What is reconstructive skin surgery?
Your skin is the largest organ in your body and the most likely to present cosmetic and functional problems. An unsightly scar, severe burn or major change to your features can sap your self-image. Reconstructive skin surgery repairs the damaged tissue to restore your appearance and your confidence.
What are the different types of reconstructive skin surgeries?
There are a variety of procedures aimed at restoring the form and function of the skin and underlying tissues after trauma, burns, congenital anomalies or surgical removal of cancerous lesions.
Here are the main types of reconstructive skin surgery:
Scar Revision
Your body heals in unpredictable ways. Sometimes, your skin heals with no signs of previous damage. Other times, your wounds leave a mark. Reconstructive surgery aims at improving the appearance of scars using tissue rearrangement, skin grafting or flap surgery depending on the size of the scar. Reconstructive surgery cannot completely remove a scar, but it can improve the appearance to make it smaller or less obvious.
Reconstructive Surgery After Skin Cancer Removal
Treating skin cancer can save your life. But different treatments may leave you with cosmetic issues or loss of function. The consequences of skin cancer range from small, unsightly scars to permanent changes to your face.
Plastic surgery after skin cancer removal can resolve your cosmetic or functional problems. Reconstructive techniques range from simple scar revision to a complex transfer of tissue from elsewhere in your body. Meeting with your surgeon will allow you to assess the best plan for your surgery.
Burn Reconstruction
A severe burn can result in scarring over large parts of your body. Skin grafts are used to help your skin heal and recover quickly. Using a reconstructive skin surgery can allow you to restore functionality and create aesthetic outcomes. The resulting scars can be improved with plastic surgery to make them less noticeable. Burn reconstruction helps resolve scarring that leads to problems with the elasticity or function of your skin as well as the appearance.