Plastic surgery is generally divided into two categories: reconstructive and cosmetic. Both categories are rather broad and contain several sub-specialties.
Plastic surgery is most generally divided into two categories: reconstructive and cosmetic. Both categories are rather broad spectrums and contain several sub-specialties. If you are in need of a plastic surgeon,
knowing which kind of specialist to contact can expedite the process of finding the right one. Subspecialties include burn, craniofacial, micro, and pediatric
Reconstructive surgery is a form of plastics that focuses on correcting function, although sometimes, for both psychological and emotional reasons, cosmetics corrections can be done at the same time or in subsequent surgeries.
The most common types of reconstructions are tumor removal, burn repair and laceration repair, hand surgery, and reconstructions due to mastectomies and other cancer related issues. Because a reconstruction is usually done in relation to a life threatening or debilitating illness, the following reconstruction operations are likely to be covered by most insurance policies; however, pure cosmetic elective procedures will not be billable as a preventative or imperative need, therefore the patient will need to be prepared to foot the entire bill for the elective procedure.
Cosmetic procedures include things such as mammoplasty, mastoplexy, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, face lifts, liposuction, and several kinds of implants and augmentations on the legs, butt, and cheeks, etc., and its main purpose is to improve appearance as desired by each individual patient. These elective operations are not covered by insurance, and the sub-specialties of those who focus on cosmetic enhancements are limited to the types of surgeries or parts of the body, there are, however, several subspecialties of reconstructive plastic surgery.
The first, and possibly the most intricate and time consuming of all types of this medical field, specialty is burn surgery. It involves acute treatment which takes place immediately after the trauma and reconstruction which takes place after healing. Craniofacial is divided into pediatric and adult specialties and treats congenital abnormalities when dealing with kids and tends to focus on fractures and secondary operations when dealing with adults. Pediatric plastics is also a sub-set of its own in which a doctor may deal with different areas of the body while taking on pediatric patients.
Hand surgery field is another area concerned with acute injury or chronic disease, and specialist in this area can be found in the medical groups of orthopedics, and general surgery. There are even doctors who only take cases that involve the hands.
This surgical area is very specialized and prospective recipients will want to make sure that their needs and desires are addressed by the correct physician. A patient can probably begin by asking a primary care physician for a referral to a plastic surgeon with a specialty in the respective area.
