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This page offers a general overview of cosmetic surgery procedures. For more in-depth information on these procedures, please use the links in the FAQ 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.
| Procedure: | Correct drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess fat, skin, and muscle. |
| Length: | 2 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. |
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| 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. |
| Length: | 1 to 2 hours or more. |
| Anesthesia: | Local with sedation, or general. |
| In/Outpatient: | Usually outpatient; reduction procedure may require short term hospitalization. |
| 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 injury (hitting) nose or sunburn: 8 weeks. Final appearance: 1 year or more. |
| Duration of Results: | Permanent. |
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| 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 for partial lift. Full face will require short inpatient hospital 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: 4 weeks or more. Bruising: 2 to 3 weeks. Must limit exposure to sun for several months. |
| Duration of Results: | Usually 5 to 8 years for full facelift. Partial lift is much shorter. |
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| 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. Most often done on people over 40. |
| Length: | 1-2 hours. |
| Anesthesia: | Local with sedation, or general. |
| In/Outpatient: | Usually outpatient. |
| Side Effects: | Temporary swelling, numbness, headaches, bruising. 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. 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. |
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| 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. |
| Length: | 2 hours or more. |
| Anesthesia: | Local, epidural, or general. |
| In/Outpatient: | Usually outpatient. Extensive procedures may require short inpatient stay. |
| 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. |
| 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 may decrease post-operative bruising and swelling. |
| Duration of Results: | Permanent, with sensible diet and exercise. |
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| Procedure: | Enhance the size of breasts using breast implants |
| 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. Mammagraphy requires a special technique. (Note: Some women have reported symptoms similar to those of immune disorders. Ask your doctor about these.) |
| 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. |
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| Procedure: | Flatten abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles of abdominal wall. |
| Length: | 2 to 5 hours. |
| Anesthesia: | General, or local with 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. |