MODEL RELEASED. Cosmetic surgery. Vernier calipers being used by a surgeon to measure the length of the nose of a patient about to have cosmetic surgery. A common cosmetic surgery procedure is to shorten the length of a patient's nose. The marks on the patient's face show where incisions will be made into the skin to remove fat (from around the eyes) and to tighten the skin (around the hairline, neck and below the eyes). This tightening of the skin, commonly called a facelift, is intended to give the patient a younger-looking appearance.