Facial cosmetic surgery: a primary care perspective

Primary care providers are often the source of information regarding health matters including elective cosmetic surgery. Practitioners should know about the more common cosmetic surgical procedures to assist their clients in making informed decisions regarding these operations. This article describes facial cosmetic surgical procedures performed to modify the signs of aging, which includes rhytidectomy ("face lift"), blepharoplasty ("eyelid surgery"), chemical peels, and dermabrasion. Issues discussed include preoperative considerations, expected outcomes, length of recovery period, costs, and complications (hemorrhage, necrosis, nerve injury, psychologic sequelae). Because facial cosmetic surgery usually has a positive impact on one's self-esteem, there has been an overall increase in facial cosmetic procedures during the past decade.