Cosmetic surgery, popularly known as plastic surgery, is a widely used form of intervention to correct or alter defects in any part of the body. It involves modifying the physical appearance of a particular body part or organ. This can include correcting a defect or reshaping an organ. Cosmetic surgery is also known as reconstruction. The medical term for this is “plasty”. Examples of plasty include arthroplasty (joint repair), rhinoplasty (nose repair), mastoplasty (breasts), and genital surgery (repair of private parts).
Although cosmetic surgery is expensive, many people still opt for it because it is the fastest way to achieve correction. Defects in any part of the body may be due to injury, trauma from an accident, or even a birth defect. Cosmetic surgery can involve either modifying the shape of a body part or reconstructing it entirely.
Some examples of cosmetic surgeries include:
- Head or face surgeries: Hair transplant is a common procedure for those who suffer from male pattern baldness (chronic hair loss or alopecia). Micro-follicular hair transplant is one of the procedures used for this condition. Nasal septal defect repair or nasal reconstruction may be required for defects in the nose, such as its shape, size, or a deviated septum.
- Chest: The most common plastic surgery on the chest involves the breasts in women. This is known as breast augmentation surgery or mastoplasty. Other procedures include mastopexy (breast lift) and mastectomy (breast removal). These procedures may be required due to breast asymmetry (difference in size of breasts), large breasts, breast cancer, or other conditions. Breast lifts are also common, as breasts tend to droop downward after childbirth or breastfeeding. As women age, their breasts also become less firm.
- Abdomen: Abdominal surgery, or abdominoplasty, is often sought by women after childbirth. After pregnancy, the abdomen may become loose or saggy, and stretch marks may develop from a C-section or other surgeries. The procedure for abdominoplasty is liposuction, which is used to remove excess fat using the tumescent technique. Loose skin is removed and replaced with fresh skin. Abdominal muscles are tightened and set back to their original shape. Tummy tuck surgery is also available.
- Genital surgeries: Genital surgeries include vaginal reconstruction. After multiple childbirths, the muscles of the vagina can become dilated, causing widening of the vagina. Loss of normal tone and elasticity of vaginal and pelvic muscles can also lead to reduced sexual pleasure. Vaginal tightening procedures, along with vulvar rejuvenation to enhance the aesthetic look of the genitals, are among the most popular plastic surgeries on the genitals. Other genital surgeries include pubic lift, liposuction of the mons pubis, and hymen repair.