Plastic surgeons perform operations that change the shape or appearance of part of a patient’s body. They not only perform cosmetic surgeries such as nose jobs or face lifts, but they also perform reconstructive surgeries for patients who have injuries from a car crash or other accident or for those with birth defects.
Aesthetic surgery is an essential component of plastic surgery and includes facial and body aesthetic surgery. Plastic surgeons use cosmetic surgical principles in all reconstructive surgical procedures as well as isolated operations to improve overall appearance.
Burn surgery generally takes place in two phases. Acute burn surgery is the treatment immediately after a burn. Reconstructive burn surgery takes place after the burn wounds have healed.
Craniofacial surgery is divided into pediatric and adult craniofacial surgery. Pediatric craniofacial surgery mostly revolves around the treatment of congenital anomalies of the craniofacial skeleton and soft tissues, such as cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, and pediatric fractures. Adult craniofacial surgery deals mostly with fractures and secondary surgeries (such as orbital reconstruction) along with orthognathic surgery. Craniofacial surgery is an important part of all plastic surgery training programs, further training and subspecialisation is obtained via a craniofacial fellowship.
Hand surgery is concerned with acute injuries and chronic diseases of the hand and wrist, correction of congenital malformations of the upper extremities, and peripheral nerve problems (such as brachial plexus injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome). Hand surgery is an important part of training in plastic surgery, as well as microsurgery, which is necessary to replant an amputated extremity. The Hand surgery field is also practiced by orthopedic surgeons and general surgeons. Scar tissue formation after surgery can be problematic on the delicate hand, causing loss of dexterity and digit function if severe enough. There have been cases of surgery to women’s hands in order to correct perceived flaws to create the perfect engagement ring photo.
Microsurgery is generally concerned with the reconstruction of missing tissues by transferring a piece of tissue to the reconstruction site and reconnecting blood vessels. Popular subspecialty areas are breast reconstruction, head and neck reconstruction, hand surgery/replantation, and brachial plexus surgery.
According to the Huffington Post, 91% of plastic surgery patients are women and only 9% are men. However, the number of male patients has increased by 45% since the year 2000. That means, in this day and age, men are placing more importance on their appearance. But, even though both genders show interest in cosmetic surgery, the types of procedures they are having done do differ. While the majority of women are interested in breast implants and rhinoplasty, men are more interested in liposuction ((riebalų nusiurbimas) when the fat is sucked out), eyelid surgery, treatment for male breasts, and treatment for protruding ears (atlėpusios ausys).
Plastic surgery wasn’t always a method for making people feel more attractive. Originally, plastic surgery was only done on the dead. In Egypt, they believed that a person’s face would look the same in the afterlife as it did when it was buried. That’s why, after important people died, their bodies were tampered with in order to make their most prominent features stand out. That way, the person would be recognizable to everyone that they met in the afterlife. The most common techniques used were the insertion of bones, seeds, and bandages into a person’s nose, cheeks, or stomach.
Like it or not, a person’s face affects the way that others view them, particularly when it comes to first impressions. According to Huffington Post, the shape of a person’s face plays a role in whether or not an employer is going to hire them during a job interview. People with symmetrical faces are viewed as prettier, which can make them seem more likable. Likewise, people with big eyes look more youthful and trustworthy. Several studies have tested this theory, and have shown that after getting an eyebrow lift, neck lift, or chin implants, a person can look more attractive and likable, which can raise their chances of getting a job.
A plastic surgeon, named Ramtin Kassir, made headlines when he created a fashion show to show off his handiwork. Men and women, who were all former patients of his, walked down the runway while their “before” and “after” pictures appeared on screens behind them. The screen also contained a list of all of the procedures that the models had done, so that the audience members could judge their appearances and decide if they wanted the same procedures done on themselves. Even though the show was a way for Kassir to find new patients, he ended up getting a lot of criticism, especially since his show took place during New York Fashion Week.
Men no longer need flat stomachs in order to have six-packs. Abdominal etching is a form of plastic surgery that carves areas of fat from the abdomen in order to make a person look like they’ve gone through months of training exercises. However, it doesn’t get rid of all of the fat around the area, which means that a person can have something that looks like a six-pack on top of their big belly. As great as the procedure sounds, it costs about $20,000 and takes five hours to complete. Plus, if a person has a large stomach, then it will be obvious that their abs are from surgery as opposed to diet and exercise.