Domestic violence cases are rife, and in many cases, women and children are the biggest victims. Hardly can a week pass without stumbling upon breathtaking news on domestic violence. Such violence can turn ugly whereby the victims’ faces are badly disfigured or mutilated. Thanks to domestic violence, we have seen people with broken or twisted noses, bruises on the forehead, or deep cuts on their faces. Sometimes the injuries are inflicted on other parts of the body.
The vicious acts can lower their self-esteem because of the changes in their appearance. Such people are also affected psychologically and would need emotional support. Plastic and reconstructive surgery can go a long way in correcting the disfigured parts and, in turn, boosting your confidence. If you have gone through the experience, plastic surgery can help you reclaim your original appearance. Your doctor will carefully examine you and discuss what available plastic surgery options may be available for you. Click here to enquire more about our plastic surgeries.
Common Types of plastic surgery for Victims of Abuse
The type of plastic surgery will depend on the part of the body that was affected. For instance, plastic surgery for people with facial burns will differ from one with displayed jaws or twisted noses. They are highly individualized procedures and will vary from case to case basis. Here are some common plastic surgeries.
- Orthognathic Surgery
Some domestic violence has seen some people’s jaws seriously injured. If this is the case with you, plastic surgery can help improve your facial aesthetics. Orthognathic surgery, also called corrective jaw surgery, is a plastic surgery used to straighten your jaws. A Maxillofacial surgeon or orthodontist will perform the surgery to correct jaw disproportion. Orthognathic Surgery will improve your facial proportions. It also aids in chewing and correcting sleep apnea.
- Septoplasty
Septoplasty is a type of plastic surgery that corrects a deviated septum. The septum is cartilage that separates two nostrils. A deviated septum can affect your appearance and cause difficulty breathing. Septoplasty is performed to straighten and reposition your septum in the middle of the nose. Rhinoplasty is not so dissimilar to septoplasty, as the former is used to change the shape of a nose. If you have dislocated your septum in a domestic fight, septoplasty is a good way to restore it. Your surgeon may choose to perform septoplasty alongside rhinoplasty for better results.
- Tissue Expansion
Some domestic violence can turn tragic whereby your partner severely injures your skin. If your skin was damaged or part of your body maimed during a domestic fight, tissue expansion can restore some skin. Tissue expansion helps your body grow extra skin. Your surgeon will put a silicone balloon expander under your skin near the affected area. Silicone balloon expander is then gradually filled with saline, which makes the skin grow. In these kinds of procedures, be sure to discuss any issues with your surgeon that you would want to be clarified.
- Scar Revision
If you were seriously injured in domestic violence, there are chances you may sustain scars after the wounds have healed. Scar revision can help minimize the scars to make them less visible.
- Lip Augmentation
Lip augmentation is a surgical procedure that uses injectable dermal filler to increase the size of your lips and correct their shape. If your partner hit on the face, maimed your lips, or rendered shapeless. Lip augmentation will be tailored to suit your condition. Your surgeon can use a synthetic implant or dermis graft depending on what the surgeon will deem fit in your case.
Benefits of Plastic Surgery to Victims of Abuse
The thought of undergoing plastic surgery comes with mixed feelings. Naturally, you will be fearful but still, hope that all will go well. Much as you could be afraid, in the end, there will be many reasons to make you upbeat. Here are some of the benefits of plastic surgery.
- Increased Self-Confidence
If you have a scar, dislocated nose, or bruise, you tend to feel uneasy in front of people, which can erode your confidence. Naturally, people feel more confident when they know that they look good. If you are a victim of abuse and your face gets disfigured, plastic surgery will bolster your looks. As a result, your confidence will improve, and you will appear in public confidently.
- Improved Appearance
Plastic surgery will address any of your cosmetic concerns to improve your appearance. The surgical procedures help you achieve a more balanced and symmetrical face. Depending on the severity of your condition, plastic surgery may not be able to make you look exactly the way you looked prior to defacing. Plastic surgery does not aim to make you look like somebody else. The whole idea is to make you look better.
- Your Physical Health Will Improve
Apart from improving your appearance, some plastic surgeries go a long way in improving your physical health. For instance, rhinoplasty or septoplasty can improve your breathing. Tissue expansion can make your skin healthier.
- Improved Mental Health
Some people get stressed by their looks to the extent of becoming depressed. If you once looked stunning, any radical change in your appearance can be depressing. Some people lose hope and resort to drugs and all manner of self-destructive behaviors. If you are one of those people who were once glaring with beauty, but a physically abusive partner curtailed your good looks, plastic surgery can help you recapture your beauty and, in turn, improve your mental health.
- Increases Chances of Job Opportunities
Studies show that attractive people have higher chances of being considered for a job. It’s just natural for people to get attracted to people with nice looks. If you are a young person, you have a whole world of opportunities before you. You don’t want anything to come between you and your dreams. Although sheer appearance cannot land you a job, it can improve your chances of getting the job of your dream. Plastic surgery can improve your looks to prevent you from being discriminated against in the job market.