What You Need To Know About Reconstructive Surgery

Reconstructive surgery is a great way for many people to get the help that they need. For example, you might feel that you have a defect or problem that needs correction, but you don't want it to be obvious that you got surgery. Reconstructive surgeons are plastic surgeons who are skilled at surgery to make it so that the incisions and grafts are so small that they are barely noticeable. Here are a couple things that you need to know about reconstructive surgery.

Reconstructive Surgery Is Different From Cosmetic Surgery

Many people confuse reconstructive surgery with cosmetic surgery. Although many plastic surgeons do both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, they vary greatly in their purpose. For cosmetic surgery, it is an elective procedure. This means that most people will pay cash for their surgery because their insurance won't cover it.

Reconstructive surgery usually happens because the person has a problem that is inhibiting their ability to live a normal life. For this reason, most insurance companies will pay for reconstructive surgery because they see it as a necessary expense.

What Are Some Of The Reasons For Reconstructive Surgery?

There are many reasons that people would need reconstructive surgery. One common reason is a birth defect. If a child is born with a cleft pallet, some deformity on their feet or hands, or with any other sort of problem, the doctor can do surgery right away. In many cases the doctors prefer to do the surgery while the baby is small since babies skin regenerates so quickly and they can avoid the scarring that adult's experience.

Another reason that women get surgery is for breast reconstruction or reduction. If a woman has undergone a mastectomy, she may want reconstructive surgery to feel more normal and have her body back. Or if the woman has unusually large breasts this can cause health problems, including back strain and pain. In these cases the woman could get reconstructive surgery and perhaps even have it covered by her insurance provider.

Burn victims also benefit from getting reconstructive surgery. The surgeon can graft skin from other parts of the body, or even from donors to help correct any scarring. This may take multiple surgeries, but over time the person may be able to have youthful and normal looking skin once again, even if they were severely burned.

By understanding reconstructive surgery, you can know if it is right for you. To find out more, speak with someone like John Gatti MD.