Plastic surgery

Plastic surgery is a multifaceted specialty in the medical field dedicated to the reconstruction, restoration, and modification of various parts of the human body. It encompasses two distinct yet closely intertwined branches: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery.<ref>,

 Grabb and Smith's Plastic Surgery. online version, 
  
 Wolters Kluwer, 
 2020,</ref>

File:Dr. Theodore Neric, chief resident physician, performs plastic surgery at Clark USAF Hospital - DPLA - 35cf40c62207c72258049566f22a3ed3.jpeg

Dr. Theodore Neric, chief resident physician, performs plastic surgery at Clark USAF Hospital - DPLA - 35cf40c62207c72258049566f22a3ed3

File:Blepharoplasty zholtikov.jpg

Blepharoplasty zholtikov

Reconstructive Surgery

Reconstructive surgery primarily focuses on rectifying functional impairments caused by burns, traumatic injuries, congenital abnormalities, and disease or cancer treatments like mastectomy. It involves several sub-specialties including but not limited to:

• Craniofacial surgery: Primarily concerned with structures of the head, skull, face, neck and jaws.
• Hand surgery: Deals with both surgical and non-surgical treatment of conditions and problems that may take place in the hand or upper extremity (commonly from the tip of the hand to the shoulder).
• Microsurgery: Involves the reconstruction of missing tissues by transferring a piece of tissue to the reconstruction site and reconnecting blood vessels.
• Burn Surgery: Can be divided into acute burn care, occurring immediately after the burn, and reconstructive burn surgery.<ref>,

 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, 
 American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 
 2020,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Full text,</ref>

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery, alternatively referred to as aesthetic surgery, primarily enhances the physical appearance of normal body parts, serving to improve a person's self-esteem and overall quality of life. Common procedures include rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, breast augmentation, and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).<ref>,

 ASAPS 2017 Statistics: New data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), 
 American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 
 2017,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Full text,</ref>

Ethical Considerations

As a field that bridges the gap between aesthetics and necessity, plastic surgery poses unique ethical considerations. The subjectivity of beauty standards, the patient's psychological preparedness, and the potential exploitation of vulnerable populations are all topics of ongoing discourse in the field.<ref>,

 Ethics of aesthetic surgery, 
 Journal of Long-Term Effects of Medical Implants, 
 2005,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Full text,</ref>

Training

Becoming a plastic surgeon typically requires extensive education and training, including a 4-year undergraduate program, 4 years of medical school, and a minimum of 5 to 7 years in residency training in plastic and reconstructive surgery.<ref>,

 The Training Pathway in Plastic Surgery, 
 Journal of Surgical Education, 
 2009,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Full text,</ref>

See Also

• Cosmetic surgery
• Reconstructive surgery
• Hand surgery
• Microsurgery
• Craniofacial surgery
• Burn
• Rhinoplasty
• Liposuction
• Breast augmentation
• Abdominoplasty

External Links

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Further Reading

• Neligan, P. C. (Ed.). (2012). Plastic Surgery. Elsevier Saunders.
• Thorne, C.H., Chung, K.C., Gosain, A.K., Gurtner, G.C., Mehrara, B.J., Rubin, J.P., Spear, S.L. (2014). Grabb and Smith's Plastic Surgery. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Aston, S.J., Steinbrech, D.S., Walden, J.L. (2018). Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Elsevier.
• Guyuron, B., Eriksson, E., Persing, J.A. (2011). Plastic Surgery: Indications and Practice. Elsevier Saunders.

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