What is plastic surgery?
The word plastic surgery does not refer to 'plastic' as in something fake or synthetic, but comes from the Greek plastikos, which means to mould or create.
Reconstructive plastic surgery is often performed in the public sector, while aesthetic procedures are mainly performed in the private sector. However, the boundaries between these two specialities are often blurred, and it is difficult to say where they lie. Of the approximately 25,000 plastic surgery procedures performed in Sweden each year, about 85 % are performed on women and 15 % on men. Today it is much more accepted than before to undergo this type of procedure, both for men and women.
Reconstructive plastic surgery
Already in the early 20th century, reconstructive plastic surgery was developed, which then had a major breakthrough with new technological advances that could be used to help victims of the Second World War. These were mainly British fighter pilots who had suffered severe burns.
Then, as now, reconstructive plastic surgery aims to correct or mask congenital or acquired defects in the patient. However, it is not only a matter of visual defects but also of purely functional ones. One factor that drove this development was reconstructive surgery on children with cleft palate and similar conditions.
Reconstructive surgery is common in this case:
- Malformations
- Burns
- Tumours
- Gender correction
Aesthetic plastic surgery
Unlike reconstructive surgery, which aims to treat injuries and deformities, aesthetic plastic surgery is about changing the appearance for beauty reasons. Preventing natural ageing is a common reason, or improving something about your body that you are unhappy with. Read more about plastic surgery at Conturkliniken®.