Glossary F

Face lift
See rhytidectomy

Facial implant
Cosmetic plastic surgery to change the shape of the chin, check, or jaw. This procedure is typically done to enhance certain facial features, or to bring a certain aspect of the face into proportion with the rest of the facial structures.

Fat Injections
Fat withdrawn from one body site can be injected into another - for example, to smooth lines in the face or build up other features such as the lips. In most cases, a percentage of injected fat is resorbed by the body, and the procedure must be repeated. Injection of fat to enlarge the breasts is a dangerous procedure and is not recommended because of the possibility of dense scarring that may seriously hinder accurate interpretation of both breast self-exams and mammograms.

Female genital cosmetic surgery
Female genital plastic surgery
A general term that is usually used in the media and public to refer to elective alterations to the internal or external female genitalia. In reality surgeries may often be performed for a combination of medical and cosmetic reasons, and in many cases similar techniques are used regardless of whether the procedure is for aesthetic or medical reasons.

Flap surgery
One type of surgery that involves transporting healthy, live tissue from one location of the body to another - often to areas that have lost skin, fat, muscle movement, and/or skeletal support. There are several different types of flap surgery methods that may be utilized, depending upon the location of the flap and the structures that need to be repaired.

Forehead lift
The surgical removal of excess fat and skin, as well as a tightening of the muscles in the forehead area. It can correct sagging brows or deep furrows between the eyes. It is often done in conjunction with a facelift in order to create a smoother facial appearance overall.

Fourchette
Area beneath the vaginal opening where the labia minora meet.