What is plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery?
Plastic surgery covers both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Historically necessary because of the World Wars (starting with WW1), reconstructive surgery – covered by Social Security – aims to rebuild and improve the appearance of the body following a congenital malformation, an accident or a surgical operation. Cosmetic surgery stems from reconstructive surgery, and is only reimbursed by Social Security in exceptional cases. Cosmetic surgery is performed on patients who wish to improve – at their own discretion – their physical appearance to feel better about themselves.
Why turn to plastic, reconstructive or cosmetic surgery?
The purpose of reconstructive surgery is to restore integrity to the body and face, so that a person can physically and morally build themselves back up following traumas such as burns, bites or accidents. This type of surgery is also performed to correct malformations such as harelips in children, or excessively large breasts. Reconstructive surgery is also used to rebuild a body damaged by a surgical procedure, such as the fitting of breast prostheses after breast removal (mastectomy). On the rise in a society where appearance is everything, cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, aims to restore self-esteem. Whether it be a slimmer and shapelier silhouette, abdominal or thigh liposuction, nose correction (rhinoplasty), facelifts or intimate surgery, everyone has their own individual reason for turning to cosmetic surgery.
How to choose a plastic surgeon
The best way of choosing a plastic surgeon – who must necessarily be recognised by the National Order of Physicians – is on the advice of health and beauty professionals. In addition, a plastic surgeon may not always be willing to comply with patient requests and how honest they are in this respect is often a guarantee of reliability, as is price transparency for cosmetic procedures (be wary of prices that are too low, given the in-built costs). In any case, a plastic surgeon must gain the trust of the patient on which he or she will operate.
What are the risks of cosmetic surgery ?
While cosmetic surgery is nowadays very effective, the operations it requires, like any surgical procedure, involve risks of which the patient must be informed. These procedures require local, or more often, general anaesthesia, the risks of which are outlined by the anaesthesiologist during the pre-anaesthetic assessment. The surgeon must also ensure the prevention and elimination of risks of infection or haemorrhage. In addition, some patients heal faster than others, although hypertrophic scaring (excess tissue) usually flattens after a few months. Breast prostheses and implants can cause allergies, displacement or induration that must be treated. Cosmetic surgery can also pose psychological risks: transforming the body should not be taken lightly, and the results can be disappointing compared to the dream. Patients should also be aware of the temptation to undergo multiple procedures to feel better about themselves, since the risks are non-negligible.