Plastic Surgery: Purpose, Procedure, and Benefits and Side Effects

In plastic surgery, physical faults in form or function affecting the skin, musculoskeletal system, cranio-maxillofacial structures, hand, extremities, breast, trunk, and external genitalia are repaired, rebuilt, or replaced, or are cosmetically enhanced.

A crucial element of plastic surgery is cosmetic surgery, which focuses on enhancing the general look while also enhancing the results of reconstructive surgeries.

The two main kinds of plastic surgery techniques are reconstructive and cosmetic. Patients of various ages and kinds, including children with birth defects, young adults hurt in accidents, and elderly adults with aging-related issues, all benefit from plastic and reconstructive surgery. Here is a detailed summary of reconstructive and cosmetic surgery

Following are just a few of the numerous techniques used in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery:

Cosmetic surgery improves looks for non-medical purposes. These treatments focus on the physical characteristics that give you self-confidence and affirmation and may give you desired body image through the surgery. Here are a few of them:

• Facelift: A face-lift is a surgical cosmetic operation to give the face a youthful appearance. Skin sagging can be reduced by the technique.
• Brow/forehead lift: The brows can be raised cosmetically with a brow lift, also known as forehead lift or forehead rejuvenation.
• Chin, cheek, or jaw reshaping / facial implants: Plastic surgery to alter the look of the chin, cheek, or jaw is done to accentuate particular facial traits or to balance out an unbalanced facial feature.
• Cleft lip and cleft palate: A Cheiloplasty surgery is done to fix the baby's cleft lip by a plastic surgeon, often when the child is around three months old.
• Craniosynostosis (craniofacial anomaly): Craniosynostosis surgery is intended to treat an aberrant head shape and provide the developing brain the space it needs to develop correctly.
• Ear pinning: In order to make the ears appear less prominent, ear pinning surgery is performed.
• Ear reshaping: A surgical procedure to alter the size, location, or form of the ears is called otoplasty. It is commonly known as cosmetic ear surgery.
• Eyelid lift: Blepharoplasty surgery is used to remove extra skin from the eyelids.
• Hair replacement surgery: The purpose of surgical hair restoration is to restore or reconstruct the receding hairline and to fill up other visible hair loss regions on the scalp.
• Lip augmentation: Your lips will seem younger and fuller after lip augmentation. Some lip augmentation surgeries have reversible results.
• Nasal surgery: Blockages in the sinuses can be removed with endoscopic sinus surgery. Also, the symptoms of sinusitis and nasal polyps are treated by sinus surgery.
• Nose reshaping: A rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that modifies the nose's appearance. The purpose of rhinoplasty may be to alter the nose's appearance, enhance breathing, or both.
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery: Maxillofacial surgery is performed to treat conditions, wounds, and birth deformities affecting your face, jaw, or mouth
• Breast augmentation: If you believe your breasts to be little or that one is smaller than the other, and this affects how you dress or the sort of bra required to cope with the asymmetry, improve your look.
• Breast reconstruction: Breast reconstruction is performed to restore damaged or missing tissue and reshape the breasts. They could carry out this procedure in order to regain symmetry.
• Breast reduction in men with gynecomastia: Male breast reduction and reduction mammaplasty are other names for this procedure. It benefits those with gynecomastia (enlarged male breast tissue). This technique is chosen by people to get rid of extra fat and tissue in their breasts.
• Breast lift: The mastopexy treatment, often known as breast lift surgery, improves the size, shape, and contour of the breasts.
• Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck): A stomach tuck can improve the look of your belly by removing extra skin and fat and strengthening your abdominal wall.
• Body sculpting: Body contouring surgery enhances the body's overall attractiveness. This is accomplished by the surgeon by removing fat, tightening the skin, and altering various body parts.
• Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty): To fix impaired peripheral vision sight vision issues brought on by aging that significantly droop skin around the eyes especially in the top and outer regions of the visual field, blepharoplasty is done. Additionally, the procedure might give eyes a younger, more awake appearance.
• Liposuction: Liposuction is particularly successful in removing stubborn pockets of extra fat that other weight-loss strategies like dieting or exercise are unable to remove.
• Facial feminization surgery: One phase in the process of alleviating pain brought on by a discrepancy in gender identity and sex assigned at birth (gender dysphoria) may involve facial feminization surgery. Transgender women can use the tools to physically transition to their gender of affirmation.
• Facial masculinization surgery: For those who were assigned female gender at birth (AFAB) but identify as men, facial masculinization is a possibility.
• Female-to-male top surgery: Transgender males may have female-to-male (FTM) top surgery to give them a more masculine-looking chest. To produce a flat, natural-looking chest, the operation entails removing extra skin and fat and relocating the nipples.
• Feminizing genitoplasty: Feminizing genitoplasty is a form of surgery that can be used to remodel the genitals in sexual reassignment treatments or to address any congenital defects. A succession of operations may be necessary for feminizing genitoplasty.
• Phalloplasty: Surgery for masculinizing gender affirmation is known as phalloplasty. Creating the penis is one technique that may be included in the several stages of phalloplasty. lengthening the urethra to allow you to pee while standing.

