Glossary of Terms

Aesthetic-The study and science of beauty

Alpha hydroxyl acids- Any of various fruit acids that are capable of trapping moisture in the skin and initiating the formation of collagen

Benign- term used to describe a mild, non-progressive, non-cancerous disease or condition

Biocompatible- The ability of a substance to interact with the body without harmful effects

Biodegradable- when a product has the ability to break down safely and relatively quickly, by biological means, into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment

Board-certified- Medical specialty certification that ensures patients that a physician has the knowledge, experience, and skills for providing safe, quality healthcare within a given specialty

Botulinum- a protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances in the world. Though it is highly toxic, it is used in minute doses both to treat painful muscle spasms, and as a cosmetic treatment in some parts of the world

Botulism- Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum

Cardiac arrhythmias- any of a group of conditions in which the electrical activity of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal.  Some arrhythmiae are life-threatening medical emergencies that can cause cardiac arrest and sudden death. Others cause aggravating symptoms, such as an awareness of a different heart beat, or palpitations

CO2 laser- Carbon dioxide laser that produces infrared light to heat and remove the outermost layer of skin

Collagen- fibrous protein constituent of skin, cartilage, bone, and other connective tissue that controls cell shape and differentiation

Cryotherapy- (cryosurgery) the application of extreme cold used to destroy abnormal or diseased tissue. Cryotherapy is used to treat a number of diseases and disorders, especially skin conditions like warts, moles, skin tags and solar keratoses

Décolletage- Low neckline area

Dysphagia- difficulty swallowing

Electrosurgery- the application of a high-frequency electric current tissue as a means to remove lesions, stop bleeding, or cut tissue

Endocrine illnesses- Your endocrine system includes eight major glands throughout your body which are responsible for making hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that travel through your bloodstream to tissues or organs. Hormones work slowly and affect body processes from head to toe. If your hormone levels are too high or too low, you may have an endocrine disorder. In the United States, the most common endocrine disease is diabetes. There are many others. They are usually treated by controlling how much hormone your body makes.

Endo Venous Therapy-EVT works by means of thermal destruction of venous tissues. Laser energy is delivered to the desired location inside the vein through a bare laser fiber. When the laser is fired, it deposits thermal energy in the blood and venous tissues, causing irreversible localized venous tissue damage. The laser is repeatedly or continuously fired as the laser fiber is gradually withdrawn along the course of the vein until the entire vessel is treated. Although a hole may be created in the vessel wall where the laser beam makes contact with it, permanent ablation of the vein is caused by thermal injury to the entire circumference of the vessel

Fitzpatrick I-VI- the Fitzpatrick Classification Scale was developed in 1975 by Harvard Medical School dermatologist, Thomas Fitzpatrick, MD, PhD. This scale classifies a person's complexion and their tolerance of sunlight. It is used by many practitioners to determine how someone will respond or react to facial treatments.

Type I: White skin that never tans and always burns easily.
Type II: White skin that tans slightly and always burns easily.
Type III: Light brown skin that tans gradually and can burn moderately.
Type IV: Moderately brown skin that tans well and burns slightly.
Type V: Dark brown skin that tans profusely and burns rarely.
Type VI: Black skin with deep pigmentation that never burns.

Formulation (of botox) - Botox® formulation is a sterile lyophilized form of botulinum toxin type A. It is produced from a culture of the Hall strain of C botulinum and purified by a series of acid precipitations to a crystalline complex containing the toxin and other proteins

Glycolic- A translucent crystalline compound that improves the skins appearance and texture

Hemoglobin- (hemo-blood, globin-oxygen) Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells which carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. The iron contained in hemoglobin is responsible for the red color of blood

Hyaluronic acid- A substance found in the connective tissue of the body that cushions and lubricates. Hyaluronic acid also creates volume in the face, giving it a healthy, youthful appearance

Hydra-vital factor K- moisturizing and nourishing cream, rich in vitamin E, which forms a barrier to help the cells retain water. It also neutralizes the free radicals responsible for premature aging of the skin. Its ingredients include: Hydroviton, Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Amniotic fluid, Glycerine, Silicone oil

