Reconstructive plastic surgery can change the shape, appearance and function of various body parts. Most reconstructive plastic surgeries involve removal of tumors in areas such as the breasts and eventual reconstruction of the breast. Reconstructive surgery on the hand can correct webbing of the fingers.

Other common reconstructive surgical procedures include:

• Wound or laceration repair. Treatment of cuts or open wounds. Large lacerations can affect all layers of the skin and underlying tissue. Inadequate care or repair may leave the body susceptible to infection or re-injury. Many lacerations can be repaired with stitches but the repair may leave a scar. In more serious cases, inner layers of tissue or muscle may require stitches before the wound is closed on the surface.  Skin that is too damaged to stitch together may require a skin graft.
  
  
• Scar revision. Surgical procedures to minimize the appearance of scars. Scars may be the result of previous injuries that collect extra collagen and form keloids or hypertrophic scars. Other scars may form as contractures, where injured skin puckered as it healed. Some scars can be minimized by surgery to align them with naturally occurring skin tension lines. Others respond to nonsurgical techniques such as dermabrasion or laser resurfacing. In severe cases where large areas of skin are scarred, skin grafts may be needed.
  
  
• Skin grafts. Sections of healthy skin are transplanted from one area of the body to another, frequently to treat serious burns. Healthy skin is selected from an inconspicuous area, such as the buttocks or thighs, and moved to the damaged area. A split-thickness graft takes the top layer of skin (epidermis) and part of the middle layer (dermis). A split-thickness graft survives in the new location well, but may not have normal skin pigmentation or hair growth. A full-thickness graft takes both epidermis and dermis and part of the subcutaneous layer of skin. It may look more like normal skin and may be better for more visible areas. Full-thickness grafts require areas with many blood vessels to nourish the grafted skin.
  
  Surgeons have two other options when considering skin grafts. Skin flap surgery moves a section of skin, but maintains all or part of its original blood vessels, either permanently or until the skin attaches to blood vessels in the new area. Another related option is tissue expanders. A surgeon inserts a balloon-like device under the skin and over a period of time fills it with saline. This causes a bulge and forces skin in this area to grow. When the new skin area is large enough, the balloon is removed and the new excess skin can be used as either a graft or flap for an injured area.