The Four Levels of Cosmetic Care

Appearance is an important aspect of modern life. People today not only want to feel good inside; they also want to look good outside. To achieve this end, over a million American men and women elect to undergo cosmetic procedures performed by surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) each year. The results are often dramatic and long lasting.

Today, there is a vast array of aesthetic treatments options available. To better clarify cosmetic procedures today, a four-level classification system has been developed to categorize some of the most common procedures.

Noninvasive (spa-type treatments)

• Cellulite wraps
• Facials
• Deep tissue massage

Minimally invasive

• Intense pulsed light (photofacials)
• Microdermabrasion
• Dermaplaning
• Superficial chemical peels
• Sclerotherapy
• Laser hair removal
• Laser treatment of leg veins/facial capillaries

Moderately invasive

• BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dysport™
• Soft tissue fillers
  • Juvederm™
  • Restylane®
  • Perlane®
  • Radiesse®
• Sculptra®
• Medium - deep chemical peels
• Dermabrasion
• Laser skin resurfacing

Surgical (invasive)

• Facial procedures
  • Eyelid Lift (Blepharoplasty)
  • Browlift (forehead lift)
  • Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
  • Nasal Reshaping (Rhinoplasty)
• Breast procedures
  • Breast augmentation (Augmentation Mammoplasty)
  • Breast Lift (Mastopexy)
  • Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty)
• Body procedures
  • Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
  • Liposuction (Suction-Assisted Lipectomy)
  • Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)