Hydroquinone- is an aromatic organic compound which is a type of phenol. It has a variety of uses, principally associated with its action as a reducing agent which is soluble in water. In human medicine, hydroquinone is used as a topical application in skin whitening to reduce the color of skin. This use is banned in many countries because of fears of a cancer risk

Hyperhidrosis- Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition in which a person sweats excessively and unpredictably. People with hyperhidrosis may sweat even when the temperature is cool or when they are at rest

Hyperhidrosis Disease severity scale- a 4-point scale designed to assess the severity of primary axillary hyperhidrosis. The HDSS can be administered by an interviewer or self-completed by the patient. Patients rate the severity as:

1= "Underarm sweating never noticeable/never interferes with daily activities";

 2= "Underarm sweating tolerable/sometimes interferes with my daily activities";

 3= "Underarm sweating barely tolerable/frequently interferes with my daily activities";

 4= "Underarm sweating intolerable/always interferes with my daily activities."

Iontophoresis- a painless alternative to drug injection in which a weak electrical current is used to stimulate drug-carrying ions to pass through intact skin

Ligation and Stripping- Vein ligation (tying off) and stripping (removing) is a minor surgery used to prevent complications of vein damage. An incision is made below the vein, a flexible instrument is threaded up the vein to the first incision, and the vein is grasped and removed.

During this surgery, one or more incisions are made over the damaged veins, and the vein is tied off (ligated). If the ligation cuts off a faulty valve and the vein and valves below the faulty valve are healthy, the vein may be left in place to continue circulating blood through other veins that still have valves that work well

Myocardial infarction- also called a heart attack is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen, causing injury to the heart muscle. Injury to the heart muscle causes chest pain and pressure. If blood flow is not restored within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to die for six to eight hours at which time the heart attack usually is "complete." The dead heart muscle is replaced by scar tissue

Nasolabial folds- Lines that appear from the root of the nose to the corners of the mouth 

Necrosis- the name given to accidental death of cells and living tissue

Neuromuscular disorders- Neuromuscular disorders affect the nerves that control your voluntary muscles. Voluntary muscles are the ones you can control, like in your arms and legs. Your nerve cells, also called neurons, send the messages that control these muscles. When the neurons become unhealthy or die, communication between your nervous system and muscles breaks down. As a result, your muscles weaken and waste away. The weakness can lead to twitching, cramps, aches and pains, and joint and movement problems. Sometimes it also affects heart function and your ability to breathe

Neurotransmitter- any of several chemical substances, such as epinephrine or acetylcholine that transmit nerve impulses to a nerve, muscle, or gland

Non-animal based hyaluronic acid- hyaluronic acid that does not come from animals (NASHA)

Non-steroidal anti inflammatory medications-(NSAIDS) medications which, as well as having pain-relieving (analgesic) effects, have the effect of reducing inflammation when used over a period of time. They are non-narcotic. (i.e., aspirin, Motrin, Aleve)

Papule- A small, solid, usually inflammatory elevation of the skin that does not contain pus

Polidocanol- Polidocanol is a sclerosant, whereby causing fibrosis inside varicose veins, occluding the lumen of the vessel, and reducing the appearance of the varicosity. It is commonly used because it does not cause burning with injection and is less likely than other agents to cause skin ulceration or pigmentation changes

Poly-l-lactic acid- A biocompatible, biodegradable, and immunologically inert synthetic polymer that comes from the alpha-hydroxy-acid family. Microparticles of PLLA are the active ingredients in Sculptra ®

Pustule- A small inflamed elevation of the skin that is filled with pus (a pimple)

Retinoid- Compounds chemically related to, or derived from, vitamin A, which display some of the biological activities of the vitamin, but have lower toxicity; they are used for treatment of acne and other skin disorders (Retinol, Retin-A, ROC)

Safety margin- the actual zone of safety between the dose almost certain to be therapeutically effective and the dose likely to cause an occasional death

Sclerosing agent- A compound which, when injected, irritates the walls of the vein, causing the veins to seal off.  As a result the veins become less visible

Synthetic- Made by forming a compound by combining two or more simple compounds, elements, or radicals; human-made, not from nature

Telangiectatic matting- a network of new spider veins that surface around the treated area

Tyrosinase- Tyrosinase is a copper-containing enzyme present in tissue that catalyzes the production of melanin and other pigments from tyrosine by oxidation