You might have realized that plastic surgery has become a popular term in the past two decades. However, the term is often misjudged and misunderstood. The availability of Plastic surgery Dubai options and the number of individuals undergoing it have increased by leaps and bounds.
It has become a practice that influential people, especially celebrities, undergo these procedures often. This has added to the publicity and popularity of the procedure. There is a lot of speculation about what exactly ‘plastic surgery’ means.
Most people think that reconstructive surgery consists of surgeries that celebrities and film artists undergo to retain their youthful appearance. Even though the terms are closely related, there is a fine difference between Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery.
What is Plastic Surgery Dubai?
The term Plastic surgery has been derived from the Greek word plastic ‘plastikos’ meaning ‘to mould’. Plastic surgeons perform procedures or surgeries to restore the function and appearance of various human body parts.
Plastic surgery Dubai can be of two kinds – firstly, reconstructive surgery and secondly, aesthetic or cosmetic surgery.
Reconstructive Surgery
Reconstructive plastic surgery is all about restoring the lost function of any of the body parts. It could be due to an accident, burn, cancer, injury, or birth defects. Whereas aesthetic or cosmetic surgery improves or enhances your appearance.
Reconstructive surgery procedures can often be done on all parts of your body, including your hair or your feet. If you are interested to know more about reconstructive surgery, you can visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons website.
Reconstructive surgery is done to set right the defects in your body, primarily to reconstruct the body part so that you get a natural appearance. The surgery also helps restore the normal functioning of your body part that is being treated upon. It is a surgical procedure that involves reconstructing your body and facial flaws caused due to disease, burns, birth, and trauma.
Your board-certified plastic surgeon Dubai – can repair and reconstruct your missing or damaged skin and tissue.
The main aim of plastic surgery is to restore the proper function of your tissues and the skin. Remember that improving the appearance of your body parts is a vital but secondary aim of a plastic surgeon.
Aesthetic Surgery
Plastic surgery is different from cosmetic surgery in terms of its goals. Cosmetic surgery is surgery carried out solely to change your appearance in order to achieve what they feel is a more desirable look.
Some Plastic Surgery Procedures
- Burn repair surgery
- Hand surgery
- Reconstruction of breasts (also involves reduction and enhancement)
- Repair of congenital defects, including repair and reconstruction of cleft palate and repair of extremity defects.
- Scar revision surgery
- Reconstruction of lower extremities.
What is Cosmetic Surgery?
The primary goal of the cosmetic surgeon is to enhance your appearance aesthetically. Hence the procedures, techniques, and principles used to focus entirely on this outcome. Cosmetic surgery aims to improve the aesthetic appeal, proportion, and symmetry of your affected body part.
Your surgeon can perform cosmetic surgery procedures on any area of your body, including your neck and head. Your plastic surgeon can perform cosmetic surgery.
Procedures related to cosmetic surgery include:
- Body contouring – includes a tummy tuck, liposuction, and gynecomastia treatment.
- Breast enhancement – Reduction, lifting, and enlargement.
- Facial contouring – Like cheek enhancement, rhinoplasty, and chin.
- Facial rejuvenation – Eyelid lift (eyelid surgery), face lift, neck lift, and brow lift.
- Skin rejuvenation – Filler, Botox treatment, and laser resurfacing.
Difference Between Plastic Surgery Dubai and Cosmetic Surgery
Both cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures can improve your body parts. But the overall philosophies that typically guide their training, goals, and research involved for patients’ results – are quite different. Both of these areas of treatment have specific goals that carry out a distinct set of treatments.
Cosmetic surgery, as you know, is a unique medical discipline mainly focusing on enhancing the appearance of your face and body parts through surgical techniques. This surgeon can perform this surgery on all areas, be it your body, neck, and even your head.
Remember that cosmetic surgery is solely elective as the procedure will increase your aesthetic appeal but has nothing to do with the functioning of the body part.
On the other hand, plastic surgery is the process of reconstruction of your bodily and facial defects. Birth disorders, accidents, burns, trauma, and disease might have caused these defects. In layman’s terms, this surgery intends to correct those dysfunctional areas of your body. Hence the name – reconstructive surgery.
Why Do Teens and Adults Get Plastic Surgery?
