Patients of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery, Reviva Medical Spa and other local businesses joined with the F.A.C.E. Foundation to collect toys for Remar, an orphanage in El Salvador. And we’re thrilled to say the toy drive was a success!

In addition to Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery and Reviva Medical Spa, area businesses including Frangipani Salon, Miko Salon, and Brucci’s Pizza graciously allowed F.A.C.E. to place drop boxes and collect toys on their premises.  Brucci’s also opened the doors of their restaurant on December 17th and donated ten percent of their profits to the toy drive.  The generosity of these businesses and the community members will allow the children of Remar’s impoverished orphanage to have a fun-filled Christmas in January!

With many struggling in this tough economic climate this holiday season, the giving spirit of the community was awe-inspiring.  Locals opened their hearts and their wallets, donating $315 and approximately 120 stuffed animals.  Dozens of books, art supplies, board games, puzzles, Lincoln Logs, Legos, building blocks, card games, baby dolls, rag dolls, baby toys, miniature cars, action figures, Polly Pockets, Barbie dolls and cans of play dough were also donated to this worthy cause.  In addition, Pilot Pen donated hundreds of pens, highlighters, markers, mechanical pencils and fountain pens to be used in Remar’s onsite school.

Remar is home to Antonio, a young boy who recently received life-changing surgical treatment from Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery’s through the FACE Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free facial reconstructive surgery to underprivileged children. Volunteer medical professionals offer their services to help children who are victims of facial injuries from dog bites, auto accidents, congenital deformities, violent abuse and other traumas.

Starting January 10, the boxes of toy collected and cash donations will be packed and sent to El Salvador.  Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery and Reviva Medical Spa want to thank their clients and friends for their generosity.

“The kindness and benevolence of all those that participated in this endeavor is greatly appreciated,” says toy drive organizer Kristi Mansouri, who, with husband Safa, fostered Anthony while he stayed in Northeast Florida for several months of treatments.

“Anthony and the other children at Remar are very close to our hearts,” adds Dr. Phillip Garcia, founder of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery. “Imaging the smiles on their faces when those toys are delivered is a gift in itself. We are so thankful to our clients and others who donated.”

Actually, the “plastic” in plastic surgery doesn’t refer to artificiality at all. Instead, the term is derived from the Greek word “plastikos,” which means to mold or give form – which is exactly that plastic surgeons do for patients’ faces and bodies. The term comes from the practice of the earliest known plastic surgeons developing skin flaps to close wounds or replace tissue lost to injuries or skin-deforming diseases such as skin cancer in an effort to restore the patient’s original appearance. Archaeological and written evidence suggests medical treatments for facial injuries were performed more than 4,000 years ago, and in ancient India, physicians are known to have performed skin graft procedures as early as 800 B.C.

An important distinction to keep in mind is the difference between cosmetic plastic surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery. Jacksonville-area plastic surgeons use the same definitions of the two adopted by the American Medical Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons:

• Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease. It is generally performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance.

• Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient’s appearance and self-esteem.

At Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery, Jacksonville patients can be assured that our goal is to give you a natural-looking change or enhancement to your look that will boost your confidence and self esteem. We carefully counsel each patient to make sure expectations are realistic and the results are beautiful. Often, this means a change in a patient’s approach to plastic surgery.

Jacksonville patients undergoing reconstructive plastic surgery get the same treatment in terms of efforts to achieve a natural look. However, depending on the severity of the injury or deformation, a fully natural appearance may not be possible. Reconstructive plastic surgery in Jacksonville and beyond is performed for two primary reasons – to restore lost functionality (your ability to smile, open or close your eyes and speak clearly) and to restore your face’s aesthetic form.

When considering reconstructive plastic surgery or cosmetic plastic surgery, Jacksonville patients should be fully aware of the reasons behind each type and the possible outcomes for each. Also keep in mind that while many reconstructive surgeries are covered by insurance, most cosmetic surgeries are not. Some gray areas do exist. For instance, eyelid surgery that improves your look also may improve your sight by removing overhanging tissue that blocks your vision. To find out more about cosmetic or reconstructive plastic surgery, contact Garcia Institute at (904) 247-8522 to set an appointment for your consultation.

The face is among the most commonly injured parts of the body, and the most challenging to treat. Injuries to facial bones including the jaw, eye socket or cheek bone, as well as severe facial scarring may interfere with the movement and function of the victim’s mouth or eyes. And any soft tissue injury, facial bone fracture or skin cancer surgery can result in significant cosmetic deformity to the face.

When considering facial reconstructive surgery, it’s important to understand the two primary reasons that a plastic surgeon performs reconstructive surgeries. The overarching reason is to address issues of lost functionality. We want to restore your ability to smile, open or close your eyes, speak clearly – all examples of functions that facial injuries can inhibit. The second reason is to restore your face’s aesthetic form, and therefore your confidence. Please understand that while a skilled reconstructive surgeon can improve your face’s function and form, complete and perfect restoration to your face’s original appearance rarely is possible.

For reconstructive surgery, Jacksonville’s Garcia Institute offers outpatient treatment, often without the use of sedation or general anesthesia required. For more severe cases requiring general or sedation anesthesia, such as facial fractures, large facial traumas or traumas in children, we can perform facial reconstructive surgery in a local hospital or at our outpatient surgery center or our state-of-the-art Jacksonville surgical suite accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. Recovery from reconstructive surgery typically takes about a week and our reconstructive surgeons follow patients for a year after their surgeries.

If a facial injury has cost you facial functions or robbed you of your beauty, contact the Garcia Institute today. Our highly skilled reconstructive surgeons can help restore your face’s function and your confidence. Call our Neptune Beach office at 904-247-8522 or contact us via our convenient online email form.