If you think that plastic surgery means plumping up lips, chemical peels, or laser hair removal and is just all about cosmetic changes meant for elites, then you need to visit this festival themed ‘Changing lives with plastic and reconstructive surgery to be held at AIIMS, Delhi on July 15 on the National Plastic Surgery Day.
“The festival will showcase films that aim to create awareness about the role of plastic surgeons in rehabilitating and reintegrating patients of burns, trauma, cleft, amputated limbs, and cancer among others into society,” said Dr (Prof) Maneesh Singhal, Head-Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, AIIMS, Delhi.
National Plastic Surgery Day will now be celebrated as World Plastic Surgery Day, added Dr Vijay Kumar, Secretary of the Association of Plastic Surgeons in India (APSI). They were speaking at the curtain raiser of the APSI Sushruta Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery Film Festival to be held on July 15 where a range of short films covering different aspects of reconstructive surgery will be showcased.
“These films are made by the plastic surgeons and trainees covering categories like burns reconstruction, trauma reconstruction, cleft surgery, hand surgery, cancer reconstruction, and public health problems and awareness,” Dr. Singhal said emphasizing that the mega event aims to give a message about the reconstructive side of the specialty through stories of various patients who either suffered devastating injuries, were born with congenital deformities or were suffering with cancer.
“These films will inspire the patients to approach for surgeries and live a dignified life,” he added. He also informed that currently, AIIMS is conducting around 7,000 plastic surgery every year, most of them being reconstructive ones.