Medicosnext
Fascinated with the word plastic surgery, people still approach for consultation to the plastic surgeon for the treatment of their ailments, but without properly understanding what it actually means. They simply utter the word “plastic surgery needs to be done” when questioned why they have come for visit. Influenced by the media, and driven by the movies, people still take plastic surgery as a magical procedure, where problems are cured instantly without leaving any scar and can transform to any shape, size, and feature. While a few still believe that maybe some kind of plastic material is being used to scar-lessly transform them!
concept and this virtual image of plastic surgery needs to be changed, and the aim of this article is merely an attempt to change this blindly followed wrong perception, so that people could update their concepts regarding it.
Plastic surgery is actually a term that has been derived from the Greek word “plastikos”, which means, “to mould or to form”, and is a surgical procedure done by running the surgical blade to cut and sutures to sew it like any operation that one has heard of or seen. So definitely, when there is a cut made, it heals with the formation of a scar. The only difference is that, plastic surgeons are like the magicians who love to trick with the scar. Either they are placed in such areas where it is totally hidden or difficult to find out, or placed in such a way that it lies in the natural creases and is really difficult for one to differentiate it, but there actually will be a scar.
So, the very first thing that one has to bear in mind is that, like any operation that they have to undergo, with plastic surgery also, there will be a scar formed in their body, but will be difficult for others to easily point out as with other surgical procedures.
The second thing that needs to be understood is that, plastic surgery is not any kind of magical transformation, where in the blink of an eye the transformation will occur. It is a procedure, thus one has to pass every step of it. It needs even more understanding and patience, as it does require time for the transformation to occur and to be noticed. It is also associated with complications that can occur to anyone.
Plastic surgery is a field that comprises of reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery deals with any kind of procedure taken to heal the difficult in healing or non-healing wounds. No matter whether the wound is an acute, a chronic or a burn, measures are taken to cover them in order for faster healing, and with fewer complications. Either with the graft or flap, the defect is covered, so that one can go back to his/her normal life quickly and healthily.
Graft means taking out any part of the body and then modifying it as per the need and then placing on the site where it is needed, so that both the donor from which the tissue has been taken and the recipient site where the tissue has been transferred heal without any functional loss at the donor site and functioning recipient site. Flap means raising the same kind of tissue, but without interruption of its blood supply, to cover the defect. So, this means there will be a resultant scar formation both at the donor and the recipient sites, but he/she will be able to join his/her normal lifestyle sooner and with minimal complications, and most probably by avoiding the worst consequences that he/she could have faced if there had been no intervention. Sacrifices and compromises are needed, and when one’s life is at stake, the scar is far better than losing a precious life is what not only I, but almost every intellect, will advise to opt for.
Burn wounds, either with heat or cold, leads not just to bear the excruciating pain, but ending up with devastating circumstances. And, these preventable circumstances are meticulously dealt by reconstructive surgeons by treating them in time, so as to prevent from further complications. Acute burn wounds can be prevented from happening, which is termed as primordial prevention, and if it accidentally occurs, then you can do the primary treatment at the incident site, like by taking away the heated objects away from the body, including the clothes, and then pouring normal tap water at the burnt site for half an hour and avoiding placing any kind of paste or jargons that have been in practice and been carried out from generation to generation. This act will cut down the burning process, and this is called primary prevention. After that, it would be better to visit the plastic surgeons or health personnel, who have knowledge of burn wound management.
Proper treatment will not just help to heal the wound, but also prevent further consequences to occur. This is called secondary prevention. If all these preventive measures had not been taken, or the treatment had failed due to improperness or incompleteness, then one will end with a deformed and disabled life, as the wound will start to contract, which limits the range of movement. Thus, to bring back to almost normal life, multiple operations might be needed to release those contractures, and this is called tertiary prevention. These days, we see a lot of news where patients are being treated by quacks or unqualified personnel. So, one can easily guess what the result will be with such person’s advice or treatment. Thus, consulting with a properly trained person is what we call quaternary prevention. An attitude to accept or gain proper knowledge is thus the most-required factor that one must have for implementing the correct treatment and cutting down the dreaded consequences.
Aesthetic Surgery
Aesthetic surgery, commonly known as cosmetic surgery, deals with beautifying the self. Whether deformed or disliked, one can be modified in one or another way to appear better and more attractive. Shape can be changed, size can either be enlarged or reduced, and features could be added or removed for sculpting a better form of a single part, or even the entire body. But, the main thing that one needs to be crystal clear about in their mind is that, all this is done through a surgical procedure, and no procedure is perfect, or say, complication-less. The target for the transformation will always be kept a step ahead than that being anticipated by the service-seeker, so that even if there is lesser level outcome, it will be of match to the seeker’s level. No matter what the result comes, the most important part of any procedure is self-satisfaction. Thus, a proper study of the subject, followed by thorough counselling by the surgeon before undergoing any surgical step, remains the mainstay of the satisfied solution to any ailments. It is not just the responsibility of the service providers, but even the seekers must have the attitude to understand and implement all the steps required to be performed before and after the procedure, so that the anticipated results could be achieved.
Cosmetic surgery is like a two-edged sword, which needs to be handled carefully and in a balanced manner, or else will lead to consequences one has not even imagined A procedure can go wrong, which either could be corrected with a re-do operation, or in worst scenario, end up with more deformed shape and features. So, the details of what to do and what not to do should always be sought and understood before undergoing any of the procedure. This might bring fear on the first hand, but understanding every aspect will help one to avoid the circumstances that will lead to the dreaded complications.
From the head to the toe, externally visualized and internally hidden, every part of the body can be modified. But, the most common procedures being done and sought are:
• Hair transplantation to restore lost hair
• Blepharoplasty of upper and lower eyelid to give the double eyelid appearance, along with bringing out a youthful look
• Rhinoplasty, dealing with the shape and size of the nose
• Otoplasty, to create a new ear in whom it is congenitally absent or accidentally deformed
• Facelift, to remove drooling skin from the aged face to bring back a tight and shiny face
• Breast augmentation, commonly known as “boob job”, to increase the size of the breast, either by using silicone gel/saline-filled breast implants, or fat transfer
• Breast reduction to decrease the size of the breast
• Liposuction to remove the extra fats from the body
• Vaginoplasty to reduce the size of the vagina
• Labiaplasty, to remove the extra pendulous skin at the sides of the vagina
• Skin rejuvenation techniques with newly developed technique known as nano-fat transfer, where the autologous fat is transferred after processing, so that the stem cells on it could bring the desired changes.
Definitely, the saying, “prevention is better than cure”, can never be challenged, and should never be. So, the primary focus should always be to avoid any circumstances that are going to lead to the need for the cure, but if it is to be sought, then consulting proper personnel must be the priority. An illusion that has been carried out from generation to generation, that plastic surgery is a scar-less and magical overnight-transforming procedure, must be discarded to accept it as a procedure done by highly specialized trained personnel who love to disguise or hide the scar so meticulously that it remains unnoticed until and unless being pointed by the bearer.
