What is Plastic Surgery?
The term Plastic Surgery originated from the Greek word plastikos, which means to mold. Although primitive plastic surgery techniques have been uncovered as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptian civilization, modern plastic surgery owes its dedication as a specialty to the reconstructive needs of disfigured soldiers during the wars of the twentieth century.
The prevalence of disfiguring injuries sustained by the young soldiers of the British and American military during World War I called attention to the lack of skills of the medical community to meet the needs of these men. After the immediate and pressing need for post-war reconstruction, the doctors who had honed their plastic surgery skills on the soldiers of the war realized that their specialty could provide a host of services to other individuals as well.
Present day plastic surgery, although it continues to provide important reconstructive services for those who are in need of them, is primarily a form of bodily alteration in one form or another. Some individuals are looking to enhance their appearance and others are seeking to correct a cosmetic flaw. Still, thousands of plastic surgeons are correcting cleft palates, reconstructing breasts after a mastectomy, and creating new faces for individuals who have experienced a disfiguring accident.
Although a variety of materials are used in plastic or reconstructive surgery, the term "plastic" often leads people to assume that actual plastic is used. As discussed, the term refers to the molding of the body and not to the materials used to perform such molding. Additionally, modern day plastic surgeons prefer to use "natural" reconstructive materials whenever possible. By natural, one means that the source of reconstructive material is most likely to be biological, meaning of human or animal origin.
The plastic surgeon's job is important in that they offer a new and hopeful self-image to individuals who have dealt with a defect, real or perceived, for any period of time. People who were born with a visible facial birthmark can take advantage of laser procedures to minimize, or even eliminate, the source of their discomfort. Those who have been victims of burn scarring can now benefit from smoother skin. And individuals who have sustained feature altering accidents can thank the plastic surgeon and his or her skills for a new lease on life.
Cosmetic surgery is that which deals with the side of plastic surgery that is sought because of a person's dissatisfaction with one or more aspects of his or her body. This type of surgery is generally considered elective by insurance companies, but remains highly important to the individual who seeks to improve or change their body image. Cosmetic procedures can be either minimal or extremely invasive, but they are all backed by the science that begun with the skills of the ancient practitioners and honed on the battlefields of Europe.