COSMETIC SURGERY
Although
cosmetic procedures were not widely performed until the
late 1970s, cosmetic and plastic surgery have been in use
since 700 BCE. In ancient India, physicians were utilizing
skin graphs for reconstructive work in the eighth century
BCE. Around the first century BCE, the Romans were able to
conduct such procedures as rhinoplasty and otoplasty by
removing skin from the back of the arm and suturing it into
place. Before the development of anesthetics, this type of
surgery was incredibly painful and the risk of infection
was very great. Once the sterilization process was
invented, surgery became much safer and more effective. In
1827, the first U.S. plastic surgeon, [Dr. John Peter
Mettauer
(http://www.plasticsurgery.org/about_asps/history/History.cfm
)], performed the first cleft palate operation using
equipment and instruments he had personally designed. Dr.
Mettauer’s ingenuity and knowledge of the anatomy paved the
way for many of the modern cosmetic procedures in use
today.
In
addition to the procedures Dr. Mettauer’s developed,
perfected, and taught during his lifetime, several more
procedures were developed by New Zealander Sir Harold
Gillies, who is widely considered to be the father of
plastic surgery. While he was acting as a medical minder,
Gillies became fascinated with the reconstruction of the
face, and he became insistent that the English build a
facial injury ward. During World War I, Gilles was able to
develop several cosmetic procedures while caring for and
treating wounded soldiers.
Although cosmetic surgery was originally designed to
restructure the face of the wounded or deformed, as time
has passed, cosmetic procedures have became routine
surgeries used to optimize the features of people’s faces,
making them look more attractive and youthful. In 2006, 11
million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in the
United States according to the American Society of Plastic
Surgeons. Statistically, that is more than one procedure
for every 30 people in the United States, or roughly 4
percent of the American population.
Despite the increased popularity for cosmetic procedures,
plastic surgery, [botox (LINK BOTOX)], and liposuction are
not intended to be the alternative to a healthy lifestyle.
Cosmetic procedures can enhance the features of bodies, but
they cannot replace the importance of maintaining a healthy
and fit body with careful meal choices and routine
exercise.
Cosmetic surgery is not for everyone, but for some people
certain procedures can drastically change their appearance
to enhance their natural beauty and make them look the age
you feel. Since cosmetic procedures have been perfected,
there are numerous choices out there to reduce the
appearance of lines and wrinkles and remove excess skin and
fat to make you look like a fresher and more youthful you.
Often times, patients can expect significant and beautiful
changes to their faces after a single office visit.
Note: This site highlights several popular types of
cosmetic procedures, but it is not condoning cosmetic
surgery as the right choice for everyone. As a brief
overview of the benefits and risks of cosmetic surgery, it
is meant to be used as a teaching tool and resource guide
for potential cosmetic surgery patients. Read about the
several types of cosmetic procedures and how they work, and
decide if a cosmetic procedure is right for you.
