What is Cosmetic Surgery?
Cosmetic surgery is when doctors use surgical techniques to enhance or improve a person’s appearance.
Cosmetic surgery can address various areas of the body, including.
- Face
- Breasts
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Limbs
What are the Different Types of Plastic Surgery?
Plastic surgery can be categorised into two main types:
- Reconstructive surgery
- Cosmetic surgery
Reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery helps fix damaged or missing parts of the body caused by injury, sickness, or birth defects.
Some examples of reconstructive surgery include:
- Breast reconstruction after mastectomy
- Burn reconstruction surgery
- Cleft lip and palate repair
- Hand surgery for congenital deformities
- Scar revision surgery
- Skin grafting for wound closure
- Treatment of birth defects such as webbed fingers or toes
- Treatment of skin cancer, including Mohs surgery
Cosmetic surgery is performed to improve the appearance of a person’s body or face, usually for aesthetic reasons. Some common cosmetic surgeries include:
Cosmetic surgery
- Breast augmentation or reduction
- Body contouring, such as liposuction or tummy tuck
- Facelifts or neck lifts
- Rhinoplasty (nose job)
- Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)
- Brow lift or forehead lift
- Ear surgery (otoplasty)
- Lip augmentation or reduction
It’s important to note that some plastic surgeries may have both reconstructive and cosmetic aspects, depending on the individual patient’s needs and goals.
Problems Treated Through Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is a type of doctoring that helps fix, change, or rebuild different parts of the body. People might have it for health reasons or to look better.
Here are some of the common problems that plastic surgery can treat:
Reconstructive surgery after an injury or surgery
Plastic surgery helps fix body parts that got hurt because of accidents, cancer, or were not right since birth, so they work and look better. Examples include breast reconstruction after mastectomy, scar revision after injury, and facial reconstruction after a car accident.
Congenital abnormalities
Plastic surgery can correct congenital abnormalities such as cleft lip and palate, syndactyly (fused digits), and other birth defects that affect the appearance or function of the body.
Body contouring after weight loss
After significant weight loss, plastic surgery can remove excess skin and fat to improve the body’s contour and reduce the risk of skin infections and other health issues.
Facial rejuvenation
Facelifts, brow lifts, and eyelid surgery are common procedures used to reduce the signs of ageing and restore a younger appearance.
Correction of physical features
Plastic surgery can correct physical features such as a prominent nose, large ears, or weak chin.
What do you Need for Plastic Surgery?
Plastic surgery can address a variety of needs, including medical, reconstructive, and cosmetic purposes.
Here are some examples of each:
Medical needs
Plastic surgery can be used to address medical conditions or injuries, such as:
- Congenital abnormalities, such as cleft lip and palate or hand deformities
- Skin cancer removal and reconstruction
- Burn or traumatic injury reconstruction
- Breast reconstruction after mastectomy
- Treatment of chronic wounds or pressure sores
Reconstructive needs
Plastic surgery can also be used to reconstruct body parts that have been damaged or lost due to injury, disease, or surgery, such as:
- Reconstructive surgery after cancer or tumour removal
- Scar revision or treatment of keloids
- Correction of birth defects, such as microtia (small or absent ear) or syndactyly (fused digits)
- Hand surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome or other conditions
Cosmetic needs
Finally, plastic surgery can be performed for cosmetic reasons to enhance or improve a person’s appearance, such as:
- Facelifts to reduce signs of ageing
- Breast augmentation, reduction or lift
- Tummy tucks help take away extra skin and fat after losing weight.
- Liposuction removes extra fat from certain parts of the body.
- Rhinoplasty to reshape the nose
What are the Treatment Options for Plastic Surgery?
There are various plastic surgery treatments available to address a range of medical, reconstructive, and cosmetic needs.
Some of the most common plastic surgery treatments include:
Breast surgery
Breast surgery can include breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift, and breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Facial surgery
Facial surgery includes procedures such as facelifts, brow lifts, eyelid surgeries, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), and ear surgeries.
Body contouring
Body contouring procedures include tummy tucks, liposuction, and body lifts, which remove excess skin and fat after significant weight loss.
Skin rejuvenation
Skin rejuvenation procedures include chemical peels, laser resurfacing, and dermabrasion, which improve the appearance of the skin and reduce signs of ageing.
Hand surgery
Hand surgery fixes problems with hands caused by being born with them, injuries, or conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Reconstruction
Plastic surgery can be used for reconstruction after injury or surgery, such as scar revision, skin grafts, and tissue expansion.
What Diagnostic Tests are Conducted in Plastic Surgery?
Before any plastic surgery procedure, the plastic surgeon may perform several diagnostic tests to assess the patient’s overall health and to determine the best approach to the surgery.
Here are some of the diagnostic tests that may be conducted in plastic surgery:
Blood tests
Blood tests can help assess a patient’s general health, including their blood count, electrolyte levels, and liver and kidney function.
Imaging tests
Tests such as X-rays, MRI scans, or CT scans can be used to assess the body part that will be treated and to evaluate any underlying conditions that may affect the surgery.
ECG (Electrocardiogram)
ECG is a test that checks the electrical activity of the heart to evaluate the patient’s cardiac health before surgery.
Allergy testing
Allergy testing may be performed to determine if the patient is allergic to any medications or materials that will be used during the surgery.
Pulmonary function tests
PFT tests are used to assess the patient’s lung function, particularly if the surgery involves the chest or the airways.
Physical exam
The surgeon will conduct a thorough physical exam to assess the patient’s overall health and determine the best approach to the surgery.
