Plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery are bandied about so much people often confuse them. While both involve the improvement of your appearance, there are distinct differences.
Plastic Surgery vs.
Reconstructive Surgery
Both plastic
surgery and reconstructive surgery are designed to improve the appearance of a
person. This can be done through lifts, tucks, reshaping and so on. The correct
usage of the terms, however, is dependent upon the underlying reason for the
surgical procedure.
Plastic surgery is
an elective surgery. In its most basic form, plastic surgery takes a normal
part of the body and improves it in a manner desired by the patient. Common
plastic surgery procedures include liposuction, breast enhancement or
reduction, nose reshaping, reshaping of the abdomen and the well-known
facelift. All of these surgeries are based purely on a voluntary desire to
improve one’s appearance.
Reconstructive
surgery is often elective, but can also be medically necessary. Reconstructive
surgery differs from plastic surgery in one significant way. It is focused on
making improvements to a damaged or abnormal part of the body. For example, a
person may suffer damage from trauma or disease that leaves a part of the body
looking abnormal and functionally deficient, such as breaking facial bones in
an automobile accident. Reconstructive surgery will be undertaken to repair the
facial structure so that it both performs and appears normally. While
appearance is important, most reconstructive surgery focuses on functionality
first.
The differences
between plastic and reconstructive surgery often blur. Breast enhancement or
reduction surgery is a form of plastic surgery. Repairing breasts after the all
too common complications of breast cancer is considered reconstructive surgery.
Repairing the septum of the nose is considered reconstructive surgery, but
simply reshaping the nose is considered plastic surgery. This blurred line is
repeated in other areas as well.
Ultimately, the
dividing line between reconstructive surgery and plastic surgery is mostly an
academic debate or vary obvious given specific circumstances. Regardless, it is
important to understand that there is a distinction.
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