Facial Reconstruction Surgery

When trauma impacts the appearance or function of your face, reconstructive surgery may be necessary.

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Understanding Facial Reconstruction

Facial trauma in the form of cancer, burns, or injuries can affect your face’s appearance and function. In some cases, the damage can prevent you from blinking, smiling, talking, and eating normally. When this occurs, our surgeons will use the most minimally invasive techniques available to restore your appearance and improve your quality of life.

Conditions Treated with Facial Reconstructive Surgery

Burns
Congenital facial irregularities
Defects following cancer removal
Facial paralysis (due to injuries, tumor removal, or Bell’s palsy)
Traumatic injuries

How are Reconstructive Procedures Performed?

There are many techniques our surgeons can use to rebuild your facial structures. They include:

Free Tissue Transfer

A microvascular free tissue transfer involves transferring skin, bone, or muscle from another part of your body to reconstruct your facial features. During the procedure, our surgeons will carefully connect the tiny blood vessels of the transplanted tissue to ensure a successful surgery.

Local Skin Flaps

For smaller defects (e.g., after skin cancer removal), we can use a local skin flap. This involves taking skin from a nearby area and affixing it to cover the defect. This is beneficial because the color of the skin flap matches the surrounding tissue. It’s also less time-consuming and less involved than a free tissue transfer.

Implants and Prosthetic Devices

In advanced cancer or trauma cases, it may be necessary to remove an entire body part. When this occurs, a tissue transfer will not be sufficient. Instead, our surgeons will make a prosthetic or implant to replace the removed features and restore your natural facial contours.

Facial Reanimation Surgery

People with facial paralysis experience weakness or a complete inability to move their face. The condition usually affects half of their face, resulting in asymmetry. Facial reanimation is a highly specialized surgery that can restore your normal symmetry and function. It’s done under general anesthesia and involves replacing or repairing the damaged nerves and muscles.

Surgery After Tumor Removal

Having a cancerous tumor removed from your face can result in disfiguring defects. When this occurs. Facial reconstruction can correct the defect and restore an appearance that feels more like you. We can usually address smaller defects with a local skin flap; however, larger defects usually require a skin graft from another area of your body.

Moh’s Surgery and Skin Cancer Reconstruction

Moh’s surgery is an ultra-precise procedure that’s done to treat skin cancer. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove thin layers of your skin and examine each layer for signs of cancer. Once we reach a layer of skin with no signs of cancer, the procedure is complete. The goal is to remove all the skin cancer without harming your healthy tissue.

Many patients who have Mohs surgery also require Mohs reconstructive surgery. The goal of this procedure is to reconstruct the wound in a way that is virtually imperceptible. We may use local flaps, skin grafts, or a combination of the two to repair the wound after your Mohs surgery and restore your smooth skin.

Why Choose the Barranco Clinic for Your Reconstructive Surgery?

Our board-certified surgeons have been delivering world-class reconstructive care to Central Florida patients for decades. We are proud to offer state-of-the-art surgical treatments for the full range of facial reconstructive procedures, including treatments for facial nerve paralysis, reconstruction after cancer, and more.

Expertise. Our reconstructive surgeons are board-certified with the highest level of expertise in their field.
Proven track record. Over the years, we’ve performed countless facial reconstructive surgeries—helping our patients rediscover their quality of life and sense of self.
Cutting-edge treatments. At The Barranco Clinic, you have access to cutting-edge facial and reconstructive treatments to restore your natural form and function.
Convenient care. With in-office CT scans and a vast network of sub-specialists, The Barranco Clinic delivers trusted, comprehensive care in one convenient destination.

FAQ

What’s the difference between cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery?

Reconstructive surgery is done for patients whose facial appearance and function are altered due to trauma (such as an injury or cancer) or congenital conditions. Conversely, cosmetic surgery is done to improve your physical appearance for elective reasons. Examples of cosmetic surgeries include a facelift, eyebrow lift, and more.