This page offers a general overview of cosmetic surgery procedures. For more in-depth information on these procedures, please follow the links in the right column.

While this section explores cosmetic surgical offerings, many of these procedures may also fulfill true medical needs. You should understand that the circumstances and experience of every individual will be unique.

If you're considering cosmetic plastic surgery, please ask us for further information about the particular procedure and what you expect. In addition, please note that all surgery carries some uncertainty and risk, including the possibility of infection, bleeding, blood clots, and adverse reactions to the anesthesia. You can reduce your risks by choosing a qualified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Ben J. Tittle and closely following his advice, both before and after surgery.

Body Lift <back to top>

Procedure: Removal of excess hanging and folded skin

Length: 3 to 6 hours.

Anesthesia: Usually General.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient or in the hospital depending on the procedure.

Side Effects: Moderate swelling and bruising.

Risks: Risks include blood clots, infection and bleeding under the skin flap. In a few cases, poor healing results in conspicuous scarring or skin loss and creates the need for a second operation.

Recovery: 1 to 3 weeks

Duration of Results: Touch ups and revisions are often necessary.

Botox® <back to top>

Procedure: a non-surgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate to severe frown lines between the brows. Using a tiny needle, a very small amount of Botox is injected into several locations on the face. The pain associated with the injections is minimal.

Length: 10 minutes

Anesthesia: No anesthesia is required.

In/Outpatient: Outpatient

Side Effects: The most common side effects include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop, and nausea. Less frequently occurring (<3%) adverse reactions include pain in the face, erythema at the injection site, and muscle weakness. These events are thought to be associated with the injection and occurred within the first week.

Risks: Risks are very minor with this procedure. The main risks consist of headache, pain, and flu-like illness. In rare cases, there may be a drooping lid or eyebrow area.

Recovery: Many people return directly to work or normal activity following BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment.

Duration of Results: The effects of Botox injections usually last from three to four months. After the initial treatments you will need injections about two to three times a year to maintain the results.

Breast Augmentation <back to top>

Procedure: Enhance the size of breasts using inflatable implants filled with saline.

Length: 1 to 2 hours.

Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.

Side Effects: Temporary soreness, swelling, change in nipple sensation, bruising. Breast sensitive to stimulation for a few weeks.

Risks: Lack of implant permanence -- surgical removal or replacement of the implants may be required to treat problems, including: deflation; the formation of scar tissue around the implant (capsular contracture), which may cause the breast to feel tight or hard; bleeding or infection. Increase or decrease in sensitivity of nipples or breast skin, occasionally permanent. Mammography requires a special technique. (Note: Some women have reported symptoms similar to those of immune disorders. Ask your doctor about these and other FDA concerns.)

Recovery: Back to work: a few days. Physical contact with breasts: 3 to 4 weeks. Fading of scars: several months to a year or more.

Duration of Results: Variable. Implants may require removal or replacement.

Breast Lift <back to top>

Procedure: Raise and reshape sagging breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning remaining tissue and nipples.

Length: 1 to 3 hours.

Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Sometimes inpatient.

Side Effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, discomfort, numbness, dry breast skin. Permanent scars.

Risks: Thick, wide scars; skin loss; infection. Unevenly positioned nipples. Permanent loss of feeling in nipples or breast.

Recovery: Back to work: 1 week or more. Strenuous activities: 1 month. Fading of scars: several months to a year.

Duration of Results: Variable; gravity, pregnancy, aging, and weight changes may cause new sagging. Results may last longer or be enhanced when breast implants are inserted as part of the procedure.

Brow Lift <back to top>

Procedure: Restores a more youthful, refreshed look to the area above the eyes.

Length: Roughly 30 to 2 hours to complete.

Anesthesia: Local Anesthetic

In/Outpatient: Outpatient

Side Effects: Numbness and discomfort can be felt around incision for a few weeks.

Risks: Nerve damage; Sometimes complications along length of incision;

Recovery: Back to work: 1 week or more. Strenuous activities: 1 month. Fully healed within a month or two.

Duration of Results: Variable; Maximum duration of about 10 years.

