Medical science is that branch which has amazed each and everyone. The way how it has evolved with time is remarkable. If we observe the graph, then there will be a steady rise in the numbers. This is because of two main reasons. First is the increase in the number of new techniques which has added a new set of people and second is the success rate. People who have undergone these procedures are satisfied with the result which has encouraged other people to try these techniques for themselves. One of the branches which have attracted a lot of attention is plastic surgery.
Plastic surgery is the branch of medicine which deals with the functional as well as the aesthetic restoration of the body. It is primarily done because of two reasons. One is to restore the appearance of the body which has been impaired due to injuries, burns, accidents or other mishaps and the other is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the body. People who have lost their function or appearance due to any reason go for this procedure. It is also done to improve the aesthetic appearance of the body.
One of the common sub categories of this surgery is cosmetic surgery. You should not confuse one with the other. Both of them are different. It is the discipline of medicine which focuses just on improving the aesthetic appearance of the body. Just like plastic surgery, it can be performed at any part of the body. Improving aesthetic appeal, symmetry and proportion is the main aim. More than half of the surgeries emphasize on the face and skin. They are just taken for aesthetic reasons rather than health reasons.
Some of the common techniques are explained below –
• Liposuction
It is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries that remove fat from a particular part of the body. It is primarily done on hips, thighs, face and buttocks. It can also be done in conjunction with facelift, breast reduction and tummy tuck. But you should be an ideal candidate for the procedure. Firm and elastic skin is the first requirement. The body weight must be within 30 percent of the ideal weight.
In this procedure, you will first be given general anesthesia so that you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. There are different types to perform this procedure. Tumescent liposuction is the widely used technique. A sterile solution is injected into the area from where the fat is to be removed. It makes it easier to suction the fat. Then there is ultrasound assisted liposuction which uses sound waves energy to break the cell walls of the fat. The fat is liquefied which makes it easier to suction it out.
• Vitiligo Surgery
Our skin has melanocytes which melanin producing cells. These cells give the color to the skin. Vitiligo is the condition in which skin loses these melanocytes. This leads to loss of skin color resulting in discolored patches in various areas of the body. It can even affect our mouth and hair. This condition is more noticeable in people with darker skin. This condition may be related to a disorder in the immune system which attacks and destroys melanocytes in the skin. Exposure to sun and industrial chemicals may also be a reason.
This surgery can either be done with skin grafting or blister grafting. In skin grafting, small sections of the normal skin are removed and attached to the areas which have lost its pigment. It is preferred when you have small patches of vitiligo. In blister grafting, blisters are created on the pigmented skin with the help of suction. These blisters are then transplanted to an area of the discolored skin.
• Laser Hair Removal
Hair is present in different parts of the body. The growth of hair differs from individual to individual. Sometimes, extra growth can cause hindrance in aesthetic appearance. This is the time when you should go for laser hair removal. The basic fundamental is to beam high concentrated light into hair follicles. Pigment in the follicles absorbs the light which in turn destroys the hair.
They are very precise and are a quick procedure. In this procedure, hair from the area to be removed is trimmed. A pulse of light will be given and the area will be observed to make sure the best setting were used. Just after the procedure, you will be given ice packs.
• Acne Scar Surgery
Acne occurs in the body when hair follicles are filled with oil and dead skin cells. When they dry, they leave behind a scar which directly affects the aesthetic appearance. They are formed when a breakout has the potential to penetrate the skin and damage the tissues beneath it. The treatment of scar depends on the type of scar which has hit the face.
In this procedure, punch excision method is used. Local anesthesia is used to numb the face. Scars are individually cut out and the wound is fixed with skin grafts and stitches. There is another technique by the name of subcision. In this technique, needles are inserted under the skin to loosen fibers below the scars. This helps in improving the overall appearance.