or tummy tuck: A plastic surgery procedure that flattens the abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall.

The shaded area surrounding the nipple.

Lack of balance or proportion between elements on opposite sides of the body, such as the left and right breast.

Related to a branch of medicine that deals with the control and treatment of obesity and allied diseases.

Surgery on the stomach or intestines to help patients who are extremely obese to lose weight. Popular bariatric surgery procedures include lap-band and gastric bypass surgery.

also referred to as torsoplasty, circumferential torsoplasty, central body lift, circumferential panniculectomy, circumferential dermolipectomy and circumferential lipectomy: A plastic surgery procedure that combines abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) with removal of excess skin and fat around the circumference of the waist and hips.

The large muscle at the front of the upper arm that flexes the forearm.

A complication following breast augmentation in which the scar tissue that normally forms in the capsule around the implant begins to contract and squeeze the implant.

Plastic surgery performed to reshape normal body structures to improve the patient’s appearance and self-esteem.

DVT or economy class syndrome, The formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, commonly in the legs or the deep veins of the pelvis.

Deep vein thrombosis or economy class syndrome, The formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, commonly in the legs or the deep veins of the pelvis.

Deep vein thrombosis or DVT class syndrome, The formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, commonly in the legs or the deep veins of the pelvis.

According to Yale Medical University, “The Eklund technique is a mammographic view that displaces breast implants to increase the amount of breast tissue that can be seen. Compared with the standard view, the Eklund technique increased the breast tissue revealed from 56% to 64% for sub-glandular placement of implants and 75% to 85% for sub-muscular placement.”

A pencil-like camera device connected to a TV monitor.

The fleshy part of the side between the ribs and the hip.

Death of tissue or bone, usually resulting from little or no blood supply.

The area of the face between the eyebrows.

The outer lips of the vagina.

Minimally invasive surgery that uses a thin, lighted tube inserted through an incision in the belly to look at the internal abdominal or female pelvic organs.

or Lattisimus dorsi: A large, flat triangular muscle covering the lower back.

or lat: A large, flat triangular muscle covering the lower back.

Surgery to remove one or both breasts, performed either to treat or to prevent breast cancer.

A mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic area in women.

(Tear trough): The groove located where the lower eyelid meets the cheek.

The lines running from the nose to the corners of the mouth.

The breast’s nipple and the darker skin or areola surrounding it.

Operating Room

A plastic surgery procedure that removes the overhanging apron of excess skin and fat from the lower abdominal area after massive weight loss. Unlike a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, a panniculectomy does not tighten the abdominal muscles, and the navel is not repositioned.

The apron of loose skin, tissue and fat that occurs in the lower portion of the abdominal wall after massive weight loss or sometimes after pregnancy.

The apron of loose skin, tissue and fat that occurs in the lower portion of the abdominal wall after massive weight loss or sometimes after pregnancy.

A condition of the breasts, common after childbirth, where the nipples are still above the inframammary crease below the breast, but the breasts appear droopy because the upper part of the breast is somewhat flattened.

(pronounced TOE sis) Sagging, as of the breast. Plastic surgeons classify the degree of ptosis by the relationship of the nipple to the inframammary crease at the bottom of the breast. In Grade 1 Ptosis, the nipple is directly in front of the inframammary creas In Grade 2 Ptosis, the nipple is one or two centimeters below the breast cre. In Grade 3 Ptosis, the nipple is pointing straight down. In Pseudo-ptosis, the nipple is at the level of the crease, but the lower half of the breast has a great deal of sagginess.

A mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic area in women.

the bone of the groin.

Plastic surgery performed on abnormal body structures caused by birth defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma or injury, infection, tumors or disease. Reconstructive surgery is generally done to improve function, but may also be performed to achieve a normal appearance.

or six-pack: A paired muscle running up and down each side of the outer wall of the abdomen.

The membranous ridge of cartilage in the nose that separates the nasal cavity into the two nostrils.

A long, slender medical instrument for examining the interior of a bodily organ or performing minor surgery.

A sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. These episodes each last long enough so one or more breaths are missed, and occur repeatedly throughout sleep.

Superficial musculoaponeurotic system—the covering below the skin, but above the muscle layer of the face.

SMAS—the covering below the skin, but above the muscle layer of the face.

A surgeon who studies, diagnoses and treats cancerous tumors.

(nasojugal groove): The groove located where the lower eyelid meets the cheek.

A breast enhancement procedure where saline implants are inserted through the navel using an endoscope.

The muscle at the back of the upper arm that raises and lowers the forearm.

A breast enhancement procedure where saline implants are inserted through the navel using an endoscope.

To separate skin and fat from underlying tissue.

The external genital organs of the female.

A U.S. federal law providing that if your group health plan covers mastectomies, the plan must provide certain reconstructive surgery and other post-mastectomy benefits. For more information, visit www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/whcra.html.