Chemical Peel <back to top>

Procedure: Restore wrinkled, blemished, unevenly pigmented, or sun-damaged facial skin, using a chemical solution to peel away skin's top layers. Works best on fair, thin skin with superficial wrinkles.

Length: 1 to 2 hours for full face.

Anesthesia: None; sedation & EKG monitoring may be used.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Full-face phenol peel may require admission for 1 to 2 days.

Side Effects: None; sedation & EKG monitoring may be used.

Risks: Both: Tiny whiteheads (temporary); infection; scarring; flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold sores. Phenol: Abnormal color changes (permanent); heart irregularities (rare).

Recovery: Phenol: Formation of new skin: 7 to 21 days. Normal activities: 2 to 4 weeks. Full healing and fading of redness: 3 to 6 months TCA: New skin within 5 to 10 days.

Duration of Results: Phenol: permanent, although new wrinkles may form as skin ages. TCA: variable (temporary).

Contour Threadlift™ <back to top>

Procedure: A minimally invasive, safe and effective non-surgical procedure that offers that offers subtle, natural-looking facelift-like results.

Length: Less than 30 to 60 minutes to complete, depending on the number of threads used.

Anesthesia: Local anesthesia

In/Outpatient: Outpatient

Side Effects: The Contour Threadlift™ is a simple procedure to perform. Complications are rare and will be less likely with an experienced, fully trained surgeon.

Risks: The risks and complications are uncommon and usually easily correctable. The actual sutures are made from polypropylene, which is a material that has been used in brain, heart and abdominal surgery for many years. Since a Contour Threadlift™ is performed under local anesthesia, there are none of the risks associated with general anesthesia.

Recovery: Depending upon your job and your tolerance for some minor bruising and swelling, you may be able to return to work in 2-3 days following the procedure. Most patients look good in makeup after one week.

Duration of Results: Duration varies depending on the age of the patient at the time of the procedure, the degree of sagging, and the number of threads used. Additional threads may be added as needed. The lift effect of the Contour ThreadLift™ can last 3-5 years in some cases.

Dermabrasion <back to top>

Procedure: Mechanical scraping of the top layers of skin using a high-speed rotary wheel. Softens sharp edges of surface irregularities, including acne and other scars and fine wrinkles, especially around the mouth.

Length: A few minutes to 1 hour. May require more than 1 session.

Anesthesia: Local, numbing spray, or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.

Side Effects: Temporary tingling, burning, itching, swelling, redness. Lightening of treated skin. Acute sensitivity to sun; loss of ability to make pigment (tan).

Risks: Abnormal color changes (permanent). Tiny whiteheads (temporary); infection; scarring; flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold sores.

Recovery: Back to work: 2 weeks. More strenuous activities: 4 to 6 weeks. Fading of redness: about 3 months. Return of pigmentation/sun exposure: 6 to 12 months.

Duration of Results: Permanent, although new wrinkles may form as skin ages.

Ear Surgery <back to top>

Procedure: Set prominent ears back closer to the head, or reduce the size of large ears. Most often done on children between the ages of 4 and 14 years. (Occasionally covered by insurance.)

Length: 2 to 3 hours.

Anesthesia: Young children: usually general. Older children or adults: general or local, with sedation.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.

Side Effects: Temporary throbbing, aching, swelling, redness, numbness.

Risks: Infection of cartilage. Excessive scarring. Blood clot that may need to be drained. Mismatched or artificial- looking ears. Recurrence of the protrusion, requiring repeat surgery.

Recovery: Back to work or school: 5 to 7 days. Strenuous activity, contact sports: 1 to 2 months.

Duration of Results: Usually permanent.

Eyelid Surgery <back to top>

Procedure: Correct drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess fat, skin, and muscle. (Upper-eyelid surgery may be covered by insurance if used to correct visual field defects)

Length: 1 to 3 hours.

Anesthesia: Usually locally with sedation or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient.

Side Effects: Temporary discomfort, tightness of lids, swelling, bruising. Temporary dryness, burning, itching of eyes. Excessive tearing, sensitivity to light for first few weeks.

