Before and after images offer dramatic and pleasing improvements

The term “plastic surgery” originates from the Greek word “plastikos” – which means “to form.” Plastic surgery today has evolved into two categories – the reconstruction of anatomic defects and the aesthetic enhancement of normal form. Both of these areas require an artistic and pedant mind to achieve the best result possible.

Before and after photos are a great way to show how a carefully thought out plastic surgery procedure can make a drastic change in appearance. The purpose of these procedures varies widely.

Reconstruction of facial features damaged by cancer and trauma can be the most dramatic before and after photos. Mohs surgery is a procedure where a dermatologist removes skin cancer layer by layer. Once the cancer is gone, the defect left behind is closed by a facial plastic surgeon. The goal of the reconstruction is to use adjacent skin or grafts to restore the area of the face while maintaining function and reducing scarring. Careful geometric measurements and artistic considerations allow me to move tissue into the defect and camouflage incisions in nature facial creases. The ultimate goal is to make it look like nothing happened at all!

The pleasure of breathing through your nose should be something experienced by everyone. Rhinoseptoplasty is a procedure that changes the form and function of the nose. A poorly formed nose or one that is traumatized can result in poor nasal breathing. By straightening the nasal septum and strengthening the other cartilages of the nose, we can provide an improved nasal passage that allows airflow. Additionally, rhinoplasty can focus on only changing the appearance of the nose – a large hump, twisted nose or droopy tip – can all be changed to improve the harmony of the face.

Everyone knows the eyes are the window to the soul. But the upper and lower eyelids can sometimes unfairly age the face – making you look much older than you feel. Blepharoplasty is an elegant procedure that can do wonders for both form and function. The skin of the upper eyelids can grow heavy, which ultimately affects your vision. By lifting the eyebrows and eyelids we can improve peripheral vision and cosmesis. Dark circles can cause one to look tired and haggard. A lower eyelid blepharoplasty with fat pad repositioning can be a solution.

Otoplasty — also known as cosmetic ear surgery — is a procedure to change the shape, position or size of the ears. If a child is born with prominent ears or misshapen ear, splinting may successfully correct these issues if started immediately after birth. This avoids any surgery for the child. Should this window of opportunity be missed, surgical procedures at a later age can still be employed to change the shape of prominent or misshapen ears. Studies have shown that childhood bullying for prominent ears can affect the lifelong success of a child. It can result in lower socioeconomic status, lifelong depression and poorer paying jobs.

Within the realm of cosmetic surgery, our goals for facial rejuvenation are to roll back the hands of time. Facial rejuvenation includes assessing the eyelids, eyebrows and forehead, face and neck. Even something as simple as a “lip lift,” which shortens the distance between the nose and the lips can dramatically rejuvenate the face. This is a simple in-office procedure with minimal downtime.

This is just a taste of how dramatically facial plastic and reconstructive surgery can affect peoples lives.

All images were published with written permission by patients.

Paige Bundrick, MD is the director of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Ochsner/LSUHealth. 318-675-6262.