Why the “Plastic” in Plastic Surgery?

The word “Plastic” comes from the Greek word plastikos, meaning “To mold or shape”. Many of the first plastic surgeries were developed to close a difficult wound or replace tissues lost due to injury or cancer. These procedures often involved the formation of a skin flap to reshape or mold the defect so as to approximate the original shape.

What is Plastic Surgery?

Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty dedicated to reconstruction of facial and body defects due to birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. The art and science of plastic surgery is also involved with the enhancement of the appearance of a person through such operations as facelift, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and liposuction.

What is the difference between cosmetic and reconstructive surgery?

Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient’s appearance and self–esteem.

Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease. It is generally performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance. Reconstructive surgery is generally covered by most health insurance policies although coverage for specific procedures and levels of coverage may vary greatly.

There are a number of “Gray areas” in coverage for plastic surgery that sometimes require special consideration by an insurance carrier. These areas usually involved surgical operations which may be reconstructive or cosmetic, depending on each patient’s situation. For example, eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) – a procedure normally performed to achieve cosmetic improvement may be covered if the eyelids are drooping severely and obscuring a patient’s vision.

Will I be able to tolerate the pain post – operatively?

Each patient will tolerate pain post–operatively in a different way. While some patients may describe the pain as an ache, others experience greater discomfort. Appropriate pain medications are prescribed for the post–operative patients, and these help minimize discomfort. Most facial cosmetic operations have minimal discomfort post– operatively. Liposuction is slightly more uncomfortable, and operations that require elevation or tightening of the muscles–such as an abdominoplasty or breast augmentation have discomfort equal to that of a C–section.