People around the world have turned to plastic surgery for many years to correct imperfections on both the face and body. But while it is well known that treatments like liposuction, Botox and rhinoplasty can help a patient both look and feel their best, there are actually more benefits to plastic surgery than those on the cosmetic level.

Several of today’s treatments that can improve our looks can also help us recover from injuries or illnesses. Botox, for example, is now being used to treat migraines and muscle spasms, liposuction can help men suffering from Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) reduce the size of their chest, and Rhinoplasty is often used to treat deviated septums, which can cause individuals difficulty breathing.

Additionally, plastic surgery has reached new heights, giving patients who have been involved in serious accidents or who have been born with physical deformities a new chance at life. This area of plastic surgery is known as reconstructive plastic surgery, and works to correct problems in the face and body, as well as on the skin. Individuals who have been hurt in a car accident, burn accident, assault, or any other incident can turn to surgery for the reduction or complete removal of scars, skin grafts or even bone reconstruction.

One young girl who was involved in a terrible accident last year is now recovering because of the advancements in plastic surgery.

No one was sure if 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai would survive a brutal Taliban terrorist attack in her home country of Pakistan last October. Yousafzai had been protesting for women’s’ rights when she was shot in the head and was left for dead on the streets.

Someone finally got her some help and Yousafzai was transported to a local hospital, but her wounds were extremely extensive. She had been shot behind her eye and the bullet traveled across her skull, cheek bone and lodged in her shoulder. The doctors at the local hospital were able to remove the bullet, but the damage left behind was more than they could treat. Yousafzai was placed on a ventilator after surgery, but her doctors were able to get her to a hospital that could provide her with the care she needed.

Yousafzai was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham (QEHB) in Brittan, where she underwent a miraculous surgery that has allowed her to regain some of her abilities back, including hearing and some speech. She is currently undergoing therapy, but because of plastic surgery, her life was saved.

A specialized team of plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, trauma specialists, and therapists at QEHB have been working together for months to design the surgery Yousafzai underwent in February. An innovative cranial reconstructive plastic surgery procedure was performed to correct the damage to Yousafzai’s skull, as well as improve her hearing.

The rigorous five-hour operation involved placing a custom-made titanium plate in Yousafzai’s skull to repair the cranial area that had been damaged by the bullet. Additionally, a cochlear implant was inserted in her left ear to help Yousafzai regain hearing she lost as a result of the gunshot wound. Although it will take some time (up to 18 months), doctors are confident that Yousafzai’s hearing will return to nearly normal levels.

And even after undergoing months of surgery and rehabilitation, a determined Yousafzai continues to advocate for women’s rights and hopes to continue her mission when she leaves the hospital. Thanks to the reconstructive plastic surgery procedure, Yousafzai will be able to continue her life and fight for her cause.

Procedures like this life-saving treatment have been performed around the globe on patients with several different needs. In New York, Dr. David Shafer has been able to assist individuals who have been searching for help to correct anything from a minor scar to a serious deformity caused by an accident.

There are a variety treatments available for patients to choose from, including traditional breast reconstruction, vaginal reconstruction, nose reconstruction, and several others. Dr. Shafer knows just how debilitating the scars and damage left behind from an injury can be and works diligently to help his patients reclaim their lives and cease worrying about the conditions that have been hindering them.

If you have considered reconstructive plastic surgery and reside in New York, plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer will provide you with the expert treatment and care you both need and deserve. Call Shafer Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation and determine your ideal surgical options.