While many think of plastic surgery as a procedure to improve aesthetics or make a person look younger, several benefits can be gained from reconstructive plastic surgery.
Reconstructive surgery helps to restore or correct abnormalities caused by a congenital disability, trauma or disease. This can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life.
Increased Self-Esteem
Most cosmetic patients who have undergone plastic surgery report positive psychological effects. They have greater satisfaction with their body and feel healthier overall.
However, people with body dysmorphia, a mental disorder that involves obsessive attention to flaws in the physical appearance of one’s body, tend to experience negative responses to changes to their appearance after plastic surgery.
This is because they do not believe that the changes to their physical appearance are natural. This belief is the result of childhood trauma.
Reduced Scars or Disfigurements
Reconstructive plastic surgery can improve your quality of life in many ways. Whether you’re dealing with a disfiguring scar, a deformity that prevents you from performing your everyday tasks, or a condition that causes physical pain and emotional stress, reconstructive surgery can restore your body’s function and appearance to a healthier state.
A significant number of people experience unsightly scars. These may appear red or thick, but most fade and heal over time.
Occasionally, they can result in keloid formation or hypertrophic healing (a raised bump over the original wound). Reconstructive procedures, such as skin grafts, are designed to minimize the appearance of these scars and blend them with the surrounding skin tone.
Your doctor will tell you how to care for the new scar when you undergo a surgical procedure. You should keep the wound moist and apply ointments to help it heal.
Restored Function
Reconstructive surgery can improve a person’s quality of life by restoring function affected by an injury, disease or congenital disability. Plastic surgeons Bellevue have unique expertise in several reconstructive techniques that can help patients overcome physical limitations or disabilities.
For example, suppose an accident has left a patient with a facial or jaw deformity that interferes with eating, speaking or breathing. In that case, a reconstructive procedure may be required to restore normal function. It might include bone grafting, skin grafting or other approaches.
Reconstructive surgery can also improve a person’s appearance and self-esteem by repairing disfiguring scarring or a defect caused by cancer, aging or other conditions. This can help people feel more confident and comfortable in their skin, leading to better emotional health and a higher quality of life.
Boosted Confidence
Studies have shown that people who undergo cosmetic surgery are happier and more confident in their lives. The procedures that can have the biggest impact on this are surgeries that make big changes, like rhinoplasty (nose surgery) or breast augmentation.
While self-esteem and confidence are closely related, many factors can erode or detract from these positive feelings. For example, people with body dysmorphic disorder may obsess about a particular part of their bodies and believe they are ugly.
Thankfully, these individuals can get help from a plastic surgeon or mental health professional who can assess their condition and recommend the best procedure. The good news is that if they have realistic expectations and are well-informed, these cosmetic treatments can greatly boost their self-esteem and overall mental health!
