subject: Benefits of Plastic Surgery – Disfigured Iraqi Boy Gets New Life [print this page] Benefits of Plastic Surgery Disfigured Iraqi Boy Gets New Life
Cosmetic surgery recently gave a disfigured nine-year-old Iraqi boy a brand new life and a new chance to get on with his horribly disrupted childhood. Waad Baktar, a resident of one of the suburbs of Baghdad, was kicking an explosive-filled bottle down the street with his companions, when it suddenly exploded. Besides losing an arm, a leg and an eye, little Waad lost all hopes of leading a normal life till the American army personnel in Iraq noticed him and decided to take up his case.
Waad and his mother were flown to the United States with the help of the Global Medical Relief Fund and entrusted to the care of Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh, a widely acclaimed cosmetic surgeon. Thanks to the efforts of the doctor, little Waad is now totally transformed. He is no longer the unhappy little boy who once sat quietly in his wheelchair; instead, he bounds up and down the stairs and greets strangers with a bright smile.
Dr. Alizadeh fitted a prosthetic arm, eye and leg on Waad and placed grafted skin on his burned face. The boy had to receive cosmetic surgery treatment for nearly four months in Manhasset's North Shore hospital. Pleased with the results, the cosmetic surgeon said, "The smile has not left his face since we first met; and now it is nice to see that his mother is smiling too." Just before he was about to board the flight back to Iraq, the little boy kissed the doctor on the cheek and thanked him warmly.
The case of Waad clearly illustrates the excellent psychological and physical benefits of cosmetic surgery. When done properly and for the proper reasons, cosmetic surgery can boost patients' self-esteem and helps them fit into society better. Reconstructive cosmetic surgery usually leads to better social acceptance of the patient and enhances their productivity and chances of getting a better job.
Although predominantly used by women to enhance looks, cosmetic surgery is also used to correct physical damage and restore body functions after wars and accidents. Called reconstructive cosmetic surgery, this type of surgery saves lives and boosts self-confidence. Reconstructive cosmetic surgery can also correct congenital defects such as cleft lips and palate and others. Its primary purpose is not to enhance looks, but to correct deformity and enable patients to live a normal and productive life.
Simultaneously, patients should be aware that cosmetic surgery has advantages as well as disadvantages. Since cosmetic surgery is invasive, it is usually associated with various risks and side effects, owing to which patients about to undergo cosmetic surgery must spend several hours in pre-surgery consultation with their doctors and find out everything about the procedure they are about to undergo. One of the greatest disadvantages of plastic surgery is its cost, especially when done for cosmetic reasons. However, the benefits of cosmetic surgery far outnumber its disadvantages and patients will get the best out it if they choose their doctors carefully, have a comprehensive pre-surgery consultation and have realistic expectations of the procedure.
