Plastic surgeons specialize in hope

Plastic surgery is surrounded by negative stereotypes that emphasize superficial cosmetic desires. These stereotypes fail to acknowledge the hope that gives people. It’s important to realize the industry’s impact beyond surface beauty standards. Every day plastic surgeons work to address facial and body abnormalities. Doing so improves the quality of life for cancer patients, trauma victims and children. Overall, the goal of these operations is not to make patients look picture perfect. In fact, these procedures restore the body’s normal functions and minimize cosmetic damage after difficult situations. In turn, patients walk away with confidence and a chance at a better life.

Skin cancer

First of all, a skin cancer diagnosis brings patients gut-wrenching fear. Plastic surgery is an encouraging option for many people in this situation. Skin cancer treatment requires that a plastic surgeon remove growths and lesions from the body. Sometimes, the cancerous growth is simply removed from the skin. In other patients, a more intense extraction is needed to remove all of the cancerous cells. Once the skin cancer is removed, the plastic surgeon will reconstruct the area. Plastic surgeons perform these procedures to minimize scarring and, more importantly, to ensure your health.

Trauma

Secondly, plastic surgery is an important part of the recovery process following a traumatic injury. Plastic surgeons are trained to repair the body’s function and appearance. Trauma can affect all parts of the body, but facial deformities and injuries to extremities are common. Surgical procedures carefully reconstruct skin, soft tissue, nerves, tendons and joints. The goal is to help patients make a full recovery with limited cosmetic damage.

Plastic surgery for children

Interestingly, congenital malformations are physical abnormalities that occur in babies from birth. They can affect all areas of the body. Plastic surgery procedures are often involved in treating these defects, such as cleft lip or cleft palate, extra digits, or fingers and toes that are webbed together.

Cleft lip and cleft palate

Facial reconstructive surgeries to correct a cleft lip or a cleft palate are fairly common. A cleft happens early in the development stages, before a child is born. It happens when the upper lip or roof of the mouth are separated and don’t form properly. Plastic surgeons and specialists work to reconstruct this area. Typically, tissue from the side of a child’s mouth is used to close the extra space. Cleft lip and cleft palate procedures do more than improve cosmetic appearance. This surgery restores a child’s ability to eat, breathe, hear and talk normally. In addition, abnormalities in the lip and mouth area can also affect dental health.

Extra digits

Sometimes, babies are born with extra fingers or extra toes. This condition, known as polydactyly, is commonly treated with a plastic surgery reconstruction procedure. Sometimes it’s just extra soft tissue and skin, but extra digits can also be fully formed with bone structures. Polydactyly can develop on both hands or both feet, or it could occur on just one. Surgery is required to remove the extra digit that forms while the child is still in its mother’s womb.

Webbed fingers and toes

When fingers or toes are fused together, it’s called syndactyly. Most people know this abnormality as webbed feet or webbed hands. Syndactyly can be anything from a skin connection to a complete fusion of bones, blood vessels and nerves. This condition can limit function in a child’s hands or feet if it’s not corrected. In some cases, webbed fingers and toes can indicate another medical syndrome. Doctors will consider family medical history when evaluating this possibility.

Plastic surgeons are highly skilled professionals who are giving cancer patients, trauma victims and children a higher quality of life. These doctors correct facial and body deformities with reconstructive procedures. Patients who undergo these surgeries are not trying to perfect their physical appearance. People are looking to plastic surgery to restore their body’s form and function. Contrary to the negative stereotypes, the plastic surgery industry is not all about perfecting one’s superficial appearance. Plastic surgery has given people confidence through difficult situations and a renewed sense of hope.