Reconstructive plastic surgery

Reconstructive plastic surgery is surgery performed to correct abnormalities of the face or body. Some abnormalities may be present at birth and are referred to as congenital anomalies, or some develop with age. Some examples of congenital anomalies include, hand deformities, cleft lip, nasal surgery, ear surgery and craniofacial anomalies. Abnormalities can also be caused by illness, such as breast cancer, tumors, arthritis or by trauma due to an accident. The objective to having reconstructive plastic surgery is to improve the functioning of a body part or to help create a more normal appearance of a body part. This can also be referred to as cosmetic surgery. Some cosmetic surgeries that are often performed are face lifts, breast augmentations, breast reductions, tummy tucks, scar removal or nasal reconstruction. For some, plastic surgery allows a person to feel better about them self and have more self esteem. There are millions of people undergoing some form of plastic surgery each year.

When considering having plastic surgery of any kind, it is important to know what to expect. Plastic surgery consists of being put under with anesthesia and there are always risks involved. You need to know your doctor very well and trust him or her completely. Make sure you have discussed your expectations with the doctor thoroughly so he or she knows exactly what is expected by you. It is also important that your surgeon is qualified through the American Board of Plastic Surgery. If you are not in the United States then check with your countries Board of Plastic Surgery for a referral in your area. It is also a good idea to ask your surgeon for pictures of past surgeries that he or she has performed. By seeing some before and after pictures you are able see what kind of work they are capable of performing and whether it is the type of results you are expecting. Also, it never hurts to get a second opinion. Not all doctors perform a surgery the same way. Everyone has their own style and some may or may not view your case in the same way.

It is also important to discuss your post-operative care instructions prior to having the surgery. Depending on what type of surgery you are having, the post-op care may be different. Some surgeries have a very quick recovery time with minimal pain, whereas other types of surgery may have a more lengthy recovery and be much more painful. Regardless of what type of surgery you have, you will need someone to drive you to and from surgery. Anytime you undergo anesthesia you are not able to drive for several hours. Make sure you have someone prepared to care for you after your surgery until you are able to care for yourself. There are a lot of things to consider when having plastic surgery. Some types of surgery will prevent you from being able to manage your daily routine for a couple weeks. For this reason it is important to know the recovery time and what to expect after your surgery before the surgery takes place.

Both reconstructive plastic surgery and cosmetic plastic surgery can help you improve your life. Whether it is better functioning of a body part of more self esteem, they both offer great rewards. Just know that no surgery should be taken lightly and preparations should be made in advance for your recovery. Take your time and do not rush into surgery. Finding the right doctor for the job is extremely important and can make all the difference in the outcome you desire.

Last updated on Sep 25th, 2009 and filed under Plastic Surgery. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

1 Response for “Reconstructive plastic surgery”

  1. Gwen Ashton says:

    Thanks for your post. There are a lot of sites out there that don’t make as much sense about cosmetic surgery, so that’s refreshing. I’ve got a similar website myself, so will keep popping back to see what else you’ve posted.

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