What is Plastic Surgery?

Plastic Surgery- an introduction

What is Plastic Surgery?

Plastic Surgery is a surgical sub-speciality that deals with reconstructive and aesthetic (commonly called ‘cosmetic’) surgeries. Reconstructive Surgery deals with ‘what nature has given but chance (any accident or injury) has taken away’. It deals mainly with functional problems and with different types of wounds. On the other hand, cosmetic Surgery is for enhancing the person’s appearance and for beautification. The line of division between reconstructive and cosmetic Surgery is often blurred. A plastic surgeon always performs Surgery by considering all reconstructive and cosmetic principles. This approach makes a Plastic surgeon utterly different from other surgical specialities.

What are the different problems for which reconstructive Surgery is needed?

Reconstructive Surgery corrects the “defects”, “deformities”, “dysfunction”, “disabilities” and “disfigurements”.

“Defects” can be simply a wound or a missing body part. The” defect” can be congenital, post-surgical or post-traumatic. Plastic surgeons deal with complex wounds that are unlikely to heal or that can’t be simply sutured. Following are examples of such defects/wounds-

 • bed sore

 • Bedsore or pressure injury

 • diabetic foot ulcer

 • chronic / non-healing ulcer

 • complex wound, large wound

 • Extensive burn injury

 • Wound after oncology surgical resection

 • cleft lip and palate

“Deformities” are abnormal shape, position or structure of any body organs. It can be congenital, post-surgical or post-traumatic. Some examples of these “deformities” are-

 • syndactyly

 • polydactyly

 • Gynaecomastia

 • crooked nose

 • Post-burn contracture of hand

“Dysfunction” is an abnormal or missing function of any organ. It can also be congenital, post-surgical or post-traumatic. Some “dysfunction” problems are-

 • nerve injury

 • brachial plexus injury

 • tendon injury

” Disabilities” are difficulties in doing day-to-day work. For example, a lower limb nerve injury patient can’t walk properly.

” Disfigurements” are skin-related problems that make a person’s appearance unpleasant. Examples of “disfigurement” are-

 • Facial hair in female

 • Post-bariatric Surgery loose, hanging skin

 • thick scar

 • Birthmarks, hemangioma and other vascular malformations

What are the different problems for which cosmetic Surgery is needed?

Pure Cosmetic Surgery is never done for any issues; it is merely for beautification. As beauty is always subjective, people may consider their appearance less appealing and want something to enhance their beauty. That’s when cosmetic Surgery can play its role. Though there are some genuine problems for which ‘cosmetic surgery’ is done, in reality, these surgeries are reconstructive surgeries done by keeping cosmetic principles in mind.

Which body parts come under the domain of Plastic Surgery?

Plastic Surgery is a “problem-solving” branch. It deals with all body parts, from head to toe. Almost all surgical specialities may need a plastic surgeon in problematic cases. A plastic surgeon usually gets calls from different surgical branches like oncosurgery, otolaryngorhinology (ENT), ophthalmology, neurosurgery, orthopaedic, gynaecology, General Surgery, urology, cardiothoracic Surgery etc.

What are some common problems for which a Plastic surgeon consultation is needed?

Plastic Surgery restores the body’s functional capacity and structure and improves life. It can restore the lost smile. The following are the most common problems for which a Plastic surgeon’s consultation is needed-

Accident/ injury

 • Hand fracture

 • amputation of hand and fingers

 • Facial injury or fracture

 • nerve injury

 • brachial plexus injury

 • tendon injury

 • complex, large or dirty wounds

 • Chronic non-healing ulcer

 • diabetic foot ulcer

Complex wound

 • Complex and large wound

 • bedsore/pressure injury

 • Chronic non-healing ulcer

 • diabetic foot ulcer

 • ulcers in lymphedema

Congenital anomalies

 • Cleft lip and palate

 • Ear deformity/microtia

 • polydactyly

 • syndactyly

 • Birth marks hemangioma and other vascular malformations

Cosmetic/aesthetic conditions

 • hair fall

 • baldness

 • obesity

 • Post-pregnancy loose and hanging abdominal skin

 • Post-bariatric Surgery, loose and hanging skin

 • amastia, hypoplastic breast, gigantomastia, breast ptosis

 • post-mastectomy breast deformities

 • gynaecomastia

 • Facial hair in females

 • hypertrophic scar, keloid

 • pigmentation disorder

Urogenital disorders

 • hypospadias

 • epispadias

 • Vaginal atresia