This is the Ideal You Medical Dictionary. Please click on the letter below to search by alphabet or use the search function to lookup terms.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Glossary Results:

Face Lift - Face lifts are used to improve and enhance facial contours by providing a more harmonious balance to your face in order to enhance your appearance and bolster your self-esteem. The implants help to strengthen a jaw line or bring the chin or cheekbones into balance with the rest of the face.

Fixed Bridge - A fixed dental appliance (used to replace a missing tooth/teeth) cemented or bonded to adjacent teeth which have been prepared to provide anchor supports.

Forehead Lift - A forehead lift usually requires a local anesthetic with sedation or a general anesthetic. If local anesthesia is used, it is generally injected into the area above your eyebrows. The procedure, if done alone, takes approximately one-to-two hours. Your hair will be secured in front and behind the incision area. The procedure begins as your surgeon makes an incision starting at or near the ear and running across the top of your head either behind or at the hairline. The forehead skin is lifted up and excess skin is removed, sometimes with part or all of the muscles. The incision is then closed with stitches or metal clips. If the forehead is high, often the incision will be made at the anterior hairline to avoid further raising of the forehead. After Your Surgery There's usually little discomfort after a forehead lift, although a pain medication may be prescribed by your surgeon if you do experience uneasiness. Your skin may feel tingly or itchy, but this will disappear within a few weeks. Your surgeon may ask you to keep your head elevated the day or two following surgery. The stitches or clips are usually removed two to seven days (sometimes up to 14 days) after your surgery, but may be done in stages. Your surgeon will usually allow you to shower and shampoo gently between the second and seventh days. You can expect to be at work in seven to 10 days, but rigorous activity should be avoided for about 10 days. The visible signs of surgery usually fade completely within two to three weeks, and normal hair growth should return. The New You Remember, a forehead lift is a surgical procedure. Your body has to heal before you see the full benefits -- up to several months. Above all, get plenty of rest and let your body spend its energy on healing. The swelling will continue to subside and you'll begin to see the new you. The results of forehead lifts generally last over 10 years. Many enjoy permanent results. For many people, a forehead lift takes years off their face. You'll have some scars from your surgery, but they're usually hidden by your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. The scars will fade with time and will be barely noticeable. The chances are excellent that you'll be pleased with your decidedly younger look.

Facial Plastic Surgeons - A facial plastic surgeon is typically board certified in otolaryngology, the specialty addressing surgery of the head and neck. These surgeons perform the majority of elective facial plastic surgery procedures in the United States. The facial plastic surgeon has spent five to six years in postgraduate surgical training. Training includes one year of postgraduate training in general surgery and at least four additional years of specialty training in head and neck surgery and facial plastic surgery. Concentrating on the complex anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, and bacteriology of all the organs and structures of the head and neck, provides the facial plastic surgeon a strong focus on the anatomical region being treated.

Facial Reconstruction - Surgery to repair or reconstruct facial features in victims of cancer, facial trauma and birth defects.

Fat Injections - A fat-injection procedure is a two-step process that may require more than one visit to the doctor. The fat must be harvested from somewhere on your own body -- typically from the abdomen or hips. After it is extracted, it is placed in a centerfuge to separate the fat from surrounding tissues. The fat is then packed into a large syringe to accommodate its granular nature. Because fat is a bit larger than other injectable materials, it is almost always injected more deeply into the skin. Volumes of up to 50-100 cc can be used to over the entire face. (Fat is the only injectable material that can be used at these larger volumes.) The injected fat plumps and tightens the skin, thereby decreasing (and in some cases eliminating) wrinkles, scars and lines from sagging skin.

Filler Injections - Most commonly collagen  a gel like substance derived from purified animal tissue, and fat  which is harvested from the patients thigh or abdomen and then injected to plump up facial areas or fill wrinkled areas.