Children’s Plastic Surgery FAQs

It’s important to ask a lot of questions before your child’s surgery. Some questions to consider asking your Mercy surgeon are:

• How long have you been performing this kind of surgery?
• What are common risks associated with this procedure?
• Where will the surgery take place?
• What other Mercy doctors, students or residents will be a part of the operation? 

How you choose your pediatric plastic surgeon depends on your own personal criteria. When meeting with your Mercy surgeon, review his or her credentials. It’s also a good idea to make sure they have experience performing your child’s specific procedure. 

If a procedure restores a body part back to its original form, but doesn’t restore function, that procedure could be considered cosmetic. You’ll want to talk with your Mercy doctor and insurance provider to make sure you understand what qualifies as cosmetic. 

Plastic surgery can be performed on children of all ages. There’s, unfortunately, no “right age” for children to receive plastic surgery. It all depends on their condition and whether surgery is the best option to pursue as their treatment. 

In general, the same regulations that apply to adult plastic surgery also apply to pediatric plastic surgery. If a procedure is deemed medically necessary, there’s a greater chance of insurance covering the costs of any operation. 

Pediatric plastic surgeons treat a number of different birth defects that could affect your child’s health. Common birth defects needing treatment include birth defects of the face, skull, ear, chest, limbs and more.