Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Helping you feel confident and happy in your body.
Being unsatisfied with something about your body - whether from accident, illness, birth abnormalities or just not liking something you see in the mirror - can have a dramatic impact on your quality of life. Our trusted cosmetic plastic and reconstructive surgeons are dedicated to helping you feel comfortable and achieving the best results.
To serve you better, please set your location for information on services available in your area.
Our trusted plastic surgeons are dedicated to helping you achieve the best results and improve your quality of life.
Whether post-breast cancer or just because, improving the appearance of your breasts can bring a new sense of confidence to your life.
Why should I choose SSM Health for plastic surgery?
Our commitment to your well-being and self-image begins with an initial consultation and continues on after your surgery, with comprehensive post-operative care.
During your initial consultation:
We’ll discuss your medical history and treatment goals, as well as what available options there are. We can share before-and-after photos to demonstrate the benefits of various surgical options and what you could expect.
- At this time, it’s important to share any medications you take with your physician. This can alter some of your available treatment options.
- We will also discuss what to expect during surgery, including: anesthesia, hospital care, and postoperative care.
During your recovery journey:
Depending on the procedure(s), recovery process and time will vary. It is crucial to follow your physician’s instructions for postoperative care.
- You may have some visible scars.
- Be sure to rest so that your surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, motion, swelling or abrasion while you heal.
- In some situations, a second surgery may be necessary.
Your physician may give you specific instructions for post-surgical care, including:
- How to care for the surgical site(s)
- Medications to apply or take orally
- Specific concerns to look out for
- When to follow up with your surgeon
What is cosmetic plastic surgery?
Cosmetic plastic surgery includes everything from body lifts to breast surgery to rhinoplasty. Cosmetic procedures can be surgical or non-surgical. Some the most common types of cosmetic surgery procedures include:
- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
- Body contouring and sculpting
- Botox and injectable fillers
- Breast surgery (augmentation, lift, etc.)
- Chin implant
- Face, forehead, or eyebrow lifts
- Fat transfer or liposuction
- Hand surgery
- Chemical peels
- Lower body, thigh, or upper arm lifts
- Nose surgery (rhinoplasty)
What is reconstructive plastic surgery?
Reconstructive plastic surgery corrects abnormalities caused by birth defects, post-traumatic accident, or illness to restore both function and appearance. Common reconstructive plastic procedures include:
- Birthmark treatment or removal
- Breast reduction or reconstruction after mastectomy
- Cleft lip and palate repair
- Medical and cosmetic reconstruction for trauma victims of accidents, burns, or diseases
- Repair of face or skull (craniofacial) abnormalities or deformities
Common types of plastic surgery include:
What types of breast surgery does SSM Health offer?
Changing the appearance of your breasts (enhancing, reducing, contouring or renewing) can bring a new sense of confidence that impacts how you feel every day.
Breast augmentation involves the use of breast implants or a fat transfer to increase the size of your breasts. The procedure can also restore lost volume after pregnancy or weight loss, achieving a more rounded shape or improving natural symmetry.
Breast lift surgery raises the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new contour. The lift can rejuvenate your figure with a more youthful profile.
Breast reconstruction is often used to restore one or both breasts to normal shape, appearance and symmetry, after going through a procedure like a mastectomy, lumpectomy or congenital deformity.
Types of breast reconstruction:
The type of breast reconstruction you choose is also important. There are two main categories of breast reconstruction:
Implant reconstruction
Implant reconstruction relies on breast implants to help form a new breast mound.
Autologous or “flap” reconstruction
This type of reconstruction uses your own tissue from another part of the body to form the breast. Flap procedures results in reconstructed breasts that look and feel more natural.
DIEP flap procedure
Following a mastectomy, the DIEP flap procedure transplants the skin, fat, and blood vessels from your lower abdominal to the chest to create a new breasts. The DIEP flap procedure leaves your abdominal muscle behind so that you will have a lower risk of hernias and bulges.
Breast reduction for women:
Women with large breasts may experience a variety of medical problems caused by the excessive weight, such as back aches, neck pain, or numbness in fingers and hands. A breast reduction removes excess fat, glandular tissue and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter and firmer.
Breast reduction (gynecomastia correction) for men:
For men, large or overdeveloped breasts are called gynecomastia. Surgery can help men who feel self-conscious about the appearance of their chest. It can also help those who may have recently lost a significant amount of weight and have residual excess skin on their chest. The procedure involves the removal of fat, glandular breast tissue or excess skin, resulting in a firmer, flatter chest.
This procedure generally involves removing or replacing an original saline or silicone breast implant. Patients who elect to have breast revision do so to change the size or type of their implants and/or to correct any complications resulting from a prior breast surgery.
Did you know SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital offers pediatric reconstructive and plastic surgery? Whether it's treating a child's & cleft lip or restoring the mobility of a hand after an injury, plastic and reconstructive surgery can improve the way your child expresses themselves. Learn more about pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery.
What is body contouring?
Sometimes, no amount of exercise can eliminate stubborn pockets of fat or loose skin throughout the body. Bariatric contouring is a procedure many will elect to take after dramatic weight loss or bariatric surgery. SSM Health offers several body contouring procedures to help you feel good and comfortable in your body, including:
- Tummy tuck
- Lower body lifts
- Inner (medial) thigh lift
- Arm lift
- Facelift
- Breast lift
What is facial cosmetic surgery?
Facial cosmetic surgery includes cosmetic or reconstructive procedures involving the head or neck. People can choose to get facial cosmetic surgery in order to enhance their appearance or due to a traumatic injury or craniofacial abnormality.
- Ear surgery (otoplasty)
- Facelift (rhytidectomy)
- Brow/forehead lift
- Nose surgery (rhinoplasty)
- Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)
- Radiosurgery
- Lip augmentation
- Fat transfer
SSM Health Plastic Surgery & Cosmetic Services