Cosmetic surgery aims to change your appearance by altering parts of your body that function normally but make you unhappy. This differs from reconstructive surgery, which can restore appearance and function of body parts affected by congenital defects, injuries and diseases such as cancer.Reconstructive surgery is the correction of congenital, traumatic and post surgical deformities as well as skin cancer reconstruction. According to a recent survey conducted by the AAFPRS, the most common facial plastic and reconstructive surgery for women is chemical peels.
In 2005, about half (48%) of all minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed on patients between the ages of 35 and 50. However, the greatest growth from 2000 to 2005 occurred among patients between the ages of 51 to 64, where there was an 85% increase in procedures performed.
Reconstructive surgery is typically performed to improve a noticeable scar, skin condition, or malformed body part caused by injury, surgery, disease, or a birth defect. These conditions can have a strong impact on your day-to-day life, affecting social, employment, and recreational opportunities as well as your self-esteem.
Reconstructive procedures correct defects on the face or body. These include physical birth defects like cleft lips and palates and ear deformities, traumatic injuries like those from dog bites or burns, or the aftermath of disease treatments like rebuilding a woman's breast after surgery for breast cancer. Common reconstructive surgerical procedures are: breast reconstruction for women who have had a mastectomy, cleft lip and palate surgery, contracture surgery for burn survivors, and closing skin and mucosa defects after removal of tumors in the head and neck region.
Most commonly, implant breast reconstruction is carried out in two stages. The first stage consists of placement of a device called a " tissue expander." An expander is a silicone-walled pouch that resembles an empty balloon with a small valve in its front wall. This valve allows the surgeon to fill the implant with saline in the weeks following this initial operation. During the second stage, the tissue expander is replaced with an implant.
A simple new measurement technique could improve outcomes after facial reconstruction surgery, researchers report.
The calibration method measures the distance between the top of the external ear canal (porion) and the most prominent point on the chin (pogonion) on patient photographs. This calibration helps facial plastic surgeons use computer imaging software to achieve good results, concluded a U.S. study in the March/April issue of the journal Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
"For surgeons who use computer imaging software, analysis of profile photographs is the most valuable tool," said a team from the University of California, Davis, Medical Center in Sacramento. "Even when preoperative and postoperative photographs are of different sizes, relative distance comparisons are possible with a new calibration technique using the constant facial landmarks ... The porion-pogonion distance is a simple reproducible measurement that can be used along with established soft tissue measurements as a guide for profile facial analysis."
In their study, the UCD team analyzed pre- and postoperative photos and medical records of 14 patients, average age 32, who had combined nose surgery and chin correction. The porion-pogonion measurements brought patients closer to the normal range for a variety of facial measurements and angles, the researchers said.
Instructions For Post-Operative Facial Reconstruction :
*Have someone drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days.
*Get plenty of rest.
*Follow balance diet.
*Take pain medication as prescribed.
*Do not drink alcohol while taking pain medication.
*DO NOT SMOKE. Smoking decreases blood flow. It can delay wound healing or cause tissue loss.
*You can ice the area for 10 minutes every 1/2 hour for the first post op. day.
It is important that you attend all follow-up appointments scheduled so that your surgeon can assess your long-term results and answer any questions or concerns you may have.Procedures and healing times vary, so you'll want to do your research into what's involved in your particular procedure and whether the surgery is reconstructive or cosmetic. It's a good idea to choose a doctor who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
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