What Is The Difference Between Plastic Surgery And Reconstructive Surgery?

Both cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries come under the category of plastic surgery and their aims and goals are almost the same. But there is a big difference. While cosmetic surgery aims at beautifying the person and making the features or body parts perfect, reconstructive surgery is done on an abnormal part of the body which may be caused by birth defects, injury, developmental problems, infection, disease or tumors.

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It is estimated that there are more than a million reconstructive surgeries performed every year. Patients of all ages, males and females approach doctors for reconstructive surgery. Reconstructive surgery improves the performance of body parts and it may also be done to make a body part as normal as possible if there is any defect. Cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, is done to reshape the normal structures of the body to improve his appearance, looks and enhance his self-esteem.

In the last decade or so, plastic surgery techniques have been perfected and polished so much that the end result is appreciated by almost all patients who undergo it. There are two types of patients who opt for reconstructive surgery. One belongs to those people who are born with the defect. Thus a cleft lip would come under this category. Without a corrective operation the child will have difficulty in eating normally or breathing properly. As it also improves the child’s appearance it is also a cosmetic surgery.

Reconstructive surgery benefits
Some common birth defects are hand deformities (webbed fingers or syndictly), extra or absent fingers etc. Some have deformities, which need to be reconstructed in cases of accidents, injury, ageing, disease and infection. Sometimes cosmetic surgery is also reconstructive surgery. When ageing causes drooping eyelids, plastic surgery may cure it. On the surface it may appear to be a cosmetic surgery but it is also reconstructive as the patient will not be able to see properly because of the drooping eyelids and only surgery can cure it. A person having a paralytic attack may have asymmetry of the face. Cosmetic surgery to improve the looks will also be reconstructive surgery as the main goal is to restore the function of the face.

Non invasive plastic surgery procedures
Large breasts or small ones, feminine breasts in young males may make the patient undergo plastic surgery. These procedures are both reconstructive in nature and also cosmetic. Hence both cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries are parallel and only the way of laying out the problem makes it one or the other.