Plastic Surgery Fresno CA

Plastic surgery is a method used by many individuals to repair something on their body that they are not happy with. Today, plastic surgery is an incredibly popular way to make changes to one’s body and the plastic surgery field is thriving. Plastic surgery is performed by a qualified surgeon and there are a number of different procedures that a patient can have. Some patients have plastic surgery to diminish the signs of aging; other patients have plastic surgery to improve or augment their body, and still other patients have plastic surgery to repair natural defects from birth or bodily defects that are the result of an injury.

Plastic surgery has absolutely nothing to do with plastic. While many people believe that the term “plastic” is representative of the “prosthesis,” in actually, the origin of the term plastic surgery comes from a far different source. Instead, the term “plastic” is derived from the word plastikos, a Greek word which means “to mold” or “to form.” Since plastic surgery involves the act of reshaping or molding various body parts the term is completely appropriate. There are many different forms of plastic surgery and plastic surgery is performed to repair certain bodily defects as well as to improve one’s appearance.

Liposuction to tummy tucks and everything in between fall under the category of plastic surgery. Some procedures are meant to reconstruct selected areas while others are merely meant to improve or augment the area in question. People of all ages, young and old have plastic surgery for whatever reason they desire. Some children have plastic surgery to repair birth defects or defects from injuries received, while many adults have plastic surgery because they wish to improve how they look.

Plastic surgery techniques are advancing in leaps and bounds. Today, plastic surgery is safer than it has ever been. While there are different risks associated with various procedures, the risks are effectively minimized with careful planning and treatment. A plastic surgeon will ensure that the patient is in a state of health before performing the procedure and they will also carefully review any risks associated with the plastic surgery in question, long before the plastic surgery procedure occurs.

There are two types of plastic surgery that exist: cosmetic and reconstructive, and each form of plastic surgery is approached and endured by patients for different reasons. The reasons why patients opt for plastic surgery are as unique as the patient is. Cosmetic surgery involves procedures that refashion existing body parts to look better in appearance. For example, a breast lift, breast implants (if needed only for cosmetic purposes) eye lifts, face lifts, tummy tucks, arm lifts, and thigh lifts are all considered cosmetic surgery. Such procedures are undergone because the patient has a desire to improve the appearance of their body and the surgery is elective. Adults that have ear surgery or “ear tucks” are also taking on an elective procedure to improve their overall appearance.

In contrast, reconstructive plastic surgery involves “rebuilding the body.” In other words, the area is not being augmented, but repaired. For example, if a woman has breast cancer and then has her breasts removed because of the disease, she can have her breasts reconstructed via plastic surgery. While seemingly elective in nature, such a surgery is required to get the patient back to their original physical state. Other forms of reconstructive plastic surgery are used to repair birth defects, and the like. Ear surgery in children is not considered elective in some instances.

The distinction as to whether or not plastic surgery is elective or not is an important one: in most cases, elective procedures are deemed cosmetic and not needed to maintain health. Consequently, insurance policies will not cover the costs associated with the plastic surgery. In contrast, some medical insurance policies will cover the cost of necessary plastic surgery or reconstructive surgery. A qualified surgeon can help a patient understand whether or not the plastic surgery under consideration is an elective surgery or a “necessary” procedure. When in doubt, the patient should talk to their insurance carrier to determine if the plastic surgery procedure is elective or if it will be covered by their medical insurance policy.

There is a variety of plastic surgery procedures that individuals can elect to have cosmetic plastic surgery includes abdominoplasty, blepharoplasty, brachioplasty, breast enlargement, lift or reduction; body contouring, buttock implants, calf implants, chemical peeling, chest implants for males; dermabrasion, face-lifts, facial implants, forehead lifts, liposuction, neck lifts, Octoplasty, Rhinoplasty, and thigh lifts. Abdominoplasty is commonly referred to as a tummy tuck; blepharoplasty is “eyelid lifting”; brachioplasty is cosmetic surgery involving the arms; Octoplasty is a common form of ear augmentation, and a Rhinoplasty is typically referred to as a nose job.

Reconstructive procedures are often more extensive than cosmetic plastic surgery. Reconstructive plastic surgery includes procedures like breast restoration, burn treatment, reconstruction needed for areas damaged from diseases like cancer, craniofacial reconstruction, facial and scar revision, and tissue expansion. Meanwhile, there exists a number of reconstructive options for pediatric patients. Pediatric forms of plastic surgery include the removal of birth marks and hemangioma (port wine, dark birth marks), the repair of cleft lip and palate, craniofacial procedures, and plastic surgery to repair vascular malformations.

It is not always easy to classify a plastic surgery procedure as either cosmetic or reconstructive. In fact, some cosmetic procedures can be considered necessary for the patient. For instance, if a patient is getting an eyelid lift to improve the appearance of aging then the surgery is considered cosmetic, but if the eyelid lift is performed because the patient’s eyelid is dropping, it can be considered reconstructive. Thus, the procedure falls appropriately under both the constructive and reconstructive plastic surgery categories and must be defined by the individual’s case.