Procedure Description: The upper lip lift is a procedure that elevates the position of the upper lip with respect to the teeth giving a broader smile. The amount of pink lip that is seen is also increased giving the patient wider lips.

The lip lift procedure may be done in the office under local anesthesia with minimal discomfort. An incision is placed directly beneath the nose and a small strip of skin and tissue is removed. The lip is elevated to its new position exposing about 1/8-inch of teeth and permanently increasing the volume of the pink part of the lip.

Length of Procedure: The procedure takes about ninety minutes.

Recovery: The sutures are usually removed after a week.

Risks: The risks are similar to those seen with any minor cosmetic surgery, such as infection, excessive bleeding or asymmetrical results.

Results: The overall result of the lip lift is a more aesthetically pleasing mouth with a youthful appearance. The patient satisfaction rate is very high. The teeth will show more and the patient almost always looks happier and relaxed.

Estimated Cost: The cost ranges from $1500-$2500.

Procedure Description: Unfortunately, significant weight or trauma can pull through tissue of the earlobe. A tear in the lobe or margin leaves a notch in the otherwise smooth continuous edge. This defect is usually very visible and hard to cover.

Depending on the deformity, reconstruction can take different forms. In all methods, the skin lining the slot is removed creating a raw edge to rebuild. Lost tissue complicates matters and reconstruction centers around reestablishing normal proportions in a somewhat smaller ear.

Technique 1 (layered closure): The raw edges are brought directly together using a combination of dissolvable sutures in the deeper layers and skin sutures that are removed at a later date. No provision for the jewelry hole is made at this time. After several months of healing, the ear can be pierced again if desired. A straight closure like this has increased risk of scar contraction causing a notch at the bottom of the lobe after healing.

Technique 2 ("Z-plasty" flap): Tissue cut in a special pattern and moved with its blood supply is called a flap. Flaps are used to redistribute tissue and sculpt the shape of the ear. Flaps lessen the chance of scar notching. If you want, the ear could be pierced at a later date.

Technique 3 (Jelly roll flap): A series of flaps are designed and moved to rebuild both the skin hole for the jewelry and close the ear in one stage.

Length of Procedure: Ear lobe repair surgery is a quick procedure, generally taking about half an hour, and it is performed under local anesthesia.

Recovery: You will need to wash your wound with soap and water three (3) times a day. A thin layer of antibiotic ointment is the only dressing in most cases. You may wash your hair but will have to be careful with blow dryers until sensation returns. (You could burn yourself without knowing it if you were still numb.) Expect a little drainage from the wound. Be careful of your good bed linens with the drainage and ointment. Sutures are removed in about seven (7) days.

Be careful not to have your ear re-pierced in the scar or just above the scar. The scar is weaker than the surrounding tissue so it will tear more easily. Have the new piercing done to the right or left of the scar.

Risks: All surgical procedures have some degree of risk. Major complications are unusual.

Results: The results is an earlobe that is repaired, and the scar from this procedure is almost always imperceptible. Heavier jewelry is not recommended after surgery, but if you must, wait at least two months after surgery to wear earrings. Clip on earrings may be worn six weeks after surgery. All the above time periods may need to be delayed if you still have sensitivity at the surgical site.

Estimated Cost: Average costs for a typical repair range $450 to $650 per ear which includes local anesthesia and typical operating room supplies.

Procedure Description: Body contouring is the umbrella term for several different types of cosmetic plastic surgery. It applies to liposuction and to various lifting procedures that can be performed on different body parts. The individual procedures included in body contouring consist of tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), thigh lift, upper arm lift, breast lift, liposuction, thigh liposuction, upper arm liposuction, and breast augmentation or reduction.

In general, a lift is done when the skin in a particular area is sagging. Lift procedures remove excess skin and tighten the remaining skin to create a more attractive appearance. Sagging of the skin may occur naturally as a person ages and the skin begins to lose elasticity, or it can result when a person loses a significant amount of weight and the skin is not elastic enough to reshape itself to the more slender figure. In either case, body contouring surgery can be very helpful.

Body contouring procedures are not a replacement for dieting and exercise; they are not weight-loss surgery. They should be reserved for areas of fat that have resisted diet and exercise. The rule of thumb for liposuction is that you should be within 20% of your ideal body weight before considering liposuction. Similarly, lift surgeries and tummy tucks are for people with excess and sagging skin and tissue, which is often the result of losing a great deal of weight. Body contouring surgeries are gaining in popularity as more people are undergoing weight loss, or bariatric, surgery, and need to remove excess skin as a result of significant weight loss.

Procedure Description: It is estimated that almost three-quarters of all adult women have spider veins – red, blue or purple thread-like lines just under the skin. While unsightliness is the most common reason for removal, spider veins may also be removed to alleviate problems with restless legs, aching, burning, and/or cramps.

Your doctor will apply antiseptic to the area, then inject a solution into the affected veins with a very fine needle. Each injection covers about one inch of the vein. During the procedure, you may feel a slight pinch as the needle is inserted and a burning sensation as the solution is injected. Next, cotton dressing and compression tape will be applied to the area. After one area is injected and taped, the doctor will proceed to the next area.

Length of Procedure: Sclerotherapy normally takes fifteen minutes to one hour, depending on the number and length of the spider veins. A series of treatments at bi-weekly or monthly intervals may be required.

