History of plastic surgery

Plastic surgery is a combination of surgical procedure and an art form that strives to improve the looks of an individual. While many believe that the term 'plastic' refers to the appearance of the individual undergoing the surgery changing to look more fake and plastic, it's not the case. The name actually comes from a Greek    In this article, we'll trace the beginnings of plastic surgery so that you can understand exactly how far that we have come in cosmetic surgical procedures.

One of the earliest examples of plastic surgery that you can see in human history is the use of skin grafts used in reconstructive surgeries which were performed in India around 800 BC. Plastic surgery didn't really make much progress from that point onwards until the 19th century. In the year of 1827, the first operation to help aid a cleft palate was performed by a physician named John Peter Mettauer. Around this period of time, much progress began to be made when it comes to reconstructive surgeries. This is due mostly in part to the fact that the wars of the time caused such wide-spread damage that doctors strived to do surgeries that would help their patients feel more comfortable with their appearance. Many different types of surgeries began to be employed, with many facial reconstructive procedures being at the forefront. These surgeries became the basis for many of the plastic surgery procedures that are being performed to this day.

When World War II broke out in the 1940s, surgeons once again had a large problem to face when it came to helping people with deformities from the modern weapons of war. In this time, an organization known as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or ASPS, became quite prominent in the medical world with its membership growing by leaps and bounds. The organization was committed to upholding stringent practices for which plastic surgeons should operate, requiring a board certification to obtain membership into the group. When the 1950s came about, many significant surgical procedures were discovered, owing mostly in part to war victims in Korea. Some of the more significant achievements heralded in this time period included the usage of rotation flaps for skin deformities and internal wiring for facial features.

During the 1960s, many other discoveries were made. One of the most prominent was likely the use of silicone in plastic surgery procedures. Originally used to treat imperfections of the skin, in 1962, it was first used to augment breasts, which would soon grow to be one of the most common plastic surgery procedures. The next few decades saw an increase in understanding of how to perform plastic surgery operations while making the patient feel as comfortable as possible. As it stands today, plastic surgery is largely engrained in our culture, and it's widespread use has come to be accepted by many. While there's still much to learn about reconstructive and cosmetic procedures, the progress that we've made in the past century have truly shown the potential for what we may one day be able to do.

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