Risks: Temporary blurred or double vision. Infection, bleeding. Swelling at the corners of the eyelids. Dry eyes. Formation of whiteheads. Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring. Difficulty in closing eyes completely (rarely permanent). Pulling down of the lower lids (may require further surgery). Blindness (extremely rare).

Recovery: Reading: 2 or 3 days. Back to work: 7 to 10 days. Contact lenses: two weeks or more. Strenuous activities, alcohol: about 3 weeks. Bruising and swelling gone: several weeks.

Duration of Results: Several years. Sometimes permanent.

Face Lift <back to top>

Procedure: Improving sagging facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin by removing excess fat, tightening muscles, redraping skin. Most often done on men and women over 40.

Length: Several hours.

Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Some patients may require short inpatient stay.

Side Effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness and tenderness of skin; tight feeling, dry skin. For men, permanent need to shave behind ears, where beard-growing skin is repositioned.

Risks: Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles or feeling (usually temporary but may be permanent). Infection, bleeding. Poor healing; excessive scarring. Asymmetry or change in hairline.

Recovery: Back to work: 10 to 14 days. More strenuous activity: 2 weeks or more. Bruising: 2 to 3 weeks. Must limit exposure to sun for several months.

Duration of Results: Usually 5 to 10 years.

Implant Removal <back to top>

Procedure: Procedure to treat problems that occur with the implants.

Length: Approximately 30 minutes to an hour.

Anesthesia: General or local anesthesia.

In/Outpatient: Outpatient.

Side Effects: For the first few days after breast implant removal, there may be mild discomfort, swelling and bruising. Some uncommon, but possible, complications include: loss of nipple sensation; scarring; bleeding; and loose skin.

Risks: Some women suffer from psychological distress after breast implant removal.

Recovery: Immediate recovery from breast implant removal surgery is usually quick, with many patients returning to everyday activity within a few days and full activity within two to three weeks. Full recovery often takes a few months. .

Duration of Results: Permanent.

LipoSelection™ <back to top>

Procedure: Procedure uses ultrasonic energy to break up fat while leaving surrounding tissue - such as nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue - relatively intact.

Length: This varies with the extensiveness of the procedure - the amount of fat removed, the number of sites treated, and so on. 1 to 2 hours or more, depending on extent of surgery.

Anesthesia: Local anesthesia.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Sometimes inpatient.

Side Effects: Side effects may include temporary swelling, bruising, soreness or a burning sensation.

Risks: Possible risks are infection, skin loss, asymmetry, collection of blood beneath the skin that may require draining, or wavy, baggy or spotted skin.

Recovery: This varies with the extensiveness of the procedure - the amount of fat removed, the number of sites treated, and so on. However, in most cases, the patient feels better in one to three weeks and all bruising and swelling should subside within twelve weeks.

Duration of Results: Permanent, with sensible diet and exercise.

Liposuction <back to top>

Procedure: Improve body shape by removing exercise-resistant fat deposits with a tube and vacuum device. Can be performed using the tumescent technique, in which targeted fat cells are infused with saline containing solution with a local anesthetic before liposuction to reduce post-operative bruising and swelling. Common locations for liposuction include chin, cheeks, neck, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles.

For larger volumes of fat or for fibrous body areas, ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) may be used. UAL is a new technique in which a ultrasound probe is inserted beneath the skin to "liquify" the fat before it is suctioned.

Length: 1 to 2 hours or more. UAL: 20-40 percent longer than traditional liposuction.

Anesthesia: Local, epidural, or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Extensive procedures may require short inpatient stay.

Side Effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, soreness, burning sensation. Tumescent: Temporary fluid drainage from incision sites. UAL: Larger incisions for cannula.

Risks: Asymmetry. Rippling or bagginess of skin. Pigmentation changes. Skin injury. Fluid retention. Excessive fluid loss leading to shock. Infection. UAL: thermal burn injury caused by the heat from the ultrasound device.

