FAQs on Cosmetic Surgery

Q- Is a plastic surgeon a skin specialist?

Ans- Dermatologists specialize in skin, but the plastic surgeon has an equally important

role of the treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the skin. The skills of a plastic surgeon

are especially needed when large areas of the skin must be removed and replaced especially 

where disfigurement may result or when these areas are in conspicuous areas such as the face.

Plastic surgeons also perform skin resurfacing techniques, for cosmetic purposes, in order to

achieve healthier looking skin by reducing facial wrinkling and pigmentary changes of the skin.

Q- Will I have a scar after plastic surgery?

Ans- Scarring is inevitable of healing, however a very fine lined scar placed in the correct

orientation may be virtually invisible. A plastic surgeon spends years trying to master

techniques to place scars in the most desirable location. Plastic surgeons will try to make

incisions in areas that will not show, like under undergarments or along natural creases.

Scars will normally fade over time, but certain areas of the body such as the back and chest,

produce more severe scarring regardless of the technique used for reconstruction and closure.

The severity of the scarring varies from person to person.

Q- Does plastic surgery always involve skin grafting?

Ans- Skin grafting is only used when it is the best way of closing a wound or defect.

A qualified plastic surgeon uses judgment to decide the best way of reconstructing a defect.

A skin graft may appear to have poor color match and texture compared to the native skin,

but with careful selection of a skin graft donor site these problems may be minimized.