenation.
Vaser Liposuction: VASER stands for Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance; it is a liposuction method that uses ultrasound technology to break apart fat cells and loosen them from deeper tissues.
Visceral Fat: The kind of fat that is difficult to remove with liposuction alone; More common in men than in women.
Volbella: An injectable dermal filler by Juvederm used for lip augmentation.
Vollure: An injectable dermal filler by Juvederm to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles.
Voluma: An injectable dermal filler by Juvederm to correct age-related loss of volume in cheeks or chin.
Weight-Loss Balloon: See gastric balloon.
Please contact the NuBody Concepts Cosmetic Surgery Nashville or Memphis office if you have any plastic surgery or skincare questions!