Recovery: Back to work: 1 to 2 weeks. More strenuous activity: 2 to 4 weeks. Full recovery from swelling and bruising: 1 to 6 months or more. Use of tumescent technique or UAL may decrease post-operative bruising and swelling.

Duration of Results: Permanent, with sensible diet and exercise.

Radiesse™ <back to top>

Procedure: A safe, effective, time-tested, non-surgical wrinkle treatment that provides immediate results. The areas for injection are iced and anesthetized with local anesthesia for increased comfort, followed by injections of facial filler using a delicate needle.

Length: About 30 minutes depending on the number of areas to be treated.

Anesthesia: Local anesthesia

In/Outpatient: Outpatient.

Side Effects: Bruising, redness and swelling, usually minor, but may be moderate in some individuals; temporary 2-5 days

Risks: Risks not necessarily related to allergies include infection, abscesses, open sores, skin peeling, scarring and lumpiness, which may persist over the treated area. Reports of these problems are very rare.

Recovery: may have a little swelling, which may last 24 to 36 hours depending on the area treated.

Duration of Results: About 1-2 years.

Restylane™ <back to top>

Procedure: A safe and natural cosmetic dermal filler that restores volume and fullness to the skin to correct facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds. The areas for injection are iced and anesthetized with local anesthesia for increased comfort, followed by injections of facial filler using a delicate needle.

Length: About 30 minutes depending on the number of areas to be treated.

Anesthesia: Local anesthesia

In/Outpatient: Outpatient

Side Effects: Based on clinical studies, Restylane treatments produce a low occurrence of adverse events. The most commonly reported side effects were temporary redness and swelling at the injection site. These effects typically resolve in less than seven days.

Risks: The safety of Restylane for use during pregnancy, in breast feeding females or in patients under 18 years has not been established. The safety of Restylane in patients with increased susceptibility to keloid formation and hypertrophic scarring has not been studied. Restylane should not be used in patients with known susceptibility to keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring. The patient should be informed that he or she should minimize exposure of the treated area to excessive sun and UV lamp exposure and extreme cold weather until any initial swelling and redness has resolved. If laser treatment, chemical peeling or any other procedure based on active dermal response is considered after treatment with Restylane there is a possible risk of eliciting an inflammatory reaction at the implant site. This also applies if Restylane is administered before the skin has healed completely after such a procedure.

Recovery: After your treatment, you might have some redness or swelling. This will normally last less than seven days.

Duration of Results: Studies have shown that Restylane effects generally last for about six months. Follow-up treatments are typically scheduled at six-month intervals. (Individual results may vary.)

Sculptra <back to top>

Procedure: SCULPTRA™ is injected below the surface of the skin in the area of fat loss, providing a gradual increase in skin thickness.

Length: 15-30 minutes per treatment

Anesthesia: Local

In/Outpatient: Outpatient

Side Effects: The most common side effects with any injection include bleeding, tenderness or pain, redness, bruising or swelling. These side effects generally last, on average, 3 to 17 days.

Risks: Complications and risks are rare. Whenever the skin is injected, there is a risk of bleeding, sorness, and bruising. Poly-L-Lactic Acid has been used for over 30 years as absorbable sutures and implants, with an outstanding safety record, and allergic reactions are extremely rare.

Recovery: 1-2 days.

Duration of Results: While treatment results differ for each person, a clinical study shows the treatment results to last for up to 2 years or longer. Touch-up treatments may be needed to maintain the desired effect.

Tummy Tuck <back to top>

Procedure: Flatten abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles of abdominal wall.

Length: 2 to 5 hours.

Anesthesia: General, or local with sedation.

In/Outpatient: Either depending on individual circumstances and extent of surgery.

Side Effects: Temporary pain. Swelling, soreness, numbness of abdominal skin, bruising, tiredness for several weeks or months.

Risks: Blood clots. Infection. Bleeding under the skin flap. Poor healing resulting in conspicuous scarring or skin loss. Need for a second operation.

Recovery: Back to work: 2 to 4 weeks. More strenuous activity: 4 to 6 weeks or more. Fading and flattening of scars: 3 months to 2 years.