The unknown art of plastic surgery.

   

People think of plastic surgery as a glamorous career in which only the shallowest are drawn to. They think of nose jobs, breast jobs, and other cosmetic uses of plastic surgery that are used to gain beauty. This stereotype is probably strengthened by TV shows such as "Dr. 90210" where the plastic surgeon caters to the "needs" of the rich and egotistical. People are disgusted by this career, because doctors are thought to save lives, not give 20 year old women new breasts so that they can somehow feel better about themselves. I also fell into this group thinking about plastic surgery before I was enlightened of the more beautiful side of the profession.

A baby is born with a cleft palate, a deformity that would label the child as abnormal and leave the child to endure the life of an outsider. Now this tragedy is seen often in the medical field and easily fixed by a plastic surgeon. They are the ones who perform surgery in order to save a deformed child from a life of solitude and alienation. I am going to shed some light on the hidden side of the profession called plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is defined as surgery performed in order to remodel, repair, or restore body parts. Plastic surgeons repair damage to car crash victims where the person's body has been mangled from intense trauma. After surgery has been performed to repair bones and organs, they are given the task of "reconstructive" surgery. This is where plastic surgeons attempt to reconstruct abnormalities in order to restore physical appearance and functionality.

Physical appearance is an important aspect of a person's life whether they will admit it or not. A plastic surgeon knows the social and emotion effects that can occur as a result of a genetic deformity, physical trauma, etc. so their main goal is to do what they can do for their patient physically. So when you think of plastic surgery, don't give into the stereotype. Remember that plastic surgeons are the unsung heroes that try to restore beauty where fate has been cruel and unfair.