More and more teens or adults are opting for this surgery to look better. According to the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), teens view reconstructive surgery as a way to look acceptable among their peers and friends. In contrast, adults often see reconstructive surgery as a way to stand out from the crowd.
Surprisingly, According to the ASPS, more than 200,000 people under 19 years have had either minor or major plastic surgical procedures in one year. Such a vast figure clearly shows that individuals are opting for this procedure at a very young age.
Reconstructive Surgery for a Physical Defect
Many turn to reconstructive surgery to correct a physical defect or to alter any part of the body that makes them feel uncomfortable. For example, boys with gynecomastia with excess breast tissue often opt for reconstructive surgery.
These excess tissues do not generally go away with time or with any weight loss programs. Surgery can only remove them. In addition, boys or girls with birthmarks may also turn to laser treatment to lessen their appearance.
Other people turn to plastic surgeons when they want a cosmetic change because they are unhappy about their appearance. Few such procedures include – dermabrasion (a procedure that can help smooth severe acne scars) or otoplasty (surgery to pin back ears that stick out). These procedures make them feel more comfortable with their appearance.
Few common procedures popular among teens and young adults include nose reshaping, ear surgery, acne scar treatment, breast reduction, and breast augmentation.
Is Plastic Surgery the Right Choice?
As you might be aware, reconstructive surgery will help repair significant problems or defects. But what about having surgery only to change your appearance? Like everything else, there are right and wrong reasons to have the surgery done.
You need to understand that surgery for cosmetic purposes is unlikely to change your life drastically. Trained surgeons will spend a lot of time interviewing others to determine if they are a good candidate for the surgery. Doctors also ensure that teens are emotionally mature to opt for the right reasons and handle the surgery.
Most of the reconstructive surgery procedures are just that – surgery. These primarily involve anesthesia, then the procedure, and finally wound healing. Surgeons who perform these surgeries ensure that the patients can understand and handle the stress of surgery.
You need to note that your surgical specialty might not perform specific procedures like rhinoplasty on a teen until they are old enough and have finished growing. If you are above 16 years only then can you opt for rhinoplasty procedure.
The main aim of these surgeries is to reconstruct your body part. The treatment also tries to enable any dysfunctional body parts to function in their normal and natural mode.
The saline implant procedure has been only approved for women above 18 years. Consequently, girls interested in breast enlargement for cosmetic reasons should be above 18 years.
When to use Plastic Surgery Dubai
Plastic surgery can repair the following conditions:
- In case of the removal of cancerous tissue damaged body parts. It could be in the area like the breast or face.
- The treatment can help remove abnormalities from birth, webbed fingers, like cleft lip and palate, and birthmarks.
- In case of serious injuries and extensive burns.
- Plastic surgery can help improve your confidence, self-esteem, and overall quality of life.
Plastic Surgery Techniques
The techniques commonly in use during reconstructive surgery are:
1 Tissue expansion
The stretching of the surrounding tissue takes place, which enables your body to “grow” extra skin. The extra skin then helps in the reconstruction of the nearby areas.
2 Skin grafting
In this method, your surgeon will remove healthy skin from an unaffected area of your body and will use it to replace damaged or lost skin.
3 Skin flap surgery
As a part of this surgery, a piece of tissue from one part of your body is transferred to another. This surgery is performed along with the blood vessels that keep it alive. During this procedure, the healthy tissue usually remains partially attached to your body. Consequently, it is also referred as flap surgery.
Besides these, there are other techniques. Plastic surgeons can also use these methods during their treatment:
4 Fat transfer or grafting
This method involve removal of fat tissues from one part of your body and inserted in another area. The procedure can successfully correct unevenness.
5 Vacuum closure
This method involves the application of suction to a wound through a sterile piece of foam. This helps to draw out the fluid and encourages healing.
6 Prosthetic devices
This procedure involves the usage of artificial limbs.
Risks of Plastic Surgery
Like any surgery, there are some risks associated with reconstructive surgery. The degree of risk might depend on the size of the affected area. Other factors could include your surgeon’s level of experience and your overall health.
Some of these procedures do carry specific risks, but common risks include discomfort and pain, infection, bleeding, and in some cases, even scarring. You should immediately contact your surgeon if you have any concerns after surgery, like unexpected pain, swelling, discharge, or other side effects.