The Role of Plastic Surgeons and Conditions Treated

Hearing the term plastic surgery or plastic surgery, surely you immediately relate it to the process of changing certain body parts to make it look more attractive. In fact, the branch of plastic surgery has a broader scope, and even includes the function of reconstruction to repair damaged body shapes. Plastic surgery itself is a branch of medical science that focuses on repairing body tissues or skin damaged or deformed due to certain conditions, such as burns, accidents, tumors, and congenital diseases. In addition to repairing damaged or deformed body shapes, plastic surgery is also often performed to change body parts to make them look more attractive (aesthetic needs). To become a plastic surgeon, a general practitioner must undergo a period of education of approximately 10 semesters. This length of education makes the profession of plastic surgeon still very rare in several countries, including Indonesia.

Types of Plastic Surgery Surgeons

Just like other medical sciences, plastic surgery is also divided into several subspecialties, which include:

• Burn consultant

Plastic surgeon specializing in treating patients who have suffered severe damage to body tissue and skin due to serious burns.

• Consultant of wounds and oncoplasty

Plastic surgeon who studies the science of wound management and repair of body tissue after surgical removal of tumors or cancer. For example for breast reconstruction procedures after breast removal surgery due to cancer.

• Consultant microsurgery (microsurgery)

Subspecialty plastic surgery that focuses on performing surgical procedures with special microscope aids on the nerve. This includes small blood vessels and nerves.

• External genital consultant

The subspecialty of plastic surgery that focuses on improving the shape and function of tissue of female sexual organs. For example, to improve the shape of the labia that are less symmetrical, improve the vagina (vaginoplasty), or reconstruct the hymen.

• Facial surgery consultant (craniofacial)

A subspecialty in plastic surgery that specializes in correcting facial deformities, for example due to congenital defects. Craniofacial surgery consultant plastic surgeons have deep expertise to improve the shape of the head, skull, face, neck, jaw and other facial structures.

• Consultant hand surgeon

The subspecialty of plastic surgery that focuses on surgery on the hands. Generally, this surgical procedure is performed to restore the function of the hands and fingers as before. Injuries, rheumatic diseases, infectious wounds, and congenital defects in the hands are some of the conditions that require this action.

• Aesthetic Consultant

The subspecialty of plastic surgery that is specialized in the operation of certain body parts to make it look more attractive. The scope of this aesthetic surgery, including beautifying the eyebrows, eyelids, nose, chin, skin rejuvenation, and breast repair.

Procedures that Plastic Surgeons Can Do

Here are some of the surgical procedures that plastic surgeons often do:

• Tissue stretching procedure or tissue expansion

This procedure is done by stretching the skin tissue, thereby stimulating the body to grow new skin tissue quickly. The growth of new and fast skin tissue is then used to help repair damaged or deformed body parts.

• Skin transplant procedure

This skin graft procedure is carried out by taking healthy skin tissue on other parts of the body, then transferring it to damaged or deformed parts of the body.

• Flap surgery procedure

Similar to a skin graft procedure, but flap surgery takes living tissue from other parts of the body and their blood vessels, to be transferred to damaged parts of the body.

• Microsurgery procedure

This procedure is a neurosurgery technique that uses a special microscope to repair nerves in damaged organs.

As for aesthetic plastic surgeons, plastic surgeons must be able to perform procedures that are beautifying the appearance of their patients, such as:

• Enlarge or shrink breast.
• Improve the shape of the protruding ear (otoplasty).
• Remove eye bags (blepharoplasty).
• Improve nose shape (rhinoplasty).
• Remove fat cheeks, chin, stomach, buttocks, and arms.
• Remove scars.
• Regrow (restoration) hair.
• Gives contours (curves) on the face, thighs, hips, and hands.
• Liposuction.
• Tighten sagging facial skin (face lift).

Conditions that require the handling of a Plastic Surgeon

Although plastic surgery tends to be associated with changes in body shape to make it look more beautiful. However, not all plastic surgery is done for such things. There are also certain medical conditions that require plastic surgery, for example:

• Cancer, including skin cancer and breast cancer.
• Severe burns.
• The appearance of scars that interfere with the appearance or function of the body.
• Congenital abnormalities, such as cleft lip.
• Physical injury that results in damaged or deformed body parts.
• Repairs damaged body parts due to removal of cancerous tissue.

Usually, a plastic surgeon will perform a surgical procedure to restore the function of a damaged or deformed body part. Not only that, the plastic surgeon will also help repair damaged body parts so they can look like they used to.

Risks of Plastic Surgery

Like other medical procedures, plastic surgery also has a risk of complications. Here are some of the risks that might occur:

• Nerve damage and numbness.
• Infection in the part of the body that was operated on.
• There are scars that do not go away.
• Bleeding easily after undergoing plastic surgery.
• The appearance of bruising or blood clots occur in the body part that is operated on (hematoma).
• Side effects of the anesthetic used during surgery.

Meanwhile, for patients who have certain health problems, such as suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, heart or lung disease, high cholesterol, and bleeding disorders or routinely using blood thinning drugs, need more consideration before undergoing plastic surgery procedures, because it can increase risk of complications. In order to minimize the risk of complications after plastic surgery, you should pay attention to the following factors:

• Choose plastic surgeons who are experienced in this field.
• Change your lifestyle, for example stop smoking.
• Increase consumption of healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Keep in mind, a plastic surgery procedure is a surgical procedure that requires quite a lot of cost. Therefore, before plastic surgery you should prepare your mental and financial since long ago. In addition, also consult with your plastic surgeon, about the comparison of risks and benefits of plastic surgery to be performed.