It fixes birth abnormalities or trauma-related wounds and restores appearance and functionality.

• Bone grafting: In a surgical process called bone grafting, diseased or damaged bones are repaired and rebuilt using donated bone. You can choose a bone transplant to heal broken bones practically anywhere on your body. To conduct the transplant, your surgeon may use bone from your ribs, hips, or legs.
• Facial reconstruction: It is done to fix a congenital defect or remodel the face after an illness or accident. Alternatively, it can also be done to undo the effects of age, smooth out abnormalities in the face's shape, or make the features look in balance.
• Jaw reconstruction: Orthognathic surgery, sometimes referred to as jaw surgery, realigns the jaws and teeth to enhance function by correcting misalignments of the jaw bones. Your face look could also be improved by making these adjustments.
• Limb salvage: Children who have a malignant tumor in a long bone of their leg or arm may undergo limb-salvage surgery. By removing the portion of the bone where the tumor is located and some of the tissues that surround it, limb-salvage surgery helps to save the limb.
• Chase Hand & Upper Limb: Many different injuries and illnesses that affect the fingers, hand, wrist, or forearm can be treated with hand and upper extremity surgery. This surgery is frequently advised in cases when non-operative care is ineffective in relieving pain or enhancing range of motion, or when the ailment or damage is severe.
• Botox/filler injections (restylane, radiesse): Skin creases, wrinkles, and volume loss brought on by aging are treated using dermal fillers like Radiesse and Restylane.
• Chemical peel: Scars, discolored skin, and wrinkles are all often treated with chemical peels on the face. They can be carried out independently or with other cosmetic operations.
• Collagen/fat injectable fillers: Injections of collagen restore the skin's natural collagen.
• Dermabrasion/ dermaplaning: Dermaplaning removes the top layers of your skin in a less invasive manner. It can aid in lessening the visibility of skin pits or acne scars. Some people get undesirable hair removed via dermaplaning.
• Glycolic peels: Blackheads, whiteheads, and acne can be effectively removed from the skin using glycolic acid peels. It also aids in pore size reduction. Cystic lesions and acne scars on the skin can be effectively removed by using glycolic acid peels repeatedly and consistently.
• Laser peels: Face wrinkles, scars, and blemishes can be lessened by laser skin resurfacing, commonly referred to as a laser peel, laser vaporization, and lasabrasion.
• Scar revision: A surgery to change a scar's appearance is known as a scar revision. The repair may enhance the scar's aesthetic appeal, allow movement in a body region which has been restricted due to scar, or soothe an itchy scar.
• Tattoo removal: There are various ways to get rid of unwanted tattoos, including excision, dermabrasion, salabrasion, and laser therapy.
• Vein removal: Treatment options for varicose and spider veins include injections, surgery, and laser. Although it is uncommon, surgical vein stripping or removal may be advised in select cases to treat phlebitis or superficial venous thrombosis.

The fundamental goal and also an added advantage of plastic surgery is to enhance one's look. However, one of the many potential advantages of cosmetic surgery is not only enhancing looks but it also has reconstructive purpose and can benefits you in ways including;

• Enhanced self-confidence
• Improved physical health
• Enhanced mental health
• Enhanced quality of life

Repair and reconstruction of lost or damaged skin and tissue are accomplished through plastic surgery. The primary goal of Plastic surgery is to mimic as closely natural function and look for tissue and skin as feasible. This surgical speciality frequently deals with both enhancing a person's look and reconstructing face and body tissue deformities brought on by disease, trauma, or congenital defects.

Plastic surgery may be performed on any area of the body except the central nervous system, such as:

• Skin, including skin cancer, scars, burns, birthmarks, and tattoo removal
• Maxillofacial (the facial skeleton)
• Congenital anomalies, including deformed ears, cleft palate, and cleft lip

As plastic surgery includes both aesthetic (cosmetic) and reconstructive operations, here are some of the crucial reasons why a plastic surgery can be necessarily done;

• Trauma
• Infection
• Developmental abnormalities
• Congenital (present at birth) anomalies
• Disease
• Tumors

Although plastic surgery can also be done to fix, remodel or enhance the appearance and function of healthy body parts. This kind of surgery is known as aesthetic plastic surgery and is done for cosmetic purposes.

Surgery of any kind involves some risk. During plastic surgery, areas of your body that are generally healthy might undergo dramatic modifications as a result you can experience some issues during or after your surgery. Complications are possible depending on a number of variables. They include the type of operation, your medical history, and lifestyle choices like smoking.

