Dr. Gregory T. Mesna, MD.
Procedures
Plastic surgical procedures fall into two major subdivisions: cosmetic and reconstructive.
Cosmetic procedures are operations done purely to enhance the appearance of body parts which fall within the normal range of appearance and function. Examples would include prcedures such as face lifts, eyelid tucks, nose jobs, breast implants, liposuction, which are performed to improve ones appearance. The desire of humans to enhance their appearance is not a recent phenomena. The ancient Egyptians used makeup quite extensively, and we can be certain they were not the first society to do so. Surgical manipulation of tissue to enhance appearance was apparently common in India in 400BC. Numerous cultures have used surgical procedures to enlarge ear lobes, lips, and to produce scars in a pattern felt to enhance attractivness or in some cases to appear more fearsome to enemies. The desire to change appearance does not appear to have emerged solely at the bidding of the Madison Avenue advertising executives. Americans are said to have spent $16 billion on beauty products in 1994. Against that backdrop cosmetic surgery is a tiny but important tool in the quest for personal beauty.
Reconstructive procedures are operations carried out with the goal of restoring form and in many cases function of body parts that are abnormal due to injury, disease, or condential defects. The repair of severe lacerations and the repair of fractures of the facial bones are common plastic surgical procedures. Use of tissue expansion and flaps and grafts to repair disfigurement due to burn injury and the trasplantation of muscle from the back to a severely injured lower extremity are other common examples of reconstructive procedures. The removal of skin cancers and repair of cleft lips and palates are other reconstructive procedures which make up the majority of the work done by many plastic surgeons. Reconstructive surgery might be defined as a surgical procedure performed on abnormal parts in an attempt to restore a more normal appearance and to improve function. The primary consideration here is the fact that the procedure is carried out on abnormal parts or tissues.