Medically Reviewed By: J. Keith Rose, MD
South Texas patients have several different reasons for wanting plastic surgery. Sometimes it’s a matter of looking and feeling your best. Other times it’s to overcome the trauma of an injury or scar. But there is often some overlap between the two. Reconstructive patients want to achieve the same cosmetic improvement as patients who come in solely for cosmetic plastic surgery. That should be the aim of your plastic surgeon.
What Is Cosmetic Surgery?
Cosmetic plastic surgery focuses on improving what you have rather than restoring your appearance. In most cases, Corpus Christi patients come in because they don’t feel comfortable in their skin. Some of the most common reasons people come in for procedures are:
- A flatter stomach after weight loss or giving birth.
- A rhinoplasty to remove a bump or lift the tip of your nose.
- A facelift to get rid of wrinkles and look years younger.
- A breast augmentation to change the size and shape of your breasts.
While these are just a few of the reasons South Texas patients come in for cosmetic plastic surgery, every consultation begins and ends with a discussion of what you want to achieve. Your plastic surgeon’s job is finding out the best way to get there.
What is Reconstructive Surgery?
Reconstructive surgery is still concerned with aesthetics, but these patients have gone through a traumatic injury or have had a condition since birth that they want to change. This can include anything from breast reconstruction after a mastectomy to repairing a cleft lip and palate. Reconstructive surgery is based on:
- Restoring normal function.
- Reducing the size of scars.
- Improving the quality of skin.
- Replacing lost tissue or skin.
In many cases, patients will have their reconstructive surgery at the same time or after general surgery to treat the condition. Plastic surgeons often collaborate with other surgeons to ensure that you not only receive medical treatment but your physical appearance is not changed during the procedure.
When Does Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Overlap?
All patients who undergo plastic surgery are concerned with the way that their results will look. There are specific instances when the lines of cosmetic and restorative surgery are blurred:
- Breast reduction: A medically necessary procedure that removes tissue from the breasts. There is an additional cosmetic benefit to this surgery because your breasts are simultaneously lifted and reshaped. This is even a treatment for women who are in the early stages of breast cancer and have large breasts.
- Rhinoplasty: To correct a deviated septum, patients can undergo a septoplasty to align their septum. The result is improved breathing and a straighter nose.
- Cleft lip and palate: Considered a necessary surgery for the normal development of children, cleft palate and lip surgery addresses speech problems and sometimes even feeding issues. The psychological impact for children who do not undergo treatment is detrimental and performing this surgery with appearance in mind helps children lead a normal life.
In most of these cases, the patient’s insurance will cover a large portion or the entire cost of surgery because it is medically necessary and improves the patient’s quality of life.
If you are interested in cosmetic or reconstructive surgery, contact Dr. Rose’s Corpus Christi office at (361) 651-1200.
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