Plastic Surgery
What is plastic surgery?
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty dedicated to the reconstruction of facial and body tissue for either cosmetic reasons or to repair damage caused by trauma, illness, or birth defects. There are two categories of plastic surgery – reconstructive and cosmetic.
Reconstructive plastic surgery can be a means of restoring both a normal appearance and bodily function following functional impairment of a body part.
Cosmetic plastic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body to alter a patient’s appearance. Because it deals with physical appearance, cosmetic plastic surgery is usually an elective procedure and not medically required.
Why is plastic surgery important to healthcare?
Plastic surgery is an essential part of healthcare because it helps to restore function and appearance to patients who have experienced functional or cosmetic damage or have elected for changes in their physical appearance.
In many cases, plastic surgery can help to prevent lifelong disabilities. For example, patients who have suffered severe burns often require extensive reconstructive surgery to recover the use of their hands and feet. In addition, plastic surgery can also help to improve a patient’s quality of life by correcting physical aspects that cause pain or negative feelings about oneself.