Plastic Surgery Confidential

Plastic surgery is a medical specialty that uses a number of surgical and nonsurgical techniques to change the appearance and function of a person’s body. Plastic surgery procedures include both cosmetic enhancements as well as functionally reconstructive operations. In the former case, where aesthetics are considered more important than functionality, plastic surgery is sometimes referred to as cosmetic surgery. Most procedures involve both aesthetic and functional elements.

The word “plastic” derives from the Greek plastikos meaning to mold or to shape; its use here is not connected with the synthetic polymer material known as plastic. Plastic surgeons typically mold and reshape the following body tissues: bone, cartilege, muscle, fat, and skin.

Cosmetic surgery is a very popular form of plastic surgery. As an example, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that in 2006 nearly 11 million cosmetic plastic surgeries were performed in the United States alone.

Within the U.S,. critics of plastic surgery note that it is legal for any doctor, regardless of specialty, to perform cosmetic surgery. It is thus important to distinguish the terms “plastic surgery” and “cosmetic surgery”: Plastic Surgery is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties as the subspecialty dedicated to the surgical repair of defects of form or function — this includes cosmetic (or aesthetic) surgery, as well as reconstructive surgery. The term “cosmetic surgery” however, refers to surgery that is designed to improve cosmetics, or appearance. In several countries including Australia, many doctors who are not qualified as surgeons also perform cosmetic procedures.

Reconstructive Plastic Surgery is performed to correct severe functional impairments caused by:

• burns
• traumatic injuries, such as facial bone fractures
• congenital abnormalities, such as cleft lip, or cleft palate
• removal of cancers or tumors, such as a mastectomy

Common reconstructive surgical procedures are: breast reconstruction for women who have had a mastectomy, cleft lip and palate surgery, contracture surgery for burn survivors (Stress ulcers (Curling’s ulcer); one of the complication of severe burns.[2] [3]) , and closing skin and mucosa defects after removal of tumors in the head and neck region.