Why Everyone Needs a Plastic Surgeon

Did you know that every year 6 million lacerations and over 4 million dog bites are seen in the ER? Regardless of your family’s lifestyle, dog bites, falls, and cuts are part of life.

If you or someone in your family gets a cut or bitten, the first instinct should be to go to the Urgent Care Center or hospital emergency room to rule out any other major injuries. However, when it comes to fixing a cut, you may want to consider calling a plastic surgeon rather than an ER doctor.

Emergency room and urgent care providers are usually comfortable and skilled when it comes to repairing basic lacerations, but there are important reasons to call a plastic surgeon: scarring especially in patients with darker skin colors. Plastic surgeons can select specific sutures for an optimal outcome.

Relaxed tension tissue lines (RTTL). Wounds heal better or worse based on the direction of the cut. RTTL is a body map of favorable directions for better healing. Plastic surgeons understand that and may be able to adjust the direction of the laceration to better align with RTTL, which are not always obvious.

Restoring original anatomy

Plastic surgeons usually have significantly more detailed knowledge of anatomy. Many primary care providers are not comfortable repairing deep structures. Plastic surgeons are able to simultaneously repair not only skin, but also muscles, tendons, nerves, blood vessels and other deep structures, restoring them closer to their original anatomy.

Post operative scar management. The management of a cut starts with its repair, and it takes up to 12 months for a scar to mature. Plastic surgeons use advanced scar management techniques and protocols designed to further reduce scarring and scar tissue, such as lasers, freezing, microneedling, silicone, embryonic and other high-tech products, PRP, and many advanced creams.

Use of surgical magnification

Plastic surgeons usually use surgical loupes, which are magnifying microscopes attached to glasses, allowing for more gentle tissue handling and more precise repair for overall better results.

Use of advanced suturing techniques and materials. Using proper sutures are critical for the final outcome. Plastic surgeons are skilled in advanced suturing techniques. Each type of suture has a specific characteristic and absorption schedule. Some sutures create more

Dog bites are very different then regular cuts. There is usually an avulsion and crush component to the skin’s edges, which is why dog bites usually do not heal as well as other cuts. The risk of infection is also significantly greater. Even small amounts of infection can create significant permanent deformity, especially in a child, which is why it is always a good idea to consult a plastic surgeon for a dog bite.

Have a plastic surgeon’s number in your phone. You may be unpleasantly surprised to find out in a time of need that many local hospitals do not offer emergency plastic surgery services or plastic surgeons may not be available. Locate the number for a local trauma-experienced plastic surgeon and save it to your phone. You can then call and have the provider meet you at one of the local facilities.

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