Plastic Surgery, which encompasses both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, is a branch of surgery which involves the repair or replacement of malformed, injured or lost organs or tissues of the body. Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery differ in two main ways: (1) reconstructive surgery is typically covered by insurance while cosmetic surgery is not; and (2) reconstructive surgery is typically intended to improve function while cosmetic surgery typically only deals with form or appearance.
Reconstructive surgery is designed to correct abnormalities occurring from congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease. Examples of reconstructive procedures are as follows: flap surgery, hand surgery, laser surgery, microsurgery, skin grafts, and tissue expansion. Cosmetic surgery has to do with the enhancement or beautification of particular parts of the body.
Plastic surgery, like any surgery, carries a risk of medical complications, including death. Some of the most common risks associated with plastic surgery are infection, severe bleeding, nerve damage that may lead to numbness, tissue death (necrosis), fluid collecting around the site (seroma) and bruising in the area (hematoma). Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis are also possible complications of plastic surgery.
Unsightly scarring is a possible disadvantage of plastic surgery. These scars, which are called hypertrophic scars, are thick and red. They usually don't fade like most surgical scarring. Bruising and swelling for a period of time after the surgery is often difficult to hide, especially when the work was done in the facial area. Ptosis, or drooping and sagging in the surgical area, are also possible disadvantages. Additionally, some patients find the results of the procedure aren't what they expected.
Cosmetic surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures. Each procedure has its own advantages and disadvantages, too. One of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures is lipoclastic, or liposuction. The obvious advantage of this procedure is that people can lose a large amount of body fat in a matter of hours. As such, they may feel better about themselves after the procedure and maintain a healthier lifestyle. However, if you gain weight after undergoing liposuction, you risk the chance of dimpling your skin and requiring fat injections to fix the problem.
Risks depend on the type of plastic surgery. Some of the risks of breasts augmentation include bleeding of the gel, encapsulation and the prospect of loss of silicone in the body. The risk of liposuction included discoloration, depigmentation, numbness, bruising and pain. Facelift plastic surgery also involves various side effects such as nerve damage which the person’s face insensible. The patient also suffers from mild side effects such as feeling pain the affected part and inflammation which can disappear with the time.