Depending on the procedure you undergo and your general health, there may be a number of risks and consequences with both cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, such as:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Unnatural scarring due to skin breakdown
• Fluid build-up or edema under the skin
• Incisions and wounds that heal slowly or take longer than expected
• Issues with anesthesia
• Numbness and tingling due to nerve damage
• Connective-tissue damage
• Risk of skin damage from radiation therapy
• Surgical issues.

What to eat before Plastic Surgery

• Maintain a healthy diet and weight starting 2-4 weeks prior to surgery
• In the days leading up to surgery, eat soft foods and stay away from heavy meals. After surgery, keep soft, mild foods like soups on hand
• No drink or food, generally after midnight before your procedure as you run the risk of aspirating from anesthesia if you eat or drink
• Stay well-hydrated before and after surgery
• Dietary supplements must be stopped

Medication

• Contraception medicines should be stopped however in case of normal weight patients with no medical problems it is not required
• Hormone cream or hormone supplements
• Stop any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that might result in bleeding ten days before the surgery
• Herbal supplements that are not necessary
• Stop taking blood thinners for at least one week prior to surgery and one week following it

Avoid using drugs and alcohol

• Drugs and alcohol: Both can dangerously and unpredictably with anesthetic and post-operative medications
• Cigarettes: Smoking has negative effects on the lungs and respiration after surgery while also reducing circulation and oxygen supply to the skin
• Electronic cigarettes: A lot of electronic cigarettes and vapor cigarettes include nicotine, which narrows blood vessels and postpones recovery

Personal hygiene and what to wear

• Take a shower the night before and morning of surgery using an antibacterial soap
• Some patients may be provided special antibacterial scrubs for intertriginous areas (folds of skin) or for their hair for treatment of the scalp
• Remove any piercings and jewelry before arriving at the operation center as these can increases the risk of burns during surgery employing thermal equipment
• Wear loose comfortable clothing
• Women should avoid shaving or waxing close to surgical sites the night before or the morning of surgery as this can increase the risk of bacterial colonization. Instead, do it 4-7 days before having surgery

Get some rest before surgery

• Enjoy a good slumber as the next few days after the surgery are going to be tough for you. You may be required to sleep in a certain position due to the surgery. Also, post surgery you can feel worse if you haven’t had a sound sleep

Multiple operations carried out over various phases may be needed for both cosmetic or reconstructive plastic surgery.

• You'll probably be required to sign a consent form
• Pre-surgery photos of the site will be taken that may be used as a reference by the surgeon throughout the surgery
• You'll be administered a general or a local anesthesia, depending upon the size and location of the area to be operated under the supervision of an anesthesiologist/nurse anesthetist team
• If the procedure requires skin graft, it will typically be held in place using sutures, staples, clips or special glue
• A sterile dressing will be applied to the area until it connects with the surrounding blood supply, which typically takes 5 to 7 days
• A dressing will also be placed over the the donor site to help protect it from any infection
• The donor area of partial thickness skin grafts usually takes about 2 weeks to heal
• For full thickness skin grafts, the donor area only takes about 5 to 10 days to heal, because it's usually quite small and closed with stitches
• The final colour may be slightly different from the surrounding skin, and the area may be slightly indented.

Endoscopic Procedures
An endoscope, a tubular probe with a tiny camera and a bright light, is inserted into a small incision to perform endoscopic surgery. The surgeon operates the endoscope within the body while seeing images on a screen that the camera sends back to him. The endoscope is a tool that the surgeon uses during operations. The real surgical instruments are introduced through several incisions (s).

Flap Surgery
In flap surgery, healthy, living tissue is moved from one part of the body to another, frequently to locations where skin, fat, muscle mobility, and/or skeletal support have been lost. It can be applied to a number of conditions, including breast reconstruction, open fractures, significant wounds, and, in exceptional circumstances, the treatment of cleft lip and palate.Depending on where the flap is located and the structures that need to be repaired, a variety of flap surgery techniques may be used. The following types are among them:

• Local flap - The skin is joined at one end of the local flap, which is adjacent to the wound, preserving the blood flow
• Regional flap - Utilizes a portion of tissue that is linked by a particular blood artery
• Bone/soft tissue flap -This type of flap is typically utilized when bone and the overlying skin are moved to a new site
• Muscle and skin flaps - Also known as musculocutaneous flaps, they are frequently utilized when the region to be covered needs additional mass and a better blood supply. After a mastectomy, this kind of flap is frequently used to rebuild the breast
• Microvascular free flap - This procedure involves removing and reattaching blood vessels and skin from one area of the body to another. The blood vessels are attached through microsurgery

