Plastic Surgery vs. Reconstructive Surgery



Posted: Monday, April 17, 2006

by
PlasticSurgeonPractices.com

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.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com - a directory of plastic surgeons. Visit us to read more articles about plastic surgery.


This Article has been viewed 3,030 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Anonymous
 3 years 189 days ago.
Which is it when you have loose skin and hanging fat removed after losing 100 lbs.? And does that have a name?? Thank you!!
» left by Anonymous
 2 years 4 days ago.
Yes Very Helpfull,I'm working in a project for school, about Plastic surgeey in america, my topic is Cosmetic Surgery, versus reconstrutive surgery, and this article is grate i going to make sure that Dr: Silva gets credit for it!
 
Thanks
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.