Plastic surgery is sometimes confused with reconstructive surgery, but they are two different things. A simplistic definition is that plastic surgery is for aesthetic purposes and reconstructive surgery is to correct some type of deformity. For example, people who are unhappy with the appearance of facial sagging may do a face-lift to tighten their skin. A person whose face was disfigured due to skin cancer would be a good candidate for reconstructive surgery.
Plastic surgeons focus on reconstructive procedures. They can care for patients who have conditions such as congenital disorders, injuries, illnesses, or burns. It's a common misunderstanding that the word plastic in plastic surgery means artificial. Rather, the word originated from the ancient Greek word plastikos, which means to mold or shape.
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty that deals both with improving a person's appearance and reconstructing facial and body tissue defects due to diseases, trauma, or congenital disorders. When World War II broke out, the provision of plastic surgery services was largely divided between different services in the armed forces, and Gillies and her team were divided. Although at that time it was not called plastic surgery, the first case dates back to the year 2000. B.
McIndoe, an RAF consultant, moved to the recently rebuilt Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead (Sussex) and founded a center for plastic and mandibular surgery. The practice of plastic surgery encompasses the restoration, rejuvenation and improvement of the patient through the art of surgery. The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) was established in 1937 and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) granted it the status of board of major specialties in 1941. Usually, a certified plastic surgery surgeon graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least 5 years of postgraduate medical education, usually 3 years of general surgery and 2 years of plastic surgery. When most people refer to plastic surgery today, they are referring to the elective type that improves appearance.
Ethnic plastic surgery is plastic surgery that is performed to change ethnic attributes and is often considered to be used as a way of passing oneself. The terms plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are often used interchangeably to describe the same thing. The surgical field of plastic surgery is quite voluminous and encompasses many surgical fields, such as burns, breasts, body contouring, cosmetics, craniofacial, hand, microsurgery, pediatric surgery and oculoplastic surgery. The first kidney transplant was performed by a plastic surgeon who later received the Nobel Prize.
Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct functional deficiencies caused by burns; traumatic injuries, such as facial bone fractures and breaks; congenital anomalies, such as a cleft palate or cleft lip; developmental anomalies; infections and diseases; and cancer or tumors. With the growing popularity of plastic surgery, there has also been a widespread increase in minimally invasive alternatives that include intradermal and intramuscular injectables, including several neurotoxins such as Botox, Dysport, Xeomin and Jeuveau, among others, along with hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers.
