Terms A-Z

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Autogenous fat

Autogenous fat is fat that a patient has suctioned from certain body parts (e.g. abdomen, hips, thighs) and can be used, for example, for a breast enhancement.

Cellulite (Orange peel skin)

Enlarged and increased fat cells push the skin from within and lead to typical orange peel skin. Because of the particular properties of female connective tissue, cellulite is almost always found only in women. Typical areas are the thigh, buttocks, abdomen and upper arms. Cellulite is not a serious condition, but can be an aesthetic problem that bothers many women. By reducing the subcutaneous fat tissue and producing a tightening effect, liposuction can lead to an improvement of cellulite.

Cold therapy

Cold therapy is used following an operation because it fights feelings of tension, pain, swelling and bruising.

Edema

Edema is an increased fluid retention in the tissue, for example, after surgery or as a result of varicose veins in the legs.

hematoma

A hematoma (bruise) can sometimes occur after surgery, and generally disappears on its own after a few days.

Hyperhydrosis

Hyperhydrosis describes increased sweating.

Hypertrophic

Hypertrophic scars appear during healing of the wound. The scar tissue is limited to the original wound, but overlaps to the bordering skin and is reddened.  Often the scars disappear on their own.

Infections

Bacterial or viral inflammations.  Every operation has some risk of infection. However, good surgical technique and antibiotics minimize the risk of infection.

Keloids

Keloids are bead-like, very noticeable and disturbing scars that grow in the skin beyond the area of the wound. Usually there is a predisposition for keloid formation.

Lipomas

Lipomas are benign tumors of the connective tissue that can form in any part of the body. They can be single lipomas, multiple lipomas or possible exist in clusters. These fat growths generally grow slowly over the course of years and are comprised of normal fat tissue that is surrounded by a thin capsule covering.

Liposuction

Liposuction (Liposuction also in French) refers to the generic term for plastic surgery in which fat cells are suctioned from under the skin in certain parts of the body using a cannula. Other terms are body sculpting or bodyforming.

Local anesthesia

Local anesthesia refers to a local anesthetic used for small surgeries or during liposuction.

Peri-operative

Peri-operative refers to the time around an operation.

Postoperative

Postoperative refers to the time period following a surgical procedure.

Scars

Scars can appear after operations, injuries or inflammations. There are composed of connective tissue that shrinks during the healing process. Scars often have different pigmentation from the surrounding skin. An aesthetic surgeon is always careful to leave scars that are as inconspicuous as possible.

Seroma

A seroma refers to retention of wound water that sometimes occurs after surgery and usually shrinks again on its own. 

Skin tension lines

Skin tension lines are lines of minimal skin tension. So that only a fine, inconspicuous scar remains after the operation, the surgeon makes the incisions parallel to the skin tension lines when possible.

Starburst varicose

Starburst varicose veins are enlarged fine veins, within the skin.

Tumescence local anesthesia

Tumescence local anesthesia is a special method of local anesthesia often used in liposuction but is also possible for varicose vein operations. A large amount of a solution containing the anesthetic is sprayed into the tissue.

Varices

Varices are varicose veins.

Terminology

I try to write the texts without technical terminology whenever possible. Nevertheless: here are a few technical terms from A-Z.

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