Plastic Surgery

The two different kinds of plastic surgeries are reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. The surgeries that fall in these two categories are:

• Aesthetic surgery 
• Burn surgery 
• Craniofacial surgery 
• Hand surgery 
• Microsurgery 

Plastic surgery is a broad category that contains two sub-specialities: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgeries are usually performed to reconstruct a part of body or improving the function of a body part whereas cosmetic surgery aims at beauty enhancements and hence are elective, voluntarily taken up by people.

Scar revision surgeries are performed when the scar interferes with the function as in hand where the dexterity is lost or when someone wants to improve the aesthetic appearance of a body part. So they involve either a reconstructive surgery or a cosmetic surgery, both which come under the broader term plastic surgery.  

Like any surgery, plastic surgeries also carry some inherent risks. Some of these include:

• Complications that can arise out of anesthesia like pneumonia, blood clots and sometimes even death
• Infection at the incision site. This can cause additional scarring and may necessitate further surgery
• Fluid buildup under the skin
• Mild to excessive bleeding
• Scarring that is abnormal
• Separation of surgical wound
• Nerve damage that may cause numbness and tingling.

There are numerous cases where a cosmetic surgery has gone wrong. The reasons are varied and some of them may include:

• Scarring: Everyone’s response to wound healing is different. Some may develop extensive scarring at the incision site. This can lead to botched up surgeries.
• Appearance of cellulites at the site of liposuction: Places that are not a part of liposuction can develop additional fat.
• Infections: If a patient is a chronic smoker or is on steroids, the chances of infections at the site of incision. Sometimes even life-threatening infections can develop.
• Nerve damage: Several cases have been reported where nerves get damaged during the procedure. This may cause numbness and if facial nerve is damaged, facial expressions become limited and there can be drooping of mouth and eyes.
• Supplements that the surgeon is unaware: Certain supplements that the patient considers safe can cause blood thinning and result severe haemorrhaging. Some over-the-counter pills can cause cardiac arrest. 

Pediatric surgeries usually include corrections of congenital anomalies of the craniofacial skeleton and soft tissues such as cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, and pediatric fractures.