Illnesses, cancer surgery, facial trauma, and burns can affect your facial structures and functions. Damage to your facial bones and soft tissues will affect your ability to eat, smile, blink, and talk. However, with a professional surgeon’s expertise in facial structure reconstruction, you can change your looks and feel comfortable with your appearance.  Are you looking for specialists in facial reconstruction in Scottsdale? If so, Arizona Ocular & Facial Plastic Surgery experts are the surgeons to contact. Led by skilled cosmetic surgeon Dustin Heringer, these professionals ensure they minimize the scars affecting your appearance and give you confidence in your skin.

What are facial reconstruction surgery basics you should know?

A facial reconstruction surgery repairs your facial structure defects that might be in the process of losing their function. Your doctor may opt to use your body’s tissue during your treatment to rebuild your facial defects. In a free flap or a microvascular free tissue transfer, your surgeon may harvest a bone, muscle, or skin to reconstruct new features. It is ‘microvascular’ because the blood vessels your doctor transplants must connect to new vessels for optimal success. If not possible, your doctor may use implants or prosthetics to give you natural contours, restoring your facial appearance.

What are the common facial reconstruction surgeries?

• Nasal reconstruction
• Ear reconstruction
• Facial reanimation
• Cleft lip and palate repair
• Scar treatment
• Skull base surgery
• Facial trauma treatment
• Reconstruction of facial structures after cancer surgery
• Reconstruction following surgery for skin cancer

What should you expect during a facial reconstruction surgery?

Before the treatment, your surgeon will thoroughly evaluate your medical history and examinations. He may also assess your treatment areas to determine whether he will use your body tissues (cartilage or skin) to reconstruct the specific site or if a prosthetic will give you optimal results. The professional will administer anesthesia to calm you down and make you feel comfortable throughout the procedure. In an instance where the procedure is complex, your surgeon may recommend general anesthesia to put you in a deep sleep during the process. However, if your surgical operation is minor, the specialist may administer a combination of local anesthesia and sedative medications to relax you and numb your treatment sites.

How is recovery after facial reconstructive surgery?

Recovery after a reconstruction procedure is highly variable. The time you may take to recover fully depends on your surgeon’s techniques, your face’s underlying damage, age and overall health, pain tolerance, and attitude.

Your doctor will work on minimizing your scars’ appearance, aiming at hiding the incisions in your anatomical folds. As for your visible scars, they will eventually heal and look like fine lines that may appear darker or more pale than your surrounding skin. The healthcare provider may advise you on various post-surgery instructions, which he will require you to adhere to religiously. For instance, he may advise you to avoid specific environments, follow up on your appointments, and alert him instantly, especially when you notice unexpected changes or you are experiencing severe pain in the treatment area.

Before you go for facial reconstruction surgery, consult your surgeon and discuss your potential risks, benefits, aesthetic goals, and alternatives. Schedule a reconstructive surgery appointment with your surgeon to know the most appropriate procedure to restore your facial structures’ defects.