| Procedures |
Description |
| Rhinoplasty
(nose surgery) |
Aesthetic
surgery of the nose where cartilage and bone are
reshaped and reconstructed; excess bone or cartilage
may be removed. Breathing problems may be corrected
in a combined aesthetic and functional procedure
called "septorhinoplasty."
This
procedure is best done after a young person has
finished growing. This usually means age 13-15
for girls and after age 15 for boys, although
treatment may be recommended at an earlier age
if internal defects are present. |
| Mentoplasty
(chin surgery) |
A
procedure to help balance a profile through insertion
of a small plastic implant, which augments a receding
chin. Mentoplasties are often done in conjunction
with nose surgeries, and may be combined with liposuction
or lipectomy procedures to remove excess fat from
beneath the chin. |
| Dermabrasion
(Skin Resurfacing) |
A
sanding procedure that is used to diminish severe
cases of cystic acne that have failed to respond
to other medical treatments. In some cases, a series
of glycolic acid peels may be done to help clean
the pores and prevent the production of new acne
lesions. |
| Laserbrasion
(Skin Resurfacing) |
Another
method of skin resurfacing procedures is by means
of a device called a carbon dioxide laser. Laserbrasion
has made it possible to treat deeper facial blemishes,
various types of birthmarks and skin conditions
like rosacea successfully. Infants and young children
may be treated safely, thus minimizing some of
the emotional trauma associated with disfiguring
facial birthmarks.
Dermabrasion,
chemical peeling or laser therapy may be recommended
for teens who want to smooth out deep scars left
by acne. |
| Otoplasty
(ear surgery) |
A
procedure to "pin back" protruding or overly prominent
ears or to correct ear deformities. Ear procedures
can reduce the size of the ears, refine their
shape, or position them closer to the head. This
surgery can be done as early age five or six.
|
| Scar
Revision Surgery |
Procedures
to help minimize visible facial scars that will
not minimize with time. A variety of techniques
may be used, and often it is necessary to use
more than one procedure in sequence. Although
no scar can be eliminated entirely, facial plastic
surgeons have a number of techniques for making
them less obvious and more easily camouflaged. |
| Facial
Implants |
Facial
implants may be used to add definition to a teenager's
receding chin line. In cases where the cheekbones
are underdeveloped, a small mid-face implant may
be recommended. Facial implants are generally
used after the patient has finished growing. |
| Orthognathic
Surgery |
This
surgical procedure is often recommended for young
people with severe problems with their "bite"
or jaw alignment. This type of surgery is used
to correct structural abnormalities of the jaw
that impede normal function.
In
this case, the facial plastic and reconstructive
surgeon often works in cooperation with the individual's
dentist, orthodontist, or oral/ maxillofacial
surgeon to surgically reposition the upper or
lower jaw. It is generally done after puberty.
|