Skin Graft
To replace skin that has been lost or damaged, a skin graft may be used. In order to restore the appearance and/or functionality of another area of the same body, this surgical procedure entails removing healthy sections of skin from one part of the body. The donor location is where the skin is extracted from. There are three main forms of skin grafts that may be employed, depending upon the size and location of desired skin. Among them are the following:

Split-thickness skin graft

• Commonly used to treat burn wounds
• Uses only the layers of skin closest to the surface
• Donor location site will be selected based on size, type, and pigment of skin required

Full-thickness skin graft

• Utilized to treat large, deep wounds or scars
• Used when the skin has to be as elastic as possible
• Utilizes all layers of the donor site's skin, not just the top layer

Composite skin graft

• Provides the most underlying support to the treated skin
• Involves lifting all layers of skin, fat, and possibly the underlying cartilage from the donor location

Laser therapy
Lasers are frequently used in cosmetic surgery to minimize scarring, bruising, and bleeding. Depending on the goal and location of the procedure, one may choose from a wide variety of laser techniques. To find out if laser surgery is right for you and which kind, consult your doctor or surgeon.

Tissue Expansion
An expander, which resembles a balloon, is inserted beneath the skin during a tissue expansion surgery. The skin is then stretched and expanded by the expander by slowly secreting liquid into the damaged area. This accomplishes the goal of 'growing' additional skin to replace or repair nearby lost or damaged skin.

It may take up to 3 or 4 months for the skin to grow adequately if a significant portion of the skin is damaged. The expander will cause a skin bulge during this time.

A second procedure is required to remove the expander and reposition the new tissue when the skin has properly expanded.

By using this method, the skin restoration will match the surrounding skin in terms of color and texture.Because the blood supply to the skin is still intact, there is also a decreased risk of the repair failing.

• Post-operative instructions will be given to you by medical staff based on your treatment
• Medication guidelines and prescriptions, including those for painkillers and antibiotics
• A number to call if you have inquiries.

The price of plastic surgery varies from hospital to hospital or from treating doctor to doctor. However, depending on the complication and infrastructure, the typical cost of plastic surgery in India starts from Rs. 30,000 and can go up to Rs. 2,50,000. The average cost of Laparoscopic surgery in India is Rs. 1,55,000.

• If a drain was installed, its output should be monitored and emptied three to four times daily. In order to function, drains must be compressed
• Your drains will be removed during your post-op checkup
• You should anticipate some soreness following surgery. Use your painkillers as directed
• Make sure you take antibiotics that your doctor has recommended. Do not skip any tablets, and complete the whole course
• For 10 days after your operation, avoid any blood thinning medication.

• Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Choose from lean fish and organic meats
• Eggs
• Seeds and nuts
• Quinoa

As plastic surgery is performed under local or general anesthesia meaning either the patient will be awake but won’t feel any pain in the area where the sedative has been given or the patient will slip into deep slumber and won’t experience anything during the procedure due to general anesthesia.

Although recovery time for plastic surgery varies depending on the patient and the type of operation being performed, a minimum of six to twelve weeks is usual for many minimally invasive plastic surgeries. Recovery from surgeries such as a stomach tuck, might take many weeks or months. Within a few weeks, some patients experience the full advantages of their operation and are pain-free. It might take up to a year for swelling to go down after complex treatments like face feminization surgery.

Whereas in some cases, depending on the type of treatment performed, total recovery after plastic surgery might take anywhere between 6 months and 4 years.

Patients who have undergone some difficult procedures are also obliged to attend certain psychological therapy sessions. This is due to the fact that these procedures result in significant physical changes that take time for the patient to come to terms with emotionally.

Additional therapies could occasionally be necessary for your recovery. You may require:

• Physical therapy to recover range of motion or reduce stiffness
• Speech and swallowing treatment to overcome difficulties speaking and swallowing
• Occupational therapy to aid you relearn how to conduct daily tasks like getting dressed

• Decreased circulation at the surgery site
• Contracting infections like HIV, hepatitis
• Impaired immune system
• Have poor nutritional habits

• The first week of your recovery will require a lot of rest. No strenuous activities than just strolling around the house
• While using painkillers, avoid operating heavy machinery or driving
• Follow your doctor's instructions and use the dressings provided for compression
• Follow your doctor's instructions and apply ice or cold compresses on the sore area. Also replace your ice pack periodically. Your swelling and discomfort can be lessened by keeping the region cold, especially in the first 48 hours.
• Follow your doctor's advice when it comes to showering and changing your clothes
• Don't smoke. Even exposure to passive smoking might hinder your ability to recover
• Don’t drink as it can interfere with your medication
• Drink plenty of water

Plastic surgery has the potential to significantly improve the sense of well-being and quality of life for patients with varied requirements. Today, almost every part of the human anatomy may be altered and improved in appearance and function using a wide range of major and minor procedures.