Who Is a Plastic Surgeon and What Do They Do? A Comprehensive Guide

When plastic surgery is mentioned, many people first think of plastic surgery: procedures such as rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, tummy tuck. However, plastic surgery covers a much broader area. This discipline, which ranges from facial aesthetics to reconstructive surgery, from burn treatment to microsurgery, brings art and medicine together.

In this article, I will discuss who plastic surgeons are, in what situations they come into play, what surgeries they perform and for whom they are vital.

What is Plastic Surgery?

Plastic surgery; It is a branch of medicine that covers the correction of aesthetic and functional problems caused by congenital or acquired deformities, diseases or injuries by surgical methods. The name of this branch of surgery, "plastic", comes not from the "plastic" material, but from the Greek word "plastikos" - meaning "to shape".

In Which Fields Do Plastic Surgeons Work?

1. Aesthetic Surgery (Cosmetic Surgery)

Aesthetic surgery includes surgeries aimed at improving a person's appearance and therefore their quality of life. The most frequently applied procedures in this field are:

• Breast Augmentation (Augmentation Mammoplasty): Increasing breast volume with prosthesis or fat injection
• Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty): Aesthetic results while providing solutions to physical problems such as back and neck pain
• Breast Lift (Mastopexy): Correcting sagging and deformity
• Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty): Removing excess skin and fat from the abdominal area
• Liposuction: Regional fat removal process
• Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty): Eyelid correction and renewal
• Rhinoplasty: rhinoplasty
• Face Lift (Rhythmidectomy): Correcting face and neck sagging

2. Reconstructive Surgery

Reconstructive surgery aims to reconstruct body parts damaged due to accidents, burns, cancer or congenital anomalies. Many interventions are made in this area that save lives and directly improve the quality of life:

• Breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery
• Wound closure and tissue repair after trauma
• Burn treatment and skin grafts
• Cleft lip and palate surgeries (congenital anomalies)
• Defect repair after tumor excision

3. Hand and Micro Surgery

Hand surgery covers injuries, tunnel diseases and congenital anomalies in the hand and wrist area. Microsurgery involves small vascular and nerve repairs performed under a magnifying microscope. This technique; It has a wide range of uses, from reattaching severed fingers to free tissue transfer.

4. Body Contouring

After obesity surgery (bariatric surgery) or after large weight losses, sagging and loosening occur in the body. Plastic surgeons perform extensive body contouring surgeries for these patients:

• 360° Abdominal and Body Lift
• Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)
• Thigh and Leg Lift
• Back Area Corrections

Difference Between Plastic Surgeon and Aesthetic Surgeon

These two concepts are often confused. In Türkiye Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery It is a single specialization. Plastic surgeons undergo 5 years of specialized training after medical school and can perform both reconstructive and aesthetic surgeries. Specialists who perform surgery only for aesthetic purposes are also trained in this field.

When Should You See a Plastic Surgeon?

Plastic surgery isn't just for "changing appearance." It is most often used in the following situations:

• Presence of large breasts causing physical discomfort (back, neck pain)
• Changes in the body after birth (abdominal sagging, breast deformity)
• Skin sagging after major weight loss
• Visual field narrowing due to eyelid sagging
• Aesthetic problems that cause loss of self-confidence
• Deformities that occur after injury, surgery or disease

How to Choose the Right Plastic Surgeon?

This decision is an important one that directly affects your life. Things to consider when choosing a plastic surgeon:

• Specialization certificate and certification: Being a Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery specialist approved by the Ministry of Health in Türkiye
• Experience and portfolio: Experience and previous results in the procedure you are interested in
• Contact quality: A physician who listens honestly to your expectations and provides realistic information
• Ethical approach: A surgeon who recommends the one that suits the anatomy rather than accepting every request

"Plastic surgery is a design process, not a copying process. The goal isn't to be bigger — it's to look more fitted. Trends change, but the perception of proportion doesn't." —Dr. Mustafa Keleş

Conclusion

Plastic surgery; It is a comprehensive specialty that deals with health, aesthetics and quality of life together. Whether it arises from a reconstructive need or an aesthetic desire, comprehensive consultations with plastic surgeons ensure that the right decision is made and safe processes are managed.

To ask your questions and for personal evaluation you can contact us.