Basic Questions About Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery is a fascinating surgical speciality that has great public awareness and interest, but also a lot of misconceptions about the surgical field. Here are some basic questions and answers about this most interesting area of medicine.

Why is it called "plastic" surgery?

From the Greek word, plastikos, comes the meaning of plastic surgery, to mold or shape. That is also the origin for the name of the man-made material that is found almost everywhere today -plastic. Whether it is a toy or computer monitor, plastic is the material of choice as it can be molded or shaped into any desired form.

The term "plastic surgery" then refers to surgery that molds or shapes the human body. Unfortunately, despite the latest advances in plastic surgery, we still cannot mold the human body into any desired form. And we very rarely (with the exception of breast implants) actually use a plastic material to do the surgery. We can, however, make a big difference in either sculpting one's face or body for cosmetic purposes or reconstructing a missing or lost body part by using today's state-of-the-art surgical techniques.

What is the difference between plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, aesthetic surgery, and reconstructive surgery?

Cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery, and aesthetic surgery all refer to the same thing; surgery done to improve one's appearance or reshape normal body parts to improve appearance. This is why cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance.

Reconstructive surgery is performed to reshape abnormal structures of the body, from either accidents, injuries, infections, cancers, or other diseases, as well as congenital deformities. These types of problems are usually covered by your medical insurance.

What are the most common cosmetic plastic surgery procedures?

In 2005, 10.Several million cosmetic procedures were performed in the U.S of which 1.8 million were actual intraoperative surgeries. Total U.S. revenues generated from these procedures was 9.4 billion dollars.. The five most commonly performed cosmetic procedures in the United States are nose reshaping, liposuction, eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, and facelift. With the latest innovations in cosmetic plastic surgery, patients may now benefit from more natural results, faster recovery, and safer procedures. Consequently, more and more people have decided to take advantage of these advanced procedures to help them their appearance or restore a more youthful look. In fact, the number of people choosing cosmetic plastic surgery has nearly tripled in the past 10 years!

The most popular plastic surgery procedures for women include nose reshaping, liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, facelift, brow lift, tummy tuck, and breast lift. Men also have nose reshaping, liposuction, eyelid surgery, facelift, as well as surgery to treat gynecomastia, or male breast reduction.

Why is rhinoplasty so popular?

The first plastic surgery performed, thousands of years ago, was nasal surgery in India and Egypt. People have had concerns about their noses for a long time! The popularity of rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) is due to its effectiveness at changing the shape of the nose (as the whole appearance of the face) as well as improving breathing through the nose. Rhinoplasty can reduce or increase the size of the nose, change the shape of the tip or bridge, narrow the span of the nostrils, or change the angle between the nose and the upper lip. It may also correct a birth defect or injury, or help relieve some breathing and sinus problems.

What are the most common reconstructive plastic surgery procedures?

In 2005, 5.1 million reconstructive procedures were performed by plastic surgeons in the U.S. The top five procedures performed include skin cancer removal, laceration repair, scar revision, hand surgery, and breast reduction