Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery are two types of plastic surgery procedures. Reconstructive surgery aims to restore function and appearance damaged by injuries, burns, diseases or birth defects using techniques like skin grafts, tissue expansion, and flap surgery. In contrast, cosmetic surgery is primarily performed to enhance appearance and self-esteem through elective procedures like rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and liposuction. Both procedures utilize techniques such as implants, fat grafting, and tissue removal to achieve their goals.
2. Reconstructive Surgery
Purpose: Reconstructive surgery aims to
restore the function and appearance of
body parts that have been damaged or
congenital deformities ,injuries , burns
or diseases.
Burns: reconstructive surgery for burns
involves techniques like skin graft ,
tissue expansion & scar revision to
improve functionality and appearance.
3. Skin graft : skin graft is a surgical
procedure in which a piece of skin
is transplanted from one area to
another. often skin will be taken
from unaffected areas on the
injured person and used to cover a
defect, often a burn
Tissue expansion : it is a procedure
that enables the body to grow
extra skin by stretching
surrounding tissue.
A balloon like device called
expander is inserted under the
skin near the area to be repaired
,and is then gradually filled with
salt water ,causing the skin to
stretch and grow.
4. Congenital deformities: this surgery
corrects birth defects such as cleft lip
& palate ,hand deformities,&
craniofacial anomalies .
Cleft lip & palate hand deformities carniofacialanomalies
5. Injuries : reconstructive surgery can
repair traumatic injuries , such as facial
fracture or hand injuries to restore
normal function and appearance .
Techniques : surgeons use various
techniques including flap surgery ,
microsurgery & tissue transfer to
reconstruct affected areas.
6. Cosmetic Surgery
Purpose: cosmetic surgery is primarily
performed to enhance a person’s
appearance and self- esteem. It’s
elective and focuses on aesthetic
improvements rather than medical
necessity.
8. • Gender Reassignment : cosmetic surgery
is often a part of gender reassignment
surgery (gender –affirming surgery) which
help individual transition to their identified
gender . For transgender individual ,this
may involve breast or chest surgery ,
facial feminization or masculinization
surgery , genital reconstruction & more.
• Techniques: surgeons use various
techniques, such as implants ,fat grafting
& tissue removal ,to achieve desired
cosmetic result .