Plastic surgery is a branch of surgery that deals with the reconstruction of different types of tissues such as skin, muscles and subcutaneous tissue of the body, and for the correction of deformities both from a functional and an aesthetic point of view. The aim of plastic surgery is to repair congenital (from birth) or acquired (caused by previous surgery, disease, trauma, or injury) disorders in order to restore the function of the tissue as close as possible to the norm.
What does a plastic surgeon do?
A plastic surgeon is a doctor specializing in plastic surgery that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all pathological conditions pertaining to plastic surgery.
What diseases are treated by a plastic surgeon?
The disease most often treated by a plastic surgeon include abnormalities caused by birth defects such as cleft lip, cleft palate and webbed fingers, areas of the body damaged by previous surgeries such as mastectomy and tumor removal, severe burns, and traumas.
What are the procedures used by a plastic surgeon?
There are several procedures that can be used by a plastic surgeon depending on the condition being treated. One of the most used techniques is “grafting”, which is when portions of tissue are taken from a certain area of the body and are implanted somewhere else. Another technique is the “flap” where flaps are portions of tissue that maintain a connection with the donor area and that are transferred to the receiving area, which must therefore necessarily be adjacent to the donor site.
Implants are used for different purposes, usually for filling or correction a congenital or acquired deformity in areas such as the breast, calves, buttocks, and cheeks. Finally, the nose and ears can also undergo surgery for both functional and aesthetic reasons.
When should a patient visit a plastic surgeon?
A patient should request an appointment with a plastic surgeon if the wish to fix congenital or acquired defects, and in order to monitor postsurgical recovery.
