Glossary and Terms

Listed here are definitions of commonly used terms for your reference during your research process.

Anesthesia:

Medicine to make you comfortable during surgery or a procedure

Asymmetrical:

Lopsided breast, uneven breasts, irregular breast, disproportionate breasts

Axillary Incision:

Armpit incision

Breast:

Boobs, boobies, mammary glands

Breast Augmentation:

Enlargement of the breast (breast implants, breast enhancement, BAM or breast augmentation mammoplasty, breast implant surgery, fake boobs,)

Breast Augmentation Forum:

A place where you can listen and discuss cosmetic breast surgery information

Breast Implant Replacement:

Replacing a breast implant to change size or replace a deflated implant. (Remove and Replace)

Breast Implant Size:

Implant sizes vary by the cc's or the volume put into each implant.

Breast Implant Types:

Moderate profile, moderate plus profile, and high profile (smooth round, textured, saline filled, silicone gel filled)

Breast Lift:

The process of removing extra, loose skin from the breast and lifting the nipples and reshaping the breast. (Mastopexy)

Breast Reduction:

Process of moving fatty tissues from the breast to reduce it's size and lifting the nipple. (breast reduction surgery, BRM)

Bottoming Out:

This means that the implants have descended too low on the chest.

Botox:

A bacterial product which is useful to limit the activity of certain overactive facial muscles which lead to unwanted deep wrinkles. Botox relaxes the surrounding muscles taking the "crunch" off and allowing skin to smooth

Capsular Contracture:

Scar tissues that contracts down around the implant

Cellulite:

A common but unattractive dimpling and puckering of skin. It is caused by a combination of fibrous bands and superficial fat.

Collagen:

Used to fill creases. Lines from below the eyelids to chin are best treated by filling them with collagen. Can be done as a "lunch time" procedure

Cohesive Breast Implants:

Also known as the silicone gummy bear breast implant (silicone breast implants, gel breast implants)

Diameter:

Width of the breast

Dog Ears:

Scar sticks out

DVT:

Deep vein thrombosis, occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the lower limbs

Double Bubble:

An extra crease that forms due to tight tissue

Fascia:

A connective tissue, it envelopes the muscles, bones and joints and holds them together supporting the body structure and giving it shape.

General Anesthesia:

You are completely asleep during surgery

Hematoma:

Collection of blood

Inframammary Crease:

The fold beneath the breast (inframammary fold, IMF, breast fold)

Jaundice:

The yellowish staining of the skin and whites of eyes that is caused by high levels of the chemical bilirubin

Keloid:

Raised scars

Lateral:

Far out (outer side)

Liposuction:

The process of removing fat deposits from certain areas of the body (liposuction surgery, SAL, lipo, lipoplasty)

Local Anesthesia:

A medicine given to numb a certain area

Lordosis:

A spine affected by lordosis shows evidence of a curvature of the back bones (vertebrae) in the lower back area, giving a "swayback" appearance.

Medial:

Around middle

Mimic/Mica:

Measurement between breasts (cleavage)

Nipple:

Alveolar complex- pigmented areas around nipples

Nipple Fold:

The length of the nipple to the fold

Pannus:

Hanging skin around tummy

PE:

Pulmonary embolism, a complication of DVT, can occur when a fragment of a blood clot breaks loose from the wall of the vein and migrates to the lungs where it blocks a pulmonary artery of one of its branches

Plastic Surgery:

Plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery refers to a variety of operations performed in order to repair or restore body parts to look normal, or to change a body part to look better.

Post Baby Body Syndrome:

It is the changes that occur in a woman’s body after the postpartum period that persist despite good intentions and best efforts on their part

Ptosis:

Drooping/sag (ptotic, saggy boobs, droopy boobs)

Psuedoptosis:

Looks like your breast sag, but they do not.

Rhinoplasty:

Surgery of the nose to reshape or resize it's appearance (nose surgery)

Ripples:

Are usually only visible when the body is in an awkward position particularly when bending forward

SAHM:

Stay at home moms.

Saline Implants:

Implants filled with salt water

Seroma:

A clear fluid accumulation

Silicone Gel Implants:

Implants filled with silicone gel. (gel filled implants, mentor memory gel implants, mcghan gel implants)

Sleep Apnea:

Apnea means no breathing- the airway becomes blocked and breathing stops repeatedly during sleep.

Stria:

Also known as stretch marks occur when the skin reaches a limit and the deepest layer will tear instead of stretching further. When the deep layer tears, the overlying skin remains intact but appears thin and streaky.

TABA:

Transaxillary breast augmentation

Transaxillary:

Incision through the armpit

Tubular Breasts:

Have a very narrow base and long skin envelope (Tuberous breasts, constricted breasts, tube-like breast, narrow breasts,)

Tummy Tuck:

The process of removing loose skin and some fat from the abdomen to create a firmer and slimmer abdomen (abdominoplasty)

Under Muscle:

Muscle coverage helps support them from sagging. Hides the edges and leaves a more natural look.

Vertical Mastopexy:

Also known as lollipop incisions, it's made around the areola and then down the center of the breast to the inframammary folds. This technique is used for mild to moderate breast ptosis.

Wattle:

Loose skin on the neck