Recovery: You may experience temporary itching or cramping at the injection site. You will be asked to wear a compression wrap for several days.

Although you should avoid activities that put pressure on the treated area (such as heavy lifting or jogging) for a few days, your doctor will probably suggest a regular walking program to increase circulation and promote healing.

When the compression wrap is removed, you will notice bruising and discoloration. This will gradually fade over a period of several weeks.

Risks: Occasionally "telangiectatic matting," a new network of veins, appears around the treated area. If this occurs, these veins can also be treated with sclerotherapy. Discoloration and blotchiness is a more common side effect, but this usually fades over a period of time. Avoiding direct sunlight can minimize this. More rarely, sclerotherapy can lead to blood clots or inflammation in the veins. Allergic reactions to sclerosing agents have also been reported. Bruising is not uncommon and often will fade within a few days or, rarely, within a few weeks.

Results: Although treatment does not prevent the development of new spider veins, the removal of existing veins can dramatically improve the appearance of the affected area, providing a more youthful, healthy look and an even color pattern to the skin. Veins lighten after each treatment. Most patients report a high degree of satisfaction with the procedure and relief at no longer having to hide unsightly veins. The treated areas are noticeably clearer and in most cases the skin continues to improve with each successive treatment.

Generally a second treatment will be required in order to complete the collapse of the vein. If you have many veins requiring treatment, multiple sessions may be required.

Estimated Cost: Sclerotherapy costs between $100 and $400 per session. Expect to pay more if your spider veins are extensive or if the treatments are performed by a physician rather than a supervised technician.

Procedure Description: Large areolas may look out of proportion with the rest of the breast - especially if the patient has had a breast reduction or breast lift.

Areolar reduction is done by removing some of the pigmented areola, either by an incision around the outside of the areola or by an incision around the base of the nipple. Very large areolas may require a lollypop-shaped closure. This is where a vertical incision runs down from the nipple, as well as around the areola, and then is closed in the shape of a lollypop. The goal is to minimize scarring and this is achieved by making the smallest incision necessary.

Large nipples — either in circumference or in length — can affect a woman's appearance both nude and in clothing. Depending on the shape of the nipple, surgery to correct the problem could involve a reduction in length, a reduction in width or both. Areola reduction is often performed under a local anesthesia.

Length reduction : Nipples that are too long either droop down or project too far out can be shortened. Usually, to create a shorter nipple length, the tip of the nipple will be removed and sutured for closure. Sometimes the skin along the neck of the nipple will be removed. In those circumstances, the tip of the nipple is then sutured to the bottom of the nipple, creating a shorted nipple length. Width reduction : If the nipple is too wide (or thick), but not too long, a pie-shaped wedge will be removed from the undersurface of the nipple. This allows the nipple to be "taken in" and the circumference reduced.

Length of Procedure: The procedure takes 30 to 90 minutes.

Recovery: Recovery time will depend on the patient, but most patients can return to work and resume their normal activity within a day or two. This treatment does not usually affect the ability to breastfeed. Some women are unable to breastfeed even without surgery.

Risks: Risks include infection, as with any surgery, along with loss of nipple sensation and scarring.

Results: This is a permanent one-time procedure. Sensitivity is usually maintained and all steps are taken to maintain the patient's ability to breastfeed. The swelling and pain are minimal, and results are almost instantaneous and very natural in appearance, with nipples that have normal sensation and reduced projection.

Estimated Cost: The average cost is $1,500.

Procedure Description: The mini facelift is sometimes known as the weekend facelift because of how quickly it can be performed and how short the recovery period is. The procedure generally enhances key facial areas with less risk and less stress than standard facelift surgery, but results are considerably less dramatic. This is an option when patients are not quite ready for a traditional facelift but want to address some minor aging issues, such as slightly sagging jowls. The mini facelift focuses on specific areas of the face, such as the neck and the folds of the nose. Using smaller incisions and often taking advantage of endoscopic facelift technology, the cosmetic surgeon lifts, repositions, and removes facial tissue to achieve optimal results. Once factors contributing to unwanted sagging and drooping have been eliminated, the surgeon carefully repositions the skin using small sutures.

Length of Procedure: A mini-facelift is done in the office or as an outpatient procedure and can be performed under IV sedation anesthesia or with local anesthetic. It takes about two to three hours.

Recovery: Some people have the procedure performed on a Friday, return to the office on Saturday for a quick follow-up appointment, and return to work on Monday or Tuesday. Although a prescription for pain medication is provided, most patients say over-the-counter Tylenol is all they need to alleviate any discomfort. Some people may experience temporary bruising, which can be camouflaged with makeup after three days. To minimize swelling, patients are encouraged to sleep with their head elevated for the first week and to apply cold compresses the first 48 hours.

Risks: As with any type of surgery, there are inherent risks, which can include post-operative swelling, bleeding and visible scarring. However, refraining from smoking and carefully following the pre- and post-operative surgical instructions reduces the likelihood of these complications.

Results: Patients enjoy an overall firming of the lower facial area, noticeable jaw line definition and a more elegant neckline. It is important to keep in mind, however, that after any facial procedure, the normal aging process resumes. Lifestyle choices, bone structure, skin type, sun exposure and heredity all play a part in determining how long the desired improvement will last.

Estimated Cost: The mini facelift costs between $2,500- $5,000.